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 in the full boxes but will have only 3-5 gender neutral lifestyle items.
The Cost: The Full-Sized box is $55 per month + free US shipping ($50.00/mo for the 12-month subscription track) while the Gender Neutral box is $45 per month. Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Tween Full Size 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.)
October is here, and life is trucking right along. With a month of 7th grade under his belt, Hank now has nightly reading assigned. Thankfully, this month’s beTWEEN the Bookends box arrived just in time, offering fresh titles to help him complete the task. Packed with captivating books and fun lifestyle goodies, it was the perfect way to make those reading minutes more enjoyable—while also helping him strengthen his reading skills. Keep reading to see what we discovered!
First Impressions
The contents of this box are packaged neatly in bright pink tissue paper and sealed with a sticker featuring clip art of a pigtail-donning 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 beautifully laid-out, color-coordinated pamphlet that describes all the items included in the box. On the back, there’s a featured quote from Mason Cooley: “Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.” There's also a fun little hint about next month’s theme—star gazing, anyone?!
The World Famous Nine by Ben Guterson - Retail Value $16.99
Zander Olinga’s grandmother is the owner of the fabled Number Nine Plaza, the spectacular nineteen-story skyscraper. The Nine, as it’s called, has everything imaginable, including a massive Ferris wheel on its rooftop, monorail tracks suspended from its ceiling, and twenty-five glass elevators. But there’s something evil looming in the shadows, and strange accidents start befalling the guests. When Zander and his friend Natasha come across a series of inscriptions hidden throughout the walls of The Nine, they discover that the clues will lead them to a magical object which protects the store’s very existence. With the future of The Nine on the line, the pair are determined to recover the mysterious object before the luxury plaza and its many guests are destroyed. Featuring an unforgettable setting and a larger-than-life cast of characters, here is a spellbinding mystery involving puzzles, art, and high-stakes adventure.
Hank really enjoyed Harry Potter, so he was excited to check out this novel, especially since it was compared to Hogwarts, Narnia, and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. We love hardcover books, so that alone was exciting—but the story itself has been amazing too! It starts off strong with a family tree and a few illustrations right from the beginning, making it easy to dive into. Hank has loved the mystery aspect and has been flying through the book, even with his busy schedule. I haven’t gotten as far as he has, but I’m really enjoying it too!
The Mortification of Fovea Munson by Mary Winn Heider - Retail Value $16.99
Fovea Munson is nobody's Igor. True, her parents own a cadaver lab where they perform surgeries on dead bodies. And yes, that makes her gross by association, at least according to everyone in seventh grade. And sure, Fovea's stuck working at the lab now that her summer camp plans have fallen through. But she is by no means Dr. Frankenstein's snuffling assistant! That is, until three disembodied heads, left to thaw in the wet lab, start talking. To her. Out loud. And they need a favor.
Yay for another hardcover book! I’ll be honest—when Hank saw the cover, he wrinkled his nose. Then he read the summary and said, “Nope.” Hank is pretty versatile when it comes to reading, but he draws the line at anything involving dead bodies or even the idea of them. The very first line in this book is “Dead bodies are the worst.”—and after that, he was out. I found it interesting, especially since I’m in an 11th-grade classroom currently reading Frankenstein, so I plan to give it a try. But Hank is definitely ready to pass this one along.
Cauldron Bath Bomb
The first item we received this month was definitely a favorite. Back in the 2022 Halloween box, we received this very same bath bomb cauldron, and Hank had his fingers crossed that it might make a return. Made from baking soda, citric acid, cornstarch, grapeseed oil, clay, polysorbate 80, orange and clove essential oils, and colorant, this bath bomb is both cute and fun. The orange and clove scent is perfect for the cooler days of fall, and Hank loved watching the powder bubble up in the tub. A great inclusion—this box is already shaping up to be top-notch!
Cat Keychain
The next item we received was a fuzzy black cat keychain. This fluffy plush has large round yellow eyes and features both a clip mechanism and a standard keyring. To be honest, Hank didn’t have much use for this item—and neither did I. As I’ve mentioned before, I work at a school and host lunch groups throughout the week. I keep a “treat” bin for students who show exemplary behavior, and this little buddy was quickly added to the tub. I’m sure it’ll be a hit! I’ll keep you posted on how fast it gets picked!
Halloween Wish Bracelet
As a kid, I loved these wish bracelets—and as an adult, that hasn’t changed! This version comes with a little witch hat charm and is super cute. Hank wasn’t interested, so he gifted it to me, and I’ve been wearing it all October, still waiting for it to break in two. Do I have a wish tied to it? Not really, but it’s a fun little accessory for the changing season!
Monthly Sticker Pack
Hank enjoys stickers, and appreciated the variety this month, especially the "reading ghost" sticker. Perfect for envelopes, these add a fun little twist on some of the mail we send out and look cute on notebook covers!
Fuzzy Socks
The next item we received was a pair of fuzzy slipper socks featuring bats and crescent moons, with haunted house grip stickers on the soles. Hank mentioned that if they hadn’t been pink, he might have considered wearing them around the house—but instead, he was ready to drop them into the school treat bin. Charlie, however, swooped in and claimed them, completely unbothered by the pink hue. He happily slipped them on after a shower and snuggled up on the couch with a big smile on his face. Looks like another win here!
Tasty Treat
Candy is a pretty big deal around here—especially in October—so both of my kids were thrilled to see a large bag of Smarties Squashies included. I’ll admit, I wrinkled my nose at first when I saw “Smarties” on the label, but I quickly changed my tune after trying these sweet, squishy little chews! Flavored with raspberry and cream, they were absolutely delicious. Even my husband got in on the action, and the entire bag disappeared in a matter of minutes.
Halloween Erasers
The next item in the box was another winner. This set of Halloween erasers featured a few fun movie characters and had impressive detail for 3D erasers. Adding a little seasonal flair to the kids' school supplies has made the long days a bit more fun—and all their classmates are definitely jealous. Did Hank share? Yes. But he’s become pretty protective of his “Ghostface” eraser and has decided to keep that one for himself.
Monster Sticky Notes
The last item Hank received was an adorable office supply. This sticky note box folds into a monster face, with glittery sticky notes that come out of its mouth like a tongue. Perfect for sticking on papers and leaving little reminders, it wasn’t something Hank really needed—but I sure did!
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is one of our favorite subscription boxes of all time. This month's box theme featured some useful items that Hank and I really enjoyed. Like I mentioned above, this is the full-sized box which is aimed towards girls, but fits an educator-son duo just fine. The included lifestyle items were a great mix of fun and functional all fitting the "Hauntingly Great Stories" theme extremely well. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely and loved the useful items, especially the bath bomb, bracelet, socks, candy, erasers, and stick notes. We already can't wait to see what's in store for November!
The beTWEEN the Bookends Full Size box costs $50.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. Because the books alone are valued at over $33.98, I find the $50.00/month cost reasonable, as the lifestyle items help shape this box into an entire experience.
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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 November box.
What did you think of the Full Size BeTWEEN the Bookends Tween box?
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