Best Book Subscriptions for the Whole Family

Amazon uses its huge book selection and expertise to curate a box of handpicked hardcover books tailored to your child’s age with the goal of inspiring a love of reading.

If you’re a regular Amazon customer, you probably enjoy the retail giant’s vast selection of products—including books (if you remember, Amazon began as a bookstore). And if you’re already a Prime member, you’re also likely familiar with the convenience of fast, free shipping. Amazon has combined the two to offer a book subscription service geared toward motivating kids to read more.

With Amazon Prime Book Box, you get a box of curated children’s books delivered to your door every one, two, or three months. Each box contains two hardcover books (for ages three to five, six to eight, or nine to 12) or four board books (for ages two or younger). The books are curated based on recommendations from Amazon’s editors, customer reviews and ratings, and your profile, where you select age-appropriate books for your child. 

If you’re already a Prime member, all you need to do to get started is create a Book Box profile to select your child’s age group and delivery frequency. For your first box, you’ll have the option of choosing titles. For future deliveries, you’ll get a preview email containing information on the titles and have five days to review the selections and make changes before the box is shipped. You can choose from alternate titles or skip that month’s box. 

Have more than one child? You can get separate subscriptions for different kids. When you sign up for each subscription, just indicate the child’s age. You’ll also have the option to address each box with your child’s name (rather than your own), so they can enjoy the excitement of getting their box in the mail.

The original book subscription, Book of the Month is the best choice for those looking to make reading a more regular activity. Books are curated and vetted for quality and you get access to new releases.

If you want to keep up with the latest stories and make sure your shelves are stocked with quality reads, Book of the Month is an excellent choice. There’s a reason it has been around since 1926. The service features well curated, handpicked book selections, savings on new releases, and an engaged community of book lovers to discuss your favorites with.

A monthly subscription costs $16 with free shipping, but your first month’s book is $10. A yearly membership is available for $180. Every month, Book of the Month features five to seven books, and you choose one. You can add up to two extra books to your box a month, choosing from the current monthly selections or the top books from previous months. Genres include literary fiction, thriller, romance, young adult, fantasy, history, and more.

Don’t have the time to finish a book in a month? You can easily skip a month or cancel your subscription at any time. And because reading is a gift that keeps giving, Book of the Month also offers gift subscriptions. Choose from three-, six-, or 12-month gift options.

To make it even easier to manage your Book of the Month subscription, you can download the BOTM app. It notifies you about monthly selections and lets you skip a month, choose add-ons, and rate and review your box.

The Wordy Traveler offers adventurous families a chance to explore new places and destinations every season with fiction and non-fiction books.

If your family loves to travel, go on adventures, and explore new destinations together, The Wordy Traveler’s book subscription is a good pick. Each box contains one to six books (depending on your chosen plan) and travel- and adventure-themed extras, such as ethically sourced teas, art prints, a tote bag, jewelry, and other items. 

The Wordy Traveler is a seasonal subscription, so you get a box every three months. If you subscribe in January, for example, you will receive your boxes in January, April, July, and October. If you subscribe in February, you will receive your boxes in February, May, August, and November. 

You can customize your “journey” by choosing the number of books in your box—one, two, four, or six—and selecting fiction, nonfiction, or a combination of both genres. This is especially great if family members have different preferences. Subscription options include:

• One Book Journey: One book plus extras starting at $55
• Two Book Journey: Two books plus extras starting at $77
• Three Book Journey: Three books plus extras starting at $100
• Four Book Journey Four books plus extras starting at $127
• Six Book Journey: Six books plus extras starting at $171
• Children's Add-On: One book and bookmark starting at $16

You can skip a quarter or substitute a book if you already own the title. You can also choose to switch from fiction to nonfiction (or vice versa) or change your subscription choice.

Bookroo is an affordable and flexible book subscription tailored for children in different age ranges—from 0 to 12 years old.

Parents looking to encourage reading in children early on will find much to love about Bookroo, which offers affordable and flexible subscriptions for kids. Bookroo has book clubs for four age ranges: Board Book Club for kids up to three years old (includes three board books); Picture Book Club for ages three to six (includes two hardcover picture books); Junior Chapter Book Club for ages seven to 10 (includes two hardcover chapter books); and Middle Grade Chapter Club for ages nine to 12 (includes two books).

The Board Book Club and Picture Book Club subscriptions cost $20 a box on a 12-month plan or $22 a box on a monthly plan. The Junior Chapter Book Club and Middle Grade Chapter Club start at $22 a box on a 12-month plan or $25 a box on a monthly plan.

If you have kids in different age brackets, Bookroo offers the option of alternating subscriptions, so you can receive board books one month and picture books the next. The selections are based on recommendations from Bookroo’s reading experts in consultation with librarians, parents, and kids.

For the board and picture books, Bookroo sends hidden gems rather than classics, while the chapter book boxes include one hidden gem and one admired favorite. And because Bookroo wants to highlight the excitement of receiving a book, each book comes individually gift-wrapped.

Literati Kids is a fun, convenient way to expose your children to the joy of reading, without needing to purchase all the books.

Literati Kids is similar to other book subscriptions in that it delivers carefully curated books personalized for your child. But it’s unique because it’s a try-before-you-buy subscription service—you only pay for the books you want to keep and return the rest for free. 

