I’m guessing this goes here…I have a soon-to-be-twelve girl-person on my Christmas list. (Yeah, 12 going on 35). I would like to get her a magazine subscription for Christmas. I remember how much I enjoyed “Teen” as a kid, myself. I learned to braid hair, apply makeup, etc., reading that magazine. Is it still out there? Is it “safe” for 12’s? I know one of the magazines that was out there for teen girls was soundly thrashed here for some of its sexual content. So what magazines do you recommend?
What about Seventeen? I think most of its readers are much younger than the titular age.
Here are the links for Seventeen and YM. I remember reading those when I was a young teenager – 13/14. However, seeing that the current issue of “Seventeen” has “GET A CUTE BUTT!” emblazoned on it, I wouldn’t give it to anybody. There’s also Teen Vogue, which I’d recommend simply because I like grown-up Vogue, but I’ve no idea how their teen version compares for content.
It’s too bad “Bust” doesn’t have a teen version.
If I were you, I’d stop at a newstand or the grocery store and browse the current issues to see if anything clicks.
So are you looking specifically for a “girly” magazine?
Discovery Girls
Kiki
Please stay away from Cosmo Girl and their ilk. They’re all about the little princess snots nobody likes, but girls feel pressured to imitate.
For non-girly options, consider some magazines created for the tween set but not focused on being a girl tween. Some suggestions:
Muse or Odyssey
*American Girl * is a good magazine too- not so grown up as Seventeen is, but does have fun articles for tweener girls.
About “American Girl” – I picked up a copy recently and it seemed to cater to a younger set than it used to, maybe 8-10 years. I read it when I was a 10-12 (so 13-11 years ago*), and it seems like it’s aimed towards girls even younger than that now. I don’t know that it would grow with a 12-year-old, especially one who acts like a 35-year-old. 
“Kiki” magazine, which Drain Bead linked to, looks great! I would have loved that when I was 12.
[sub]*This makes me feel older than buying my first girdle, ladies and gentlemen.[/sub]
Popping in just to second Muse. I don’t know what it’s like now, but when I was 12 I loved it.
(I got the very first issue for Christmas. That makes me feel kind of old.)
If they are into reading try Cricket magazine group. My daughter loves it.
They have a different magazine by age groups.
I think their site is cricketmag.com
EDIT - From previous posts mentioning it, MUSE is one of their magazines
When my daughter was a Tween, we just had to resign ourselves that there weren’t any magazines that suited. Seventeen and YM seemed too fashion- and boyfriend-focused for her taste, and mags like Cricket and American Girl she dismissed as being for “little girls”.
I found myself wishing that she were horse-crazy, because then at least I could have subscribed her to Equus or Western Horseman or something.
Eventually she got old enough that “fashion” and “boyfriends” and, yes, “Get a tight butt” did interest her, and then we were subjected to endless issues of leggy, pouty models with perfect teeth. " :rolleyes: "
Anyway, it might be a long, magazine-less dry spell. Tweens just aren’t a big magazine market.
I really liked New Moon when I was that age. I read Girl’s Life as well. Seventeen and YM never did much for me.
My newly upgraded 11 year old:
- is growing out of American Girl, but still studies the “how to deal with girl clique” issues
- is interested in Discovery Girl because it shows regional US trends and real girls
- is still reading National Geographic Kids, but allows that she is growing out of it
- loves Cobblestone (Muse Mag Group History issue)
- knows she is too old for Nickelodeon (which makes me retch), but still reads it
- rips every issue of Real Simple out of my hands
- thinks In Style is marginally interesting
- is shocked and appalled by Cosmo Girl (as is mom)
- reads small sections of Utne Reader
- thinks Make is the coolest ever
Last year, I was shocked and appalled by how many members of the 4th grade cohort were reading Seventeen.
Muse looks excellent – I wish they’d had something like that when I was that age.
wonders if she knows any tweens who need a magazine subscription
wonders if she should go ahead and order it for herself
Cricket is for 9-14 year olds (according to their site). Your daughter should have gotten Cicadia, which is 14+. That is the one my daughter loves. She was 12 when she started it.
Teen people? Just kidding!
My tween and her younger sister get Discovery Girls, Nat’l Geo Kids, and Ranger Rick. I also just subscribed to New Moon for them for Christmas. Muse and Odyssey are also good picks, which I had forgotten about. It may be time to reconsider that Ranger Rick sub!
Wow! Great suggestions! Thanks, everyone! Other than fashion and normal girly stuff, she’s also really into cheerleading. I might look for a cheerleading magazine, too. Hmmmm.
I just checked the web for that one! Oh, jeebus, I’m no prude, but I’m not buying a 12 year old a magazine whose website has a section on sex. She should be getting that information from mom or me, not a magazine! (She’s my adopted sister–that’s why she’s so much younger than me.) FOURTH graders???
*Kiki * looks awesome!