LitJoy Crate is a monthly book subscription box for kids and teens. They send books and interesting book related items. They have crates for ages 3-7 (picture books), ages 8-13 (middle grade), and 14+ (young adult).
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Kid's, $29.99 a month + shipping, box.
The Subscription Box: LitJoy Crate
The Cost: The Children's and YA boxes cost $29.99/monthly, $86.97/3-month pre-pay, or $167.94/6-month pre-pay. The Middle-Grade box costs $34.99/quarter. Add USPS flat-rate shipping, $14.99 shipping to Canada, and $24.99 international shipping.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first subscription box!
CODE: MSA10
The Products: depending on your subscription type, you will receive newly released books, plus 2-4 assorted book-related items.
Ships to: U.S., Canada, and International
Check out all of our LitJoy Crate reviews and the Book Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
An info card was included listing each item in the box. The reverse side of the card showed pictures of the box contents. The theme this month was Superhero!
Super Manny Stands Up! by Kelly DiPucchio - Value $12.42 on Amazon (retail price $17.99)
Manny is such a brave raccoon, standing up to bullies and finding his inner voice. I think this book was a great read aloud for young kids as a reminder to stand up for others and be brave. Both of my kids loved the story (as did I) and I can’t wait to bring it to school and share it with my younger students. This is a message that kids just can’t hear enough. The illustrations were fabulous too!
Letter – Bonus
I enjoy when author’s craft letters to the subscribers about their books. It is such a personal touch that you don’t get when you buy a book directly from Amazon or your local book shop. The author, Kelly DiPucchio, made this letter so personal discussing her own experience with a bully when she was young and even included a photo of herself from when she was just 7 years old. I loved reading about her inspiration for writing Super Manny Stands Up!
Superhero Costume - Value $6.00?
This superhero cape and mask was a bright green with yellow on the inside lining. The neckline has Velcro for easy on and off and the mask has a simple elastic strap. My son loves wearing capes and though he has a ton, he doesn’t have any that are green so this one was a welcome addition to his stash.
Slap Bracelet - Value $1.23 (buy an assorted 9-pack for $11.11 on Amazon)
My son loved this slap bracelet. If you’re not familiar with slap bracelets, they can be stretched out flat, or when slapped against a wrist they coil up around your arm. This one was Captain America themed in color and logo. A sure hit!
Superhero Tote – Value $1.00
This polyester tote measures 15 by 17 inches. My kids have acquired quite a few totes from the different subscription boxes we receive and they really hold no excitement at this point. I’d prefer to see something more kid-centric than a tote bag.
Superhero Pencil – Value $0.58
What a cool pencil! This is a #2 pencil with a 2-inch red cape eraser. My son loves all things superhero related and this pencil made him very happy.
Superhero Bookmark – Value $0.14
The superhero is laminated and has a pink satin ribbon tie at the top. My daughter liked that the superhero was a girl and was wearing her favorite color: pink. I thought the inspirational saying was great and went well with the theme of the book this month.
Wonder Woman Jelly Belly Jelly Beans - Value $2.99
I’m not a jelly bean lover, but my daughter loves these, from Wonder Woman on the package to the shimmery colors these were a tasty treat for her. The bag sure did fit the superhero theme this month!
Sticker Scene – Value $0.37
This set came with a city skyline scene and a sheet of stickers with assorted super hero characters, stars, lightning bolts and sound effect word bubbles.
Promotional Book Handout – Bonus
This handout is intended for use in a classroom setting. One side of the handout had places to write in your students’ names and a place to check off when they stand up for kindness. The reverse side of the long paper was divided into three sections that could be photocopied and distributed to students. One was a worksheet for students to tell about their own invisible cape, another was a place for them to illustrate their own imaginary cape and the last one was a certificate. These three sheets could certainly be adapted for at-home use as well.
LitJoy Crate holds some very cool contests on their social media accounts. This summer they have partnered with Chronicle Books and are asking their subscribers to take the card they sent in this month’s box which was printed with a capital letter and photograph it with books, at the library, a child reading, etc. and use the hashtag #DropCapLikeItsHot.
A coupon towards the purchase of a mermaid or shark tail was also included this month.
Verdict: Superhero was a fun theme choice and we loved the book selection this month. My son was very happy with the superhero costume, slap bracelet, and pencil. My daughter enjoyed the Wonder Woman jelly beans. My only hesitation with LitJoy Crate is that I find they add too many cheap fillers. The items match the theme well, but are they quality items? Not so much, in my opinion. I wish Litjoy Crate would pack less in their boxes, and focus on quality over quantity. The value this month was about $25. This doesn’t come close to the cost of the box ($29.99 a month plus shipping).
What did you think of this month’s LitJoy Crate?
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