From the same publishing company that brings us Ladybug Magazine we also get Spider, specifically written for children ages 6-9. I have a lot of respect for a company that doesn’t just try to hit every demographic with one magazine, but that creates magazines that children will actually understand, enjoy and appreciate. The magazine series literally grows with your child.
As we look through the pages of Spider, we see many of the same elements that we found in Ladybug. The first page features letters that children have written to the insect characters in the magazine, along the lines of a letter to the editor, only more personal, and the insects answer right back on the same page. Then we head straight into stories – just like Ladybug, Spider has no advertising. It’s just fun for kids on every single page.
Our first story features the Danderfield Twins, a regular feature. In the June 2006 issue I’m using as the model for this review, the twins think they’ve turned two of their friends into big, ugly frogs! Then we read a great poem called “Cowabunga,” about an amazing jumping cow.
Then we are treated to an article about the rodeo. While it’s not fiction, your young reader will still be captivated by the true story of the rodeo and the photographs of horses, real-life cowboys, and bucking broncos. What a fun way to sneak some nonfiction in there while we weren’t looking . . .
My favorite story in this issue is about some cows who badly want to sing at the fair, but the farmer won’t let them. Ever resourceful, they go on strike, refusing to give milk until the farmer allows them to perform. The illustrations are great, too.
You can learn some sign language on the page after that, and then we head into a sports story, the magazine obviously having appeal for both boys and girls. We end the issue with a delicious-sounding recipe, and a maze on the back cover.
Just like Ladybug, Spider focuses on keeping the information at an understandable level for the age group intended. Your 6-9 year old should be able to read all the words used or sound them out, and the concepts won’t go over their heads.
If you would like to take a look at the online version of the magazine, click here. A year’s subscription of twelve issues is $35.97, quite a bit off the newsstand price of $59.40. And if you’d like to submit something to Spider Magazine, you can do so, here.
Related Blogs:
LadyBug: the Magazine for Young Children
Highlights Magazine: Fun with a Purpose