For parents, grandparents, childcare providers and the 2 to 6-year-old children whom they love, Ladybug is a wonderful literary magazine!

First published in 1990, Ladybug is one of the Cricket Group family of magazines. The others are Babybug (for infants to two-year-olds); Spider (for ages 6-9); Cricket (for ages 9 to 14), and Cicada (for 14-year-olds on up).

My family subscribed for four years in a row, beginning in 1996. Besides the fun of getting their very own mail, my daughters loved reading the stories and studying the beautiful illustrations. I loved reading the stories and studying the beautiful illustrations! Without exception, I can tell you that every single issue has been a "keeper"! The only reason we've not kept up the subscription this year is because my youngest is now seven-years-old and ready for Spider.

I think it is important for potential subscribers to know that there are no "outside" ads in Ladybug. The only ads you'll find are in the special "pull-out" section for parents--and those ads are bunched together on one page. All the items for sale are Ladybug-related, too. For instance, in the December 2000 issue, the magazine is selling a red-and-black spotted "ladybug" umbrella, a handcrafted stepping-stool that looks like a--you guessed it!--ladybug, and a ladybug apron, among other things. Readers are not assaulted with page after page after page of advertisements.

The downside of this "we sell no ads" policy, however, is the hefty subscription price. For a one-year/12 issue subscription, you'll fork over just under $36. There's a bit of a savings for a two-year subscription, offered at around $60. Ouch!

Expensive? Yes. But worth it, in my opinion! Here's a rundown of the magazine's major sections and what you can expect in the 35 or so pages of each issue:

Read Aloud and Share
Every issue offers stories, poems and more stories. The December 2000 issue, for instance, includes three poems, Pancakes, Dragon Talk, and Gingerbread Cookies two stories, Father's Fabulously Fantastic Flying Flapjacks and Jeremy in the Dark, and more stories about the regularly featured "Mop and Family," "Molly and Emmett" and "Max and Kate."

Sing and Play Together
Songs and action rhymes, like Pop a Latke and The More We Get Together (words and lyrics, along with delightful illustrations), in the December 2000 issue.

Explore the World Around You and Observe, Compare, Match, Cut Out are two more sections with educational stories, more poems and various age-appropriate activities.

Ladybug For Parents is the pull-out section for parents at the back of each magazine. It includes the table of contents, a section devoted to readers' letters, a "Meet the Author" or "Meet the Illustrator" article, and activities, crafts and recipes relating to the featured children's stories. The December 2000 issue, for instance, offers simple pancake recipes.

From cover to cover, Ladybug sports the most delightful illustrations you could wish for in a children's publication. From quirky, colorful and cartoonish illustrations to detailed, fine art, it's the best.

While not totally indestructible, of course, the paper on which Ladybug is printed is both heavy and sturdy. The cover is glossy and even more sturdy than the inside pages. In other words, it's not flimsy or cheaply-made. Our issues have stood the test of time, I'm happy to say, and they're stored in our family's little "reading nook"--ready to be enjoyed again and again.

Since I gave up a career and income to stay at home to raise our three children, our family budget has always been tight. When paying for a subscription to Ladybug wasn't possible, we enjoyed reading issues at our public library--later, my parents (God bless them!) gave us a subscription each Christmas. Most libraries subscribe to all of the Cricket Group family of magazines, and I recommend you check them out there before deciding whether or not you want to subscribe. Individual copies are available for purchase for $4.95 at places like Barnes & Noble.

Last but not least, it wouldn't be quite fair if I didn't explain one more reason for my bias in favor of Ladybug and the other Cricket Group magazines. I am an aspiring children's author, and after years of trying I sold my first manuscript to Spider three years ago. A few months later, I sold my second to Ladybug--it was published in the December 2000 issue that I reviewed here. In today's mail, I received word that a craft I sold to Spider will be published in the January 2002 issue. So you see, I am not only a longtime fan and subscriber, but a sometimes-contributor as well.

For more information about Ladybug and the rest of the Cricket Group magazines, you can visit www.cricketmag.com

Note: Muse magazine is another publication put out by the same company, the Carus Publishing Group. I didn't mention it above because unlike the "bug" magazines, Muse is made up entirely of non-fiction articles. For more information, visit www.musemag.com







Recommended: Yes