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Best bookcases for kids 2024: stylish storage solutions for children's bedrooms
Books have the ability to bring children immeasurable joy. To keep you happy too, it's worth investing in a quality bookcase to keep things neat, tidy and to ensure books are easy to access. We've rounded up the best book storage solutions, according to parents.
By Claire Stapleton | Last updated Apr 17, 2024
Reading is a life skill that children develop over time and it's likely that you'll want your little one to appreciate the pleasure that literature can bring. Especially if you're a bit of a book worm yourself.
But reading a lot means finding a home for yet more stuff. So it makes sense to buy a bookcase, especially if you're planning to introduce your kids to all of your childhood favourites.
Finding the right kids' bookcase can be tricky. It'll need to be sturdy, you'll want enough room to store a variety of books and you'll want your bookcase to be the right size and aesthetic to suit your child's room. Aside from that, you might want a bookcase that sparks your child's imagination and something that's small enough for them to pick their own book from. Kids don't stay small forever though, so you could be looking for a bookcase that will grow with them.
We know there's a lot to consider, that's why we've done the legwork so you can find the perfect bookcase to meet your child's needs. If you're looking for great furniture for your child's room, you're in the right place - we've got guides to the best bunk beds, the best cot beds and the best toy storage solutions, all based on authentic Mumsnetter recommendations.
Here are the best kids' bookcases to buy.
1. Best overall bookcase: Tidy Books® Kids Wall Bookshelf
Price: £169 | Buy now from Amazon
"I bought one of these for DS and found it really good. So much so that I bought another one when DD came along." - recommended by Mumsnet user, bran
"A little pricey but very good quality, holds loads of books, takes up very little room... and best of all was easy enough for me to assemble on my own." - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, Detoxdiva
This Tidy Books Kids Wall Bookshelf is hugely popular among the Mumsnet community. Designed by a fellow parent, it's handmade and seems to be loved by everybody.
This bookcase could be a winner if you're stuck for space as it will fit neatly behind a door, or you can mount it onto the wall. You won't be compromising on storage though, because despite being small enough to fit within most rooms, this case holds an impressive 85 books.
It's quite pricey, but it's also built to last. "It has been fab," comments jelliebelly. "We've just moved the one we bought for DS into DD's room and despite being well used it hardly has a mark on it. It's well worth the money."
The design is simple; the wooden bookcase has been painted white and decorated with letters of the alphabet, which have all been individually painted in green, yellow, blue and red.
There's so much praise about this bookcase on our forums that we'd be doing our users a disservice if we didn't name this the best overall book storage solution for kids.
Key specs
Material: Wood
Size: 77 x 7 x 115 cm
2. Best budget bookcase: ReaseJoy Kids Book Shelf Storage Rack
Price: £24 | Buy now from Amazon
If you're looking for a fun, colourful and affordable bookcase, then this ReaseJoy Kids Book Shelf Storage Rack should fit the bill. The fabric pocket compartments make it simple to store and display books so your kids will find it easy to pick a favourite at bedtime.
This bookcase is easy to install and it's a great option if you're short on space.
Key specs:
Material: Fabric and wood
Size: 62 x 61 x 26.5cm
Read next: The best books for 2-year-olds, loved by Mumsnetters and their toddlers
3. Best freestanding bookcase: IKEA BILLY Bookcase
Price: £40 | Buy now from IKEA
"A tall BILLY bookcase fits loads." - recommended by Mumsnet user, Iggly
"My kids have a tall BILLY bookcase until reception, and a second one from year 1" - tried and tested by Mumsnet user, Pleasedonttextmyman
If you haven't heard of the IKEA BILLY bookcase, then we want to know where you've been hiding. According to The Times, this is "the most commercially successful piece of modern furniture" and "more than 110 million IKEA BILLY bookcases have been sold since its inception 40 years ago". We know that BILLY isn't a kids' bookcase per se, but it's so versatile that lots of Mumsnetters have put one up in their child's bedroom.
This bookcase comes in a variety of different sizes and you can buy extensions too, meaning that the bookcase can grow at the same rate as your child's book collection. There are different colour options available; you can choose between white, black-brown, oak veneer, white stained and white veneer.
If you want a freestanding, versatile bookcase, then you can't go wrong with a BILLY.
Key specs
Material: Particleboard, foil, polypropylene plastic
Size: 80 x 28 x 202cm
4. Best bookcase for small spaces: Tidy Books® Wooden Book Box
Price: £73 | Buy now from Amazon
"I have a Tidy Books one and I love it" - recommended by Mumsnet user, amidaiwish
This is the second Tidy Books appearance within our roundup because the products are brilliant and Mumsnetters simply love the brand. If you don't have the space for a full-size bookcase, then this portable box is a great alternative as it will fit on the top of a table, or a shelf.
We love the design; it's handmade and there's a clock face with moveable hands on the side, which can be used to teach your child how to tell the time.
Despite being small and portable, this book storage solution can still hold up to 40 books.
