Reading books with your kids offers a host of benefits: it improves their vocabulary, fosters independent thinking and sparks their imaginations. Not to mention, that taking a moment to slow down and escape with your child in a book is priceless for parents, too. 

What’s better than one book? A whole bunch of books. If you’re looking to diversify and build a child’s library book subscriptions are the way to go. From diverse books that showcase underrepresented characters to book boxes tailored to babies, these book subscriptions will foster a lifetime of literary love. 

Here are our favorite book subscription boxes for little readers of all ages.

Shoppable

Screen Shot 2021 12 13 at 1.53.26 PM Motherly

$12 and up

1. Brave Light Library

Brave Light Library is a non-profit organization offering books from BIPOC authors about topics such as race, justice, identity, disability, skin color and the immigration experience. Founded by two moms committed to having open conversations about race and identity with their children, their goal is to provide parents and caregivers with the tools to talk about these topics with their kids. A subscription includes one book per month for five months along with discussion and activity guides for kids and adults. 

They have three pricing tiers: Accessible at $60 ($12/month), Standard at $100 ($20/month) and Supporter at $150 ($30/month). You receive the same content no matter what subscription you choose, but the higher-priced tier (Supporter) allows Brave Light Library to subsidize book subscriptions for families at the Accessible rate, which furthers their mission of equality and inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Book Box Motherly

$29.99 for one month

2. The Equal Opportunity Book Box

Children need to see themselves represented in the world to feel heard and valued—and books that offer truly diverse characters are a key component to making this happen. Every month your kiddo will receive a box with three inclusive stories featuring underrepresented characters including LGBTQ+, BIPOC and disabled. You’ll also get family discussion cards. Choose from board books for babies and toddlers or picture books for kids ages 3 to 7. For every book sold, they donate a book to underserved children.

Hullabaloo1 Motherly

$19.95 for one month

3. Hullabaloo Book Company

The Hullabaloo Book Company, a carefully curated children’s virtual bookshop that launched just a little over two years ago, is now offering a book subscription service for kids zero to tween. Each month your kiddo will receive one book box themed around attributes such as kindness, intelligence, curiosity, bravery, creativity and emotional awareness, plus bonus activity packs. Request up to four additional packs for siblings and upgrade your box to include a board book for the littlest reader in your house.

OurShelves4 Motherly

$19.99 for one book quarterly

4. OurShelves

Offering racially and ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+, disabled, feminist and other traditionally underrepresented characters in literature, OurShelves knows that the more demand there is for books that showcase diversity the more publishers will create these books. Curated by an expert team of parents, educators and librarians, all of whom have lived experience of being underrepresented in kids’ books, you can get a one-time box or try a subscription. 

Their subscription model is a little different: Sign up for boxes four times a year and you can select from one, three or five books per box. Select books based on your children’s ages. They also offer a way for you to combine multiple age groups into one box.

Literati 03 10 21 Kids All Clubs Arrangement 001 C Motherly

$$60 for one month

5. Literati

When it comes to top subscription boxes for parents and kids, Literati is a leader. This lit subscription box service proves you are never too young (or too old) for books. They offer children’s book subscriptions tailored to ages starting at newborn all the way up to teen. (They offer a grown-up subscription box, too). There are five books per box, but don’t expect to see classics and bestsellers: Literati is known for highly curated book boxes featuring unusual books, hidden gems and vibrant art. 

Screen Shot 2021 12 13 at 2.02.39 PM Motherly

$Starting at $15.95

6. Booklandia: Libros Infantiles y Juveniles

Aimed at filling the gap in children’s publishing for bilingual and Spanish books, Booklandia is a subscription box for readers from birth to middle school. All titles are hand-selected from Latin America, Spain and independent publishers in the United States. Choose board books, picture books or chapter books that are either bilingual or in Spanish. You can get books monthly or every other month.

September 2021 Full Box 500px 800x500 crop center Motherly

$29.99 for one month

7. OwlCrate Jr.

OwlCrate Jr. offers a middle-grade hardcover novel per month for readers ages 8 to 12—but there’s more! Each box also includes an exclusive letter and signed bookplate from the author, collectible stickers and other cool swag including toys, activities, stationary and more.

Screen Shot 2021 12 13 at 2.06.01 PM Motherly

$32 for one month

8. Little Shu Box

For children ages 18 months to 8 years, Little Shu Box provides curated children’s books on East Asian and Asian American culture, along with a related craft activity and supplies. Themes include folktales, Asian American artists, Lunar New Year, history and more. Choose from the Toddler Book Box (one board book and two picture books) or the Kid Book Box (one early chapter book and two picture books) or the combined Sibling Book Box which includes a board book, a picture book and a chapter book.

Screen Shot 2021 12 13 at 2.07.41 PM Motherly

$19.99 for one month

9. The Book Droplet

Get that indie bookstore vibe right on your doorstep with The Book Droplet’s picture books geared toward readers ages 3 to 7. You’ll get a hand-wrapped hardcover book, a name plate and a surprise gift each month. They also offer subscriptions for Early Readers (5 to 8) as well as Middle Grade (ages 9 to 12). All books come from independent bookstores.

Screen Shot 2021 12 13 at 2.09.33 PM Motherly

$20.99 for one month

10. Elephant Books

If board books are your game, the Elephant Books box is for you. Geared towards little readers ages 0 to 6, you can get recently published board books and picture books hand-selected by parents, teachers, authors and kids.

Screen Shot 2021 12 13 at 2.11.22 PM Motherly

$24.99 for one month

11. BookRoo Book Club for Kids

BookRoo offers four different book club options for kids: board books, picture books, junior chapter books and middle-grade chapter books. All boxes come with two books (or three board books!) and tips to foster discussions about the book, encouraging children from first readers up to tween to have lively literary discussions.

1 Motherly

$22.95 for one month

12. Little Feminist Book Club

If you are looking to diversify your children’s bookshelf, look no further than the Little Feminist! They offer “diverse books for raising conscious kids” from birth onward. The contents are tailored to ages, but every box includes at least one book, discussion cards and activity sheets aimed at fostering healthy, age-appropriate discussions that focus on diversity, inclusion, representation, emotions and change.