Coffee and a Classic is a monthly book & beverage subscription box, curated by Ashlee Doherty. Ashlee’s mission is to create a complete escape each month for lovers of literature, providing a thought out and curated experience where readers can curl up with the book, a beverage, and other bookish items to retreat from everyday life.
There are two different subscription levels available:
- The STARTER BOX ($28.99/month + $8 shipping) provides you with a classic book, something to sip on, and 2 bookish items each month.
- The STANDARD BOX ($39.99/month + $10 shipping) provides you with a classic book, something to sip (your choice of coffee, tea, hot chocolate) & snack on, a bookmark, a coffee mug, and 1-2 bookish items based on a theme. This book box is also packaged in a high-quality photo box.
With each level of subscription, you can select from three genres: Classic Literature, Children’s Classics, and Classic Nonfiction.
This review is for the Starter Children’s Classics Box.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Coffee and a Classic
The Subscription Box: Coffee and a Classic Starter Box
The Cost: $28.99 a month + $8 shipping. Save 5%-15% with longer pre-paid subscriptions.
The Products: A classic book, something to sip on, 2 bookish items + a bookmark
Ships to: the US only
Good to Know: Boxes ship between the 19th-23rd of each month. You can cancel your subscription at any time (recurring billing happens on the 1st of the month). Each month, a sneak peek is available and you can change genres if something catches your eye.
Coffee and a Classic (Children’s Classics) October 2018 Review
This month’s selection is Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
The Grimms' Fairy Tales, originally known as the Children's and Household Tales, is a collection of fairy tales by the "Brothers Grimm", Jakob and Wilhelm, first published in 1812. The first edition contained 86 stories, and by the seventh edition in 1857, there were 211 unique fairy tales! While I certainly haven’t heard all of them (to my recollection) – certain titles jumped out at me quickly, specifically the ones that Disney has notably adapted
Like most subscriptions, the first item you see when you open the box is an info card detailing the products inside. The contents listed include the book itself, a single serving of hot cocoa, two bookish items, and a bookmark.
Grimm's Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm and Illustrated by Noel Pocock – Retail Value $10.00
I am so excited to introduce these original fairy tales to my son as he gets a bit older. I re-read a few of them myself to write this review, and I was quickly reminded that they are a bit darker than the lighter Disney adaptations. I think at 3, he’s a bit too young for them, but I’m going to reread all 55 and pick and choose ones that are suitable for him right now - saving the rest for the future!
I love that I received this beautiful hard copy edition, which looks to be a Barnes & Noble Collectible Edition. I’m impressed by the physical quality of this book and was surprised it retails for just $10.00. I would certainly consider buying the other books in this line from Barnes and Noble!
From Barnes & Noble:
For most children, reading the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm is an essential experience when growing up. Grimm's Fairy Tales collects fifty-five of the best-known fairy and folk tales set down by the Brothers Grimm, including "Sleeping Beauty," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Hansel and Gretel," "The Frog-Prince," and "Rumpelstiltskin." This edition features more than twenty beautiful full-color plates by Noel Pocock.
Exclusive! Cinderella’s Pumpkin Hot Chocolate by McStevens (3.5 oz) – Estimated Value $6.13 (based on a similar item found here)
Yum! I honestly don't taste much, if any pumpkin but it's a really tasty cup of hot chocolate. I'd estimate that this package of 3.5 oz would make 2-3 oz. servings of cocoa, based on how much mix you like in your cup. Also, can we talk for a second about how awesome this McStevens site is? I didn’t know of this company before but I will certainly be perusing this site in the future for my custom beverage needs. I’m actually thinking this might be a fun and different holiday gift to pass out to my son’s friends at daycare, what do you think?
Brothers Grimm Magnetic Poetry Kit – Retail Value $12.95
This is so fun! I don't put magnetics on my fridge, but I do a file cabinet in my home office that I defaced with such clutter. This box contains words commonly found in fairy tales – things like princess, witch, evil, forest, poison, and apple. There are over 200-word tiles, measuring about 0.38” high. If you want more details, you can download the word list here.
Exclusive! Handmade Luminary from Coffee and a Classic
Warning: I'm going to be a little tough on this item. Handmade is right. This is clearly a DIY project that someone did at their kitchen table, with their inkjet printer. Essentially, it's a simple glass pillar candle holder, with a printed Snow White image on a sheet of paper, rolled and literally taped shut with a few small strips of double-sided tape and then inserted. It's not a perfect fit for the glass and slides out easily.
The image itself is kind of cool. You can download it instantly from Etsy for just $5.40 if you want to try your hand at creating this luminary at home. Around the apple, the words “Queen, thou are lovely still to see, But Snow White will be a thousand times more beautiful than thee” are printed in script font.
There is also a small, battery operated tealight included that adds a soft yellow glow to the luminary as pictured.
Hand Crafted Bookmark (Howling Wolf by FinePenArt) – Retail Value $12.00
This solid wood bookmark is laser cut and engraved to create a beautiful bookmark. I love the yellow tassel! The bookmark measures about 6” x 2” and is around 1/16th thick. I accept the low value (I’m guessing) of the luminary because they’ve upped their bookmark game from past boxes.
Verdict: It's hard to quantify the exact value of this box because of the exclusive items, but I can say I'm satisfied with the curation of this box and would guess that the value is in line with the cost of the box $29 + $8 shipping (although not much higher). I enjoy the Children’s theme and the selection this month was fantastic.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Your first box will be the November selection.
Your box will ship between the 3rd Thursday and the 4th Monday of every month. Please order by the 15th of the month to get the current box.
Value Breakdown:At $37.00 ($29.00 + $8.00 shipping) for this box, you’re paying about $7.40 per item.
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