So, how do we choose what books to send, and what exactly is included in each Little Feminist book box?
Book curation is the most important thing that we do. And we take it seriously! We want our kiddos to know that the world around them is full of rich diversity, and we want all kiddos to feel supported and seen. We believe books are a starting place to learn empathy and compassion – and gain different perspectives.
Throughout the year, our Book Selection Team reads over seven hundred books each year – and only about 10% make it through our process. At Little Feminist, we are committed to sharing stories that are written or illustrated by people whose identities match the main characters represented in the book (aka Own Voices) books. In today’s publishing industry, main characters of color make up less than the percentage of books that portray animals or inanimate objects like trucks.
BOOK CURATION
To be featured in our Little Feminist Book Club box, each book must be loved by at least three of our Book Selection Team members. All of us come from different backgrounds and bring our own experiences with us when we read. As a team, our goal is to be not only mindful but intentional of representation in the books that we include throughout the year. For example, while we may love a book written by an audiologist, we first look for books written by a Deaf person. To keep us accountable in our mission to diversify your bookshelf, we also track the identities of the main characters in the books we select. Other times in our reading selection process, we may really love a book, but it is already too popular. We work hard to find hidden book gems, ones that you hopefully don’t already have on your bookshelf.
BOX DEVELOPMENT
After books are selected by our team for each age group (0-2, 2-4, 4-7, and 7-9), our Head of Operations contacts publishers and orders. Next, our content director assigns these books to our content creators, based on their background and skill set. Our content creators wear various and multiple “hats” from classroom teachers to bookstagrammers to mothers. They are responsible for creating content related to the books to spark curiosity, start (sometimes hard) conversations, and uplift others!
Our book boxes always include:
- A “family letter” to share why we love the book and why it deserves a spot on your bookshelf.
- A bookmark with questions to help you and your little feminist get curious together.
- An engaging activity that is related to the themes of the book and easy to do with limited materials. Our activities are often tested out by our own children who provide invaluable feedback.
And all of the illustrations you see on our materials are thoughtfully created by our designer.
WELCOME GIFT
Our first box for every Little Feminist family now includes a sticker sheet and pennant flag so that our Book Club members can see and understand our values. Here at Little Feminist, we believe in intersectional feminism (coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989). We are very intentional about choosing books with characters of different races and gender identities, and characters with disability, neurodiversity, and bodies of all sizes. These are the types of books that you can expect in your Little Feminist book box. Our pennant flag even has space for you and your kiddo to track what books may fulfill these different identities. This can help you see what experiences may be missing as you build a more inclusive bookshelf. And with this more inclusive bookshelf, and age-appropriate conversations, we hope to play a small part in raising kiddos who will be upstanders when they inevitably witness racism, homophobia, and transphobia, to name a few.
We hope that our Little Feminist book club inspires you to learn with your little feminist, and that the books and materials we send spark conversation and connection. Thank you for inviting us into your home and onto your bookshelf. We are truly honored. ♥️
in Oakland, CA