Your problems are solved! Well, your French book problems, at least.
IMAGE: The indominatable Trotro, created by Bénédicte Guettier.
With so many founding family members placing presale orders this week, things are getting REAL here at Will et Max Books.
We're reviewing details for each family, consulting our in-house experts (is that a child labor law violation?), and working with our publishers in France to optimize order weights and shipping times.
Along with the rush of activity that's followed our formal launch (squee!), we've fielded a good number of questions about the book selection process for Will et Max custom collections. We're glad you asked — and we're excited to share!
Child-like cursive writing not only helps train young brains to follow cursive, but makes books like Maxibisous from Kimiki so approachable.
More than Just Books
When you entrust us with creating a French book collection for your child, we take that responsibility seriously. After all, these aren't just stacks of bound paper. Just like the English classics (we see you, Good Night Moon), they're future bedtime favorites, Saturday morning companions, and just might be the stories your little ones will someday read to their own children.
For each custom collection, we carefully consider:
- Your child's age-based reading level — and whether they might benefit from the visual cues that make even non-French-speaking parents brave enough to attempt reading aloud!
- Age-appropriate themes and interests (because nothing takes the wind out of the language learning sails faster than a boring story!)
- The perfect mix of genres and styles; variety is the spice of life and (we've found, at least) the secret to keeping little readers engaged
- Books that prompt the "read it again, please" marathon sessions that parents loathe but also not-so-secretly love
Familiar stories like Madeleine (or Harry Potter, or Roald Dahl tales) make it so easy to connect with a story, especially if your family has experienced them in English. (Pictured: Madeleine by Ludwig Bemelmans)
What it looks like IRL:
The collection we create for 5-year-old Emilie who's just beginning her French journey will naturally look different from one for 8-year-old Jasper who's been in an immersion program from age 2.5 - even if both families select the same collection size. It's like how Will and Max somehow share the same DNA but have completely different reading preferences. (For the record, Max will only accept books about vehicles and wolves — and don't you DARE suggest anything else. Meanwhile Will has never met a fantasy story he didn't love.)
Classic characters like Babar are favorites for a reason - gorgeous illustrations and playful fonts draw kids into a land where elephants can be kings and ostriches...race? (Pictured: Babar Dans L'île aux Oiseaux)
Behind the Selection Process
One of the great things about the Will et Max presale is it gives us a solid sense of the needs and interests of the little readers in your lives. Of course this is key to getting a bespoke collection into your hands now — and it also helps us tailor our larger inventory for the future. Here's a quick overview of our selection process:
- First, we review your child's age and reading level to narrow in on the types of books that tend to resonate at this stage. For example, a two or three-year-old benefits from sturdy board books with simple text, while a 10-year-old might be ready for engaging chapter books that build confidence in independent reading.
- Next, we gather book options that match their reading level, including a variety of illustration styles, topics, and formats. We literally spread everything out in a "staging area" to make sure we're sharing the perfect combination.
- Finally, we call in our in-house experts (that's Will and Max, to be clear, along with a few friends for the older recs). If the collection sparks joy, we know we've hit the mark. Our north star is always "Would this collection make a child excited about reading in French?"
Thinking we only traffic in young kiddos' books? Nope! La démocratie by Nathalie Loiseau is another favorite - frankly we love learning about La France's approach to protest over here.
Making Life Just a Bit Easier
When it comes to the frustrations of building a French library for kids in the U.S., members of our Nos Amis founding family have said it better than we ever could:
"I found a book that looked perfect online. But as far as I could tell, the French description didn't really indicate whether it matched my son's reading level. Google Translate only took me so far."
"I paid more in shipping than the actual books cost, and then waited weeks for them to arrive from France. By the time they got here, my daughter had moved on to a completely different obsession!"
"It's tough to find the right books when there's no local selection to browse with my kids. Will they be more motivated by alphabet characters? bears? kids their age? There are series for all of these."
Any of this sound familiar? We've been there too — and that's why we created Will et Max! We hope to take the pain out of the French book search, order, and shipping process...and make life just a little bit easier along the way.
Stephanie Blake's Simon is the perfectly relatable, irreverent rabbit and we will die on this hill. (Pictured: Simon being ridiculously adorable)
Secure Your Custom Collection
Our Will et Max presale is currently underway, with limited spots remaining before the March 12th closing date. Here's how to get in on the pre-sale:
- Choose your collection size (5, 7, or 9 books)
- Let us know your child's age
- Share any specific interests or preferences (optional - but do tell us if your child is obsessed with tractors or allergic to stories about broccoli!)
- We'll handle the rest, crafting a personalized collection this spring
The Archibald books by Astrid Desbordes have the sweetest messages and illustrations, without being preachy. (Pictured: Mon Ami, but don't sleep on Mon Amour either)
Curious about which collection size is right for your family? Here's our thinking:
5-book collection: Perfect for families just starting their French journey or those wanting to supplement existing books without overwhelming precious shelf space
7-book collection: Our most popular option, providing enough variety for regular reading while being mindful of space and budget (and the sweet spot for many of our founding families)
9-book collection: Ideal for families fully committed to French reading or those with multiple children sharing a collection (also perfect for the "we never have enough books" households - you know who you are!)
You ready Nos Amis?! Visit our collection page to select yours. And remember, every collection is a stepping stone to bilingual reading confidence - whether you're just starting out or already have a budding francophone at home.
Bisous!
Sara & Jason
P.S. Still have questions? Drop us a message - we're always happy to chat about books, bilingual parenting, or why certain French children's books have inexplicably become permanent fixtures in our family's inside jokes. ("Coin coin" will forever be how our family refers to ducks, thanks to Max's favorite board book!)