Zoobean: Hand-Selected Books Delivered to Your Door

Hundreds of titles in the children’s aisle of your fave book store adds up to lots of stumped parents trying to figure out what reads are most inspiring and appropriate for their little reader. We’ve found a solution to your bookstore woes: Zoobean. Think of Zoobean as your own personal librarian who delivers books directly to your doorstep. Their selection is a curated catalog of books chosen for you and your budding bookworm. Plus, they’re online (read: convenient) and boast free shipping (read: easy on the pocketbook). Sign us up!

How does Zoobean work?
Zoobean is the lovechild of your fave indie bookstore and trusted children’s librarian. It works like a targeted search engine with ready-made tags of the things that matter most to you and your little reader. Create a custom list for your kiddo to find the right books using age, reading ability, language, and favorite genres. You can even list character gender (including transgender), family (2 dads, 2 moms, adopted, extended, twins, single parent, multigenerational) and ethnicity (including bi/multiracial). Plus, Zoobean also allows you to list topics like courage and friendships along with life events such as loss or new siblings.

Read Up on Zoobean’s History
Zoobean was launched by a husband-and-wife team with impeccable educational pedigree:  he was Teacher of the Year in Washington DC and she ran education outreach for Google.  Lack of inclusive choices for their own son lead to the creation of this tech-driven site, curated by librarians and educators who know what little tykes like as well as what parents prefer.Can I just look?
Zoobean features fab descriptions of each catalog item and anyone can access this list. Register for a free account and choose from a plethora of tags to uncover the best books for your little bookworm or as a gift to another. You can even check out what’s recommended and order on the spot. Easy peasy.

Better yet, take advantage Zoobean’s nifty new personalized subscription which allows you and your kids to change your minds as often as the wind blows. Last month your little lady was into dragons but this month it’s all about horses? Just change your preferences and the curated selection will too.

For the Commitment-Phobic
Try Zoobean’s featured book  subscription – it’s like a Book-of-the Month Club for the under 8 set.  Every month, an age-appropriate hardback will arrive, along with a reading guide of before, during and after ideas to enhance your little reader’s experience of the book.  You’ll also receive literacy tips and vocab along with fun facts and activities to do with your little one.  Of course, you can log-in anytime to discover and order additional books. Psst, recommended titles are discounted and subscriber shipping is gratis!

And did we mention that the folks at Zoobean are always open to suggestions from their fan base? Now that’s parent recommended.

Online: zoobean.com

Tell us if you’ll be trying out Zoobean. What types of books are your kids into now?

— Kim Orchen Cooper

Photos courtesy of Zoobean.com