Remember how Netflix revolutionized the movie rental process? With a similar business model, Les Petits Livres has made French childrens' book rental an affordable option for Americans. French for "the little books," Les Petits Livres launched five years ago with the purpose of offering French childrens' book rental by mail. For a monthly fee, subscribers receive several books per month, then return them via prepaid packaging. There are no due dates and no late fees. Subscribers can tailor book preferences to their child's gender, age range, and interests, and can even create an online wish list.

Our family has subscribed to Les Petits Livres since my daughter was an infant, and frankly I can't imagine her bilingual childhood without such a great rotation of children's books in French. I always translate English books into French when reading aloud with my daughter, but my non-native French vocabulary and grammar simply doesn't match the richness of a French book written in its original language. By renting books through Les Petits Livres, we've improved our language skills and have encountered wonderful French authors and characters along the way.

Here are my favorite reasons for subscribing to Les Petits Livres:

* It's affordable. We choose the 4-books-per-month program for under $20/month. I would spend much more than this trying to buy French books through Amazon.com, eBay, and other booksellers, and it would be difficult to get a clear sense of the quality and content of what I was ordering.

* It's simple, reliable, and fun. Les Petits Livres' book choices are of good quality and variety, so receiving them is a delight. Returning them is as simple as putting them in the pre-paid postal envelope they provide.

* There are no hidden fees. The books arrive in very good condition and yet employees understand that a little wear and tear happens. (I was relieved that we weren't charged an extra fee when my infant daughter tore a bit from a book's cover.) If you are charged for a damaged or lost book, the replacement cost is posted and reasonable.

Interested? I'm thrilled to be able to offer you a 5% discount on any plan with the coupon code IntentionalMama. This coupon code is only good through Friday, September 20th, 2013.

Check out the plan options here, and like Les Petits Livres on Facebook. And by the way, this company endorsement is my choice--I did not receive any discount or gift in exchange for this post. I'm simply motivated to share this gem of a literary resource with you!

* Les Petits Livres is a California-based business that only offers service to residents in the United States.

*EDITED October 2020: Les Petits Livres is now a Washington state-based business that is still family owned. I continue to be delighted with their service!