American Girl

Created especially for girls age 8 and up, American Girl is an appealing, age-appropriate alternative to teen magazines. Features advice, crafts, contests, puzzles, games, giggles, and more!

SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEWS –

1) A Fantastic Magazine - American Girl has always been one of my favorite magazines. I started subscribing when I was about seven, and I'm still getting it now, at age 13, in addition to the typical "teen magazines." This magazine has great craft and party ideas, and stories about real girls who've had different kinds of interesting experiences. From reading some of the Amazon reviews, I've gotten the idea that some girls are upset by the fact that American Girl publishes hardly any stories about boys, puberty, and makeup, and they have too many articles on crafts and parties. However, I think the fun craft and party ideas are part of what makes American Girl a great magazine. Although pre-teen life doesn't revolve around back-to-school themed sleepovers and Christmas ornament crafts, a girl doesn't need to shut crafts and parties out of her life the day she turns twelve. If you're looking for a magazine with advice on how to put on lip liner and deal with your crush, this may not be the magazine for you. But I think there are plenty of magazines with advice about makeup and boys, and American Girl is a great magazine, even if it doesn't talk much about those topics. I think many girls will enjoy this magazine, especially those between the ages of 8 and 12 (although there are eleven-year-olds who feel to old for the magazine, and fourteen-year-olds who still read it faithfully).

September 26, 2004

By Amazon Girl

2) What our daughters should be reading - American Girl magazine is geared to girls aged 7-13. Much younger than that and many girls aren't reading at the appropriate level yet. Much older and they may be ready to move on. But honestly I'm surprised to read so many reviews by 10 or 11 year old girls who feel they're too old for this magazine. I don't believe girls that age NEED magazines based solely on makeup tricks, flirting with boys, etc. AG has articles such as dealing with relationships with friends. Like when you and your best friend start to grow apart. Or when she moves away. Articles like one about a girl whose family travels around the world on their sailboat for two years. Crafts that you can actually be proud to give at the age of 10.

Several reviewer have complained that the magazine is short and expensive. It is. But here's why: there is NO advertising (short of anything American Girl related). In many magazines, advertising accounts for easily half the pages. And advertising enables publishers to sell magazines for a low cost. AG has no advertising and so has to charge a fair price to produce it. I'm more than willing to pay for that kind of publication.

Parents ordering for your daughters, you know your girl. If you've got a 10 year old going on 16, this may not be for your child. If you have a precocious 6 year old, she might like it as well. AG is the kind of magazine I'm glad my daughters enjoy.

October 23, 2006

By third time mom

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CLICK here >American Girl

National Geographic Little Kids

An innovative new magazine full of learning and fun for today’s preschoolers and their parents! Bursting with lively photographs, engaging stories, and interactive picture games, each issue supplies you with fresh and imaginative teaching tools created by noted educators at National Geographic.

SAMPLE CUSTOMER REVIEWS –

1) Packed with activities and photos and NO ads. - Having received 6 issues now, I am very impressed with NG Little Kids. Each issue is 24 pgs long, of which 19 of them containing high quality photos (as opposed to drawings). It is packed with activities: a page or two on questioning animal behavior, figuring out rhymes, finding differences and similarities, naming close-up shots, matching big and small items, counting, solving a maze, finding animals within a scene, and imagining what an animal in a photo is thinking. Not only is there a short article detailing one animal but usually there is also one on a society culture (i.e. Africa, China, India), which most kids' magazines lack. A few pages are dedicated to science exploration, craft, and cooking. Every issue also has six tear-out cards of animals with an animal fact on the back of each. Even though it is geared to toddlers and preschoolers, this magazine interests all of my kids, ages 6, 4 and 1 (but really the best for ages 3-4). Best of all, except for a tear-out subscription postcard, there are no ads (unlike NG Kids). This magazine is better than National Wildlife Federation's Wild Animal Baby. As mentioned in a previous review, buy it direct from National Geographic to save money. The only thing I can think of to improve the magazine is to have more issues per year and maybe sturdier/thicker pages.

November 1, 2007

By Kindle Customer

2) Great Mag for LITTLE KIDS - This short magazine is really wonderful for the audience it's targeted to: LITTLE KIDS. Think 2-3-year-olds here. My 3-year-old son received a subscription for his birthday and absolutely loves it. He and his Dad read it together and it only takes about 20 minutes to read the whole thing at his pace. I do think that the age appropriateness will depend on your kid; I'd say there are 1- and 4-year-olds out there who would also enjoy it. I suggest searching your public library or inter-library loan to see if you can borrow a copy first to see if it's something your kid will like (this is what we did).

I want to address some complaints other reviewers have made:

1)Uses stock photos. They may be stock photos but they are fantastic ones, up close, and suited to young children. I can only imagine this keeps publishing costs lower than they'd otherwise be.

2)Too simple/not enough content. I disagree. This is meant to be a first magazine, even before a kid is old enough for the classic Highlights mag. It's got LOTS of high-quality photos so a kid can enjoy looking at it on his own. The written content is meant to be interactive - I like this for a small child. If you want articles that keep you interested as a parent, you should get National Geographic or if your kid is beginning to read himself then order NG Kids. Also, in addition to the content in the magazine there is a website with games, "science experiments", crafts and short articles on animals. The web content doesn't match what's in the paper mag each month, but it is a fun way to fill in the gap while you wait another week for the next issues and fun to introduce your kid to learning on the web.

3)Too few issues. I agree it would be nice if there were 10-12 issues especially when paying full price for a subscription. But when on sale for $15 per year ($2.50 per issue) I don't think it's too terribly expensive if your kids devours it over and over again like mine does. Just when he's starting to get bored with the last issue another comes in the mail. This is another reason to try borrowing a copy - you'll be able to see if the interest lasts.

4)Cheap. I assume this is what the reviewer meant who wrote that this seems like a freebie that comes with a Happy Meal. At first glance, yes, perhaps it seems that way. But the freebies at McD's are truly cheap and when they try to be educational are often inaccurate. This is small and short because it's aimed at young children, but it's very well produced. The photos are stunning and the "games" aren't as stupid and inane as the ones that come as freebies. It's fairly durable too, printed on high quality paper. I still make my son be careful with it because he's a rough kid, but it holds up well even to him.

5)Small. While the magazine is small (6.5x7 inches) I see this as a plus. Have you ever seen a 2-year-old trying to hold up a large floppy magazine or piece of paper? Very frustrating for the kid. NG Little Kids is the perfect size for little hands.

All in all I'd highly recommend this magazine TO A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE: preschoolers who love animals and nature but can't yet read. If that's not your child, then check out some of the other quality nature magazines for older kids (i.e.National Geographic Kids, NG Young Explorers, Big Backyard, or Ranger Rick).

***I'd also like to point out for parents who are wary of the intent behind science-based kids' materials that I've never seen anything in the issues so far that I thought needed further explanation or correction. Whether you are a Creationist or believe in evolution, you probably won't find anything in here to give you pause.***

July 11, 2012

By Kitler

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CLICK here >National Geographic Little Kids