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 in the full boxes but will have only 3-5 gender neutral lifestyle items.
The Cost: The Gender-Neutral box is $45 per month + free US shipping ($40.00/mo for the 12-month subscription track) while the full-sized box is $55 per month. Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Tween Gender Neutral Box.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
April is here, and with it are warmer temps and the anticipation of baseball. With only eight weeks left of school, my boys are dreaming of summer vacation, but are still gobbling up good books. This month's beTWEEN the Bookends showed up just when Hank was in need of a book to finish up his genre bingo assignment, and he dove right in. Featuring new books and a heap of awesome lifestyle goodies, this box always impresses. Read below to find out what this month's fun theme included.
First Impressions
The contents of this box are packaged neatly in turquoise tissue paper and sealed with a sticker featuring clip art of a boy and girl. The anticipation of seeing what's underneath this tissue paper always has us on the edge of our seats. We just can't wait to check it out!
Here's What's Inside
Welcome Pamphlet
Each month we receive a pamphlet describing all items included in each box. It is color coordinated and laid out very nicely. Featured on the back is a quote by Henry David Thoreau - "The world is but a canvas to the imagination." Also included is a hint about next month's theme - I'm thinking Earth Day?!
The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found by Karina Yan Glaser - Retail Value $16.99
When autumn arrives on 141st Street, the Vanderbeekers are busy helping Mr. Beiderman get ready for the New York City Marathon and making sure the mysterious person sleeping in the community garden gets enough to eat. But when they discover the true identity of the person making a home in the community garden’s shed, their world turns upside down as they learn what it means to care for someone in an impossible situation. In this fourth book in the Vanderbeekers series, return to 141st Street with Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney as they attempt to make their neighborhood a better place, one heartfelt plan at a time.
Since Hank was born, we've frequented the bookmobile often, hit up our local library, and scoured Barnes and Noble for new books, but this was the first time I've heard of "The Vanderbeekers" series. With seven books in this series, I was a little bummed that we received the 4th one, but was happy to discover it all the same. With large font, and a few illustrations, this book was captivating and fun. Hank is planning on running a 5K this summer, and reading about the New York City Marathon inspired him to start training early. And he also learned some very important life lessons. Overall, this was a fast read for an 11 year-old and one that had a good family-inspired story line with some surprises along the way.
Sisters of the Never Sea - Retail Value $7.99
Five starred reviews! In this beautifully reimagined story by NSK Neustadt Laureate and New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), Native American Lily and English Wendy embark on a high-flying journey of magic, adventure, and courage to a fairy-tale island known as Neverland… Lily and Wendy have been best friends since they became stepsisters. But with their feuding parents planning to spend the summer apart, what will become of their family—and their friendship? Little do they know that a mysterious boy has been watching them from the oak tree outside their window. A boy who intends to take them away from home for good, to an island of wild animals, Merfolk, Fairies, and kidnapped children, to a sea of merfolk, pirates, and a giant crocodile.
I absolutely love Cynthia Leitich Smith, and have read "Jingle Dancer" and "Ancestor Approved" so I couldn't wait to dive into this title. Hank and I read this one together, and really enjoyed her rendition of "Peter Pan." I've mentioned in previous reviews that I work in public education, and my actual role is "Indigenous Support Advocate", so finding books that represent my students is amazing, but receiving one in a subscription box that tons of people receive is even more heart-warming! A great story full of life's ups and downs, this book was hard to put down, and a FANTASTIC inclusion!
Custom Book Sleeve
I love, love, love book sleeves, and while Hank doesn't necessarily have a use for these, I do. Measuring 11" X 8", this rectangular sleeve is a padded cloth that protects books. I tote around books in my backpack often, and when tossed in, the pages warp and the cover gets scratched. Because I like to pass my books onto my mom, I like to try and take care of them, which is where this sleeve comes in handy. With a pretty design, it keeps my books safe and looks really cool. A definite win!
Monthly Sticker Pack
Hank enjoys stickers, and this month's versions were really well designed. He especially liked the art cup sticker, and the book tree. Useful for decorating folders and pencils boxes, you can never have too many stickers!
Mini Wall Hanging
As the fourth wall hanging of the series, this particular one is definitely my favorite. Featuring the quote "Count your rainbows, not your thunder storms" I feel this in my heart. With so much negativity in the world, it's sometimes hard to see the positives, but we are so unbelievably blessed, and this wall hanging is a great reminder of that.
Push Stick Eraser
Boy, did this item bring back some memories from my elementary days! This push stick eraser has a cute dinosaur costume clad child and is quite similar to my old pen pal's stationary she sent from South Korea in 2001! With two sticks of eraser, you just insert one into the top of the clicker, and it pushes the eraser down as you use it up. A great tool for early writers, this eraser is nice to hold, and works really well. Hank has been working on some editing of a story he is writing, and has discovered this is his new best friend!
Mystery Click Pen
The last item we received was a mystery pen from what appears to be the same company the eraser came from. Featuring a space theme, this pen has a dark black ink that flows onto the page, while being clickable. Because our pens always seem to run off, I think I was more excited about this inclusion than Hank was, but I have found him using it more often than I thought I would.
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is one of our favorite subscription boxes of all time, and this month we were absolutely wowed by the book choices. Receiving books that expose us to other cultures is always a win, and the story lines were great. The lifestyle items were also fun, and though Hank didn't enjoy them as much as I did, felt like they were great inclusions for a story telling box. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely, and really appreciated the neutrality it offered. We can't wait to see what's in store for May!
The beTWEEN the Bookends Gender Neutral box costs $40.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. Because the books alone are valued at over $37.97, I find the $40.00/month cost extremely reasonable, as the lifestyle items help shape this box into an entire experience.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
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 May box.
What did you think of the BeTWEEN the Bookends Tween Gender Neutral box?
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