As a GoldenOldie who once owned an SF/Comics store in G'Burg, and collected rare SF and historical books, Wonder is absolute Heaven! The staff is knowledgeable and great fun too ! I try to always use them when ordering books, videos, and anything imaginable. They also buy books at good prices, if you have a valuable item. Recommend absolutely! read more

This place is mind-blowing. It is in a weird strip-mall that isn't that much to look at from the road, but don't let that put you off. The prices are dirt cheap, there are a ton of deals (buy 2 records get 1 free type of stuff, etc.) and one of the most eclectic collections of books and vinyl I have ever seen. Of course the selection is somewhat contingent on what people in the area bring in (i.e. more Johnny Mathis and Engelbert Humperdinck albums than I have ever seen in one place). But there are plenty of great finds. For example, I ended up finding among other things a copy of The Band's The Last Waltz that plays great for only $10, some Warren Zevon, and Booker T & the MGs. This is also a great place to come to fill out your classical vinyl collection. The book-side of things was even better. The typical dusty mass market paperback that you would expect, but also a lot of surprisingly contemporary things in great condition. My wife and I went in and somehow 3 hours passed without us noticing. At the end of the day we left with about 20 books and 20 albums for under $120. It is a stop we will make anytime we are around Frederick. read more

I feel like they rip you off when you bring books to sell to them. The buyers seem to be like they can't be bothered with your books.

I recently used Wonder Books' website to order books in advance and pick them up in store (they also provide tradition shipping to your door). This is, for me, a far more sane method of searching through their stock and getting what you are looking for without the need to call out a search/rescue team. Now that I know this is possible, I'll be making far more purchases here than ever before. read more

I can spend hours in this place. I've found many out-of-print books that I had been searching for for years. Prices are good, too. read more

They advertise that they buy CDs in the paper and their website. I brought in nearly 300 CDs to be purchased and was told that they could either give $4 cash or $6 store credit. Insulting and ridiculous. read more

This is a great store with a little bit for everyone. New books, used books, videos, DVD's, vinyl, you name it, they got it. True, sometimes you have to be patient to find something, but it's that store you will find that rare treasure or obscure item in. I could easily go in and spend a few hours wandering and come out with entertainment for a month. Take the time to check it out. read more

Oh yeah, what a great book store! But they have three locations, so you have to browse all over. I think the biggest is on Rt 40 in Frederick, though Hagerstown is pretty big too. Has the H-town location moved yet? They've been saying that they were almost ready to for like a year. Also, they have good national geographic maps. BTW, I've been going to Wonder Book since back in the day - like back when they were the only video rental place in town, before Errol's even, like when they even had beta max. read more

And even better for bargain hunters...they have all paperbooks 50% off during the month of May. woohoo

I walked in and my head almost exploded there were so many books. That said, you would think they would lower their prices to deplete some of their inventory. It's kind of ridiculous. This location has much much much more space to walk around than the Gaithersburg one which was great because I couldn't get my baby's stroller into the other store. The kids book section is better organized but again, the books were overpriced unless the copy was completely falling apart. The store employees were nice about helping me find some books and they had everything I was looking for. There was a sidewalk sale and I picked up a (very worn but readable) copy of Under the Dome for under a buck so that was a good deal. New-ish kids board books were still $4 though. I probably won't go out of my way to return just because it's too overwhelming a place and a little pricey. read more

I've been here dozens of times. Large book selection, decent used CD selection, and very large DVD selection. Prices are decent. The books can be tough to search through, and the CD's are equally difficult, but it's because there are like a million of each and the customer's undoubtedly move things around. I would deduct a star for the mild disorder, but it would be a Sisyphean task to pay a team of teenagers to literally try to re-order everything constantly. read more

This is the shop I miss the most since I left MD some years ago. I spent many happy hours (at this location and the one that was out on Jefferson) perusing the books here. Books are a passion of mine and I love used book stores. You never know what you will find and I have found some of the most interesting books, including some in foreign languages, that I have purchased from Wonderbook and have had now in my collection for many years. I still purchase books from Wonderbook and Video through Amazon and they ship out and are received in a timely manner. read more

It's a lot of fun to wander in here. I don't feel you get a lot for your trades, but I really enjoy shopping here. Lots of books and organized well enough to help you find what you are looking for or just explore and find something new. read more

Love this place!! Can't beat the video rental prices and selection. The books are amazing too!

