Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.
beTWEEN the Bookends Tween Review: “Happiness is a Good Book” February 2025
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 Full-Sized box is $55 per month + free US shipping ($50.00/mo for the 12-month subscription track) while the Gender Neutral box is $45 per month. Save with longer subscriptions.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
February is here and sadly Hank is battling illness this week instead of playing in his basketball tournaments. Germs are everywhere and while we have had more than our fair share of them, we found one we haven't yet been exposed to😩. That being said, we have had more at home time than we thought we would, and this month's beTWEEN the Bookends showed up to help him get a big jump on his genre bingo he has to complete for school. Filled with fun lifestyle items AND two books, this curation was a great way to start off the month and add to our daily reading goals. Read below to find out what February's fun theme included.
First Impressions
The contents of this box are packaged neatly in bright pink tissue paper and sealed with a sticker featuring clip art of a pigtail-donning 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 Katharine Hepburn - "Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get- only with what you are expecting to give- which is everything." Also included is a hint about next month's theme - I'm thinking "Reading brings good luck!"
Show-How Guides: Pop-Up Cards is a primer for curious minds with a clear, fun graphic style that invites any kid to get started designing cards for their loved ones. This pocket-sized 101 includes a curated collection of 12 essential designs. Every step is illustrated, allowing kids to easily master the basics, regardless of how they learn. Readers will learn to design, fold, and decorate pop-up cards in both classic and unique styles.
This book is super cute! I am a crafter, and have made plenty of pop-up cards in my day, but love that this little book includes 5 techniques with specific, detailed instructions to create some really fun versions for kids and adults alike! Pretty in pink, we have received other books in this series, and the boys have really found them interesting and fun. This book offers different levels of difficulty and can be utilized with multiple age groups!
Mary Lennox is a loner living in Silicon Valley. With her parents always working, video game and tech become her main source of entertainment and "friends." When her parents pass away in a tragic accident, she moves to New York City to live with her uncle who she barely knows, and to her surprise, keeps a gadget free home. Looking for comfort in this strange, new reality, Mary discovers an abandoned rooftop garden and an even bigger secret...her cousin who suffers from anxiety. With the help of her new friends, Colin and Dickon, Mary works to restore the garden to its former glory while also learning to grieve, build real friendships, and grow.
Hank hasn't read the original Secret Garden, but was happy to try out this retelling in the modern form of a graphic novel. There are a lot of real life scenarios in this book, and some hard ones too. Hank enjoyed the illustrations and like the graphic novel aspect, finding it easy to read and interesting.
Laura Dyson wants two things in life: to be accepted by her classmates and to be noticed by ultracute baseball star Troy Bailey. But everyone at school teases her for being overweight, and Troy won’t give her a second glance. Until one day, their history teacher announces a field trip to the run-down slave shack on her grandmother’s property. Heck to the power of no way! Her grandmother insists that it’s more than just an old shack; it’s a monument to the strong women in their family—the Laura Line. But Laura knows better: her classmates will never accept her once they see the shack. So she comes up with the perfect plan to get the trip canceled . . . but when a careless mistake puts the shack—and the Laura Line—in jeopardy, Laura must decide what’s truly important to her. Can Laura figure out how to get what she wants at school while also honoring her family’s past?
Hank wasn't quite convinced when I handed him this book to read. Although he's a 6th grader, he still thinks girls are gross and that crushes are for when you're older. We did read a few pages together, and honestly, he wasn't interested as it talks bout Teen Vogue and is from a girls perspective. Obviously, this box is geared towards girls, so after I read this book, found it perfectly fitting for the Tween box. I work in education and have a 6th grade girl lunch group where a lot of the conversations in the book come up during our talks. This was a great book for discovering self-identity and was extremely realistic. I recommend it to tween girls everywhere!
