beTWEEN the Bookends Tween Review: “Stories That Spark” March 2026

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.)

March is here, and spring is in the air! We woke up in Minnesota to -17° temperatures, and I am over it! While the chilly weather is perfect for curling up with a good book, I could definitely use some sunshine right about now.

To make the month even more fun, we received this month’s beTWEEN the Bookends box, filled with “Stories that Spark” goodies. Packed with fresh titles and engaging lifestyle items, it’s the perfect way to make reading enjoyable while also strengthening 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 Thomas Edison: “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” There’s also a fun little hint about next month’s theme—outdoor reading, anyone?

The Girl Who Built A Spider by George Brewington - Retail Value $8.99

When Theresa Brown wins the Charleston County Middle School Science Fair, she receives the opportunity of a lifetime―an invitation to celebrated scientist Dr. Flax’s laboratory and a summer spent building the invention of her dreams. Along with the second- and third-place finishers of the science fair, Theresa is whisked off to a world of robots, excitement, and danger. Dr. Flax claims his inventions are going to help stop climate change and make the world a better, safer place, but is that true? And can Theresa and her friends get to the bottom of the mysteries of his laboratory?

Back in my day, I entered our school’s science fair and loved it—I even won first place once! This book reminded me of those memories, and Hank seemed to really enjoy it too. Funny and fast-paced, it had a roller-coaster storyline that kept us intrigued. We finished it quickly, and it was thoroughly enjoyable!

Powerless (Supers of Noble's Green) by Matthew Cody - Retail Value $8.99

Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their powers? The answers lie in a long-ago meteor strike, a World War II–era comic book (Fantastic Futures, starring the first superhero, Johnny Noble), the green-flamed Witch Fire, a hidden Shroud cave, and—possibly, unbelievably—“powerless” regular-kid Daniel himself. Superhero kids meet comic book mystery in this action-filled debut about the true meaning of a hero.

This was a super cool book, and Hank loved it! We read it together and enjoyed every part of it. Hank hasn’t read many fantasy books, but he was completely hooked by this one. It was a fast read—we couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what would happen next—and I really appreciated that. I’m hoping to find more books by this author because this one was definitely a hit!

Fun Gel Squishie

Hank was absolutely thrilled to receive the first lifestyle item—a fidget! This gumdrop-shaped squishy has an orange peel texture and is filled with a gel-like substance. It was fun to hold and squeeze, and its bright color made it even more appealing. It quickly became a favorite, and he’s hoping more items like this will be included in future boxes.

Monthly Sticker Pack

Hank loves stickers and really appreciated the variety this month—especially the book stack. Perfect for notebooks and envelopes, these add bright additions to all of our outgoing mail!

Bookish Sticky Note Set

Post-it notes are definitely some of my favorites, and while Hank didn’t love this inclusion since he doesn’t use them much, I absolutely did! This is seriously the cutest set. With multiple paper sizes and adorable designs, they’re perfect for lunch box notes and reminders—which I seem to need more and more these days. It was such a fun and practical addition to the box!

"What's Your Story - Custom Wooden Token Game

I love unique treasures, and so do my kids, so this “What’s Your Story” rock set was perfect! The cute little bag features vinyl letters and includes eight rocks with hand-painted figures. We had a lot of fun doing story time and creating little plays using the rocks. Hank and Charlie are incredibly creative, and we laughed nonstop at the stories he came up with. This was definitely a fantastic inclusion!

DIY Bouncy Ball Kit

The last item we received was a bouncy ball-making set. The container included three bags of bouncy powder to create your very own bouncy balls. Hank enjoys craft time, and this kit was a fun project to work on. Now we have balls bouncing all over the house! This month’s box truly had a fantastic mix of items!

Plush Pencil Pouch

So, I’ll be honest—Hank wasn’t into the pink, fuzzy pencil pouch, but I absolutely was! This soft bag features a pink zipper and a white satin interior. While most adults might not need a pencil pouch, I used it for my pens during a conference, and it was incredibly handy. I even got a lot of fun comments and felt a little like a kid again, which made me really appreciate this inclusion!

Shower Steamer

The last item we received was a shower steamer. Hank appreciated this addition since he prefers showers to baths, and he found the eucalyptus vapors very soothing. It created a pleasant aroma in our bathroom, and Hank even commented on how much better his sinuses felt after recovering from his last cold!

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, Charlie, 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 "Stories that Spark" theme extremely well. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely and loved the useful items, especially the fidget, pencil pouch, and shower steamer. We already can't wait to see what's in store for April!

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 $15.98, I find the $50.00/month cost 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 April box.

What did you think of the Full Size BeTWEEN the Bookends Tween box?