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 $40 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.)
Summer vacation is here, and sadly, it hasn't been quite as blissful as I imagined. We have so many outdoor projects that need to get done, and I always forget just how much time it takes to prepare three meals a day for these growing boys! I know I should be grateful for this extra time together, but oof—I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.
Thankfully, this month's beTWEEN the Bookends box arrived at just the right time. Packed with fun activities and new reading material, it gave Hank a couple of great books to enjoy in the hammock while I worked on getting the house and yard back in order. A little entertainment and learning go a long way during busy summer days!
Filled with engaging books and fun lifestyle goodies, this box makes it easy to keep him motivated to read while still making it feel like pure fun. Read on to check out everything we found inside!
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 Jacques Torres: “Life is short. Eat dessert first.” There’s also a fun little hint about next month’s theme - beach days anyone?!
Coop Knows the Scoop by Taryn Souders - Retail Value $7.99
The whole town is talking about what's buried beneath the playground...Windy Bottom, Georgia is usually a peaceful place. Coop helps his mom at her café and bookstore, hangs out with his grandpa, bikes around with his friends Justice and Liberty, and is determined to live up to his dad's legacy. Windy Bottom is full of all kinds of interesting people, but no one has ever caused a problem. Until now. And somehow, Gramps is taking all the blame! It seems like there are a lot of secrets that were buried in their small town after all...Will Coop and his friends get to the bottom of the mystery and clear Gramps's name before it's too late?
Hank recently went to his first scary movie, and ever since then, mysteries have been much more up his alley. This book turned out to be a fantastic mystery that immediately captured his attention and was hard for him to put down. He genuinely enjoyed both the characters and the storyline, and he's already hoping to find more books by this author when the bookmobile comes around!
Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape by Martin Stewart - Retail Value $9.99
Bridget Baxter is the very last orphan at the Orphanage for Errant Childs, left at the mercy of the awful Ms. Acrid and her foul-smelling fish sandwiches. Ms. Acrid's mission is to make Bridget's life a misery. But Bridget is more than a match for her. When kindly Mr. Vanderpuff arrives at the Orphanage in search of a child to care for, Bridget thinks her luck has finally turned. Mr. Vanderpuff is the village baker, and his shop is a world of wonders. But they soon discover that Bridget is absolutely terrible at baking. When Ms. Acrid returns for the ultimate revenge, Bridget must open the Locked and Secret Door, navigate Ms. Acrid's spiderweb of booby traps, and use her unique baking skills to save herself—and Mr. Vanderpuff—from certain disaster. Join Bridget as she dons her chef whites and gets the croissants at the ready… Baking isn't such a piece of cake.
While Hank was busy reading the mystery novel, Charlie gravitated toward this book because it featured a baker! He's recently taken an interest in cooking, which has been a huge help around the house—although it does tend to result in some pretty impressive messes.
After whipping up a batch of waffles, he eagerly picked up this book and was immediately drawn in by the illustrations and the baking-themed mystery. It was a perfect fit for his interests, and he's been reaching for this book instead of his laptop whenever he has free time. For that, I am forever grateful!
Pick Up Sticks
Our family loves games, so we were excited to receive this little box of Pick-Up Sticks. Featuring the Roald Dahl quote, "Life is more fun if you play games," it felt especially fitting for our family because it's a sentiment we completely agree with!
The set included the sticks along with easy-to-follow instructions, and the kids had a great time playing together in the living room. It was a simple but fun activity that encouraged a little friendly competition and gave us another reason to spend time together as a family.
Monthly Sticker Pack
Hank loves stickers and really appreciated the variety in this month’s box—especially the capybara one. While he doesn’t use them in his notebooks like his brother does, he keeps them in an envelope to add to the thank-you notes he writes after receiving gifts, which makes the process a little more fun.
Croissant Squishie
Fidgets are all the rage these days, and Hank absolutely loved this croissant-shaped version! Designed to look just like a real croissant, this cute little squishy is filled with a soft, squeezable material that is incredibly satisfying to hold and play with during long car rides or while relaxing on the couch.
It's amazing how popular these fidget toys have become, but I have to admit that I enjoy playing with them too! This one was both adorable and fun, making it a big hit in our house.
Handmade Beaded Bookmark
I love handmade items, and my kids appreciate them as well. This beautiful beaded bookmark features charming tree and leaf accents and has a slight stretch to it, making it both functional and unique.
Perfect for marking your place in a book, it adds a touch of personality and flair that a simple paper bookmark just can't match. Best of all, it helps keep pages pristine and free from the dreaded folded corners!
Capybara Mystery Stationery Pouch
I'll be honest—Hank wasn't all that excited to receive a stationery set, but I sure was! Featuring an adorable capybara design, this cute little collection included a notebook, agenda, glue stick, pen, and stickers. The stickers were even glittery, which made them extra fun.
This has turned out to be a really handy set to keep near my calendar, and I've already gotten quite a bit of use out of it. I love the cheerful design and color scheme, and I always appreciate receiving practical items that are both cute and functional.
Pencil Pouch
The next item paired perfectly with the stationery set, as it featured the same adorable critter and provided a place to store all of the other supplies I received. With a clear front panel, it's easy to see what's inside, and the zippered closure keeps everything neatly contained and organized.
Cute and practical, this was another functional item that Hank may not have been too excited about, but it was perfect for holding the office supplies and looked absolutely adorable while doing it!
Ice Cream Eraser/ Pencil Sharpener Duo
This next item was another school and office supply. Hank was thrilled to clean out his backpack for the summer and has absolutely no interest in thinking about school right now, so he happily passed this item along to me as well!
Featuring a whipped-ice-cream-style top, this adorable eraser pairs perfectly with the cone-shaped sharpener. The design is incredibly cute, and I really loved this inclusion. I'll definitely be bringing it back to school with me in September—but, like Hank, I'm not quite ready to think about that just yet!
Snack
The last item we received wasn't listed in the pamphlet, but Hank was really excited about it! This little snack pack of Gardetto's made the perfect companion for an afternoon of reading in the hammock.
We always appreciate a tasty snack, and this was a fun surprise to round out this month's beTWEEN the Bookends box. It was the perfect finishing touch to an already enjoyable collection of books and goodies!
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 "Baking Up Stories" theme extremely well. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely and loved the useful items, especially the stationery supplies, squishy croissant, and game! We already can't wait to see what's in store for July.
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 $17.98, 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 July box.
What did you think of the Full Size BeTWEEN the Bookends Tween box?
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