Spider (magazine) facts for kids
Spider is a cool magazine made just for kids aged 6 to 9. It's full of fun stories, poems, and articles that teach you new things. The magazine also has awesome drawings and activities. It even lets kids show off their own art and writing in contests!
Spider magazine started way back in January 1994. It's published in the United States by a group called The Cricket Magazine Group, which is part of the Carus Publishing Company. The main office for the magazine is in Chicago, Illinois. You can get a new issue almost every month, except for a few times a year when they combine two months into one (like May-June or July-August).
Contents
What's Inside Spider Magazine?
Every issue of Spider magazine is 40 pages long and packed with exciting stuff. It always has some special sections that appear in every magazine.
Meet the Buggy Crew!
One of the coolest parts is the group of illustrated insects that show up on almost every page! They're like a mini-comic strip running through the magazine. The main bug is Spider, who the magazine is named after. Other characters include Ophelia the praying mantis, Sam the caterpillar, Sonya the damselfly, Thistle the weevil, and Miro the French mushroom.
These bugs have their own little story in each issue. They also make funny comments about the stories or articles you're reading. Each bug has a unique personality and favorite things to do. For example, Miro loves food, so you'll often find him in the kitchen or recipe parts of the magazine!
Regular Sections You'll Love
Here are some other fun sections you'll find in every Spider magazine:
- Spider's Mailbox: This is the first section. It's where the magazine shares letters, comments, and questions sent in by readers like you!
- Doodlebug & Dandelion: This is an ongoing short story by Pamela Dell. Every issue has a new part of the story, so you can follow along.
- Spider's Corner: This section is for kids to show off their creativity! You can enter art, story writing, and poetry contests. The magazine also publishes the winning entries from past contests.
- Ophelia's Last Word: On the very last page, Ophelia the mantis shares a wise thought, a cool idea, or a fun activity. She might even give you a hint about what's coming in the next issue!
- Take-Out Pages: There's also a special four-page section you can pull out. It's usually filled with a fun activity for you to do.
One great thing about Spider magazine, and all the magazines from The Cricket Magazine Group, is that they don't have any advertising. This means the whole magazine is just for you to enjoy!
Spider Magazine Online
Since June 2008, Spider magazine, along with Cricket and Ladybug magazines, has had its own website. These websites are made for kids and their families. They have the same fun style as the magazines, with the same characters you see in the pages.
The websites help kids learn in new ways. They have safe online forums where you can chat, question games, contests, and places to comment on what you're reading. You can also find interactive games and more stories online!
Awards for Spider Magazine
Spider magazine has won some awesome awards! It won a Gold Parents' Choice Award in both 2007 and 2008. This award is given for being excellent in children's publishing.
The Cricket Magazine Group, which publishes Spider and many other magazines, has won almost every award for kids' magazines in North America. These include the Golden Lamp Award and the Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award.
Other Cool Magazines from the Cricket Group
The Cricket Magazine Group started over 35 years ago and publishes eight different literary magazines for kids. Besides Spider, some of the other popular ones include:
- Babybug
- Ladybug
- Cricket
They also have a set of non-fiction magazines that focus on science, arts, and humanities:
- Cicada
- Click
- Ask
- Muse
More About the Magazines
- Babybug: This magazine is for the youngest readers, from 6 months to 3 years old. It has nursery rhymes, simple ideas, and easy stories about a baby's world. Each issue has 24 thick cardboard pages with rounded corners, safe ink, and no staples.
- Ladybug: This one is for kids aged 2 to 6. It features original stories, poems, and articles about nature and different cultures. It also has songs, games, and activities to help young kids learn language and reading.
- Cricket: This magazine is for older kids, aged 9 to 14. It publishes stories, poems, folk tales, and articles by famous authors and artists, like Lloyd Alexander.
- Cicada: This magazine is for teenagers who enjoy more challenging reading. Its issues are usually 48 pages long and filled with stories and poems that make you think.
- Click: If you're curious about science and exploration, Click magazine is for you! It explains things like how the world works, what insects are, and how planes fly.
- Ask: This children's magazine explores science, history, and more. It dives into topics like dinosaurs, stars, and important places around the world.
- Muse: Similar to Ask, Muse magazine is for kids aged 9 to 14. It includes stories and articles about art, how people live (anthropology), animals (zoology), and many other interesting subjects.
