Owlkids, publisher
Owl Magazine is an educational publication for preteens that emphasizes STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering, and math. It is published ten times annually, not print and digital, and is out of Canada. Owlkids has been producing this family of magazines since 1976.
Appropriate Target Audience:
The magazine investigated is Owl, intended for 9-13-year-olds; sister publications Chickadee (6-9) and Chirp (3-6) are for younger readers.
Strengths/ Weaknesses:
Owl is the “discovery” magazine for kids 9 and up. It explores the world with science features and safe experiments. It's strengths are in both the layout and the content of the publication, and using both to deliver a top-notch reading and learning experience.
The table of contents, inside the front cover, lists this month’s articles in the middle of the page, while the regular features are a smaller list at the bottom of the page. So, if the Maker Space article is the reader’s favorite each month, it is easy to locate it in each issue. Photos, captions and article text are adjoining. While the pages are busy, they are still easy to navigate, not overwhelming.
It is a full color magazine, 34-pages long, with bright panels breaking up each page. The feature articles are each two to four pages long, with multiple captioned photographs that show the science behind the subject. Each article has a bright text box containing a video link inviting further exploration online. Articles focus around new inventions, discoveries, and theories.
The regular features are much shorter, two to four per page, covering reviews, a photo subject, puzzles, and jokes. Each issue also has two continuing comic strips: the 2-page spread of The Outrageous World of Alex and Charlie shows the hijinks of a pair of middle schoolers and their group of friends, while the longer X-tra Curricular is an investigative group of students studying the paranormal for extra credit at school.
A very strong addition for a school or public library collection, a weakness may be that it is based in Canada. As this family of magazines are some of the few based on STEM subjects for children, these strengths far outweigh that possible complaint.
Meaningful/Creative uses:
Portions of the magazine are in very small info bites, good for snagging attention of a middle school reader, and offer online links to more information. Focus on one subject and research further online. Locate the subject in the library’s nonfiction section: is it so new it isn’t covered in a book?
There are group activities, contests and jokes in each issue that would be fun to share with family or (supervised) with friends.
Two contests in the issues I read through were a Cover Art Invitational, celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday in June, and a Toy Hack, inviting kids to recycle/upcycle their old toys into something new. Prizes offered ranged from publication, subscriptions, a tablet, to a 3Doodler starter set. Recreate a contest within the classroom or library group, then display the results.
Awards:
Owl has been a Parent’s Choice Award Winner five times since 2010; and Won Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) Distinguished Achievement Awards, Whole Publication Anniversary/Commemorative Edition or Feature five times since 2009.
Other appropriate info:
Owlkids has a blog where kids can read book, movie, and tech reviews. There are craft ideas and recipes, jokes, and a “Do It This Week” column with challenges and DIY projects. The publisher has embraced social media, with Twitter and Facebook accounts where book launches and trailers are shared, challenges and contests are announced, interviews and book reviews are posted. Recently, a bi-weekly interactive eMag called Owl.Connected was introduced. It that has current-event stories and age-appropriate news, and contains original content that is available to magazine subscribers. Advertised online the combined cost was $34.95/year, but a special offer listed inside the magazine was only $29.95/year.
Tags: STEM, tweens, middle_school, articles, contests, series
