Extra Storage + Big Style: How to Pick the Perfect Kids' Bookshelf

Add storage and style with a kids' bookshelf that complements your child's room. Choose from a wide range of designs, finishes, sizes and even shapes to find a kids' bookcase that you can use for picture books, early readers and teen mystery novels - and everything in between.

The Kids' Bookshelf Buying Guide: What to Look For

Every kid's room needs shelves for books, collectibles and toys, and you can find one that's just right for your child's space by choosing a size (including width and height) and zeroing in on a style.

Gauge how much room is left around your child's existing furniture, such as the bed, nightstands and accent tables and other bedroom furniture. If you're working with very little floor space, you'll want to go up, not out - and that means getting a taller, narrower bookcase. If you have a swath of bare wall along the floor, you can opt for something wider and lower, which will make books and toys easier to access for little ones. Shorter pieces may have two or three shelves, while towers and taller models can have four or more, so your choice depends on how many books and other items you intend to stash on the unit.

Bookracks

Bookracks are different from standard bookshelves. They allow you to display books cover-side-out, rather than lined up library-style with the spines facing out. Bookracks are perfect for smaller kids, who largely identify their favorites through pictures and those who have colorful, fun and display-worthy collections. Many bookracks also feature some shelving space on the bottom, which can give your child plenty of options for book and toy storage.

Standard Shelves and Tower Bookcases

Standard shelves typically offer between two and four surfaces for books, toys and collections. Tower bookcases are often narrower than standard kids' bookshelves, but they make up for that in height. You can find a tower bookcase that has five (or more) shelves, which is a great choice in a room without much floor space.

Cubbies and Bins

Cubbies and bins are usually the right choice for smaller children. They're shorter than your average children's bookcase, and they make it easier for little hands to sort through toys and books at eye-level. Some bins are stackable and feature dividers, while cubbies allow you to use baskets and toy storage containers to keep things organized. Storage bookcases - those that feature a combination of shelves and compartments - are a comfortable medium in kids' furnishings because your child can choose what to display and what to tuck away.

Specialty Bookcases

Leaning kids' bookshelves, dollhouse bookcases and bookcases that combine drawers, cabinets and shelving space are all great choices for earning extra style points. These outside-the-box designs are ideal for kids whose rooms follow specific themes.

What to Look for in a Kids' Bookshelf

When you're shopping for a kids' bookshelf, look for features like these:

• Solid wood and medium-density fiberboard construction
• Veneers to provide flawless surfaces
• Kiln-dried wood to ensure durability and stability
• Child-safe paint
• Drawers with solid wooden glides for smooth motion
• Included anti-tip kits that keep your child safe
• Wood that's FSC® certified, which means it comes from responsibly managed, socially beneficial, environmentally conscious and economically viable forests

Finding the right kids' bookshelf for your child's room is easy when you know what to look for - and our collection is packed with amazing cases, cubbies, racks and more to complement any theme.