Little Feminist Book Club is a monthly book subscription box for kids ages newborn to nine years old. Each month you will receive one to two books selected to help diversify your bookshelf for $22.95 per month + $2.95 flat rate shipping. Plus, you will also receive hands-on activities and tools to help your book come to life. Subscriptions are offered for ages 0-2, 2-4, 4-7, and 7-9. From Little Feminist:
Only 31% of children's books feature a female character, and only 13% feature a person of color.
This review is of the Book Club for ages 4-7 years.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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Little Feminist Book Club items come in a distinctive cardboard holder with drawings on it. This month's book is a colorful story about life in a mosque.
In addition to the book(s), Little Feminist includes an introduction to the book (which has an activity on the reverse side. See below) and a bookmark with thought-provoking questions.
What's Inside The Box
In My Mosque by M.O. Yuksel - Retail Value $17.99
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The book is about life in a mosque thought the eyes of the the children there. There is no real overarching story. (Not a complaint). They mostly recount the sights, sounds, and rituals in a simple, lovely way. Maybe the feel of the carpet under their bare feet or the coo of the pigeons nearby or the excitement of seeing their friends at worship. And it's not just one person speaking, which gives the material a communal feel. Most pages start with the titular "in my mosque" and paint a lively, colorful picture of a people worshiping, coming together, and living in peace. There are Arabic words and terms sprinkled throughout the book. Other languages – even if only a little – are always fun to learn. And a word I will use a lot in this review: colorful. The pages really pop and show off the vibrant culture. In the back of the book there is a glossary for all the new words you learned. I only wish there was a pronunciation key to help me feel more confident we were saying them correctly. There is also an author's note, information on mosques, and even a list of famous and historic mosques throughout the world. The one from the U.S. on the list is The Diyanet Center of America in Lanham, Md.
From HarperCollins:
Step in and discover all the rituals and wonder of the mosque in this lyrical debut picture book from M. O Yuksel, with gorgeous artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Hatem Aly. A great conversation starter in the home or classroom, this book is perfect for fans of All Are Welcome and The Proudest Blue.
No matter who you are or where you’re from, everyone is welcome here. From grandmothers reading lines of the Qur’an and the imam telling stories of living as one, to meeting new friends and learning to help others, mosques are centers for friendship, community, and love.
M.O. Yuksel’s beautiful text celebrates the joys and traditions found in every mosque around the world and is brought to life with stunning artwork by New York Times bestselling illustrator Hatem Aly (Yasmin series, The Proudest Blue, The Inquisitor’s Tale). The book also includes backmatter with an author’s note, a glossary, and more information about many historical and significant mosques around the world.
As usual, you can purchase the book for cheaper on Amazon. Here it is for $12.30 (at the time of this review).
What Do You Think Card
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Each book comes with a 'What Do You Think' card that provides questions that you can ask your little reader about the book. They are nice in the way they help you ask direct questions. Something that might actually get a real answer rather than "It was good" or "I liked it."
Little Feminist In Action: Feel Better Strategies
This month's Little Feminist In Action pages has you create a mosaic with construction paper. You're supposed to cut out pieces that match the design given, but my kiddo just colored the shapes in. I just urged her to make it as colorful as the book.
Verdict
In My Mosque painted a very colorful and inviting picture of the people, community, and joy that goes on in mosques around the world. My daughter asked "Can we go there?," but mostly because there were other kids to play with. Honestly, after reading this, I want to go to one, too. The author's note says they were inspired to write this book since it is "not uncommon for people to be curious and even misinformed about mosques and Muslims in general." Maybe this is just a children's book, but even a little look into the lovely world of mosques piqued our interests and may do the same for others. I thought this was a wonderful inclusion in this subscription and is exactly what I've come to expect from Little Feminist Book Club.
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
Subscribers – current or future – will have to be understanding of the fact that Little Feminist Book Club is not a subscription that saves you money. The cost of the sub will always be a little more than the book itself. This subscription's true value is the quality of the books and the complementary paperwork, which is carefully chosen and sent to your front door. If you are focused on dollar amounts, this subscription may not be for you.
The monthly subscription costs $26 (with shipping). This book retails for $18, but can easily be found for less. In this case, about $6 less. If you compare the cost of the sub to the cost of the book, there is about a $14 difference. Some months are harder to stomach than others. We have loved almost every single book we've received. They have been interesting and thought provoking and I would not have found them on my own. No question. However, to be honest, I do question whether many people will find the subscription worth the difference in value.
One thing of note: Little Feminist offers four ways to purchase: monthly, three months, six months, and 12 months. They cost $22.95, $21.95, $19.95, and $18.95, respectively. Shipping is always $2.95. So if you were certain you'd like this subscription for a year, it would be $4 cheaper per month and much closer to the book's retail value.
To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. You have to order before the 25th to receive that month’s selection. So at this point, you will get next month's. From Little Feminist:
Once you purchase a book subscription your first box will be shipped within a week. From then on, your book box will be sent the first week of every month.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist.
Do you subscribe to Little Feminist Book Club Box? Comment below with what you thought.
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