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 6-8 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: $55.00 per month for the full-size box + free US shipping (on a 12-month subscription). Save with longer subscriptions.
This review is of the beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader Full Size box.
These boxes were sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelinesto learn more about how we review boxes.)
November is here, and so are the snowflakes! With a change in weather and a kick off of basketball season, our lives here are a little more crazy than usual. Luckily, beTWEEN the Bookendscame to the rescue with new books to help my kiddos recharge and relax after a wild week.Filled with awesome new books and fun lifestyle items, this box was perfect for November. Read below to see what we discovered.
First Impressions
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As the full-size box is curated with girls in mind, this version comes wrapped in bright pink tissue paper featuring a pigtail-donning cartoon sticker. Cute!
Here's What's Inside
Welcome Pamphlet
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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. "Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch." - E.B. White
Zach and the Turkey Attack! By Phyllis Reynolds Naylor - Retail Value $7.99
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Zack has a problem. A turkey problem. A TOM turkey to be exact. Every weekend Zack goes to his grandparents’ farm with his father. As soon as he and his dad pull up in the truck, that ol’ Tom turkey’s right there, waiting, ready to peck, peck, peck at Zack’s legs. Now, Zack isn’t usually a scaredy-cat but this is different. The bird is flat out mean, and has clearly got it out for Zack. His best friend Matthew thinks he’s exaggerating, so one weekend Zack brings him along and sure enough the turkey is laying in wait…this time for them both! The boys realize they need something to turn the tables, so they decide to build—in Rube Goldberg style—a giant LOUD contraption to scare the turkey away for good.What the boys don’t count on is the seemingly know-it-all neighbor Josie’s news that there’s a mysterious robber prowling around the neighborhood. Bracelets, necklaces, and coins have gone missing, and the odd thing is that the robber leaves V-shaped footprints…
This book is hilarious. Charlie has done some turkey hunting in his day, so he has witnessed just how aggressive Tom turkeys can be! Totally in tune with the sort of stories that Charlie is into, this book was a hit from beginning to end. Featuring a mystery of fun, Charlie gobbled this book right up, and was pleasantly surprised to find this AR-quizzable AND worth 3 points!
Shai and Emmie Star in To The Rescue by Quvenzhane Wallis - Retail Value $15.99
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Shai, Emmie, and the rest of the student orchestra are busy preparing for a benefit concert to help stray pets—a cause near and dear to Shai’s heart. So when she finds a tiny bunny alone in her backyard, Shai is determined to do what her mom would do: rescue the bunny and find it a good home! But the bunny rescue project is far more work than she imagined, and soon Shai doesn’t have any time left to practice for the benefit concert…
Charlie loves receiving hardcover books, and even though this one had a girly theme on the cover, he is definitely not one to judge a book by its cover, and happily read through this one. With large print, illustrations, and an interesting story line, Charlie enjoyed reading about the bunny rescue project. Filled with life lessons, this was a great read, and worth 1 AR point!
Chicken Nugget Dino
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Charlie loves chicken nuggets, and declared right away that this Dino looked just like one! Soft and fuzzy, this plush was an instant addition to his bedroom set up, and has been seen propped up under Charlie's arm as he has been reading up a storm!
Squishy Eraser Friends
Charlie loves "little" things, so he was excited to see these squishy erasers included in this month's box. With jelly bellies, and eraser eyes and bodies, these little guys are small, yet work wonders. As a 3rd grader, Charlie is working on cursive, and these guys will definitely come in handy in his pencil box!
Monthly Sticker Pack
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The monthly sticker packs are always a fun inclusion, and this month Charlie's favorite was the reading puppy. Similar in color and shape to our little yellow lab, this sticker made its way to his take-home folder instantly. With positive quotes and bookish words, these always offer a bit of inspiration and brighten up our day.
Lotion Bar
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Before he knew what this product was, Charlie opened up this tin and stuck his finger into the lotion bar. Because it squished a little, he was a little grossed out, but even more so when I told him it was a monkey fart lotion bar. He was quite nervous it was going to smell like a fart, but was pleasantly surprised when he smelled fruit instead. Laughing, he took the bar and slathered it on his arms and hands and made his brother smell the monkey fart. Boys......
Mini Bear Notebook Duo
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Charlie writes a lot of lists and notes, so he took these straight away and started making his Christmas list. Featuring cute little animal cartoons, these tiny notebooks are packable and light, making them easy to store in my purse or in the car. Seriously - one can never have enough paper!
Lip Balm
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With the impending dry weather, a stick of lip balm was also included this month. Scented like pumpkin pie, this may have made Charlie lick his lips more than usual because that's one of his favorite flavors! We love receiving small shop items, and one so fitting was great. We hope to see more inclusions like this in the future!
Alpaca Pop-It
Pop-it's are still the rage, so welcome home little alpaca! With a pastel rainbow theme, the bubbles are extra poppy inducing a relaxing calm! Cute and useful, even my husband and I find ourselves drawn to this guy.
Animal Spinning Pen
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Check out this hilarious pen! Orange in color, with a spinning fox on top, the look on this dudes face is so funny! beTWEEN the Bookends always sends the most hysterical utensils, and this one is definitely one of our favorites! This guy is all Charlie has been writing with, and has found a permanent home next to his notebook by his bed. Cute!
Verdict
Winter is coming, and with that is a packed schedule. To help bring a sense of calm and relaxation, Charlie and I were really excited to open up this month'sbeTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader box. With two awesome titles and some really fun (and relaxing) lifestyle items, this month's theme was well received.If you have a kid that loves reading, or is struggling to find books they enjoy, we highly suggest this box, as it makes reading enjoyable and fun.
The beTWEEN the Bookends Early Reader Full-Sized box costs $55.00 per month, including shipping. Because most items were small shop created specifically for this box, I wasn't able to calculate an accurate value estimate, but dividing it by the items we received equals to about $5 a piece. Because of the thoughtful curation, fun theme, and enjoyable products, I feel the $55.00 price range is definitely fair for the quality of this box and the number of items.
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Other Things You Should Know
Can I still get this box if Isign 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 full-sized box?