Somewhat mixed feelings about Wonder Books in Fredrick. There is a great selection of books but they are overpriced for used books and especially the paperbacks. Another issue is the rip off if you bring books to sell. I brought 2 boxes of books with probably about 30 books. Some were quite old and had some value while others were a little more common. They offered me $5 or $7 store credit. That is absurd, they will easily more by selling just 2 or 3 of the books. I traveled over an hour to Wonder Books because it sounded like a fun and interesting place. In the future I will keep my money closer to home. read more

Have shopped at Wonder Books for years. Enjoyable experience generally, pleasant staff. The only issue I have is they will show a book online that is cheaper than the copy in the store but won't honor that price."Sorry, you have to buy it from the warehouse to get that price." I have collected civil war books for 40 years and have over 3000 books. It would be more convenient to take my book with me than to have to wait 10 days. Their pricing shouldn't be drastically different between the warehouse and the brick and mortar store. My recent purchase saw a $40 difference....I saved that much by having to buy online and wait over a week for my book after walking into their store. Now imagine if a walked into a car dealership bought a car, get home and discovered the car was 40% cheaper if I went thru the Internet. Please evaluate the pricing between the Internet and retail store. This can appear shady, my gut thinks the book being shipped to me is one of the two copies you had sitting in the showcase at the store. And this isn't the first time this has happened to me. read more

I love this store. I walked in and they have wall to wall organized sections of books at great prices!

Great selection, easy to see why this is a town favorite. Didn't have the book I stopped in for, but I'll definitely be back to peruse the shelves soon! read more

I came to this location today. I brought 33 boxes of books and was only given $45. Normally I would get two dollars per box or $66 for this load. I feel that it is a little unfair that they advertise they buy books but they are paying less than $2. Per box. They are making a killing off of these books. It's not worth my time to bring books here anymore. read more

There's another Wonder Book store in Gaithersburg, but this store has more room and has a better format. The selection is fantastic. The music CD collection is well formatted and is quite a collection to choose from. I drove here from Northern Virginia and am glad that I made the trip. read more

What a great place! Obviously not many options for tangible books, CDs, and DVDs exist anymore, but Wonder Book provides a wonderful, relaxing, and stress-free shopping (and mostly browsing) experience each time! read more

Alright, do not get me wrong, I love this store, the variety is amazing, but if there's one issue, it's the damn prices they charge for some movies. I went in looking for V for Vendeta, they had it for rental, ok not too bad, but the alternative price to buy, $69.99, WHAT THE?! Seriously?! And on top of that, they seal all the used stuff, with heavy duty tape, and on the cardboard cases for some movies, like the matrix for example, is a nightmare because it requires so much dedication not to ruin the case But other than that the selection for games movies and books is top notch, just know what your looking for. read more

Wonder Book and video is the perfect place to browse for long forgotten books, music, or movies. They are incredibly well stocked and have excellent prices. They also buy your used books, music and movies, so you can constantly keep your collection updated. If you cant find it there- it might not be able to be found! read more

A friend and I came across Wonder on a recent trip to Frederick. Both of us being book addicts, we went in. Two hours later we emerged a bit like the Chilean miners -- bedraggled, smiling and clutching precious bags of books. This is my idea of a used book store -- you have to do some exploring, you have to be willing to spend a little time, the staff must be knowledgeable and you just know that you will find SOMETHING you've never suspected was still out there! My next stop -- heading over to the Wonder store in Gaithersburg. Until I moved to Virginia, the Book Alcove was a regular weekly stop. I can't wait to see how the metamorphisis looks. read more

I must disclose that I am a book lover and I have been to this Wonderbook location several times before. I have liked the store, but my most recent experience leads me to write a negative review - and I'm not sure I will go back! The store's prices are reasonable but their organization gets worse each time I go in. Even though I have learned the store's layout - which other reviewers on here have said is poor - I still have difficulty finding authors or titles I want. Add to the frustration, there is no catalog system so I can't use a computer or even ask up at the counter if a book is in stock. Those who are fortunate WILL find a the title they desire but only if they resolve to hours of searching. Establishments like this help to explain why the physical bookstore is beat by online sales - and that is a shame! Yesterday I found a unique soda brand that I love in their cooler and it was marked down from $1.99 to $0.99. This was a great delight...until I started drinking it. It tasted a little off from what I remembered and that's when I saw the expiration date - over 6 months old. No wonder it was reduced in price, though an expired food product should have been thrown out. Finally, I brought a large box and bag of books to sell. I had to wait 10 minutes at the truck, even after asking at the checkout counter, before anyone came out to attend to me in the parking lot. Eventually an ungroomed kid came out to look at my stuff. He thumbed through some of my materials, (started loading them onto the truck before I even agreed to make a sale), faked that he was making a calculation in his head, and then said he would offer me $5 for everything. I had brand new publisher's copies of many popular novels, vintage editions of classic novels, and he overlooked the 1st edition copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. That was a slap in the face. Sorry to bother you or ask that you do your job. LONG STORY SHORT: Difficult to find what you are looking for, terrible organization, poor business model, unprofessional employees, and insulting buy back policy gives consideration only to volume or weight. Wonderbook is a great museum to go and admire what once was, but it has lost its lustre as a bookseller. read more

Fun place to find offbeat books and stuff. I get lost in the cookbooks. Huge selection of foreign films and lots of choices for rentals- much better than you-know-who. read more

I brought in 3 boxes of Stephen King hardbacks. I have all of his books on my NOOK now so I did not need the hardbacks. Most of them had been read once then set aside. I got offered $10 for all 3 boxes. I am downsizing in preparation for retirement, but I will never bring anything else to this store. I would advise you to look elsewhere as well. read more

