magazines for boys

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DenDe
Posts: 390
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:45 pm

magazines for boys

Post by DenDe »

I would like to get my Year 7 DS a magazine subscription for Christmas. He is particularly interested in current affairs and I wondered about a newspaper of some kind. I remember a thread that mentioned a newspaper called First News but haven't been able to find the paper anywhere. Is it still around? Would it be suitable for a bright almost 12 year old?

Any other suggestions very welcome.
wurzel
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:23 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: magazines for boys

Post by wurzel »

Depends what subjects he likes. There is a fun sciency magazine, in the style of a lads' mag but full of good information, called Flipside. It's published by the Institute of Engineering Technology (IET) and you can only order it online. My 12 and 14 yr old boys like it a lot.
Red
Posts: 69
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:09 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: magazines for boys

Post by Red »

I like BBC's 'Focus' for science and 'Knowledge' for history (some current affairs), science and nature.
zvrk
Posts: 107
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:02 am

Re: magazines for boys

Post by zvrk »

My year 6 son loves 'How it works' magazine http://www.howitworksdaily.com/offer/?g ... 4QodcRHSlQ
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: magazines for boys

Post by fatbananas »

My DC get First News:

http://www.firstnews.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He doesn't read it automatically (yr 3) but I often leave it open at an intriguing photo (it's v well presented) and that draws him in, then I see him turning the pages and reading various bits. We've also used back copies for a project, which was v helpful!
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
Ally
Posts: 299
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2009 2:30 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: magazines for boys

Post by Ally »

Your son might enjoy First News, but it's more focused on younger children. What about looking at TheWeek. You could buy a couple of issues and see what you think. It's a world summary of current news aimed at adults. If your son is in Y7, who want something take will stretch him. I had a few issues and found it interesting myself and my son who's now in Y8 read some of the articles.
um
Posts: 2378
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 1:06 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: magazines for boys

Post by um »

My 8 and 10 year olds like First News but it is a bit 'young' for the 12 year old.
It is a good concept but I find it a bit small and 'light' reading. No real in-depth looking at issues at all. Very 'safe' and limited reporting (you'd never find it mention anything remotely positive about Africa, or dare to point out that thousands of readers are celebrating Eid in a fortnight....)

We have subscribed to National Geographic Kids in the past and I was thinking of doing so again. They always had interesting and enlightening articles. I still remember a few that touched me.

I also saw an ad for 'How stuff works' and was thinking of that.
Ds2 is begging me to subscribe him to the RSPB :shock: as he has decided he is interested in (feathery) birds. And there is an archeaology children's magazine out there too, he wanted that one as well :!:
poiuyt
Posts: 317
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Location: England

Re: magazines for boys

Post by poiuyt »

Is look in still published?
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: magazines for boys

Post by JaneEyre »

um wrote:My 8 and 10 year olds like First News but it is a bit 'young' for the 12 year old.
I totally agree with Um. First News is too simple for an 11 year old!
However, it is a great read for children in KS2, though not streeching for year 6 kids who likes to read 'in depth' material.
You could get one in a good supermarket or WHSmith to have a better idea. I occasionally buy it, after having susbscrired my DS for six month when he was in year 5 (or 4?) and he didn't managed to read it regularly and the 'not- read newspapers' were piling up :cry: I don't know... We just couldn't find the time to fit in reading this newspaper with regularly reading fiction. I don't know how other parents manage that with something which is issued weekly :?:
For that reason, I really prefer a susbscription to a monthly magazine!
JaneEyre
Posts: 4843
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 1:04 pm

Re: magazines for boys

Post by JaneEyre »

um wrote: Ds2 is begging me to subscribe him to the RSPB :shock: as he has decided he is interested in (feathery) birds.
My DS is also very much keen on birds. Look out at the library for books written by Bill Oddie.. and the DVDs 'Life of birds' made by David Attenborough are also excellent! :D
By the way, a new serie called 'Frozen planet' will start this week (Wednesday I think, on BBC1, 9 p.m.) :D :D

um wrote: he has decided he is interested in (feathery) birds.

Sorry about my silly question.. Are there birds which are not feathery? I didn't get the allusion :oops:
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