If it is to be a houshold item I would consider what finish your other
furniture has.

You can stain the pine but in my opinion it just looks like stained
pine.

Oak would be nice but much more expensive.

I have made a number of shelving units from melamine board. I also
have several bookshelves made for storing paperbacks using building
store pine. Pick through the stack of lower grade timber for some
fairly clear boards.