Review: Stories Magazine

We have noticed that our secondary students have little interest in magazines these days, however our juniors are as keen as ever and love to pore over their favourites. 

New titles are always enthusiastically welcomed. This new magazine for children aged 6 to 11 is a UK title and would be a happy addition to any collection but it also has much to offer for those who may home-schooling whether temporarily or as a normal routine.

Each features a monthly calendar with special days and events marked, craft, activities, informational articles, recipes, quizzes and more. 

Guest Post: On Crossing the Line Between Kids and Adults

Cover illustrations by Eleanor Taylor and Kristyna Baczynski

Kids’ Book Review is delighted to welcome Amber Hsu, writer, illustrator, artist and founding Editor and Creative Director of UK-based Tiny Pencil magazine. Amber is sharing her thoughts on the concept behind the latest issue of Tiny Pencil, designed to appeal to both children and adults.

Once upon a time, before the invention of publishing and targeted marketing strategies, we hardly had the luxury of “children’s literature”. Children’s entertainment began in the songs and stories told in the oral tradition by adults—fashioned from an adult world of tales, myths, and folklore and adapted for younger ears.

Nowadays, however, children’s entertainment is more thoroughly quantified and categorized. Marketing teams like knowing what age category and demographic they’re selling to. Most illustrators and writers entering the field of children’s literature need to know what segment of the market they fit in and what to aim for. Is it an under 5 picture book? A 5-7 early reader text? A chapter book of the 7-9 variety? Or the 9-12?

I often find these questions hard to answer. I am generally drawn to things less easily categorized, and so I have become accustomed to not knowing what something is supposed to be. I like that kind of mystery in a page, as much as I like not having to answer to any shortcomings in my definitional inaccuracies.

Review: Anorak magazine

I stumbled across Anorak magazine some time ago now, and fell head over heels in love in an instant. Based in the UK, Anorak produces a quarterly magazine for kids that's unlike any other.

Launched in 2006, and called 'the happy mag for kids', the magazine is aimed at boys and girls aged 6 to 12. Content includes stories, colouring, things to do, and lots of cool and fascinating facts - to make everyone HAPPY! 

Review: BIG Kids Magazine

BIG: Bravery Imagination Generosity. Such is the underlying message of the newly released BIG Kids Magazine, a publication that provides "an immersive, interactive and imaginative arts experience for children of all ages".

I was sent to the magazine website by a friend when it first launched on September 30th this year. The concept of the magazine grabbed me immediately:

“BIG Kids Magazine is a contemporary arts publication for children. Driven by discovery, experimentation and response, we invite children to participate in topical conversations about art and the world. With a senior editor who is eight years old, BIG challenges hierarchies of who is listening and who is speaking to amplify small voices in BIG ways.”