Dennis Publishing, the transatlantic media company behind trusted newsmagazine The Week, today releases the premiere issue of its newest endeavor, The Week Junior. Arriving in-home this weekend, the innovative and vibrant print magazine empowers children ages 8 to 14 to make sense of the world around them—and find their own place in it. In the two months since The Week Junior's announcement, more than 25,000 families have signed up for paid subscriptions, along with hundreds of schools that have opted to try the publication as a learning resource.
In response to recent events, The Week Junior is also providing universal access to digital editions of the magazine's first four issues as families adjust to distance learning and are in search of trusted tools. A PDF of issue #1 can be accessed from theweekjunior.com/first-issue.
The Week Junior is a weekly 32-page subscription magazine created for 8- to 14-year-olds who are eager to learn. The editorial mission is to help children make sense of the world by feeding their natural curiosity, providing them with the tools to think for themselves, and instilling a love of reading. The editorial features accurate and unbiased reporting on global and national news, science, animals, people, entertainment, books, sports, and more.
The launch issue's cover tackles the biggest news story in decades—the coronavirus outbreak around the world—in a way that is age-appropriate and inspiring for children. The cover story "Acts of Kindness" reports on the ways people are coming together to combat the illness and care for one another in their communities—an uplifting and reassuring theme in these rapidly changing times.
"Children's daily lives have changed in major ways in recent weeks—schools have closed, activities have been canceled, and routines have been disrupted. It's challenging for kids to find out what's going on in a safe and accurate way," said Andrea Barbalich, Editor in Chief of The Week Junior."We wanted to tell children a hopeful story about humanity."
The launch issue features plenty for kids to read, think, and talk about and sets a new editorial benchmark for helping children understand the world. The theme of kindness runs through many of the stories—from sports stars donating to coronavirus research to the people helping residents of Nashville, Tennessee after tornadoes swept through the city. There's also an eye-catching explainer about the world's oceans, reports of new scientific discoveries, smart technology, and amazing animal stories, including frogs that glow and parrots that can weigh probability. There are drawing tips from award-winning author Jerry Craft, a rainbow pizza recipe, plenty of puzzles, and a quiz for readers to test their knowledge.
"We want children to see just how amazing the world is," Barbalich said. "We know that this generation is hungry for information and eager to have their voices heard. The Week Junior will arm them with the facts they need to form their own opinions and make a positive impact."
In celebration of the launch, The Week Junior is also announcing a national campaign called Junior Voices, which gives kids the opportunity to share their big ideas with the world. Postcards will be bound into the first issue and are available for download at theweekjunior.com/juniorvoices.
The Week Junior editorial team boasts some of the country's brightest and most experienced editors, including Mindy Walker as Deputy Editor, Victoria Beall as Art Director, Paul Kramer as Production Director, and Jennifer Li Shotz as Senior Editor.
The magazine costs $75 for a one-year subscription of 48 issues. Parents and teachers can subscribe to The Week Junior at theweekjunior.com.