In Between Nick Magazine and J-14

No longer do I collect magazines for a variety of reasons. One is because a magazine is generally $4 without subscription and $48 a year for magazines doesn't attract me any longer, but another reason is because I'm fed up with all the magazines out there.

Twist and J-14 could have been good, and once were good. They once had stories about real-life things and weren't so hooked on boy-nabbing, but they just simply diminished. Now they're full of superficial tips, celebrities I couldn't care for, and boys. Many many boys.

But Discovery Girls was the perfect magazine for me at the time of my magazine collection.

Each bi-month, Discovery Girls goes to a state and hand-selects twelve girls to be in their magazine, to model their clothing and to have fun. That's cool, they show actual girls. Don't see anyone else showing actual teens; Avril's in her twenties and the actors are older than said. I'm not insulting age, but if you're going to make a teen magazine, put a few teens in it!

Discovery Girls is the perfect replacement and what Twist could have been: a magazine full of real-life girls and stories, and a wide age range. Many girls have written in and said that they were in high school and loved Discovery Girl. Seven year old children write in because they love Discovery Girl. To abandon something because of age? Very, very wrong.

One reason I love this magazine is that it isn't boy crazy!!! If you read my other magazine reviews, you'll know that I find the male sex a good friend (for one, they aren't as catty as middle-school girls), but that boyfriends are not a requirement for middle-to-high school. They aren't on the class list (French 2nd period, chemistry 3rd period, boys 4th period) and they certainly aren't on the supplies list, so why do girls make such a big deal? And it stings to lose a loved one, including a boyfriend. But back to the review...

This magazine is far from boy crazy. They don't tell you advice on how to manipulate a guy into liking you through superficial and visual ways (what do they take them for, hamsters?), and when they do talk about boys they recommend that a boyfriend is not the best treat for junior high. Not just that, but they also offer girl's opinions on crushes and boys, and boy's opinions on girls. In one issue, they did a comparison between girls and boys. Call me slow but to this day I don't know if that table was a stereotypical one, a simple satire, or a real one. What table? One that said TALKING: Boys: Mushy stuff. Girls: WHAT I LIVE FOR!!! Same with shopping (boys: none, girls: love), crushes, etc. If that was true I'd instantly complain but I doubt it is.

Speaking of stereotypes, one issue got me steaming like my niece's carrots. You see, each bi-month they ask the girls their interests, styles, music, etc. That's cool (even if I'm not so into Hilary Duff and "vintage/retro/old school" (or sure what vintage/retro/old school is)), but in this particular issue they included a what's not hot list. I see dismal... this magazine doesn't usually tell you what isn't cool! Not: purple (hey! purple's my favorite color!), dolls (and I spent my allowance on Bratz why?), "skorts" (ugh do I hate that word, but I love the article of clothing!), etc. I wasn't really worried about waltzing into class and having the girls laugh at me because Discovery Girl told them that their classmate had out-of-fashion things, but really, get real, don't turn into Twist and tell everyone that Ashton was wrong, throw out your trucker hats because they decided it was not. Discovery Girl later apologized, and realized that what they did wasn't so cool, and explained that they wanted to show the trend changes of states, and all was well.

But not for the quiz in that issue! It was a fashion quiz, and if you answered A you loved clothes, B not as much, C not very much. I got B (not one to use breakfast to dress but thrift stores are my good friend!), but when I looked at C and some of C's questions I was concerned. They mostly related to sports (accessories: "no! they get in the way when you play sports!" and the end: you prefer sports, etc.). Does that much mean one who's not very into fashion is set to auto sports? Not so, said the cow. Haven't heard much of that yet, but disregard, it's a good magazine!

Discovery Girl isn't as superficial and clothes-crazed as some of the other "mags" on the rack, but it does have clothes, shoes, and accessories. Usually, the clothes come from Claires and Limited Too. Being thrift-store crazed and equipped with a sewing machine I only go to the mall to window shop, say "If I had $x" and walk around, and I've not ever been one to go to Limited Too. The prices, though, are much better. For one, I've never spotted a $50 scarf in there, but $12 lip gloss? I can make my own for about $1.

As for the real-life tales? The first one I read was about bullying, which I liked because I could relate to it. A few more included having to move from place to place because of family illnesses, incredible guilt, and being illegally taped. For some reason, reading about other's lives interests me, and that's why I always loved real-life stories and weblogs (still indulge in browsing through blogs), and these stories were beautifully written by talented tweens. Only one story I had an objection with: a story about a girl at a dance who got rejected for a dance. Surely I can imagine the embarrassment of rejection, and stinging feel that accompanies rejection, but to classify it as your "worst day?"

I don't really care for any of the celebrities in here, though. Hilary Duff is a frequent visitor, and most of the girls contributing to the magazine like pop and R&B, as well as American Idol. Reality shows never tickle my fancy, and I'm not a girl with pop in the player by all means.

Discovery Girls is a great magazine for girls of all ages and I thoroughly enjoy a good issue.