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.)
It's September, and though we are three weeks into the school year the temps are more like those in early August, and I am over it! Our school has no A/C and it was been quite sweaty (and stinky). Next week it looks like it should start cooling down so thank goodness for that! As far as curriculum and programming goes, this year our school has decided to leave the Accelerated Reading program behind, and I'm a little bit sad. Instead we are focusing on reading minutes which is more inclusive, and this month's beTWEEN the Bookends box arrived just in time to help jump start Charlie's goal progress. Filled with awesome new books and fun lifestyle items, this box was perfect for reaching those goals, and becoming a more fluent reader. Read below 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. "One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world." - Malala Yousafzai
Locker 37: The Magic Eraser by Aaron Starmer - Retail Value $8.99
In the first book of the Locker 37 series, Carson Cooper realizes that he has a very inconveniently located stain on his pants. That is NOT the way to start things off on the first day of school. Fortunately, Carson finds a letter written by last year's fourth graders stuck to the bottom of his desk with some watermelon bubble gum. The note explains the existence of Locker 37, which will provide a solution to any problem! And when Carson sneaks off to the locker it does, indeed, provide a solution--an eraser! But the problem is that the eraser works a little too well, erasing anything it's rubbed against three times. ANYTHING.
Charlie loved this book. As a fourth grader himself, he thought this was really funny and was engaged from the get-go. With 221 pages, it looks like a big chapter book, but is really a quick read as the font is large and it contains some illustrations. Perfect for a back to school box, this was a great inclusion and earned Charlie some reading minutes on the very first day!
Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker "Sabotage" by Shelley Johannes - Retail Value $5.99
The third caper is the zaniest yet for Beatrice Zinker, the irrepressible third grader who marches to the beat of her own drum--and does her best thinking upside down! With several successful Operation Upside missions under their belts, Beatrice, her best friend Lenny, and Sam have made quite a name for themselves--they're the people who remind you there are infinite upsides to being yourself. But suddenly the unthinkable occurs--an imposter delivers an imitation Upside Award that could only be give by Beatrice, Lenny, or Sam! As Beatrice hunts for clues to the culprit, Lenny suspects one of their own. Will they solve the mystery before Operation Upside becomes a fraud and is ruined once and for all? Or is the situation much bigger than any of them imagines?
Charlie definitely marches to the beat of his own drum, so he was all about this goofy story. Though this is the third installment of the series, Charlie got into it right away, and has actually asked to purchase books 1 and 2. Easy to read and filled with fun illustrations, this is a great introduction chapter book. Charlie is in 4th grade and found this to be a quick read, which was nice, as it boosts his confidence and adds minutes to that tracker! A great inclusion for an already great box!
Hand Lettering Guide - Retail Value $5.99
This month we were extra lucky as we received a THIRD book! This book isn't exactly a novel you read, but a handwriting tutorial. Filled with 9 differed styles of hand lettering, this acts as a guide for how to make these types of letters. We had a lot of fun trying them out and practicing, and found the directions very helpful. We were both happy about this inclusion!
Monthly Sticker Pack
Charlie loves stickers, and appreciated the bright colors and fun animations that were included this month. With fun, back to school art, Charlie kept all three for his notebooks, which needed just a little more pizazz.
Fountain Pen Shaped Highlighter Set
How cute are these little highlighters?! Shaped like old fashioned fountain pens, Charlie wasn't quite sure what that even meant, so a history lesson ensued. Contained in a little plastic zipper bag, these bright highlighters are mini in size and beautiful in color. The 4th grade school supply list did request highlighters, so this set was perfect to add to his pencil box. How fun!!
Custom Straw Toppers
OMG I feel like such a goofball - when I first opened these silicone charms, I thought they were pencil toppers, not straw toppers! 🤦🏼♀️It makes a whole lot more sense now that I know their designed purpose! Anyways, these cute charms were designed for Between the Bookends and fit onto a variety of sizes of straws (or pencils 😆). A great way to keep germs off of an exposed straw end, these also add a bit of flare to your drink cup. While I haven't invested in a Stanley, I have seen similar charms on those, and am happy to be included in the trend with my off-brand cup!
Custom Wet/Dry Snack Bag
I love re-useable snack bags, and this one is my new favorite. Large enough to fit a sandwich, and housing a snap loop, this is a great inclusion for the start of school. With a gender neutral print, this bag is great for lunch boxes and car snacks all while washing up nicely. We will take 10 more please!
Hamburger Shaped Pencil Sharpener
Like I mentioned above, Charlie marches to the beat of his own drum, and with that, he was soooo excited to receive this hamburger-shaped pencil sharpener. He literally ripped this out of my hands, and started sharpening pencils before bed time! With a cute bun top and eraser compartment, this sharpener is portable, easy to clean, and really fun to look at. Charlie already has this packed into his backpack to bring to school, which always makes the day a little more exciting.
Verdict
beTWEEN the Bookends is a fantastic way to keep kids engaged in reading, and this month Charlie was pretty darn happy. Not only did he enjoy both book inclusions, but he LOVED the pencil sharpener, highlighter set, and snack bag. This curation and theme was super fun, and helped us get excited about heading back to school. We already can't wait to see what's in store for October!
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.
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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 October box.
What did you think of the beTWEEN the Bookends gender-neutral box?
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