beTWEEN the Bookends is the first monthly book and lifestyle box created for kids by a teen herself! Boxes follow a monthly theme and contain age-appropriate books and lifestyle items that have been read and hand tested by Jillian, the 16-year-old creator. Full-sized boxes contain 2-3 books and 6-8 lifestyle items, while mini boxes include 1 book and 3-5 lifestyle items. The new gender-neutral boxes will contain the same 2-3 books as the full-sized boxes but will have only 3-5 gender neutral lifestyle items.
The Cost: $55.00 per month for the full-sized box + free US shipping (on a 12-month subscription). Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader full-sized box.
These boxes were sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
March is here, and spring is on the horizon! With "I Love to Read" month behind us, Charlie is still working to hit his weekly AR goal, and has been devouring books like a little monster. With titles flying off our shelf, we were really excited to see this month's beTWEEN the Bookends box, as he has truly become a reading machine! Filled with awesome new books and fun lifestyle items, this box was perfect for hitting those goals, and becoming a more fluent reader. Read below to see what we discovered.
First Impressions
As the full-sized box is curated with girls in mind, this version comes wrapped in bright pink tissue paper featuring a pigtail-donning cartoon sticker. Cute!
Here's What's Inside
Welcome Pamphlet
To start off the box, we go through the included pamphlet. Describing the month's theme and the contents of every Between the Bookends version, this little book lets us know exactly what the box contains, along with a bookish quote, social media info, and a hint about next month's theme. "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale of all." - Hans Christian Anderson
Time Dogs: Barry and the Great Mountain Rescue by Helen Moss - Retail Value $15.99
When a pack of senior dogs find themselves transported back in time and turned into puppies, they must make their way back home, helping real-life historical dogs along the way. In this third story, Time Dogs: Barry and the Great Mountain Rescue, Baxter, Trevor, Newton, Maia, and Titch―find themselves transported back to the year 1800 to the Swiss Alps. There they meet Barry, a famous Great Saint Bernard rescue dog who saved many lives during his service in the mountain rescue program. Together, the Time Dogs and Barry help rescue a boy trapped in a storm. Adorable illustrations and an action-packed story make this the perfect read for fans of Paw Patrol.
Charlie loved Paw Patrol as a toddler, and will still pop in an old DVD now and then for a sense of nostalgia, so this book was a great fit. Featuring five pups, these dogs help save lives as they travel through time. Geared towards kiddos 5-7 years old, there are some illustrations, but it is a great starter chapter book. Charlie whipped through this pretty fast and thought the story was entertaining and fun. Being the third book in the series, he wished he would have received the first book, but overall was very happy with this choice.
Isle of Misfits: The Missing Pot of Gold by Jamie Mae - Retail Value $5.99
Gibbon is new to an island full of mythical creatures with a school that is training students to go on missions to protect creatures in trouble. He and his new friends, a dragon, a fairy, a griffin, and a yeti, are all excited when they are chosen for their first mission to help another creature. Declan the leprechaun has lost his gold, and even though all the other leprechauns think he's just scatterbrained, Declan is convinced that someone has taken it! Will the misfits be able to complete their mission help him find it?
Charlie has an extreme fascination with leprechauns, so this book was spot on for him. Seriously - he started creating his St. Patrick's Day "leprechaun trap" in February! After seeing the cover, he instantly took this book and started reading. He loved the inclusion of the griffin and yeti, and enjoyed the problem solving aspect, as it reminded him of the Magic Treehouse books. A little disappointing that this book isn't AR quizzable, he still was able to count his minutes, and was one happy camper.
Custom Lanyard
Charlie doesn't have keys, but does enjoy putting keychains on lanyards. This custom made lanyard features the boy and girl "Between the Bookends" characters along with a stack of books. Created with fabric typical of a lanyard, I like the easy to open clasp, and the versatility of this inclusion.
Key Bookmark
Perfect for the "Fairy tale" theme, this beautiful gold key bookmark adds the prettiest glimmer to any page! Charlie has really been struggling with losing his place in books lately and has had the urge to bend the corners. This little gem fits snugly on the pages and doesn't fall out - a perfect solution to our dog-ear problem.
Monthly Sticker Pack
Stickers are always a hit, and this month's design set features a cloud, a reading mouse, and a fairytale book. Sweetly designed and easy to apply, these are really fun to add to envelopes, computers, and folders!
Mini Wall Hanging
Honestly, Charlie is running out of room to hang these little wooden plaques, so he gifted me this one for my classroom. Cute in design, this looks great hanging by my bookshelf, and the kids seem to enjoy reading it while they shop around for books. "To read or not to read was never the question" is soo incredibly true in our lives, but we've found since displaying that not everyone feels the same way!
Pencil Bag
How cute is this little pencil bag? With the quote, "The Best is Yet to Come," it features a blue zipper and a lined inside. Fitting a good stack of pencils, this is great for keeping a backpack clean and organized, all while looking cool!
Bubble Bath
I love Bubble T products and Charlie loves baths, so this calming bubble bath was an instant hit. Featuring notes of lavender and lemon, this bubble bath is ultra calming and bubbly for a fun and relaxing night in the tub. A perfect inclusion, for an already great box!
Donut Purse
While Charlie thought the donut purse was neat, he wasn't in the market for a purse, so he handed it over to me. Honestly, I was going to give it to a student at school but found it to be the perfect size for some of my travel essentials, and packed myself a little overnight kit. Featuring a cute zipper pull and sprinkled donut, this was super teenyboppery and fun - what 35 year old wouldn't want this? 😃
Key Pen
The last item we received was a pink key shaped pen. This pen features a small nib and key cap. Cute in design, this also fits this month's theme and adds a fun flair to reading, writing, and everything in between.
Verdict
During February, Charlie was one of the top readers in his class, and I am so proud of him! Creating some pretty steep goals for himself, he has been working so hard, and has really developed a love of reading, in part, due to the beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader box. This month Charlie loved both book choices, and almost all of the lifestyle items. Overall, the "Stories Retold" theme was very well received, and he really appreciated the lephrechaun aspect this month! If you have a kid that loves reading, or is struggling to find books they enjoy, we highly suggest this box, as it makes reading enjoyable and fun.
The beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader full-sized box costs $55.00 per month, including shipping. Because most items were small shop created specifically for this box, I wasn't able to calculate an accurate value estimate, but dividing it by the items we received equals to about $5.50 a piece. Because of the thoughtful curation, fun theme, and enjoyable products, I feel the $55.00 price range is definitely fair for the quality of this box and the number of items.
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Other Things You Should Know
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? beTWEEN the Bookends tends to ship the first week of each month. Order now to receive the April box.
What did you think of the beTWEEN the Bookends full-sized box?
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