Ladybug

These days, children are so inundated with advertisements that at times they sound like walking commercials themselves. “Mom! I want the FRUITY cereal!” “Dad! I have to have THIS doll!” The culprits are everywhere: tv, movies, billboards, and yes, magazines for children. That’s what makes reading “Ladybug: The Magazine for Young Children” so very refreshing – there isn’t a single ad in the entire publication (unless you count the ONE page in the back for subscription show more renewals) and it’s still affordable at $33.95/year. From cover to cover, young readers are treated to stories, poems, games, and comics. There to navigate them through the pages are the Ladybug Friends: little cartoon critters that narrate what’s going on on the page and who suggest website links to extras for those kids who want to the fun to keep going. Each magazine is themed (cold weather, traveling, back to school, etc.) and since it’s intended for children 3-6 years of age (publishers Cricket Magazine Group also provide publications for children under 3 – Babybug – and several for children ages 6 and up), there is no messing around with introductions or tables of content – it jumps right in with a story. Readers are treated to a variety of different authors and illustrators, getting them ready for understanding differences they will see later on in the books they read as they get older. A craft or activity is always included in the last four pages of the mag, helping readers with memory and motor skills. Highly recommended. show less

Planting, insects and worms, picnics in the woods, May Day around the world and a song about dandelions are the featured themes in this literature-based magazine for very young readers. Returning characters and features such as Max and Kate and Muddle & Thud offer a mix of age-appropriate stories and text for children to explore. The biggest draw for this magazine is the excitement children may feel when their parent brings in mail with their name on the label. The stories are of average show more interest; nothing very exciting and the illustrations fit the text. The most interesting feature in this issue is “May Day Around the World”. Burning old furniture is a tradition in Sweden, while in Paris, everyone wears bright colors to celebrate the day. The illustrations are bright and interesting as are the short paragraphs giving a glimpse into how children around the world celebrate spring. I can’t imagine trying to teach a child the Dandelion song. It’s boring. A slight step up is the poem, “My Two Feet”. At least children could act the words like ‘wiggle’ or ‘twirl’. The Button Town activity invites children to see how many buttons they can find on a page. Recommended as an extra purchase. Ages 3-8. show less

Filled with short stories and poems sure to interest emerging readers, "Ladybug" is both engaging and thought provoking. Most of the short stories and poems center around a query or a problem posed by a young child, and the entire story demonstrates the thought process required to solve the query or problem. Bold, mostly simple illustrations accompany each page, sometimes to the exclusion of any white space as such, although the amount of text on a page is never too large, perfect for the show more beginning reader. In addition, several small bug characters are continuous throughout the magazine, inserting questions and fun facts of their own. High-quality glossy paper and no advertisements make this a good addition to any library serving young children, nor is the price is not extravagant; with single issues costing about seven dollars or about thirty-five dollars for all nine issues published within the year. Recommended. Ages 3-6. show less

This month's issue feathers a cover illustration depicting children riding living rocking horses through the snow; initially drawn on textured paper, most likely with pastels, and soft cool colors creates an artistically appealing image of winter. No ads muddle the magazine's purpose, and the paper, lightweight but glossy, does not feel cheap. The color coding of characters. The magazine also includes a cutout craft with an accompanying rhyme, which may prove overly tempting for young show more library patrons. Links to additional content are printed throughout. Some of the content seems rather advanced for the 2 and 3 year old included in the target audience. show less