47. Discovery Girls Magazine - August/September 2011

DISCOVERY GIRLS MAGAZINE – August/September 2011

Published by Discovery Girls, Inc.

GENRE: Magazine

HONORS: Although this issue has not won any awards, the magazine won the 2009 iParenting Media Award.

REVIEW:

Discovery Girls is a magazine with the motto, “A magazine created by girls, for girls.”  With each issue, the contributors visit a different state and selected twelve girls—“Discovery Girls”—to help put the issue together.  The magazine features advice on several different topics that interest tween girls, such as getting ready for school faster and the pros and cons of earning new privileges, as well as a regular column titled “Ask Ali” for readers to get advice on personal questions.  The Discovery Girls and multiple readers share their experiences in some of the magazine’s regular features, including “The Great Debate” and “Embarrassing Moments.”  There are also multiple-choice quizzes on topics such as peer pressure and organization that give girls insight to their own personalities.  With few advertisements, the magazine features bright, bold colors and real tween girls instead of models, appealing to the average girl.

OPINION:

As a fan of Seventeen and Teen Magazine when I was younger, I found several parallels between those magazines and Discovery Girls, with Discovery Girls being much more age-appropriate for nine to fourteen year olds, of course.  I especially liked the idea of using a different group of “Discovery Girls” with each issue, using real tween girls as the inspiration for the topics included.  This helps ensure that topics will be interesting and entertaining to readers, as well.  The majority of the magazine uses the opinions and writings of tween girls, making it a wonderful forum for girls to get their voices heard.  There are several places throughout the magazine that invite readers to send their letters in, demonstrating that it is a priority for the editors to have real girls contribute.  This is definitely a magazine that I will recommend to tween girls.

IDEAS:

This magazine would be helpful in designing library programs on issues important to tweens, such as peer pressure and being prepared for school.  Also, each issue includes a “Creative Corner” section that could be used for an arts and crafts program at the library.