Reviews For Cricket Magazine

I got this magazine for years as a kid, and I do mean years. I loved it. I worshipped it. I have at least one particularly good issue here at grad school with me. And what am I in grad school for? Creative writing. I am more than willing to say that Cricket had practically everything to do with my subsequent love of literature.

I believe my first issue was the October 1984, which would have made me seven years old. I remember being very excited that I had my OWN magazine, with my own name on it, coming through the mail every month. The novelty factor alone attracted me. Being read to and reading my own books for the previous several years didn't hurt, either, but it gave me an extra push.

The comic and characters which run throughout the magazine didn't hurt, either. Every month, there was a new adventure with Cricket, Ladybug, Muffin, Marianne and Anna, Sluggo?I can still remember their names! And it helped me learn about different kinds of bugs, definitely. Besides that month's story, the characters would appear in the margins of other stories to help out with hard vocabulary words, or react to a neat science fact.

The content in general is superb. Cricket includes all levels of literature, ranging from picture books to Caldecott winners to In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson to Robert Burns' "Oh, my Luve's Like a Red, Red Rose" and Christopher Smartt's "For I will Consider my Cat Jeoffrey", both of which turned up in my Norton anthologies of British lit during college, but neither of which would be too difficult for older children. The Burns piece in particular caught my eye as a kid; Burns' use of Scottish dialect was nothing short of fascinating, and let me learn about different languages.

Cricket does not only include literature, but also stories about science and history, with connected activities. I remember a February issue in particular, in which there was a history of the valentine, detailing the assembly-line method and exquisite work with scissors. Afterward, there was a fancy paper-cutting activity, letting the reader relate to the story on another, more personal level. It went from "ooh, neat," to "I can do this too!", making children feel capable and encouraging further creativity.

In addition, there is a letters to Cricket section, as well as monthly writing and art contests. The letters are almost entirely from children, or on occasion from Cricket readers who have grown up, and about whatever the child feels like writing, from catching slugs (there is a high bug content, considering it's named Cricket) or living where it snows a lot. The contests are separated by age, I think 6-9 and 10-14, and the prize entries are published every month. The thrill of maybe seeing your picture or poem in a real magazine at age eight is just incredible.

In short, Cricket is an excellent resource for young children, and a good introduction to the world of literature and imagination. There is a magazine for younger children as well, called Ladybug, that you can get for a child under around age six. A "graduation" to Cricket later would make a child feel like a "big kid", always a plus. The magazines are a little on the expensive side, but they offer such a wide range of stories that it's worth it. I mean, I would never have thought to show me a Robert Burns poem that young. The variety lets the child pick and choose what they are most interested in, as well as exposing them to things they never would have dreamed existed. With this in mind, I would highly recommend Cricket to anyone who wants their child to discover new horizons once a month.



Recommended:
Yes

The Elite in Children's Periodicals! This magazine is a must for the development of imagination and creativity in your kids! Cricket magazine has been thrilling kids for longer than I care to think about! They have it all!Short stories, poetry, serial stories, and their own beloved cast of characters all made to capture a child's interest!

Visit Cricket,Ladybug, Zoot, Ugly Bird and Everybuggy else who lives in the pages of this magazine! This cast of friends not only tells their own little tales through each issue, but they help kids along by defining the words concisely from the margins!

The last page is devoted to Old Cricket Says and always has something of interest.Kids are encouraged to send in their letters, poems, or pictures into the Letterbox and those relevant to an issue are included. The artwork and Ugly Bird's Crossbird Puzzle also helps to focus their attention on the thrust of the issue. Themes are held throughout but not to the exclusion of all else.

New craft projects, experiments, recipes or jokes can be found here! Beautiful Cover art on every issue ! Inside, artwork is appealing and compliments the whole issue. Diversity and Unity each inspirational volume!

For the real Cricket Enthusiasts, products from T-shirts to crossbird puzzle books are made available.

Cricket is geared for kids about nine, but don't worry everybuggy, they have magazines specifically for those younger and older ! Cricket magazine has a universal appeal for my WHOLE family (ages 7-32)! I can't wait for the next issue!

Recommended:
Yes

I am always on the lookout for publications for my 9 year old daughter. She is a voracious reader (has been ever since she learned) and I thought a literary magazine might be a fun way to expand what she reads without it seeming too much like a "learning" experience.

Like adults, she has favorite authors and she will read their books again and again and again. At school she has some exposure to additional authors and literary forms like poetry. Like many of us, she doesn't necessarily go looking for "different" stuff to read.

Cricket has been a great addition to our library. It has variety and yet it's designed around what kids like to read and it doesn't come across "heavy" nor something to be read because "mom said so!"

Just this past month I was debating whether to renew our subscription -- we are at the end of our first year and it is somewhat pricey. My daughter didn't seem to read it with the same enthusiasm as say "Zoobooks." As soon as I was having these thoughts the next issue arrived. Well, who proceeded to read it cover to cover over the next couple of days?!?! My daughter. So, what I learned from this is that she does enjoy the magazine, she savors what she reads privately which is different than when she reads something like Zoobooks where she can share factual information with us.

