OwlCrate Jr., is a monthly book subscription box for young readers ages 8-12 with a middle grade book plus fun gender neutral bookish items designed to enhance your little reader’s experience. It’s from Owl Crate, a super popular YA (young adult) fiction subscription.
DEAL: Use code FBGIZMO at checkout to receive 10% off your order
The theme for the May 2017 OwlCrate JR. box is ONE THE CASE!
The information card tells a little bit about all the goodies in the box.
Everything in the May OwlCrate JR. box!
My 8 year old daughter assisted with this review.
Top Secret Tote Bag ($7?) The tote bag is perfect for placing your clues and books in without anybody seeing them, that’s why it’s black. Even if it gets wet, unlike a white tote, nobody can see your top secrets!
Accoutrements Archie Mcphee Classic Disguise Glasses ($5.28)
The classic silly disguise!
My daughter thought it was pretty funny, and so did our other kids!
Button Pin: This button shows two dog detective pals on the case. My daughter is a big fan of buttons and likes to put them on her jacket. Also she notes that kids her age love dogs, especially puppies.
Kikkerland Magnifying Glass Bookmark ($7.33) This thin flexible bookmark “doesn’t just look like a magnifying glass, it also acts like one!” She loves it!
I dropped this while we were writing and she got it for me noting that I’m so old I can’t bend over. She’d better be careful, because I might borrow it to read! No really, I’m keeping it to read labels. Sorry kiddo.
Usborne Activities Over 50 Secret Codes (£5.99, about $7.75) We love Usborne books!
This activity book has 50 different codes to solve, and it’s the first item she grabbed out of the box. I had to force her into bed because she was so engrossed in solving them.
She’s worked quite a few of the codes already and it meshes really nicely with the book. I think a secondary activity book is a great addition to this box (especially a brain-teasing one!).
The World’s Greatest Detective by Caroline Carlson ($9.65)
Detectives’ Row is full of talented investigators, but Toby Montrose isn’t one of them. He’s only an assistant at his uncle’s detective agency, and he’s not sure he’s even very good at that. Toby’s friend Ivy is the best sleuth around—or at least she thinks so. They both see their chance to prove themselves when the famed Hugh Abernathy announces a contest to choose the World’s Greatest Detective. But when what was supposed to be a game turns into a real-life murder mystery, can Toby and Ivy crack the case?
This book is about 350 pages, so it’s a good length for an avid reader without being too lengthy. The story involves two kids showing off their detective skills in a detective contest, in which a detective dies (oh noes, World’s Greatest Mystery now). It’s up to the World’s Greatest Detective to solve – who will figure it out, and who did the deed?! The era is about the 20s (1920s) and in flipping through I did wish that the writing was a bit more atmospheric and complex, but this doesn’t seem to trouble my daughter, she’s more about the plot than the language for the most part (although working on incorporating a rich vocabulary into her own strings!). Regardless, this book is accessible and my daughter is enjoying the mystery.
There was a letter from the author, a bookplate, and the official ID card. Read with a flashlight? Bah, we got our daughter a clip-on book light!
My children vow to solve every bad deed. Who stole my cookies?!
The value of this month’s box was about $37. I really don’t get too hung up on whether this subscription is a great deal per item, because the immersive reading experience is worth a lot more than the individual items combined. My daughter doesn’t need any encouragement to read, but what a fantastic way to get a reluctant reader into a story – a great gift for a grandparent to give.
The theme next month is Gizmos and Gears!
What did you think of Owl Crate JR. box this month?
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