If you can't find a suitable bookstore, have you considered using the public library? What I like to do is check Amazon for the titles of books that seem interesting and then I borrow the book first from the public library. They have a lot of books about activities for children (eg, art and science) and parenting etc.
I use the public library's online catalogue to see if they have the book (doesn't matter which branch as they can transfer the book to your branch), reserve it and wait for the library to contact me to tell me that the book is ready for collection at my branch. You can renew the book up to 6 times (ie, keep for 12 weeks in total). If I like the book and think it is useful after borrowing it, then I order it from an online retailer. I find that this is even better than a quick look at a bookstore!