Muse (children's magazine) facts for kids
The cover of the May/June 2007 issue of Muse.
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| Editor | Johanna Arnone |
|---|---|
| Contributing Editor | Meg Moss |
| Contributing Editor | Kathryn Hulick |
| Assistant Editor | Jestine Ware |
| Company | Cricket Media |
| Based in | Chicago |
| Website | cricketmedia.com |
| ISSN | 1090-0381 |
Muse is a cool magazine for kids and teens, usually for ages nine and up. It's put out by Carus Publishing, who also make the Cricket magazine. Muse first came out in January 1997. It's made in Chicago, Illinois, and is read by young people all over the United States and the world.
Since it started, Muse has been published by Cricket and supported by Smithsonian magazine. It's packed with interesting articles about science, history, and different kinds of art. Johanna Arnone is the editor who helps put it all together.
For a long time, there were nine cartoon characters called the Muses. They would pop up in the edges of the magazine and in a comic strip called "Kokopelli & Company." But in September 2015, Muse joined up with another magazine, Odyssey. After this, Muse got a fresh new look and added new stuff. The Muses characters were replaced by a new comic called "Parallel U," which has different characters.
What's Inside Muse Magazine?
Muse magazine comes out nine times each year. Every issue is full of fun and educational things to read.
Here's what you can usually find in each magazine:
- A comic strip called "Parallel U," written by Caanan Grall.
- "Muse Mail," where they share letters from readers like you!
- A page of cool facts called "Muse News."
- A fun contest to enter.
- A "Question and Answer" page, where Lizzie Wade answers your curious questions.
- A section all about new technology.
- Lots of articles on different topics.
Some past issues have covered really interesting subjects. These include articles about eating only plants (vegetarianism), how to throw a pie, if aliens exist, and amazing animals like naked mole-rats. They've also written about how the moon was formed, pirates, and urban legends (which are like modern-day folk tales). Other topics have been insects, mummies, and unique animals called tenrecs. You might even find stories about the history of napkins, contacting ghosts, or the funny story of New Zealand's exploding trousers. They've also featured Rube Goldberg inventions, the world of The Lord of the Rings, and strange fish like blind cavefish.
Meet the Muses Characters
The original Muses characters were drawn by a cartoonist named Larry Gonick. Only one of them, Urania, was a real Greek Muse from ancient stories. Another character, Kokopelli, is a trickster god from many Native American tribes.
Here are the Muses who used to be in the magazine:
- Kokopelli: He was the Muse of tunes and tricks, and he loved to throw pies!
- Chad: He was the Muse of Hardware (like computers and machines).
- Aeiou: She was the Muse of Software (the programs that run on computers).
- Bo: He was the Muse of Factoids (small, interesting facts).
- Urania: She was the Muse of Astronomy (the study of stars and space).
- Feather: She was the Muse of Plants.
- Crraw: He was the Muse of Bad Poetry.
- Pwt: He was the Muse of Animals.
- Mimi: She was the Muse of getting along with people.
Sometimes, Devil, who was Kokopelli's dog, and Angel, Mimi's cat, would also appear. They were in older issues more often.
As of September 2015, the Muses characters are no longer in the magazine. They were replaced by the new comic called Parallel U, which is drawn by Caanan Grall.
Awards for Muse Magazine
Muse magazine has won many awards for being a great publication for kids. Most of these are the Parents' Choice Awards, which recognize excellent children's media.
Here are some of the awards Muse has received:
- 2019 Parents’ Choice Gold
- 2018 Parents’ Choice Gold
- 2017 Parents’ Choice Gold
- 2016 Parents' Choice Gold
- 2015 Parents' Choice Gold
- 2014 Parents' Choice Gold
- 2013 Parents' Choice Gold
- 2012 Parents' Choice Gold
- 2010 Parents' Choice Gold
- 2008 Parents' Choice Silver
- 2005 Parents' Choice Gold
