The Library’s collection includes over 35 periodicals for children ages preschool through sixth grade. Many, such as Dolphin Log and Faces (about places, cultures and people), have a specific focus, while others, such as Highlights, are just for fun. All of them are worth examining in your local library or in the Children’s Learning Center at the Main Library downtown.
For the youngest child: Wild Animal Baby is published ten times a year by the National Wildlife Federation, and is intended for children twelve months to three years. This small periodical introduces children to the animals, insects and fish that are all around them using prose, poetry and outstanding full-color pictures. Babybug is intended for ages six months to two years, and it is filled with simple rhymes, stories and pictures with bright colors. It is just right for small hands. Both Wild Animal Baby and Babybug have sturdy pages and rounded corners making them safe for babies to hold and enjoy with their parents. Both are filled with entertaining and amusing tidbits of information and good stories.
For children who can read: Spider and Cricket are outstanding collections of poems and stories, games and adventures for ages six and up. There are crafts to do and lots of colorful pictures. For children interested in science, Kids Discover is a great choice. Each issue focuses on a special topic such as Medicine, Heart, and Brain. This magazine would be a great way to inspire children to pursue science as a career. American History is the subject of Cobblestone published nine months a year. Recent topics have included Arab Americans, Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, and Literary Ladies of the 19th century. It might make a history buff of a curious child.