OwlCrate Jr is a monthly book subscription box for kids aged 8-12. They send books as well as interesting and educational book related items.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: OwlCrate Jr
The Cost: $27.99 a month, $80.97/3-month pre-pay, $155.94/6-month pre-pay. Plus $6.99 USPS flat-rate shipping, $10.59 shipping to Canada, and $19.99 shipping International.
The Products: You will receive (1) hardcover middle grade book plus assorted gender neutral book-related items.
Ships to: U.S., Canada, and International
Check out all of our Owl 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 as well as the theme for August: Into the Woods.
The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol - Value $11.59 on Amazon (retail price $16.99)
Arianwyn is such a likable strong female character right off the bat. She fails her witch test and you can’t help but root for her. This is a story reminiscent of Harry Potter. I’m definitely enjoying it so far. I can’t wait to share this with my fantasy loving fifth grade students once school starts up in a couple of weeks.
From Amazon:
Arianwyn has flunked her witch's assessment: She's doomed. Declared an apprentice and sent to the town of Lull in disgrace, she may never become a real witch-- much to the glee of her arch-rival, Gimma.
But remote Lull is not as boring as it seems. Strange things are sighted in the woods, a dangerous infestation of hex creeps throughout the town, and a mysterious magical visitor arrives with his eye on her.
With every spirit banished, creature helped, and spell cast, Arianwyn starts to get the hang of being a witch--even if she's only an apprentice. But the worst still lies ahead. For a sinister darkness has begun to haunt her spells, and there may be much more at stake than just her pride . . . for Arianwyn and the entire land.
Author, James Nicol, included a letter to OwlCrate Jr readers and a Mad Libs type fill in the blank activity. The signed nameplate is great for sticking inside the book to make it extra special. A button was included as well.
Copernicus Toys Golden Aspen Crystal Growing Kit - Value $7.00
This kit comes with everything you need to grow your own golden colored crystals on a tree-shaped form. The directions were very clear and couldn’t be easier.
Safety first!
This is what the kit looks like when you slide the paper trees together and attach them to the plastic base.
Once you add the liquid to the plastic base and set it aside to work its magic, the crystals quickly start forming. Within two hours we saw some small crystals and the ends of the branches. Within five hours they were fully formed!
Note Pals Sticky Tabs - Value $1.99
Oh my gosh these adorable mini mushroom sticky tabs have fantasy fairy tale theme covered! These tabs are great for bookmarks, taking notes or flagging catalogs for your wish list.
Harry Potter Bookmark - Value $1.00?
It’s always nice to have an extra bookmark on hand and this one is delightfully spooky with the glowing yellow eyes hidden among the craggy branches.
Enchanted Story Cubes: Enchanted - Value $4.99
Story Cubes are so much fun, just mix, roll and tell. This is an expansion pack to go along with the larger set of Story Cubes, but they can certainly be a stand alone as well. The settings, characters, and objects on the dice are perfectly fitting for the book this month.
SEPTEMBER SPOILER ALERT:
The September OwlCrate Jr theme will be: The Great Outdoors. Next month will be an adventure selection perfect for fans of Swiss Family Robinson and Gary Paulsen.
Verdict: OwlCrate Jr was a big hit this month! They always do such a wonderful job with their curation. The value this month, using the Amazon book price, was over $26 which is a bit low and doesn’t quite cover the cost of the box let alone shipping ($27.99 a month plus $6.99 shipping). OwlCrate Jr. seems to be heavily fantasy-based so if this is a genre your young reader loves I highly recommend it. I’m very excited for next month though because it looks like more of an adventure book is being selected and I like to branch out to other genres with my middle-grade novels.
What did you think of OwlCrate Jr?
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