Rose Pen
While Hank doesn't utilize pens often, I sure do, so this rose pen was a very exciting inclusion for me. With spring on the horizon, this was a happy little dose of sunshine, and I enjoy using this pen to jot down notes and carry with me from classroom to classroom. A fun little inclusion, this did bring me some happiness, and was just plain cute. (Though I have to keep my eye on it - all of the kids want to take it!!)
Monthly Sticker Pack
Hank enjoys stickers, and appreciated the variety this month. He liked the "I Love Books" sticker, but put the other two inclusions in the sticker folder for future use. These stickers have been used in many ways throughout our subscription, and we always appreciate receiving more.
Smiley Face Beanie
This morning on our way to school it was -35 degrees, not even including wind chill! To help out battle the cold, we received this black knit smiley face hat. With a cute simplistic design, this was gender neutral and a great inclusion for a February box! Hank appreciated this hat and packed it in his backpack to utilize at recess and thought it was "cool" and comfortable, all while keeping him warm.
Custom Heart Necklace
This month definitely had a Valentine's Day vibe, and included all the fun, girly things I would hope for as a tween. The next item we received was a silver heart shaped necklace that was blank on one side, but featured the "Between the Bookends" girl illustration on the other. This necklace was short in length and perfect to wear everyday. A slight nod to the month of love, this was a really cute inclusion, and made the winner of my 6th grade math vocab trivia, a very happy girl!
Bow Clip
As I mentioned before, I myself do not have daughters, but I share this box with my son as I am a 12 year-old girl at heart. He takes what he likes, and I keep or share the other items. This month I did give away the necklace because I knew it would make for a great prize at school, but kept this bow. Pale pink and simplistic, but with an adorable crinkle edge, this clip in bow was perfect to wear for Valentine's Day with a half up - half down 'do. It clips in easily and lays flat for an adorable look that even at 36 was fun! I love it!
Wallet
The next item was a really cute pink wallet that matches the hair bow. This pastel pink wallet has a metal heart snap closure and features card slots for credit or gift cards. I don't need a wallet, and Hank wasn't interested, so it did go in my prize bin for my lunch group. This wallet was drooled over by multiple 12-year old girls, and found it's way to a happy home, making one little girl thrilled!
Lip Balm
The last item we received was a set of lip balms. Featuring two different scents, we received a "Peaches & Cream" version, and a "Read My Lips" version. Poured in two small pans, this balm is made of soybean oil, beeswax, sunflower seed oil, cocoa seed butter, shea butter, vitamin E, aloe vera leaf juice, and flavor oils. Hydrating on lips, this was a great item to put in my purse and was very helpful in the dry February air!
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is one of our favorite subscription boxes of all time. This month's box theme featured some cute useful items that Hank and I really enjoyed. Like I mentioned above, this is the full-sized box which is aimed towards girls, but fits a mother/son duo just fine. The included lifestyle items were a great mix of fun and functional all fitting the "Happiness is a Good Book" theme well. Overall we thought this box was curated nicely and loved the useful items, especially the beanie, pen, and bow. We already can't wait to see what's in store for March.
The beTWEEN the Bookends Full Size box costs $50.00 per month (on a 12-month subscription track), including shipping. Because the books alone are valued at over $29.98, I find the $50.00/month cost extremely reasonable, as the lifestyle items help shape this box into an entire experience.
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 14 year old creator. Full size boxes contain 2-3 books and 6-... read more.
I am a wild and crazy mom of 2 boys and work in the public education system as an Indigenous Support Advocate. I love all things outdoors, beauty, crafts, and food. Living the simple life in the country, we spend a lot of time hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Oh, and I absolutely adore my high school sweetheart aka my husband of almost 17 years!
I am a wild and crazy mom of 2 boys and work in the public education system as an Indigenous Support Advocate. I love all things outdoors, beauty, crafts, and food. Living the simple life in the country, we spend a lot of time hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Oh, and I absolutely adore my high school sweetheart aka my husband of almost 17 years!
Join the Conversation
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.
Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.