So, it is a quality publication. Each issue covers a variety of topics and genres. It is geared to late elementary and middle school age children and it will delight your voracious reader.

BTW -- based on my observations, probably girls will enjoy it more than boys. Boys seem to go for "very dynamic" writing ... unless the boy in question is the more quiet, scholarly type.



Recommended:
Yes

My sister just started receiving this magazine this year. It is one in a series of reading magazines for kids. Yes, technically this magazine is hers, but now I'm into it also! Cricket includes short stories and poems for ages 9-14. Most people ignore the age range I've noticed because I have seen 20 year olds write to the magazine. That just shows that this magazine can really be for anybody over 10! My favorite part of Cricket is the section where other people can write their own stories and poems and send them in. Other magazines in this series include Babybug, Ladybug,Spider, and Cicada. Each one is a reading magazine for different age levels.


Recommended:
Yes

My mom set up a subscription to Cricket for me back in 1976 when I was in elementary school. I always loved reading and wasn't happy with the same old "See Spot Run" books. Mom saw that I was getting bored with the same old stuff and decided to give the magazine a try.

I got the first few issues and didn't really do anything with them. But once a rainy day came around, I decided to pick them up and give them a try. After that, I was hooked on the stories, the artwork, the games, and the contests the magazine runs each month. Each issue had its own theme and I always found the quality to be top notch. I found out Cricket had only came to be a few years earlier and went to the library with my dad to dig up some back issues.

I was introduced to such writers as Shel Silverstein, Lloyd Alexander, Walter De La Mare, Clifton Fadiman, Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg and William Shakespeare. I find myself coming back to Cricket time and again. I still have my original issues and hope to share them with my kids once they're older. They truly have a timeless quality.
I highly reccommend this magazine to parents whose children have expressed an interest in reading.

I was introduced to Cricket magazine through one of my teachers in early elementary school, and soon afterward my parents began a subscription for me. From then all the way up through middle school I devoured each issue cover-to-cover the moment it arrived. At first I found it a welcome challenge compared to the overly simple and mundane classroom books of the "Mac the cat sat on a mat" variety. Even after I had surpassed the magazine in my reading ability, I continued to enjoy it for the content of the stories. Even my mother loved to read it.

The magazine provides a great collection of well-selected stories that open up an entire world for the young reader, and each issue usually has a particular theme (i.e. the Middle Ages, horses, Chinese culture, food, etc.). Some of the stories are excerpted from longer pieces and some are short works in their own right. The magazine spans all genres of literature; includes both fiction, non-ficiton, and poetry; and addresses such important themes as culture, history, family and friends, growing up, and much more. Some pieces have serious and valuable morals, while others are just plain fun.

The magazine also offers book recommendations, a comic strip, a crossword puzzle, jokes, and contests for art, photography, fiction, and poetry. Moreover, each issue is beautifully illustrated. I believe the artwork in this magazine did much to inspire my own early artistic endeavors. I would highly recommend this magazine to parents and teachers alike. The stories are excellent material for young readers, and would also be great to read aloud to children. On the whole, this is a terrific blend of recreation and education! The makers of Cricket also offer other magazines for different age levels - Spider, Ladybug, and Babybug for the younger ones, and Cicada for adolescents.

I got Cricket magazine in the mail when I was young. Years later, it has lost none of its quality. It's full of stories, articles, cartoons, jokes, puzzles. I remember some of the stories to this day. The text is always fun, always informative, never condescending. Difficult words are defined, complex ideas are explained, and the reader is enchanted. The illustrations are beautiful, from many different styles. The stories are from the best writers for children, and they cover all manner of cultures and interests. I can't recommend this magazine highly enough.

This is a great mag full of interesting story's and poem's.I have been getting this mag for about a year know and at the end of the month I can't wait to get Cricket.I also like it because it doesen't have any adds.It has great fantasy and history story's. You should try this great magazine.

Although the target audience is stated to be 8-12 year old, my seven year old is completely fascinated with this magazine. She has thanked me countless times for the subscription and looks forward to each month with anticipation. Not only are the stories lively and entertaining, they are educational as well (I am also learning various things about history and culture that I did not know before!). There is a good mix of fiction and non fiction stories as well as poetry. Since receiving this magazine, I have noticed her excelling more at reading comprehension and her own story writing skills. These reasons are why I believe it is well worth the money and I wll be renewing our subscription for a very long time.

The Cricket Magazine group puts out well-written, beautifully illustrated magazines for children of all ages. Cricket is aimed at the 6-14 yrs age group, and is very well put together. Every issue is lavishly illustrated, and contains poems and stories that encourage the flowering of one's imagination as well as exposing kids to different cultures [some of the stories featured have an international flavor, e.g. from Thailand, China etc]. Above all, these poems and stories are interesting, and capture the imagination, essential ingredients for encouraging reading. A fine magazine indeed!