phinney-by-post-kids

We had such a good response to our Phinney by Post book subscription service (and we've had such a good time choosing books for our subscribers) that we decided to start a second plan. This one's for kids, little kids specifically: each month we send a picture book we love to our young subscribers. As you might expect, we call it Phinney by Post Kids. We think it makes a perfect gift for parents wanting to surprise their kids with a new book every month, for grandparents or great-grandparents or friends or aunts and uncles wanting to do the same (especially useful for kids who don't live nearby), and as a baby-shower gift to help new parents build a library for their growing children.

If you're familiar with Phinney by Post, our Kids plan will be similar in some ways: each month we choose one book we love for all our subscribers, and at the beginning of the month we wrap it up nicely and put it in the mail (for our mail subscribers) or hold it at Phinney Books for pickup (for our local subscribers who choose that option). And like Phinney by Post, subscribers can choose between every-month and every-other-month options (which we're calling "TWELVE" and "SIX"—see below).

But there are a few differences as well. While we generally choose older books for Phinney by Post, our Kids selections will mainly be new books (in part so our subscribers won't have them already, and in part because there are so many great new picture books coming out all the time). And while we send paperbacks for Phinney by Post, the picture books in Phinney by Post Kids will usually be hardcovers. (As it happens, adult paperbacks and hardcover picture books cost about the same, so our subscription prices will be the same for both plans.) And since we don't know any three-year-olds who have their own credit cards, we assume nearly all of our Kids subscriptions will be gifts.

What kind of books will we choose? You can take a look at our previous selections, to get an idea of what we like, but here are a few more guidelines:

  • Our target audience is zero to five years old, and we'll choose books that appeal across that range, although we won't choose books we think will only be of interest to very small children.
  • We like funny books, pretty books, strange books, and thoughtful books.
  • We love books that are made well.
  • We like books that are fun to read aloud, and that can stand to be read aloud many times.
  • We like books that are easily approachable but also hold further surprises as you get to know them.
  • We like books that represent life from a variety of cultures and perspectives.
  • We'll choose books about girls and about boys, and perhaps also about dogs, sloths, dinosaurs, giant construction equipment, clouds, fairies, blobs of color, robots, and mismatched socks, if someone makes a great picture book about them.

You can learn more about the plan in our Phinney by Post Kids FAQ.

There are two Phinney by Post Kids subscription options:

  • The TWELVE Plan: a picture book a month for twelve months: $240.*
  • The SIX Plan: a picture book every other month, totaling six books during the subscription year: $130.*

* Local subscribers who prefer to pick up their books at our Seattle store can save $40/year on a TWELVE Plan and $20/year on a SIX plan. Just choose "In-store Pickup" while checking out.

Thanks for taking a look at Phinney by Post Kids. See our FAQ for further information, and we'll be happy to respond to any questions you have, both before you subscribe and after, via email at post@phinneybooks.com or at 206-297-2665.

Best—

Tom Nissley, and the staff of Phinney Books