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 17-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: $45.00 per month for the gender-neutral box + free US shipping (on a 12-month subscription). Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader gender-neutral 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.)
Summer vacation is officially here, and I couldn't be more excited! We've been super busy with baseball and various projects, but not having to wake up at 5:00 a.m. every morning is amazing (even if my husband gets a little jealous this time of year). That said, the summer slide is real—so my boys are lucky enough to have a written "summer school" routine to keep their big brains active. One of their daily tasks includes 30 minutes of reading a book of their choice. Charlie was especially excited to receive some new titles from this month's beTWEEN the Bookends box. Packed with engaging books and fun lifestyle items, this box was just what he needed to log his “mama-required” reading minutes and continue building his fluency. Keep reading to see what we discovered!
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
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. "If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours." - Dolly Parton
Teeny Houdini: The Giant Panda Plan by Katrina Moore - Retail Value $5.99
When Bessie and her class take a field trip to the zoo, they get to meet someone very special: Xiao Qi Ji, a baby panda! But when Bessie learns that pandas are in danger, she has to do something to save them. Everyone in her class is working on a plan to help the pandas, yet only one group will get to present theirs at the panda showcase. With some extra-strong magic, Bessie will make sure her team’s plan is the best. Will that be enough to save the pandas? Teeny Houdini, also known as Bessie Lee, is an overly excited, mischievous first grader who bounces off the walls—and off the page—with her volume, enthusiasm, and grand ideas, which are just too big for her tiny frame. Bessie’s multigenerational Chinese American family is the warm center of the stories, from exasperated but loving big sister Bailey to the always encouraging and understanding Gramma. Kid-friendly and engaging, the Teeny Houdini series is a good fit for early chapter book readers. As a bonus, kids learn the real and simple steps to a different magic trick in each book. In book three, Bessie demonstrates how to use a rope to make a Bear Knot. Zoe expertly captures Bessie’s heart and humor in black-and-white illustrations that perfectly complement the laugh-out-loud funny text.
Charlie is a very fluent reader but tends to enjoy books that are quick reads. This particular book is geared toward kids ages 7–10, so while he's on the older end of that range, he still really enjoyed it. With larger font and a few illustrations, the book comes in at just 131 pages—which he definitely appreciated. The main character, Bessie Lee, has a bit of a Junie B. Jones vibe, which my son loved. Stories involving animals are totally his jam, so this book was a great fit. He finished it quickly and was excited to find out it’s the third book in a series. He’s already asking about the first two—looks like we’ll be making some library requests soon!
Cupcake Cousins by Kate Hannigan - Retail Value $6.99
Baking a fluffy pink cupcake is awesome, but wearing a dress that looks like one? No, thank you! Cousins Willow and Delia can't wait to spend a week vacationing together with their families. Their aunt is getting married, and Willow and Delia are hoping their tasty baked goods will be enough to get them out of being flower girls in the wedding. But with a mischievous little brother, a bacon-loving dog, and a misbehaving blender in the mix, their treats don't exactly turn out as planned. When a real emergency threatens to ruin the wedding, will their baking skills be enough to save the day? Join Willow and Delia in the kitchen by following their scrumptious recipes for whoopee pies, peach pancakes, and other tasty treats!
This book was especially fitting in the wedding department—Charlie will be the ring bearer in his cousin’s wedding in just two weeks! Did it give him any ideas? I sure hope not! This title is a bit more advanced than the first one we received and is geared toward kids ages 8–12. With smaller font and a more complex vocabulary, it wasn’t as quick of a read as Teeny Houdini, but it was probably a better match for Charlie’s reading level. Charlie is my little baker (he actually baked a cake the other day while I mowed the lawn!), so the inclusion of recipes in this book caught his attention even more than the cover did—especially after I told him he could try making them. We haven’t made it to the store for the pitted dates just yet, but he really enjoyed this story, especially with a real-life wedding right around the corner!
Food Fight Splat Ball
Charlie absolutely loves fidgets, and this one was another winner! Squishy in texture, the Food Fight! Splat Ball is shaped like a slice of pizza and makes a satisfying “splat” when thrown. It was a bit sticky right out of the package—even sticking to the ceiling at one point! Perfect for a game of catch or just tossing between your hands, it’s a great little toy to make long car rides more fun. Charlie was obsessed with this inclusion and hasn’t let it out of his sight since opening it!
Monthly Sticker Pack
Charlie loves stickers, and appreciated the variety this month, especially the cute Boba tea inclusion! Perfect for envelopes, these add a fun little twist on some of the mail we send out and look cute one notebook covers!
Two Soda Bottle Erasers
"Little things" are always a kid favorite, and this month's soda bottle eraser inclusion was another fun one! These tiny plastic bottles feature a small cap and a twist-off bottom. The colored “liquid” inside is actually an eraser -how clever is that?
Charlie received an orange and a green one and thought they were pretty neat. In addition to the 30 minutes of daily reading I have him do, he also journals each day to practice spelling and sentence structure. For that, these little erasers have come in quite handy—making the sometimes grueling process just a bit more fun!
Clip On Critter
The next item we received was this tiny koala clip-on. This little fluffy critter easily attaches to a pen or pencil and looks pretty dang cute with its tiny plastic claws. Charlie is absolutely animal-obsessed, so he loved this inclusion and immediately added it to his journaling pencil.
Cookie Bath Bomb
The last item we received was Charlie’s favorite. He absolutely loves bath bombs, and this cookie-shaped version was unlike anything he’s ever gotten before! With a sweet almond extract scent, it filled the tub with a fresh-baked aroma and was so much fun to use. What a great box!
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is a fantastic way to keep kids engaged in reading, and this month Charlie was ABSOLUTELY obsessed! Charlie really enjoyed both book choices this month, and was thrilled to receive the splat ball, cookie bath bomb, koala pencil topper, and soda bottle erasers. Overall, this month was great and we are hoping for more items just like this in July!
The beTWEEN the Bookends Gender Neutral box costs $45.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. The books are valued at $12.98, and there was a great variety of lifestyle items. I find the $45.00/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 July box.
What did you think of the beTWEEN the Bookends gender-neutral box?
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