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 16-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 Gender-Neutral box is $45 per month + free US shipping ($40.00/mo for the 12-month subscription track) while the full-sized box is $55 per month. Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Tween Gender Neutral 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.)
While it is no longer "I love to read" month, my boys are still in the swing of getting in extra reading minutes, so this month's beTWEEN the Bookends came at the perfect time. Featuring new books and a heap of awesome lifestyle goodies, this box always impresses. Read below to find out what this month's fun theme included.
First Impressions
The contents of this box are packaged neatly in turquoise tissue paper and sealed with a sticker featuring clip art of a boy and 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 items included in each box. It is color coordinated and laid out very nicely. Featured on the back is a quote by Hans Christian Anderson - "Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale of all." Also included is a hint about next month's theme - outside reading, anyone?
Royal Academy Rebels: Misfits by Jen Calonita - Retail Value $7.99
In Enchantasia, becoming a legendary prince or princess doesn't happen overnight. Enter Royal Academy, the training ground for the fairy tale leaders of tomorrow! But Devin has major reservations about her new school and her royal future. How can she be a princess and the best creature caretaker Enchantasia has ever seen? It doesn't help that there's something seriously weird about RA's headmistress. Olivina seems obsessed with preparing students for possible attacks from villains ("A royal can't rule when they're stuck in a tower!") Devin gets that being Snow White and Rapunzel's fairy godmother has probably made Olivina pretty paranoid, but anytime someone steps a toe out of line, Olivina becomes more of a fairy nightmare than a fairy godmother. Something isn't right with this lady, and Devin is determined to find out what. But what Devin discovers could change the fairy tale world forever…
To be honest, Hank wasn't interested in this book to say the least. While he did read the summary on the back, he wasn't going to give this story a try. That being said, Charlie and I loved it! With fun characters and a well thought out mystery aspect, this was a great read for kids and adults!
Secret Destiny of Pixie Piper by Annabelle Fisher - Retail Value $6.99
Pixie Piper, an ordinary fifth grader, discovers she is a direct descendant of Mother Goose, and she has the magical ability and poetry power to prove it! School Library Journal said this lively and funny twist on a classic character is “recommended for fans of Kathryn Littlewood’s Bliss Bakery series and Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories.” Fifth grader Pixie Piper has always known she was a little different. She has a wild mop of hair that won’t stay put, her best friend is a boy, and to top it all off, she’s constantly coming up with rhymes and poems that seem to just pop out of her. Then, when Pixie thinks it can’t get any worse, she finds out that she actually is different—she’s a descendant of Mother Goose! This surprising and clever novel features family, friendship, poetry, a toilet museum, and just the right amount of magic, as well as a goose, a fox, and a beautiful golden retriever puppy. Rich, multi-generational characters and the real and powerful portrayal of grade-school friendships, with all their ups and downs, distinguish this terrific elementary school story.
While Hank didn't even want to try Misfits, he did give this Pixie Piper book a try, and was pretty engaged. Liking the puppy, best friend, and toilet museum the most, he said this read was funny and intriguing. He just had to find out how it ended, so he even got to stay up extra late to finish! What a nice mom I am, aren't I? 🥰
Custom Lanyard
Hank obviously doesn't have keys yet, but does enjoy putting keychains on lanyards. This custom made lanyard features the boy and girl "Between the Bookends" characters along with a stack of books. Created with fabric typical of a lanyard, I like the easy to open clasp, and the versatility of this inclusion.
Key Bookmark
My kids have a terrible tendency to dog-ear pages, so we all were very excited to receive this pretty golden key bookmark to try and keep our pages neat. Fitting into place in a secure manner, our pages are looking much better, while sticking with our "Stories Retold" fairy tale theme.
Monthly Sticker Pack
Stickers are always a hit, and this month's design set features a cloud, a reading mouse, and a fairy tale book. Sweetly designed and easy to apply, these are really fun to add to envelopes, computers, and folders!
Mini Wall Hanging
While cute, we are running out of room to place these little wooden plaques, so Hank has decided to gift this wall hanging to his reading teacher. "To Read or Not to Read was Never the Question" will be a perfect addition to the reading nook in her room, and a great little pick-me-up after a long week with the fifth grade!
Pencil Bag
How cute is this little pencil bag? With the quote,"The Best is Yet to Come" it features a blue zipper and lining inside. Fitting a good stack of pencils, this is great for keeping a backpack clean and organized, all while looking cool!
Blue Key Pen
The last item we received was a pink key shaped pen. This pen features a small nib and key cap. Cute in design, this also fits this month's theme and adds a fun flair to reading, writing, and everything in between.
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is one of our favorite subscription boxes of all time, and this month's fairy tale focus was really fun. While Hank wasn't wowed by Misfits, Charlie and I were, so both book titles were wins. The lifestyle items were also fun, and Mrs. L loved the wall hanging Hank gifted her. Overall, we thought this box was curated nicely, and really appreciated the neutrality it offered. We can't wait to see what's in store for April!
The beTWEEN the Bookends Gender Neutral box costs $40.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. Because the books alone are valued at over $37.97, I find the $40.00/month cost extremely 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 April box.
What did you think of the BeTWEEN the Bookends Tween Gender Neutral box?
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