Children's Magazine Month: C is For....

Calliope, Click, Cobblestone, and Cricket!

If you're looking for creative, fun, and educational magazines, consider the titles in this collection. All titles are published by Cobblestone & Cricket.



Calliope (a Cobblestone publication), focuses on world history. This month's issue is all about Aesop. The issue features a biographical article, a short play about Aesop, retellings of six animal tales, an article on Egyptian animal gods, and a modernized retelling of "Country Mouse and City Mouse." Regular features include "Fun With Words," "Ask Calliope," "From Our Readers," and "Off the Shelf." Past issues have covered Marco Polo, Joan of Arc, Hatshepshut, Medieval Japan, and Shakespeare. Each issue is an amazing resource.



Click is a science-oriented magazine for young elementary school students. Cave dwellers is the focus for October; readers learn about cave formations, cave drawings, stalactite and stalagmites (I can still remember that stalactites hang from the "c"eiling and stalagmites are on the "g"round), and a must-have article on bats. This is a terrific magazine for 7-8 year olds; articles are heavily illustrated and everything is clearly labeled and defined.



After 35 years, Cobblestone is still going strong. Known for its mini-units on American history, Cobblestone is a favorite with teachers and homeschoolers, and inquisitive children appreciate it as well. Naturally, the latest issue focuses on the Pilgrims. We learn why the Pilgrims came to America, what life was like in Leiden (where the Pilgrims stayed before they sailed for America), what life was like aboard the Mayflower, what the Mayflower Compact was all about, the Native Americans who lived in Plymouth, the First Thanksgiving, and a short article on why some Native Americans don't see Thanksgiving as a day of celebration. Also included is a recipe for stewed pumpkin, "Digging Deeper" (further reading), and a Pilgrim puzzle. Previous issues featured the American West during the Civil War, the suffragist movement, "Becoming President," Manassas, Mexican Americans, and the Wright Brothers. Cobblestone is a mini-treasure trove of fun and facts.



Cricket, on the other hand, is strictly literary fiction (and occasionally nonfiction) and poetry for 7-9 year olds. Folktales, creative nonfiction, poetry, historical fiction, and fantasy are all represented in the October issue. A science activity, crossword puzzle, and reader contributions are also included.

Wow! What a collection of amazing magazines for children!