Blog Takeover: An OurShelves Summer Diverse Book Delivery!

By Alli Harper, OurShelves

I’m Alli, the founder and owner of OurShelves, an expert-curated diverse children’s book box service and advocacy effort. Last month, in honor of Pride, we loved sending one of our limited edition Pride boxes to the Make It Cute playhouse with three of our very favorite books that feature LGBTQ+ kids and families!

I started OurShelves because my kids have two moms, and it can be much too hard to find high-quality – including joyful and silly and fun!! – books that feature LGBTQ+ families like ours and also the many other kids and families out there. So our Curation Team of national experts helps us find all kinds of stories (including those that make us laugh or sweet bedtime stories) featuring all kinds of kids and families!

This month, we are super-excited to send another special delivery to the playhouse – this time featuring some of our favorite books that cherish the fun and joy of summertime and include diverse kids and families. Take a break from the summer heat, and enjoy these OurShelves expert-curated books in your Make It Cute playhouse:

1. For your child who loves frozen summer treats, What Can You Do with a Paleta? / ¿Qué Puedes Hacer con una Paleta? is a relatable book about a child eagerly awaiting the familiar bell of the Mexican paleta wagon – a cart that sells frozen treats in all kinds of delicious flavors. With a paleta, "you can paint your tongue purple and green" or "make new friends" – discover all you can do with a paleta in this wonderful summertime book! This book is written by Carmen Tafolla and illustrated by Magaly Morales.
2. For your child who is nervous about swimming or trying new things, I Will Swim Next Time, is about a child who is afraid to get in the water at first, but with their grown-up's patience and their own bravery, gradually overcomes their fear. This book is written by Emily Joof and illustrated by Matilda Ruta. Check out this special video that Emily Joof made for us about her inspiration for this book as well as her hopes for this book.
3. For your child who has a passion for bugs, Evie, in The Girl Who Loves Bugs, cannot get enough of the insects around her! So when her moms request that she come inside to get ready for her family's upcoming visit, she decides to bring her bug friends into the house with her! "What could possibly go wrong?" Hmmm . . . :) This book is written by Lily Murray and illustrated by Jenny Løvlie.

Finally, we share a big thank you to Make It Cute for featuring us and most importantly for your values around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Our vision at OurShelves is a world in which all children and all families know they belong on OurShelves, which is one important way we signal and manifest our belief that all children and all families belong in our communities. Thank you to Make It Cute for partnering with us to receive diverse books in your wonderful playhouses!