special report

DISCOVERY GIRLS
For Girls 8 and up
February/March 2009

Readership: 8 - 12 years

From the website’s About Us: “Discovery Girls is all about the things you love most - it's packed with cool quizzes, hot new sports, fantastic stories, the latest fashions, celebrity scoops and much, much more. It's a fun, colorful place where you can discover new things and learn more about yourself and your world.”

WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR:

Discovery Girls wants to include as much from the readers as possible so the opportunities for submissions by girls to a number of departments are broad. So if you’re a writer within the Discovery Girls reader age, the best place to see what spots are open to you, are to check out the website. As with most young writer material for most magazines, these won’t be paying opportunities.

Discovery Girls does not buy fiction. They do not buy personal essays. So don’t even use those for your samples. Though they are open to query letters and manuscript submissions, they don’t often buy pieces pitched by the writers. Usually they assign the material they need based on the skills you show in your sample – so if you show a good match to the Discovery Girls voice, you could find your self with an assignment!

From the Masthead:
Publisher and Founding Editor: Catherine Lee
Editorial Director: Sarah Verney
Associate Editor: Julia Clause
Editorial Assistant: Gloria Jeong

Editor Sarah Verney says, “I really prefer email submissions --but snail mail is okay too.”

Discovery Girls
4300 Stevens Creek Blvd,
Suite 190
San Jose, CA 95129

ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC ISSUE

Contents:
DISCOVERY GIRLS
Feb/March 2009

Mailbag: Letters from readers help showcase some of the past Discovery Girls content including a piece with school advice from celebrities, an article about the presidential election, and an article on cheating.

Meet the Girls of Connecticut/Behind the Scenes: Photo essay on the girls who are showcased in the issue. Each month the magazine showcases a different group of girls as clothing models, front page models, and content providers.

Pressured to Grow Up Too Fast by Phoebe Kitanidis. Four numbered tips to grow up at your own pace. Also include side quotes on the topic from girls around the edges of the page. Voice excerpt: “…you sure don’t want to labeled “immature” either. So what’s a girl to do? Glop on some makeup, text up a storm on your cell, and just fake it till you make it..?

Stuck Between Friends by Lori Deschene. “Do and Don’t” Tips for surviving when two good friends fight. Voice excerpt: “Sure, it would be nice if they were close, too. It would also be nice if it rained dollar bills – but you can’t control that, and you can’t control this, either.”

Does Your Pet Rule Your Life? by Lauren Barnholdt. Multiple choice quiz to see if you’re a little too wrapped up in your pet – or even if you could get a little more involved. Six funny questions and three answers to each. Voice excerpt: “Um, you do know you have a pet, right?”

Celebrities [heart] Their Pets! By Julie Clause. Photo essay of celebrity photos with their pets and a short quote from each.

You Can Make Your Dreams Come True: Meet Girls Who Did by Lori Deschene. Short one-paragraph profiles of girls who started businesses with things they make.

You Too Can Start Your Own Business – a companion piece to the profile to encourage girls to consider starting a business. Seven subheadings for one paragraph sections. Voice excerpt: “You do impressive things every day. You ace tests. You get picked for sports teams. You make your friends feel good. So if this is something you want to do, go for it.”

Jump Out Contest – contest for girls to make up jump rope rhymes and win prizes.

Academy Award/Olympic Gold/Grammy…Which Will You Win? by Lyn Mehe’ula. Quiz with five questions to see if a girl likes sports, acting, philanthropy, singing, or writing best. Voice excerpt: “You are dedicated to the power of the pen (er, computer?)!”

Embarrassing Moments – reader embarrassment stories.

Are Girls Under Too Much Pressure to Look Pretty? Readers debate the question in quick quotes.

Stop Procrastinating Today…Not Tomorrow! by Lauren Barnholdt. Seven tips to help readers stop putting important things off. Voice excerpt: “Then listen up, Princess of Procrastination, because we’ve got some tips and tricks to help you stop putting things off and start getting things done.…”

Ask Ali – advice column. Questions show things girls worry about – a girl frets about her dad doing something unethical, a girl worries about how her bff disses her parents, a girl runs into problems when she shares her webkinz account with a friend, a girl frets about camp, and a girl freaks out about oral reports.

I Changed into a Really Mean Person…So My Best Friend Would Like Me (written by a 13-year-old reader). First person account of her experience.

Amazing Animals by Heather E. Schwartz. Short accounts (probably 50 – 75 words) of animals who do unusual things – a dog who dials 911, a dog who rescued kittens from a fire, a mouse who chewed up money, and others.

Make a Dish for Your Pet by Gloria Jeong. Decorating a plain ceramic dish with enamel paint, mosaic tiles and glue.

You Sparkle – advice on health and beauty including indoor workouts, body acne, and oily hair.

DG’s Valentine’s Day Top 10 – ten fun valentines’ ideas.

Spotlight on Shoes by Julia Clause – a look at cute shoes and where to get them.

Matters of the Heart – reader responses to questions about feelings – this time on being teased by boys.

Over There: Nigeria – a photo packed profile of an eleven-year-old girl in Nigeria includes pictures of family, friend, favorite foods, festivals, and fun.

Kylie’s Journal – an in-house piece using journal format for a story about overcoming nerves.

This page last updated on 01 February 2009