OurShelves
- Books that ignite imagination, wonder and the giggles too
- Books that proudly feature feminist, racially and ethnically diverse, and LGBTQ+ characters and families, among other under-represented identities in children's books
- Curation Team that chooses books includes expertise from librarians, teachers, academics, psychologists and parents, as well as those with lived expertise in raising children who are under-represented in children's books
- Free shipping and increased discounts for annual prepay subscriptions.
- The pride in knowing you're exercising your consumer power to be counted in support of diverse children's books -- OurShelves advocates for the many diverse books needed in part by proving the significant, yet largely untapped, audience for such books
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OurShelves reviewsReviews
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Average Subscriber RatingSuch a great service!!
Oct 08, 2019
Krista S.
This service is so wonderful; we've been completely thrilled with our OurShelves subscription. We've received some beloved family favorites - we all LOVE to read and look at the beautiful art in Thank you Omu and have A Different Pond in heavy rotation for bedtime. I am not sure we would have found these treasures on our own - thank you to OurShelves for the wonderful service.
It is so much fun to have a box of surprise books on the porch and even better that they have diversified our shelves.
Verified Purchase
Krista, thank you so much for your kind words! We are so grateful to be able to help in connecting high-quality diverse children's books to you and your family. We're also glad to hear you use the word, "fun," as we really value including fun, relatable, engaging stories! Thank you again for your commitment to ensuring ALL children and ALL families have a place on OurShelves!
Broadening our family's perspective
Sep 25, 2019
Matt B.
We've been a member of OurShelves since the beginning of this year and I love the variety this adds to our library! Our boys are currently 5 and 3, and story time is an important part of our daily life. With so many children's books centering around animals or construction vehicles, the selections from OurShelves is a welcome change, introducing us to new cultures, people, traditions, and sharing stories of kids who are just like our boys even if they seem different in some ways.
Consider the words of Myron Thompson: "You need to define your community, and community is never about what separates you from each other - your race or your culture - it's about what binds you together." Sharing stories that include children from all walks of life is a great way to help your kids grow up with a broader perspective of family and community.
Verified Purchase
Matt, thank you for sharing what OurShelves means to your family. Thank you also for sharing this quote and vision about how "sharing stories that include children from all walks of life" can be an important way of broadening our children's notion of family and community. So grateful to have Founding Members like you! Thank you again for your commitment to ensuring ALL children and ALL families have a place on OurShelves!
Fabulous in Every Way
Jun 21, 2019
Jennifer B.
I'm so glad I found OurShelves, and been able to broaden my sons' horizons with these inclusive stories. Being white folks in a rural town in Maine, my sons don't get to experience a lot of diversity first-hand just yet. I'm so glad to have this small way to open their eyes to the greater world around them. It's opened up rich conversations in our house, and a number of these books have already become family favorites - and they are books we might never have found on our own.
The Founding Membership was well worth the cost, and has been the Christmas gift that keeps on giving... We love opening the new shipments and exploring all of the beautiful stories curated in OurShelves.
Verified Purchase
Jennifer, this feedback means so much to us! Thank you for your commitment to ensuring ALL children and ALL families have a place on OurShelves! Truly, we feel honored to do this work in partnership with members like you!
BEST kids subscription
Oct 07, 2019
Carrie B.
Living in a small town in Wyoming, our kids have limited exposure to lots of things. Given this, it's especially important to us that our kids experience the richness our diverse world and its people beyond what we see here at home. Since travel is expensive, we need great books! The books we receive through Our Shelves normalize and elevate people and life experiences that our kiddos might otherwise miss out on. The books are beautiful and fun. I also love knowing that our purchases are helping put positive pressure on the publishing industry to be more inclusive. All kids should see themselves and their stories represented in beautiful literature. Our Shelves helps make that a reality.
Carrie, thank you so much for this review. We are so proud to have members throughout the country who are so committed to ensuring their book shelves include ALL kids and ALL families! Thank you for supporting both parts of our mission -- both to connect high-quality diverse kids' books to those seeking them AND also to prove to the publishing industry the significant, yet largely untapped, market demand for these books. Together, we can advance the children's book industry from a trickle of diverse books each year to the abundant outpouring needed and warranted by the significant audience seeking such books! Thank you again, Carrie!
May 14, 2019
Ari M.
I love this subscription book service! Such beautiful children's books that illustrate the inclusive values that I want to teach my son.
Verified Purchase
Thank you so much for being an OurShelves Founding Member committed to the idea that ALL children and families deserve a place on OurShelves!
Feb 15, 2019
Sarah H.
Every child is born with an expansive and loving heart and mind. Ourshelves nurtures children's hearts and minds and helps us, as caring parents, friends, and family members, make manifest the world we want to see. This is a wonderful organization with a brilliant mission. Consider your subscription or gift more than a purchase - it's a way of changing the culture, asking more of publishers, and creating more possibilities for peace, love, equality, and acceptance.
Sarah H, yes, yes, and yes - "Every child is born with an expansive and loving heart and mind." Perfectly stated. Thank you for your beautiful description of OurShelves. We are so grateful to have you as one of our Founding Members.
So excited about OurShelves!
Feb 06, 2019
Alicia A.
I am so excited about this service! My family is multi-racial and multi-cultural and it is so hard to find books that reflect this kind of family experience, so I am thrilled that this service exists. We got our first box of books and loved it and I can't wait to see what we get in the second box. I look forward to my children growing up with this service.
Verified Purchase
Thank you, Alicia, for this wonderful review and feedback! We are so excited that you are loving your books as much as we love them. Thanks again so much for being an OurShelves Founding Member committed to the vision that ALL children deserve a place on OurShelves!
Jan 29, 2019
Molly D.
Our family loves the beautiful, diverse books we received from OurShelves! They offer many different age-range options to tailor to your child's needs at different price points, making it accessible to all different families.
Verified Purchase
Molly, thanks so much for your feedback and support! We're proud that you're an OurShelves Founding Member working with us to ensure ALL children have a place on OurShelves!
So incredibly important
Jan 26, 2019
Michelle C.
This service is an excellent way to fill your book shelf with beautiful, inclusive books for children. My little one is just developing an understanding of the world, and knowing that she will continually read stories about diverse children in diverse families is so important to build empathy and understanding. Even though our family looks traditional, including stories from indigenous families, single sex parents, and children ignoring societal norms will help us to start important conversations and foster a sense of respect and understanding for our children.
I am so thankful for this organization taking the time to find this beautiful literature. As a working mom, I haven't been able to spend the time locating such important books. I highly recommend the book box to anyone hoping to foster these inclusive feeling in the children they love.
Verified Purchase
Thank you so much, Michelle, for these kind words and for expressing so beautifully what we're trying to accomplish with OurShelves! Thanks for being an OurShelves Founding Member and for joining us in working towards ALL children having a place on OurShelves!
Outstanding!! Exceeded expectations.
Jan 17, 2019
Sandra K.
I was absolutely delighted by the books that my family received in our first subscription box, so were my children. Each story was told in a different style, had meaningful cultural significance, beautiful illustrations, and represented diverse communities. My heart sang as I read the books to my daughters. OurShelves is definitely filling a hole in the market with substance, inspiring content, and a carefully-curated selection of offerings. I love that the business is woman owned. Highly recommend!
Verified Purchase
Sandra, we are so joyful that you and your children are loving our books as much as we do! Thank you for being an OurShelves Founding Member and for joining us in ensuring that ALL children have a place on OurShelves!
