special report

SPIDER Magazine
Readership: ages 6-9

Note: This Special Report first appeared on Janfields.com

Submission specifics from their guidelines:

SPIDER magazine is a member of the Cricket/Carus magazine group. It is a literary magazine for children. Being a literary magazine means the magazine wants to bring the children literature -- stories and articles that go beyond entertaining and offer something lasting. But the first focus is on getting children to fall in love with reading, so the desires of the readers (entertainment, characters they can connect with, immediate scenes that draw them into the story) come first and for most, not any "lesson" inherent in the theme. Fiction far outnumbers either nonfiction or poetry. SPIDER is an excellent fantasy market and does not shy away from talking animals. Like HIGHLIGHTS, SPIDER does not want violent stories but this does not preclude strong interpersonal conflict. Siblings are allowed to squabble in SPIDER.

Guidelines list their manuscript needs as:
Stories: 300 to 1,000 words -- "realistic fiction, easy-to-read stories, humorous tales, satire, fantasy, folk and fairy tales, science fiction, fables, myths" Payment is up to 25 cents a word.
Poems: not longer than 20 lines -- "serious, humorous, nonsense rhymes" -- serious poems are mostly lyrical, not social commentary. Payment is up to $3.00 per line.
Articles: 300 to 800 words -- "nature, animals, science, technology, environment, foreign culture, history" Like fiction, nonfiction pays up to 25 cents a word.
Puzzles/Activities/Games: 1 to 4 pages An exact word count should be noted on each manuscript submitted. Word count includes every word, but does not include the title of the manuscript or the author's name.
SPIDER prefers to purchase all rights or nonexclusive rights.-- payment is made on publication (and this can be well over a year after purchase). More explanation of rights can be found on the website at the link noted above.

Submissions to

Submissions Editor
SPIDER Magazine
P.O. Box 300
Peru, IL 61354

ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC ISSUE

SPIDER
May 2003

"Oh No, It’s Robert" a serial by Barbara Seuling.

"Cookies in a Jar" A mother’s day gift idea -- homemade cookie mix in a decorated jar.
Shows the format for "how-to" articles is
* short blurb about activity
* "What You’ll Need" list which includes both ingredients/parts and tools needed.
* "What to Do" -- includes "have adult help you" directions for difficult or dangerous steps. Seven steps -- numbered.

"The Mystery Eggs" Fiction about cousins who discover eggs. One girl is sure they are bird eggs. They turn out to be snake eggs. Lots of dialogue, small spots of specific sensory detail. [Written in third person]

"Can Hens Give Milk" "Folk tale" format where child-like adult comes up with silly ideas about chickens and cows. Eastern European sound. [Written in third person]

"A Ducky Day" First-person nonfiction about a duck who raises a brood on the writer’s front deck. The story focuses on how the writer helped the duck get her babies off the enclosed deck.

"Raining" Lyrical poem about rain -- first person.

"Bear and Duck on the Run" Talking animals. Humorous look at a fitness-minded duck trying to get his bear friend to go running in the morning and the comical ways the bear tries to avoid exercise. Heavily dialogue driven.

The magazine’s back matter includes art from readers, a craft/activity about growing grass in eggshell "heads," a game of picture dominos and a picture puzzle on the back cover.

This page last updated on 01 September 2008