Family Reading Crate is a book box designed with the whole family in mind. Each month you will get about 4 books based on a common theme and one of these will be hand-picked just for the adult in the family. You will also receive a booklet with discussion questions and a few items that tie into the books including collectible bookmarks.
This is offered through Build Your Library a secular literature-based homeschool curriculum website.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Family Reading Crate
The Subscription Box: Family Reading Crate
The Cost: $26.99 + $8.00 shipping
The Products: A selection of 4 books (one of which is for an adult), discussion booklet and a few other items related to the box theme
Ships to: US
Family Reading Crate May 2018 Review
The included booklet introduces the theme, which is Dogs this month, and also gives a brief description of who each book is meant for in the family. There is also a link to their website with some activities and printables as well as suggestions for books and movies all related to the month’s theme. I think these are great extension ideas to use with the whole family.
Also included are discussion questions for each of the kids' books. These range from direct questions about the content to making inferences to personal opinions about the story. I can definitely see how they could be used as points for family discussion or even as writing prompts as part of a homeschool curriculum.
Instead of discussion questions for the adult book, there is a book review by the curator of the box.
We received these 3 collectible bookmarks in our box.
Also included were these cute little puppy finger puppets. They weren’t the best quality, but my kids loved them and they were perfect for a little extra to go with our dog theme.
From Wolf to Woof! by Hudson Talbott- Retail Value $16.99 (found here for $14.22)
This book was unique in that it was a myth about how wolves developed into dogs and pets. It told a nice story about how dogs and humans rely on one another and how both groups have evolved together over time. They emphasized the symbiotic relationship between the two groups and described all of the ways dogs are helpful to humans.
The wording was a little long for my 2-year-old, but he really loved looking at the beautiful illustrations. For older children, I could see them enjoying the story since they’d have a better understanding of the events in the book.
Maxi’s Secrets (Or, What You Can Learn From a Dog) by Lynn Plourde - Retail Value $16.99 (found here for $11.89)
This book is meant to be the family read aloud and I think it’s a good choice for this because it has shorter chapters which make it easy to divide into separate readings. The book is well written, easy to read and engaging from the start.
This book is from the perspective of a 5th grader named Timminy who has just moved to a new town and his parents let him adopt a dog, Maxi, to make the move easier on him. The story describes his relationship with Maxi and it is interwoven into the events of his transition to a new school.
Each chapter ends with one of Maxi’s secrets, however, these read more like little lessons learned from the events in each chapter (hence the book title!). For, example, after the chapter about Timminy’s first day of school, during which he encounters a bully, the secret is “Staying home and sleeping in a crate isn’t the worst way to spend a day.”
I enjoyed this book and the way it demonstrated how important the relationship between a child and pet can be when navigating new experiences.
From Amazon:
When a BIG, lovable, does-it-her-way dog wiggles her way into the heart of a loudmouth pipsqueak of a boy, wonderful things happen that help him become a bigger, better person. Perfect for fans of Wonder and Because of Winn-Dixie.
Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban - Retail Value $7.99 (found here for $6.98)
This book is meant for the older child or teen in the family - the recommended age is 9-12. This story is about 10-year-old Manami and her love for her dog Yujiin.
The story begins with Manami, Yujiin and her Grandfather taking a walk on the beach discussing the soldiers who have just arrived in their town as a result of the war. It is a very slow, quiet scene that quickly transitions into a whirlwind of anxiety and emotion as families are forced to evacuate their homes. When it is time to leave, Manami tries to smuggle Yujiin under her coat, but she is caught by a soldier and her dog is taken away from her. The families are taken to a Military camp and Manami and her family adjust to their new lives, which she finds incredibly difficult to do without her beloved dog.
This book is very touching and sad. The events are so intense and heavy, yet they are described in such a simple way that a young reader could easily understand their magnitude without having to know all of the history behind it. I think this would be a great book for teaching both empathy and history.
From Amazon:
Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban is a heartrending middle-grade novel and piece of historical fiction set during World War II about love, longing, and a girl who finally finds her voice.
Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley - Retail Value $25.99 (found here for $6.49)
This was the adult book selection for this box and I have to admit, I thought the main character was a teenage girl for the first few paragraphs from the excited conversations about handsome male celebrities between Ted and his dog Lily.
In this book the lines of reality are blurred as the close relationship between Ted and Lily is described (they play board games together!). It is clear how important she is to him when he finds out she has a tumor that he refers to as an “octopus” which he fears will claim her life. We see him fight for her as he tries to cope through denial and even a physical altercation with the “octopus.” This was another book that really highlighted how, even for an adult, a dog can be incredibly important.
Verdict: I love the idea of a family crate - books for everyone - and I think it is an awesome idea for parents with older children or as part of a homeschool curriculum. I enjoyed the books this month and thought it was nice to see a book at different levels about a common topic. They all had a similar message about the importance of a relationship with a dog which is something that all ages can relate to.
The total retail value of the books came to $67.96 (less with sale prices), which is awesome for a $34.99 ($26.99 + $8.00 shipping) box.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes! As of publication, this box is still available to purchase!
Value Breakdown: At $34.99 (price + shipping) for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:
- From Woof to Wolf! by Hudson Talbott: $8.75
- Maxi’s Secrets by Lynn Plourde: $8.75
- Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban: $4.11
- Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley: $13.38
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What do you think of this month’s Family Reading Crate?
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