OwlCrate JR is a monthly book subscription box for kids aged 8-12. They send books as well as interesting and educational book related items.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About OwlCrate JR
The Subscription Box: OwlCrate JR
The Cost: $27.99 a month + shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first order
CODE: JRMSA2021
The Products: You will receive (1) hardcover middle grade book plus assorted gender neutral book-related items.
Ships to: US for $6.99, Canada for $10.59, and International for $19.99
OwlCrate JR October 2018 Review
We received this info card, which gives some information on the items in the box as well as the theme for October: Mail Call.
The Train to Impossible Places: A Cursed Delivery by P.G. Bell – Retail Value $16.99 (Found here for $11.72)
This story is about a girl named Suzy whose love for physics seems to drive her desire to explore the mysterious train that has suddenly appeared in her living room in the middle of the night. She is awakened by loud banging and clanging and comes down the stairs to find a troll working on a railroad line that seems to now run right through her living room. He tells her that the train is heading to the Union of Impossible Places and warns that he is going to erase her memory of all of this. She knows that she can't go on knowing this alternate world exists, but she doesn't want to forget it, so she does the only thing she can think of and jumps aboard the train as it is leaving. She convinces the Postmaster, another troll, to allow her to help him with his deliveries so that she can explore these Impossible Places. As they travel along, she realizes that these new worlds challenge everything she knows about physics themselves. Her first delivery is to Lady Crepuscula, a mean woman who gets pleasure from casting curses on those who displease her. She receives a fragile snow globe with a frog inside who tells Suzy that she must help him by taking him with her otherwise the whole Union could be at risk. Suzy makes a snap decision and puts him in her pocket, despite the fact that this is a very dangerous move and thus their adventure begins!
This book is certainly filled with adventure and the quest of making deliveries to various magical destinations is such a fun concept. It seems to follow a somewhat traditional adventure pattern while still maintaining a unique storyline that holds your interest. This is the first book of a trilogy, and the ending is one that lets you know that there are more adventures to come!
In each box, there is a signed bookplate sticker and a letter from the author. I love the style of the bookplate this month and how nice it looks against the green background of the book page! I love that this letter from P.G. Bell gives us a little insight into how this book started, which was as a bedtime story for his son.
The most recent addition to our boxes is this little mini-zine. It features an interview with the author, a fun word search activity, and even an interview with an artist. This is such a great addition to the box, and I love how they not only highlight the author but also interview an artist! As a kid, I would have enjoyed hearing about both.
The Train to Impossible Places Mini Wooden Train Whistle - Estimated Value $3.75
I am linking to a similar train whistle (not from the wholesale site listed on the whistle we received), and even though it's the price for a 5 pack, I think it's fair to estimate that the whistle we received is probably worth more since it has exclusive quotes from our book printed on it. This is such a fun and cute way to tie into our book, and I love that it's so small (about 3.5 inches), which will make it a great piece to display on a bookshelf! It even features two holes so that you can get the real echoing effect of a train whistle!
Black Feather Pen by Kikkerland - Retail Value $2.50
This pen is perfect for the book from this month! When Suzy has to get Lady Crepuscula to sign for her package, she retrieves a large quill that looks like a black peacock feather, so this is probably as close as we're going to get to replicating that! So fun, and I love how thin the tip is. I actually thought maybe it was a mechanical pencil at first, but then I was impressed to find that it was very smooth black ink.
Cat Postage Stamp Stickers - Retail Value $4.44
These postage stickers are perfect for this month's box! They are bright, fun, and cute. I love how they really look like postage stamps.
Here's a closeup of the stickers.
OwlPost Enamel Pin by Four Seasons Fox - Estimated Value $13.76 (12 Euros)
This enamel pin is another exclusive item for this month's box and will definitely delight any Harry Potter fan! I love the gold details and the fact that it has two prongs on the back so that you can ensure it will stay put once you decide where to display it. I linked to a similar pin from their website, which also featured two pins on the back, although the one we received might be worth even more, considering it is much larger at 4 cm wide (although, I'm leaving some room for error since I had to do conversions from cm to mm!).
Fold and Mail Stationery Set by Boygirlparty - Estimated Value $10 (based on a similar set)
This stationery set is designed exclusively for OwlCrate Jr. by Susie Ghahremani from Boygirlparty, who is our featured artist in the mini-zine we received. After viewing her site, I want to buy all the things, please! These bright, colorful notes are fantastic and conveniently fold up to form their own envelope and stay in place by just removing the paper from the adhesive strip. It's such a great space and paper-saving option and it makes it easy to just jot a quick note to someone and pop it in the mail...provided you remembered to stock up on stamps! I like that the lines are more of a suggestion and you could definitely write more or less on the cards, depending on your message. I also love that the design features trains and train tracks to go along with our book this month. Having items exclusively designed to fit with their themes and their books is really what sets OwlCrate JR apart from a lot of subscriptions for me!
Zippered Coin Purse - Estimated Value $5.00 (based on similar items found here)
This little recycled zippered coin purse is so small and cute. Just big enough to fit our enamel pin inside! I love the postage stamp with a train on it. So cute!
Mailbox Button - Estimated Value $1.00
Each box includes a button that fits with the monthly theme, and this mailbox is a perfect design for Mail Call. I am estimating this on the lower end of what button pins cost on Etsy, since OwlCrate Jr. seems to work with a lot of independent artists.
NOVEMBER SPOILER:
Next month's OwlCrate JR theme will be Intergalactic Adventure. Normally, we just receive the card with the spoiler, but now it is included in the back of our mini-zine alongside some information about their monthly photo challenge. This theme seems so different from any that I have experienced through this subscription in the past, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what they come up with!
Verdict: This month was another great OwlCrate JR box! I love how much they incorporated the theme as well as details from the book into their items this month. The train whistle featuring the book name and the pen that looks similar to the one Suzy encountered in the book are such fun inclusions! I love all of the mail-themed items we received and can't wait to put the stationery to use. It is such a great excuse to send some traditional snail-mail to friends and family! I estimate the total retail value of the box to be $57.44 and we paid $34.98 ($27.99 + $6.99 shipping). I think the value is great for such a great curated box!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will start with the November box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first order
CODE: JRMSA2021
Value Breakdown: The box costs $34.98 for this box ($27.99 + $6.99 shipping). That means that each item costs about $4.37.
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