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 as the full-sized boxes but will have only 3-5 gender neutral lifestyle items.
The Cost: $45.00 per month for the gender-neutral box + free US shipping (on a 12-month subscription). Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader gender-neutral box.
These boxes were sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
November is here, and I’m feeling the pressure to get things done! We’re heading out of state for Thanksgiving, and I’m determined to have all my Christmas shopping wrapped up before we go. Will it happen? I’m not sure, but that’s the plan! My to-do list seems endless, but thankfully, we have plenty of “downtime” while each of my kids practices basketball. Since the practices are too short to go home but too long to do nothing, the timing of this month's beTWEEN the Bookends box couldn't have been better. It was the perfect solution to keep Charlie entertained while his brother hits the gym. Packed with exciting new books and fun lifestyle items, this box was just what he needed to hit his reading goal and become a more fluent reader. Keep reading to see what we discovered!
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
To start off the box, we go through the included pamphlet. Describing the month's theme and the contents of every Between the Bookends version, this little book lets us know exactly what the box contains, along with a bookish quote, social media info, and a hint about next month's theme. "Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone or weary of life." - Rachel Carson
Math Mysteries: The Triple Threat by Aaron Starmer - Retail Value $8.99
It's the first day of the fourth grade at Arthimos Elementary and things are already off to a strange start--poisonous cookies, a zipline disaster, a missing iPad, and what are those strange sounds coming from the school custodian's wheelbarrow? Luckily the Prime Detectives--Abby “the Abacus” Feldstein, Cameron “Cam” McGill, and Gabriel “Gabe” Kim--are on the case! Using arithmetic, geometry, and logic, the Prime Detectives are sure to figure out who did what, when, and why! A gripping new middle grade mystery series, each book contains multiple, interlinked mysteries that readers help solve using math. Includes answers showing step-by-step solutions.
Charlie was excited to see that the first book in this month's box featured a group of fourth graders, especially since he's in fourth grade this year, too. The book kicked off with a mystery right away and cleverly wove in a lot of math terms throughout. Charlie was impressed by how much the characters knew and joked to his older brother that, as a sixth grader, probably didn't even know some of those math terms! Although Charlie isn't quite as advanced in math as the kids in the story, he still enjoyed the mystery and picked up a little knowledge along the way.
Thea Stilton: The American Dream by Thea Stilton - Retail Value $8.99
The Thea Sisters are taking a road trip across America along Route 66! They stop in Chicago, St. Louis, and other cities on the way to San Jose. Their friend, Ali, is a programmer and she has a chance to have her project turned into a real video game. But, while they are on the road someone wipes her computer and all of her hard work is lost! Can the mouselets figure out what happened and help her get it all back?
We've been fans of Geronimo Stilton for years, and during that time, we've also discovered Theo. Charlie especially enjoys the playful text, vibrant fonts, and illustrations. Lately, he's developed an interest in maps and has even considered becoming a surveyor, so he was really intrigued by the Route 66 map and details in the book. Although the story features a lot of female characters, he still found it enjoyable, fun, and easy to read.
Star Pen
To start off the lifestyle picks for this month's "Magical Mysteries" box, we received this sparkly blue star pen. With a turning mechanism that pops the pen tip out, the black ink flows easily onto the paper, is easy to tote around because of its small size, and works well.
Monthly Sticker Pack
Charlie loves stickers, and appreciated the variety this month. Because Charlie's folders are about decorated to the max, we have set these aside in our sticker drawer for future use.
Glow for it! Journal
Charlie is 9 and really likes writing stories and doodling. While he does have a Google Drive full of stories he has typed, he really likes putting the pen to paper also. This journal is so bright orange it looks like it is glowing. It features a slew of neon lined pages and is great for jotting down story ideas and lists. Charlie appreciated the fun color from the get-go and nabbed it up as soon as I opened the box. A great inclusion, I can't wait to read what he writes next!
Bath Dust
So far this box is hitting it out of the park, and when we discovered this bath dust, we knew it was one of the best curations of all time. Charlie will take a shower now and again, but his true love is a long hot soak in the tub. Bath additions are his absolute favorite, and this Raspberry Tart dust created the most fun bubbling bath ever! Featuring sprinkles AND frog figurines, this made for a great Saturday night bath time, and Charlie is begging for Between the Bookends to include this again soon.
Wood Bookmark
Bookmarks are always handy, and this fun wood layered one is extra cool. Charlie has a bad habit of dog-earring pages when a bookmark isn't around, so I like to have them everywhere. Paper ones are fine, but he is definitely more apt to use one that is more substantial and fun. The gold tassel adds a touch of sparkle, and the "Lights, Camera, Read" quote is really cute.
Light Up Star
This little light up star is so cute! With little cartoon eyes and a smirk, this star lights up and changes colors. A fun addition to a magical box, this little light brightens a room at night while being fun to look at. Charlie and Hank both liked this item, so that is a definite win.
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is a fantastic way to keep kids engaged in reading, and this month Charlie was ecstatic. Not only did he enjoy both book inclusions, but he LOVED the bath dust, star light, journal, and star pen. This curation and theme was super fun, and helped keep Charlie entertained during all of this basketball business! We already can't wait to see what's in store for December!
The beTWEEN the Bookends Gender Neutral box costs $45.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. Because the books alone are valued at over $30.99, I find the $45.00/month cost extremely reasonable, as the lifestyle items help shape this box into an entire experience.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
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 December box.
What did you think of the beTWEEN the Bookends gender-neutral box?
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