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: $19.95 per month + $4.95 shipping to the US.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first box with code MSA50!CODE: MSA50
This review is of the subscription for ages 0-3.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
Here's What's Inside!
In October we received three board books following the theme of ''Pumpkin Spice" which celebrated the fall season, including the spooky fun festivities of Halloween. The books came paired with an activity guide for creating seasonal sensory toys as well as Halloween-themed stickers.
We just so happened to have a mini pumpkin needing a glam-up, so Maddie went to work with her new set of stickers. I may be slightly biased, but I think she did a great job! 😉
The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry (Author), Sanja Rescek (Illustrator) — Retail Value $5.99
Up first was a seasonal spin on the classic childhood song “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.” The tale begins with an itsy bitsy pumpkin taking a stroll down a seemingly normal street. Suddenly, he encounters some ghoulish creatures which spooks him into returning back home. Realizing it's quite the trek, he catches a ride with a passing witch who ultimately reunites him with his lovely pumpkin patch.
Maddie loved singing along with this book and thought the spooky bats and cats were pretty cool too. We rated this book 5 stars!
There's a Witch in Your Book by Tom Fletcher (Author), Greg Abbott (Illustrator) — Retail Value $8.99
Now that Maddie's 2, she's really into interactive books. So we were excited to receive this one! This book starts off with a cute but sassy young witch who's on a mission to make a mess and cast some silly spells. It's the reader's job to help clean up the mess and change her mood by casting their own spells when prompted.
Overall, the book was cute but slightly long for my 2-year-old. While she enjoyed following the prompts for the first half of the book, she lost interest quickly after. We rated this book 4 stars due to the artwork and interactive prompts, but probably won't read it again until next Halloween.
I Love Fall!: A Touch-and-Feel Board Book by Alison Inches (Author), Hiroe Nakata (Illustrator) — Retail Value $7.99
The short and sweet tale describes a young girl's journey through the fall season, touch-and-feel style. Readers get to rub her wooly scarf, pat bright orange pumpkins, touch shiny pie tins, and gloss over wrinkly wicker baskets.
Maddie is obsessed with this book and makes me read it to her each time she sees it on the shelf. Another 5 stars from us!
Value - Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $19.95 per month + $4.95 shipping to the US.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 50% off your first box with code MSA50!CODE: MSA50
Value Breakdown: This subscription costs $24.90 including shipping. The 3 books that we were sent in the 0-3 age range for January retail at $22.97 and the additional cost for stickers probably cost around $2. If you take into consideration the standard price of shipping on Amazon or other suppliers, then the total retail value is slightly above the cost of the box. Not to mention, you receive a carefully curated selection of books, and some fun activity prompts!
Key Takeaways
This was a fantastic box for Fall! Maddie enjoyed all three books, but I Love Fall was this month's winner due to being a touch-and-feel book that was full of beautiful artwork and fun scenes.
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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.
What did you think of the October StoryCaptain picks for the 0-3 age group? Click below to write a review!
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