Book/Magazine Review and GIVEAWAY: Discovery Girls

Today I have something a bit different.  Instead of reviewing a book, I'm reviewing a magazine.  That magazine would be Discovery Girls.  The publishers of Discovery Girls asked if I would be interested in reviewing the magazine and hosting a giveaway.  At first I was hesitant, but then I realized that my goal is to get kids reading.  And if I can get them reading a magazine that's awesome!!!! So I said yes.  A bit later I got some copies of issues to look at.  I realized that I knew this magazine from our school library, but I had never really looked at it before.  I wish I had!


What is Discovery Girls?
Discovery Girls, an award-winning magazine aimed at tween girls, has produced four books packed with real-world practical advice. The books deliver their best strategies so girls can successfully deal with friendship troubles, embarrassing moments, life's toughest problems (like death and divorce), body issues, crushes on buys, school pressures and more. The set includes: Friendship Hardships - Making friends who respect and understand you. Sticky Situations - How to bounce back from almost anything. Getting Through Tough Times - Handling life's toughest challenges. Getting Your Questions Answered - Advice on family, friendships, boys and more. All of the books reinforce the power of girls to overcome disappointment, develop postive images about themselves, seek the right kind of help, talk to their parents and learn how to grow from failures.

What I Thought:

Discovery Girls is a great magazine for the tween set because it shows REAL girls.  Even the covers are read girls of all shapes and sizes.  I love that!  I'm not saying other magazines are bad, but it's frustrating to have all these teen magazine staring at you covered with "perfect" actresses, singers etc.  I have a daughter, and I've worried about her comparing herself to those images.  What a great relief to see a magazine that shows what real girls look like, and they really do look like real girls.  I teach in a middle school with almost 900 students grades 5-8.  I know what girls this age look like!  This cover is a mirror to what a typical girl would see around them.  Love it!

Ok, so that's the cover, but we all know we can't judge a book by it's cover.  Upon looking through the pages I learned that what you see on the cover is just what you'll see inside.  Real girls, real issues, real problems.  Loved that too! In the issues I saw there were pieces about zits, baking cupcakes, lying to parents, envy and cell phones in schools.  My favorite though was a whole piece from older girls telling what they wish they had known when they were younger.  They were all things I would tell my daughter, but because they came from mom she didn't want to hear them!  Maybe she'll listen to older girls. 

I wish I had know about this magazine when my daughter was younger.  She's 12 now, and pretty much on the upper end of the target audience.  Although I will say she nabbed my copies and pretty much read them cover to cover :)

Now to go with the magazine, they also sent me a book titled Fab Girls Guide to Getting Through Tough Times.  This book presented a bunch of tough situations a young girl might find herself in, and advice on how to deal with it.  Some topics included: cyber bullying, admitting being wrong, being "left" by friends, being part of different culture, parent losing a job and many more.  The advice was very sound and well done.  I could see a young girl turning to this book to get some advice when she's a bit to scared to ask a parent.  Very well done.

For the Guys?  Nope.  It's Discovery Girls :)

Final thought:  A great way to get girls reading and not putting unrealistic expectations in front of them

Best for readers:  Who aren't readers and are intimidated by books

Best for ages: 8-11

Now for the giveaway

Discovery Girls is giving away two copies of their 10 Year Collector's Edition.  They sent me a copy and it's great!

To enter:

Must be a US Resident

Must be at least 13 or is younger supply a parent email

Must fill out the form

Ends June 30