Their buying prices are cheap as to be expected, but their selling prices pass at least some of the savings on to the customer. If you're buying any CD or DVD in a case, check the case because they don't. Didn't realize until the next day I bought an empty case, yuck. read more

While there are lots of books the store itself is a total cluster. I like non-fiction and those books are not categorized alphabetically by author but instead by subject. Autobiography is not one of the subjects so I can never find anything in that genre. If you have all day then go ahead and start digging. But some of the prices are crazy and it's just not worth it to me. read more

I travel for work, and whenever duty takes me to Frederick, I make it a point to stop at Wonder Book & Video. These types of bookstores are getting harder to find each year. Books are stacked from floor to ceiling, bric-a-brac covers the walls, and the "stale book smell" is everywhere. In short: a book lovers paradise! To be honest, some of the books are a bit overpriced, but the sheer pleasure of walking down the rows upon rows of literary gems is well worth it. Only wish there was a store like this closer to my home! read more

First a warning: don't go to the Wonder Book in Gaithersburg MD. It used to be the old Book Alcove and is a shadow of this Frederick store. This is one of the best used book stores in the region. Selection is very good and there are vintage and collectible books for true book aficionados. You can spend hours just browsing, for those into that sort of thing. Go during a sale or look for coupons that they occasionally issue and save some money. read more

One of the best used book stores in the world. Been coming here for almost 20 years and it makes me happy every time. Things found in hear that even Amazon did not have listed and the real charm is the random factor of things you will come across that you did not even know existed. Found a Country Bear's figurine which just happens to be my 4 year old sons favorite ride at Disney World... what are the odds? Great store, great selection, and a great time just being there! read more

After searching a good bit, I purchased an old, obscure child's paperback book at Barnes and Noble online and it was fulfilled by Wonder Book in Frederick. Barnes and Noble told me it wouldn't deliver until 8/8...it arrived on 8/3! Perfect timing! Appreciate the fast service! read more

My 10 year old asked me today if we could stop into Wonder Book and Video. I said yes since we were in the area and I knew I had 2 CD's in the car I was getting ready to give away. Maybe I would trade them in instead. I have nobody to blame but myself because I sort of suspected I was being taken for a fool as I purchased two USED Blu Ray videos for her for what indeed turns out to be exactly what it would have cost me for BRAND NEW copies on Amazon (free shipping too). What burns me even more though, is the Blu Rays from Wonder are dirty and smudged, one is missing the accompanying DVD etc. They encase them in hard plastic so you don't find any of this out until you've paid for them and brought them home. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I brought along the 2 CD's,(rather than give them away to Frederick Freecycle like we normally do). They were doubles of ones we already had. Perfect condition. I got 20 cents a piece for them. Seriously?? They gave me a store credit of 40 cents. When it came time to pay for the used Blu Ray's I was being taken to the cleaners for, they told me I'd have to dig out my driver's license in order to get the 40 cent store credit. WHAT?!!? I knew right there and then it was time to just cut my losses and get out of there, and fast. Little did I know I'd find out how BAD I'd really been taken until I got home. BTW, I just passed on the store credit and gave them the CD's. Something tells me they need the money at this establishment. All I know is, these Blu Rays had BETTER work fine. read more

Huge selection and great prices for used and rare books - you can fill up shelves with just the stuff under $5. Reasonably well-organized, at least when compared to other used bookstores. Payouts are low when buying books, but comparable to other places I've been within 50 miles; that said, I don't they'd make any money at all if they paid more for books, given the prices they sell at. Found the buying process straightforward and hassle-free. read more

If you love books - you must check out this store. I have bought many books here over the years and find the staff friendly and helpful. The ship-to-store service is fantastic. I ordered a book online last night and it was already in the store this afternoon! That's less than 24 hours service and no shipping charge. In fact, have it shipped to the Frederick store and they knock 50 cents off the cost of the book. read more

If you like your vinyl in decent condition, and a selection of artists and titles beyond what is normally found at Goodwill, sadly you've come to the wrong place. read more

If you are selling books and CDs, donate them and you'll be better off. I took a shopping bag full of books and CDs to the story on Shady Grove Rd. and they gave me $2 for the whole thing. They said there were books in there that they had a lot of, which is not true. These were not common paperbacks but foreign artbooks and CDs selling for $10 on Amazon. This outfit is a real ripoff. Go elsewhere or sell on Amazon or better yet, give them to your library. read more

Lots of old musty books and poor selection. You know it's bad when the sidewalk books stink. A no-go for allergy sufferers. Disappointed there were no children's textbooks, as I had heard they were "great" for homeschoolers. Buying prices are truly insulting. I much prefer to donate my near new items for a good cause. Oh, and the male employees may insult you if they think you're out of ear shot. No thanks! read more

Been going here since I was a kid and they have everything from oddball textbooks that I needed for papers to small independent films that we wanted to see. Wonder Book has a bit of everything for everyone. read more