StoryCaptain is a children's book subscription that focuses on fostering empathy, understanding, and connection through literacy. Each box comes with 2-3 books, an activity guide, and a fun little freebie. The book selection is under the care of children's literature experts to ensure that every book in your box is both developmentally appropriate and will spark joy. There are two subscription options: one for kids ages 0-3 (board books), and one for ages 4-7 (picture books).
The Cost: $24.95 per month + $4.95 shipping to the US. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first box with code MSA50!CODE: MSA50
This review is of the subscription for ages 4-7.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Opening The Box
Subscribers can look forward to a colorful unboxing experience, with their easy-to-spot bright red shipping materials and neatly tissue-paper-wrapped contents.
Here's What's Inside
Welcome Note & Activity
Welcome to August with the StoryCaptain 4-7 age group. We were sent two hardcover picture books this month, on the theme of All the Feels. Ha! I simply love this. On the back of the info card are 3 activities that are perhaps the best yet. They give instructions for creating your own board game, making a happiness map, and playing emotional charades. My nearly-six-year-old always looks forward to this style of sticker sheet that allows her to create a character.
Love, Z by Jessie Sima — Retail Value $17.99
Found on sale here for $10.79
We love the book Not Quite Narwhal both for its cute mix of unicorns and narwhals and for its narrative of acceptance—so to receive a book from the same author/illustrator had us filled with anticipation and excitement. This story is about a robot who explores the concept of love after finding a message in a bottle. He journeys to meet the person who wrote the message, and has a revelatory experience when he's shown a human form of love. But in the process, his robot family arrives, concerned that he had gone missing, and he realizes he had been shown love by them all along. It's so touching!
Where Happiness Lives by Barry Timms (Author), Greg Abbott (Illustrator) — Retail Value $15.99
Was this book secretly written for adults? This was the story I needed this week. It's about a mouse who lives in a sweet cottage with his family, but he notices a larger house nearby and yearns for a home like that. When he meets the mouse who lives there, he finds she has been pining for a castle-like estate she can see from her window. When they then meet the mouse who lives there, they find she has longingly been admiring the family who lives in the cottage, wishing for the joy they share. It's a simple but beautiful lesson in appreciating what you have. And my kiddos loved lifting the flaps to see what special illustrations are hiding underneath. All the feels, indeed.
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $24.95 per month + $4.95 shipping to the US. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first box with code MSA50!CODE: MSA50
Value Breakdown: This subscription costs $29.90, with shipping included. In August's box we received two books that total $33.89 at full retail values, or $26.78 with Amazon sale prices. This is on the high side of average in terms of value for this box. The activity suggestions also add value, as does the book selection. I love this box and think the price is fair!
Key Takeaways
I'm here for the "all the feels" theme of this month's box. Side-by-side with my kids, I was given a much-needed refresher on some of life's most valuable lessons: noticing how loved you are, and appreciating what you have. It just goes to show how perennial these core values are. I love that we were provided literature as a jumping-off point for a larger conversation.
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To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, as of this review's publication, this box is still available. After placing your order, your first box will be shipped within 3 business days. For subsequent boxes, they will be shipped either at the beginning or the middle of each future month.
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