The subscription lets you choose from six book clubs for children of different age brackets: Club Neo is geared towards kids under three years old; Club Srout for ages three to five; Club Nova for kids from five to seven; Club Sage for kids from seven to nine Club Phoenix for kids from nine to 12 years old; and Club Titan for 13 years old and up.

You receive five personalized books in a fun, magical package. Each month’s box is focused on a theme. Past themes have included Stars, Infinity + Beyond, which explored space, exploration, and math; Wit + Wisdom, which focused on humor and values; and Game On, which covered athletes and sports.

You have a week to explore the five books sent every month. Within seven days, decide which to keep and purchase; book prices will be detailed on a price sheet in every box, and the prices will either match or beat Amazon list prices. You can return the ones you don't want free of charge. 

Once Upon a Book Club goes beyond a subscription service—along with the month’s book selection, you receive up to five wrapped gifts meant to offer an interactive reading experience and bring the book to life.

Teens will appreciate the interactivity and online community of Once Upon a Book Club. The subscription service sends readers a monthly box with a newly released book (choose either the young adult box, geared toward teens age 13 and up, or the adult box, for 18+), along with three to five individually wrapped gifts. The surprise gifts have page numbers attached to them and correspond to something that is mentioned in the book.

Readers are encouraged to only unwrap the gift when they have reached the corresponding page. Past story-significant gifts have included replica letters, historical photographs, recipes, and identification cards.

The monthly box also includes discussion questions to allow readers to interact with other subscribers and discuss the book and the surprises. They’re meant to encourage conversation and robust book club participation.

A monthly subscription starts at $44. While you choose either the adult or young adult box when you sign up for a subscription, you can switch your subscription for a month or choose to switch permanently later.

The legendary New York City bookstore’s young adult book subscription includes a signed first edition of a newly released title, another paperback, and other Strand goodies, such as notebooks, mugs, and snacks.

The Strand, a New York City institution, is known for carrying over 2.5 million used, new, and rare books, covering topics as far-ranging as the occult to philosophy to finance. Now, it’s bringing its curation expertise straight to readers’ doorsteps with The Strand Book HookUp.

The Strand’s quarterly book subscription offers eight genres to choose from, but young readers will appreciate its Young Adult subscription, which costs around $38 a box. It includes one newly released, signed first edition of a young adult title, one additional paperback, Strand merchandise, and items from featured partners. Past boxes have contained snacks, mugs, magazines, literary journals, notebooks, and other literary gifts from The Paris Review, Cafe Grumpy, and Socksmith.

You can choose from three payment plans: a one-time box, a full-year subscription (four boxes sent quarterly), and a recurring subscription, which renews every year. The boxes, however, are known to sell out quickly, so subscribers are encouraged to sign up by the first of the month before a subscription box is set to be shipped. For example, if you would like to receive a June box, sign up by May 1.

Each Equal Opportunity Book Box highlights the importance of inclusivity by featuring diverse characters. Plus, for every book sold, one is donated to a child in need.

It’s never too early to teach kids about the importance of diversity, kindness, acceptance, and love. Equal Opportunity Book Box can help parents champion inclusivity at home and show children their connections to other cultures with books that feature diverse characters and stories.

The monthly box is tailored for two age groups. The Board Book Box is geared toward children ages birth to two, while the Picture Book Box is curated for ages three to seven. Each box includes three high-quality picture books that feature characters of color, LGBTQIA+ characters and/or characters with disabilities, as well as stories that reflect the world around us. Each box also includes information about the month’s book themes and an educational activity. Past boxes have featured justice, triumph, respect, and happiness themes.

The subscription starts at $25 a month for a 12-month prepaid plan, or $35 a month if you opt to pay month-to-month. It may cost a little bit more than other children’s book subscription services, but for each book sold, Equal Opportunity Book Box donates a book to Bernie’s Book Bank, a non-profit organization in Chicago that works with schools in book deserts (where reading materials are difficult to obtain) and low-income communities.

All of Equal Opportunity Book Box’s packaging is also made from recycled material.

Page 1 doesn't just randomly send you a box of books each month. Your books are carefully hand-chosen based on your reading preferences.

No one knows your reading tastes as well as you do, which is why Page 1 designed its book subscription service specifically with you in mind. Readers fill out a questionnaire about their likes (and dislikes), and the company hand-selects one paperback or hardcover book each month that perfectly matches their tastes. As the company likes to say, "You are not an algorithm." The more info you share, the better book matches you'll get. 

Prices start at around $30 a month for a 12-month prepay plan. A six-month plan is around $31 a month, you'll pay $33 for three months, or if you are unsure you can pay $40 for a one month trial Media mail shipping is free within the contiguous U.S., but it's also slow (you could wait a week or longer for your book each month). You do have the option of upgrading to Priority Mail for a fee.

Page 1 has ebook and audiobook subscriptions, too, if you'd prefer to read your books digitally or listen to them in the car on your way to work. You'll pay around $18 a month for 12 months, $20 per month for six months, and $22 monthly for three months for that service.

The books are a mix of new releases and classics. If you already own a book you receive, the company will send out a new one. You don't even have to return the original book—just share it with a friend. Page 1 believes in spreading good karma.