Key specs
Material: Wood
Size: 35 x 55 x 31 cm
Related: The best books for three-year-olds, recommended by Mumsnetters
5. Best wall-mounted bookcase: Haus Projekt Children’s White Open Wall Bookcase
Price: £60 | Buy now from Amazon
If you don't have space for a freestanding bookcase in your child's bedroom, consider this Haus Projekt Children’s White Open Wall Bookcase instead as it can be easily mounted on a wall.
It's handmade, easy to assemble and multi-purpose (you can store other things on the shelves, in addition to books; it's a great way to display trinkets and treasured toys).
Key specs:
Material: Wood
Size: 12 x 50 x 118 cm
6. Best stylish bookcase: The White Company Rattan Elephant Bookshelf
Price: £245 | Buy now from The White Company
If you want a bookcase that has the wow factor, then look no further. This Rattan Elephant Bookshelf from The White Company is a real statement piece. It's a giant, floor-standing Kimbo elephant that has been beautifully woven using white-washed rattan, to create a generously sized bookshelf.
In order to be safe and secure, this bookcase must be attached to the wall. But that comes with other benefits; the height of the bookcase is ideal for children wanting to pick out their own storybooks.
Yes, it's expensive, but we haven't spotted anything on the market that's quite as stylish as this.
Key specs
Material: Rattan fitrit and iron
Size: 76 x 127 x 20cm
7. Best bookcase with compartments: Children Kids Bookshelf Bookcase Book and Toy Storage Organiser
Price: £55 | Buy now from Amazon
This simple children's bookshelf is great if you want a multi-functional unit. It has three shelves at the top and two open shelves at the bottom. This means that you have space to store books, as well as general toys within organisers.
The bookshelf is easy to assemble, but the plastic boxes in the image aren't included, so you'll need to purchase those separately.
Key specs
Material: Plastic
Size: 101.5 x 33.8 x 9 cm
8. Best fun bookcase: Fantasy Fields Large Magic Garden Kids Bookshelf
Price: £93 | Buy now from Amazon
Reading is really important when it comes to your child's development, so it's important that you do everything possible to grab and develop their imagination. This beautiful magic garden-themed bookcase will do just that. It features hand-painted and hand-carved animals as well as intricate butterflies, dragonflies and bumble bees.
The bookcase holds up to 50 books and there are two large pull-out drawers at the bottom for storing toys, games, crafts and other trinkets.
Key specs
Material: Wood
Size: 55.88 x 29.21 x 96.52cm
9. Best bookcase on wheels: Labebe 2-in-1 Well Bookcase on Wheels
Price: £80 | Buy now from Amazon
The Labebe 2-in-1 Well Bookcase on wheels is perfect for toddlers and small children as it allows them to have fun and interact with the bookcase, and pull it between rooms.
It's beautifully painted in white, yellow, orange and sky blue and there's also a painting of a fox on the front. This bookcase is made from solid wood and there's a handy hidden storage unit at the back.
Key specs
Material: Solid wood and eco paint
Size: 60 x 43 x 55cm
10. Best sling storage: LIVIVO Child's Sling Storage Bookshelf & Toy Storage Basket Box
Price: £37 | Buy now from Amazon
This storage unit's bright canvas boxes are wide enough to fit books, toys, blankets and clothes in so it's a versatile buy. There's plenty of storage and the removable compartments are easy to clean. This bookcase is also quick and easy to assemble.
Sling storage encourages tidiness and organisation, making it perfect for small children to throw items into.
Key specs:
Material: Engineered wood and nylon
Size: 63cm x 26.5cm x 74cm
What's the best way to store books?
Ideally you'll have a space in your child's room that is dedicated to their book collection, as it will only grow in size as they do. The book storage solution you choose will depend on the size of your child's room and their age. There are plenty of options available to buy and there's no right or wrong choice. You've just got to work out which bookcase will suit yours (and your child's) needs.
How do you organise books on a shelf?
Again, there are no hard and fast rules. Some people decide to arrange their books alphabetically, others organise them according to the colour of the spine, whilst some just load their books randomly. It doesn't really matter how you organise your books, what matters is that you make reading fun, so your child wants to read on a regular basis.
Is freestanding or wall-mounted book storage best for kids?
If your child is small, you'll probably want a freestanding bookcase so they can explore their book collection independently. However, if space is an issue, then there's nothing wrong with a wall-mounted bookcase.
What's the best kids' bookcase to buy in the UK?
The Tidy Books® Kids Wall Bookshelf is our overall winner because it's well made, well designed and it holds an impressive number of books. It's space-saving and you can either have it freestanding, or attached to the wall. This bookcase has a lot going for it and it's immensely popular among the Mumsnet community.
How we chose our recommendations
We spent several hours sifting through Mumsnet's forums for recommendations from our users on bookcases for kids they rated most highly. We were also on the lookout for poor reviews of products to avoid.
We also consulted recommendations from experts, consumer websites and print media and made sure we included brands that regularly appeared in top 10 lists.
We then looked at reviews for each of our longlisted kids bookcases to check that previous customers were satisfied with their purchases.
By doing this, we whittled our longlist down and chose a top list that we think offers something for everybody.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.