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.)
Summer vacay is finally here, and I’m loving every second of it! While we may be out of school, I make sure to include reading, writing, and math in our Monday–Friday routine to help prevent the summer slide. Hank reads for 30 minutes each day, so this month’s beTWEEN the Bookends box arrived just in time to help him stay sharp with his reading skills—all while keeping things fun and engaging! Packed with exciting books and cool lifestyle items, the box was exactly what he needed to log some 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 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 pamphlet describing all the items included in the box. It is color-coordinated and beautifully laid out. Featured on the back is a quote by Dolly Parton: "If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours." Also included is a hint about next month’s theme—I'm thinking beach days!
It's Boba Time for Pearl Li! by Nicole Chen - Retail Value $19.99
Pearl Li is ready to spend the summer before seventh grade hanging out with her two best friends, crocheting the cutest amigurumi dolls, and visiting her favorite tea shop, Boba Time. Its quirky owner, Auntie Cha, is the only adult Pearl can confide in about her art—if only her tech-obsessed family would understand her love of crafts! After Pearl learns of Boba Time’s financial troubles, she decides to sell her amigurumi to raise money for the shop. But as she navigates the ups and downs of running a business, Pearl realizes that monetizing her passion is more complicated than she could’ve ever imagined. Can Pearl save Boba Time before it’s too late?
Hank has been really busy with baseball lately, but now that school is out he has a little more time for reading. Because he is heading into 7th grade, this book involved the perfect age range of characters for Hank. While my son doesn't love tea, since Boba tea is all the rage, he's into it, and enjoyed the start of this book.
Karthik Delivers by Sheela Chari - Retail Value $8.99
Karthik Raghavan is good at remembering things. Like his bike routes. Or all the reasons he likes Juhi Shah—even if she doesn’t even know he exists. It doesn’t help that she seems to have a crush on his arch nemesis, Jacob Donnell, whose only job is to humiliate Karthik (and get his name wrong). Then Karthik’s luck changes when he secretly agrees to be in a play about the famous musician, Leonard Bernstein. But he can’t tell his parents. The family store is in jeopardy, and they need him delivering groceries on his bike to help save it. His mom is also worried about the Financial Crisis, and she’s convinced that studying hard and staying focused is the only way to succeed. But Karthik is having fun being Lenny. Besides, what if acting is Karthik’s special talent? And what if acting is the one way to catch Juhi Shah’s attention? With all the pressure from his family to succeed, will Karthik be able to imagine and hope when he’s not sure what will happen next?
While Hank wasn’t too sure about the first book we received, he was much more interested in this one since the main character is a boy. He hasn’t finished it yet, but he’s about halfway through and is really enjoying the story—especially noticing the similarities and differences compared to his own life. Overall, it’s a great book, and I’m glad it was included!
Food Fight Splat Ball
Hank absolutely loves fidgets, and this one was another winner! Squishy in texture, the Food Fight! Splat Ball is shaped like a cheeseburger 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. Hank was obsessed with this inclusion and hasn’t let it out of his sight since opening it!
Cherry Plush Hair Clip
The next item we received this month was this adorable cherry hair clip. Obviously, it wasn’t Hank’s style, but he thought it was perfect for gifting to his 5-year-old cousin. Featuring red pom-pom cherries and a small black clip, it holds a strand of hair nicely. So cute!
Monthly Sticker Pack
Hank enjoys stickers, and appreciated the variety this month. He liked the Boba tea sticker best, but put all of this months inclusions in the sticker folder for future use. These stickers have been used in many ways throughout our subscription, and we always appreciate receiving more.
Two Squishy Food Toys
More fidgets for the win! This time, Hank received a set of two squishy food toys that fit perfectly with the "Food for Thought" theme. Featuring a popsicle and a tea cup, these were fun to hold and squeeze—without any worry about them popping. Another great toy to keep in a backpack for long car rides, these were definitely another hit!
Boba Tea Keychain
As I mentioned above, Hank is a Boba tea fan, so he thought this drink keychain was pretty cool. Featuring a plastic cup with a straw, the green color matched his backpack perfectly. Even though he's not in school right now, he went ahead and added it for next year.
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?
Hank received a purple and a tan 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!
Boba Bath Pearls From Small Shop "Cosmetics for College"
The last item we received was a fun bath-time treat! These Boba Tea bath pearls have a fruity scent and a touch of shimmer. Just toss them into warm bath water for an extra special experience. Hank usually takes showers, but after a long day, he enjoys relaxing in the tub—so this was a perfect inclusion!
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 a cousin duo just fine. The included lifestyle items were a great mix of fun and functional all fitting the "Food for Thought" theme well. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely and loved the useful items, especially the splat ball, squishy toys, erasers, and bath pearls. 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 over $28.98, 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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