Re: GEN: Books & Mags I wish existed - any publishers listening?

[Gayle Hodur <ghodur@REDSHIFT.COM>]

>A monthly PET MAGAZINE with articles geared to the ELEMENTARY AGE - with
>tips on pet care and responsibility, each month featuring a different breed

Super idea, and I could go for this one at Middle school level, too. I get
asked for pet books so frequently and it's just impossible for us to have
as many books as we could use in this area. The "breeder" (Cat Fancy, etc.)
magazines are way too technical for kids.

>A TEEN magazine for GIRLS that DOESN'T focus in on clothes, make-up, dating
>and sex. Instead, articles on sports, crafts, book corner, colleges,
>adventures, cooking, sewing, gift-making, photography, hobbies/collections,
>community service, health and fitness, etc. Several articles per issue
>should feature real teens.

There are a couple of these in English, but there certainly aren't any in
SPANISH. I desperately need a good magazine for teen girls in Spanish that
will promote their strength and creativity and get them out of nail polish
and mascara mode.

>While I'm at it, how about those old Gertrude Warner hardcover "Boxcar
>Children Mysteries" book covers?  Those covers are AWFUL!

Ditto for the "Three Investigators series in Spanish, and while we're at
it, we need LOTS more middle grade fiction in Spanish--not just
translations of English books--we need genuine stories from authors who
know the various Spanish-speaking cultures. if we want these kids to read,
we need to offer them something worth reading. If we want them to read in
ENGLISH, then we need to build reading skills while they're still using
Spanish materials so that they have something to transfer over when they
begin to use English. There's a big gap in the literature for Spanish
speakers. You have to be an elementary student or a fluent Spanish-reading
high school or college student who likes literature before there is
anything for you to read. Middle graders are left out completely in the
area of popular fiction.

*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)

Gayle Hodur                             Snail Mail:
District Librarian                      Main Street Middle School
Soledad Unified School District         441 Main Street
(408) 678-3923                          Soledad, CA  93960
ghodur@redshift.com

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