* This product was gifted by Equal Opportunity Book Box in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
Did you know that two-thirds of low-income children have no access to books at home? Did you also know that just 8% of the characters depicted in picture books are non-white? For these reasons alone, I’ve been on a quest to incorporate more diverse books into Nori’s growing book collection. I’m a firm believer that reading books that represent different ethnicities, cultures and beliefs assists in shaping how we view and approach those differences. By exposing Nori to books that highlight these things at such an early age, my hope is that it will have a lasting effect on her in the future. When the Equal Opportunity Book Box reached out to me, I couldn’t have been more excited to learn more about the company and their mission to expose children to diverse books.
About the Brand:
The Equal Opportunity Book Box, founded by Jacob Jordan, is a diverse children’s book subscription that donates one book to an underserved child for every book sold. All of the books feature characters of color, LGBTQIA+ characters, and/or characters with disabilities. The inspiration behind this business blossomed after Jacob discovered that the lack of a quality early childhood education was the chief driver behind social inequality.
The company’s mission believes that every child should grow up with quality books at home. One book is donated to Bernie’s Book Bank for a child in need for every book they send you. For those unfamiliar with Bernie’s Book Bank, they are the leading provider of quality books to under-served children in Chicago. You can learn more about their mission here.
How it Works:
Every month, The Equal Opportunity Book Box sends you three new, high-quality picture books. The box is ideal for children ages 2-6.
There are four subscription options you can choose from:
- Monthly Subscription – $34.95
- 3-Month Subscription – $99.60
Regular price $104.85(Current special: 15% off first box) - 6-Month Subscription – $209.70 (Includes an extra hardcover picture book in your sixth box. They will also donate another book to a child in need.)
- 12-Month Subscription – $419.40 – (Pay for twelve months and receive a thirteenth box for free. They will also donate another three books to children in need.)
[October 2020] Book Box Review:
The theme for the month of October is Joy by finding the good in life and sharing it with others. The books included in this months box showcase characters being happy in their own skin and sharing that happiness through kindness to others. Below is a break down of the three books we received:
- Natsumi – From the author: For a small girl, Natsumi does everything in a big way. Adults are always telling her “Not so fast, Natsumi!” “Not so hard, Natsumi!” “Not so loud, Natsumi”. Luckily, when everyone practices for their town’s Japanese arts festival. Matusmi finds a super fun way to put her exuberance to good use. This heartwarming tale about being true to yourself is perfect for readers who march to their own beat.
What I loved most about this story was the message of encouragement. No matter what Natsumi did, something always seemed to go wrong. Through the encouraging words of her grandfather to keep trying, Natsumi persevered in a big way. The illustrations highlighting their Japanese culture throughout the book are beautiful and captivating enough to draw your kiddos attention.
- Power Up – From the author: “Did you know that every singly person, no matter how big or how small they are, is filled with the same fuel as a huge, shining star? It’s true! What can you do with all that energy? you can run, and sing, and laugh, and go to school, and play at the playground, and ask questions… and you can even open this book and turn the page.”
This adorable story dives into the relationship between energy and the human body, and breaks it down into terms that are easy for children to understand. This book is a little advance for Nori, but I’m excited for her to learn once she’s a bit older. For now, she was tuned in to the vivid illustrations. I also love the diversity within every page of the book.
- Right Now – From the author: “What are you? You are big and small and loud and quiet. You are right now. And you are perfect. From popular author and illustrator Jessica Olien comes a lyrical and touching ode to the importance of individuality respect, and self-love.
The overarching message in this story encourages children to accept themselves and their unique differences that make them special. I love books like this that encourage self-love. As parents, this is something that we need to instill in our children at an early age and this book does an amazing job at helping with that.
Overall, I was blown away by the quality and message within each book. As mentioned above, I’m always on the hunt for new children’s books that depict characters of color, so this monthly book box subscription service is perfect for our home. I cannot stress enough how important it is to diversify your child’s book collection by exposing them to books with characters of all ethnicities. This small step will help us raise future generations that are not only more culturally aware, but also more accepting of those that differ from them.
If you’re interested in signing up for one of the Equal Opportunity Book Box’s subscription plans, you can save 15% off your first box by using the code: BROOKEANG.
If you decide to check them out, let me know what you think along with what books you received!
Happy Reading!
Xo,
Brooke
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