My Curious Shelf provides children’s book recommendations, literature-based curriculum, and other fun learning resources! We specialize in curating kid’s books that spark curiosity and fosters a love of learning. Explore our extensive book lists categorized by age, topic, and type, and discover free resources available exclusively to our newsletter subscribers. Shop our collection of digital products, including curriculum packages and activity sheets, designed to enhance early childhood education.

Who I Am

Hi there! I’m Hillary, a proud mom of two—an inquisitive toddler and an energetic baby. My love for literature began in childhood, when I spent countless hours at our local public library. My mom would drop me off in the mornings, and I’d get lost among the shelves, immersing myself in stories until it was time to go home.

As I grew up, my passion for books only deepened. One of the things that drew me to my husband was his love for reading, too. In fact, one of our first dates was at The Lost Bookstore in Los Angeles, and a year later, we returned there to take our engagement photos! Now, as we grow our family, we’re excited to pass on our shared passion for reading to our little ones.

In addition to books, I have a love for all things creative and a curiosity about the world around me. I’ve always enjoyed curating ideas and making guides, so starting My Curious Shelf felt like a natural passion project.

How It Started

This all started with my lifelong love for children’s books and the incredible home library my husband and I built over the years. During the pandemic, our passion for books really took off. We discovered amazing books at our local Friends of the Library book sales. It was the perfect way to snag discounted used books while supporting our local library! Because of our growing collection, my husband decided to tackle his first woodworking project to create beautiful built-in bookshelves for our growing collection. Very ambitious for a first project with no experience but it paid off for the whole family! 

As our collection expanded into the thousands, I found myself diving back into children’s literature, especially after becoming pregnant. This journey reignited my joy for kids’ books and inspired me to share our favorites on Instagram. I kicked things off with the account @mycuriousshelf, originally called My Creative Shelf, where I focused on books that sparked arts and creativity.

As my son grew older, I noticed his fascination with nonfiction books—just like mine! I’ve always loved browseable nonfiction, so I was more than happy when he showed interest in the same genre at only two years old. This inspired me to broaden my Bookstagram’s focus beyond just art-related titles, and that’s when I decided to rename the account to My Curious Shelf.

Where It’s Going
Now, My Curious Shelf is all about celebrating the joy of reading and exploring a variety of genres. Whether it’s whimsical stories, captivating nonfiction, or everything in between, I want to create a space where parents, caregivers, and educators can discover books for their little ones. 

My primary goal is to share children’s books to help you discover new titles that your kids will love. I hope to expand into more resources, like craft ideas paired with the perfect book, printables, and curriculum suggestions—all centered on using books as a starting point to ignite curiosity.

If there’s anything you’d like to see or think could be helpful in your journey as a grown-up helping kids with their reading, feel free to let me know!