Sports Illustrated Kids (Magazine) by Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated Kids
by Sports Illustrated
CNN Network, 1989-present

GENRE: Sports, Periodical: monthly magazine for kids

HONORS: None known

REVIEW:  In 1989 Michael Jordan adorning the cover, Sports Illustrated launched its youth version of their popular sports themed magazine. Compared to its adult counterpart, S.I. Kids still includes sports coverage and player interviews, but has a heavier emphasis on humor with the addition of sports themed comics and athletic photos with humorous captions and a mascot named Buzz Beamer.

OPINION: S.I. Kids is a great magazine for young sports fans. As with the original Sports Illustrated, S.I. Kids seems to be mostly targeted at boys, which is nice since it seems that most magazines are for a female audience.

IDEAS: Use the photo caption idea used in the magazine and develop a program to provide photos that tweens can caption. 

American Girl Magazine by American Girl Company

American Girl Magazine
by American Girl Company
Pleasant, 1993-present

GENRE: Periodical: Bi-monthly magazine for tween girls

HONORS: None known

REVIEW: American Girl Magazine comes to us from the American Girl company that brings the American Girl dolls and book series. The intended audience for the magazine is tween girls between the ages of 8 and 14 and features a variety of articles, recipes, advice columns, fiction, arts and crafts, and activity ideas that would appeal to this age group.

OPINION: In my experience with the magazine industry throughout my life, it seems that most are targeted at women across all ages: Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Sassy, YM, etc, and though I take them with a grain of salt, they have always been a guilty pleasure. Periodicals are good because they are constantly changing with the trends and always up to date, and American Girl seems like a good introduction to magazines for women.

IDEAS: Use some of the ideas, recipes, art and craft ideas as programming. For lesson ideas, use articles from the magazine to craft a lesson or assignment.