If you’ve never ordered a Once Upon a Book Club box before, you probably have a few questions, like what exactly is in the box. Do you know which book you’re getting? What are the gifts like? Do you need a subscription? And, perhaps most importantly, are you really expected to look at those beautifully wrapped presents and not open them immediately? The answer is yes. Absolutely yes!

A Once Upon a Book Club book box is so much more than a book and a few surprise gifts. We bring books to life by making those surprise gifts part of the story, waiting to be opened at just the right moment as you read.

So, before you order your very first OUABC box, here’s exactly what you need to know.

 

First Things First: What Is an OUABC Box?

At the heart of the OUABC experience is a carefully selected book and a collection of beautifully wrapped gifts.

Our Adult and Young Adult monthly book boxes include a newly released fiction novel together with three to five wrapped gifts. Each gift has a page number, and as you read, you will eventually come across one of our famous “Open Your Gift” sticky notes inside the book. This is your cue to find the gift with the matching page number, put the book down for a moment, and finally open it.

What makes it so much fun is that the gift connects directly to what you just read. You may have seen an object described in a character’s hands and, moments later, be holding your own version of it. This is what turns a story from something you read into something you can experience.

And yes, opening the gifts before you reach the correct page will spoil the surprise. Consider yourself officially warned.

Will I Know Which Book I’m Getting?

This depends entirely on how much you enjoy a surprise, and here at OUABC, we love surprises!

We release the hints for our upcoming Adult and Young Adult boxes on the 15th of each month. The hints will give you a feel for the genre, mood, and overall direction of the book without giving too much away. 

Some readers love that little bit of mystery, but for others, knowing the title is a must, and we completely understand! If you'd like to know exactly which book you're getting, you can check out the title reveal page on our website or contact our customer service team at any time to find out the title in advance. 

Active Adult and Young Adult subscribers can switch between the two boxes from the 15th, when our monthly hints are released, through the 27th, subject to availability. Please remember: our monthly boxes do sell out quickly, so if a particular hint has your name all over it, waiting until the last minute may not be your best strategy.

 

How Do We Choose the Book?

This is one thing first-time customers may not realize: a lot of reading happens before a book ever makes it into an OUABC box. And we mean a lot. We can read countless potential books in a single month while searching for the right one.

For us, the story always comes first. We want a book that pulls you in, keeps you reading, and gives you something to talk about afterward. We also love introducing stories you may not necessarily have picked up for yourself.

While we read, we're also looking at the story in another way. Are there memorable moments that would work beautifully as part of the OUABC experience? Does an object or detail keep appearing? Is there a particular scene where opening something from the story would make that moment even better?

Sometimes we know very quickly that we have found the right book. Other months, we keep reading until one finally gives us that yes, this is the one feeling. The gift possibilities matter, but we would never choose a book simply because it happens to contain lots of things we could turn into presents. After all, we know how important book selection is to you!

What Are the Gifts Actually Like?

These gifts aren't just a random collection of bookish merchandise. We choose them around specific moments in the book. 

Once we choose the story and gift moments, we search for the perfect surprise gifts. Many of the exclusive items are custom-designed for OUABC, focusing on usable gifts that connect directly to the story and can still be enjoyed long after you’ve finished reading. Even the wrapping and visual details are carefully chosen to tie everything together.

That process begins with the story rather than the product. So, when you finally reach the page where a gift should be opened, there is a reason that particular item is waiting for you. And because many OUABC items are created specifically for our boxes, you’ll end your reading experience with something you can’t find anywhere else.

 

How Does “Open Your Gift” Actually Work?

Thankfully, this part is very easy. You start reading. Then keep reading until you reach an “Open Your Gift” sticky note. Stop there and look at the page number. Find the wrapped gift with the same number, and now, finally, you can open it! Then you go back to your book and continue until the next gift moment arrives.

The idea has actually been at the heart of Once Upon a Book Club from the very beginning. Back in 2016, our CEO, Michelle Wolett, wanted to encourage her mother to read more, so she wrapped gifts and told her she could only open them once she reached the corresponding pages. Her mom loved it and kept asking for more.

That wonderfully simple idea eventually became Once Upon a Book Club! Which brings us back to our most important first-timer rule: do not open all the gifts the moment your box arrives. Open a gift twenty pages too early, and it is simply a lovely present. Open it at exactly the right moment, and suddenly you understand exactly why it is there.

Is There Anything Else Inside?

Alongside the book and wrapped gifts, our monthly boxes also include a paper pack with a Book Club Kit filled with bonus information, discussion questions, and activities, plus a collectible sticker, quote print, and bookmark. Select boxes may also include a signed bookplate from the author.

These extras are designed to extend the experience beyond simply reading the novel, particularly if you love discussing books with friends or belong to a book club. Because somebody always has very strong opinions about that character. You know the one.

 

Do I Need a Subscription to Try OUABC?

No, and this is probably one of the most useful things for a first-time customer to know. Our monthly Adult and Young Adult boxes may be the classic OUABC experience, but they're not your only option. 

We also offer no-commitment monthly book boxes. These boxes don’t require a subscription, and you can pick and choose which months you want to receive a box! Then there is our selection of ready-to-ship boxes, where you can choose from previous OUABC experiences that are still available. 

And there are even more ways to experience OUABC, including our Mini Boxes, Lite Boxes, Special and Limited Editions, and seasonal collections like Halloween.

Which Once Upon a Book Club Box Is Right for Me?

Ready for Your First “Open Your Gift” Moment?

When your first Once Upon a Book Club box arrives (I love the whimsical packaging), it may look like a book surrounded by several beautifully wrapped presents. But once you start reading, you'll quickly realize that every part of the OUABC experience ties back to the story. 

The book has been carefully selected. The gift moments have been chosen for a reason. The presents are waiting for particular pages. And somewhere inside that book is a little note telling you that you can finally open one. 

So take your time. Don’t peek. And let the story lead the way. Your next gift is waiting somewhere between the pages.

Happy reading from all of us at Once Upon a Book Club! 

FAQs

How does the Once Upon a Book Club “Open Your Gift” experience work?

You begin reading the book as normal. When you reach an “Open Your Gift” note, check the page number and find the wrapped gift with the matching number. Open that gift, then continue reading until the next gift moment appears.

What comes in a Once Upon a Book Club box?

OUABC Adult and Young Adult monthly boxes include a newly released fiction book together with three to five wrapped gifts. Each gift connects to a specific moment in the story and is labeled with a page number that tells you when to open it.

Will I know which book is in my Once Upon a Book Club box before I order?

You can choose how much of the surprise you want to keep. OUABC releases hints for upcoming Adult and Young Adult boxes on the 15th of each month, including clues about genre and mood. If you want the exact title, you can check out the adult title reveal page or young adult title reveal page, or contact our customer service team, and they'll let you in on the secret.

Do I need a subscription to try Once Upon a Book Club?

No. You can try OUABC without subscribing by choosing a no-commitment monthly box. You can also order ready-to-ship past boxes, Mini Boxes, Lite Boxes, Special and Limited Editions, and seasonal collections.

Which Once Upon a Book Club box is best for a first-time customer?

That depends on the experience you want. Adult or Young Adult subscriptions offer the full monthly experience, while a no-commitment monthly box lets you try a month without subscribing. Mini Boxes provide a smaller introduction to gift-opening, and Lite Boxes focus on a sensory reading experience.