PRODUCT INFORMATION PAGE National Geographic Kids View and buy for $19.95 on Amazon.com

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Here are some customer reviews of National Geographic Kids : This magazine is fantastic, with sometimes collectible cards and posters. Compared to Ranger Rick or some other animal type magazine, this is the best. Great photos and there aren't so many words to confuse you and make your head spin and get dizzy. Though I would recommend it to most families, first buy the indivisual one at a store, so you can make sure you like it. I am truly appalled that National Geographic would squander it's reputation by putting out such a low quality publication. Never again will I assume that the National Geographic name confers high quality or intellectual integrity. I found what little educational content there was to be dumbed down and lacking in focus. I also found both the excessive amount and the type of "tween" targeted advertising to be inappropriate for a supposedly educational magazine. Before subscribing, I had only seen seen "samples" of this magazine, but the samples are not at all like the real thing. The samples had more pages of educational content than the real magazine. When we received a subscription as a gift, I was appalled at both the excessive amount and the type of advertising - not at all appropriate for younger elementary students, nor in any way related to the supposedly educational focus. I was so disturbed by the content of some of the ads for violent video games and inappropriate movies, that I did not even show the magazine to my son. As a science educator, I decided to quantify my impression, so I counted the advertising pages vs. the actual educational content and the non-educational pop culture drek (star interviews, movie reviews, product reviews). In the 56 page issue I reviewed, there was only 21 pages of "educational content" (including the cover and some pretty lame trivia), ads took up 17 and 2/3 pages and there were 12 and 2/3 pages of non-educational pop culture drek and thinly disguised marketing (including star interviews, movie and product reviews, non-educational jokes or puzzles). The last 4 and 1/3 pages included crafts (2 pages), one educational puzzle (1 page) and the publishing info & contents (1 and 1/3 pages). Draw your own conclusions. I'm cancelling our subscription AND I'll look twice at any kid's products marketed by National Geographic in the future. They (National Geographic) have lost the confidence of a former lifelong fan. Although the content of this magazine is great, it also contains plenty of ads. Similar magazines (Ranger Rick, Your Big Backyard) are ad free. If advertising aimed at children bothers you, avoid this magazine and go for one of the other children's magazines. Or go for the grown-up version of National Geographic, which contains ads that are geared to adults and have less of an impact on the whine-factor. I have subscribed to this magzine for a while now, for my kids aged 7 and 4. I have to say that my son pays more attention to the advertised fancy and colorful toys and 'hi-tech' gadgets in this magzine than to learning. I am somewhat disappointed at that. I have read great reviews about the Discover Kids magzine and I am going to try that one. The folks at National Geographic have a well-deserved reputation for excellence and it continues full-steam with this GREAT publication. Unlike a lot of kids' magazines in which the editorial content is nothing but filler between video game ads, National Geographic World is the sharpest, best-produced kids' magazine on the market. Each issue is packed with genuinely interesting stuff. The writers never preach or talk down to their audience. And just like its parent publication, National Geographic World is full of great photography. The design is first-rate and it avoids the trend chasing that dooms competitors to being virtually unreadable thanks to poor design. In 10 years, each issue will look as fresh and dignified as it does today. This is a superb publication, and with so many kids' magazines glorifying belly baring pop musicians, doling out sex advice to 12-year-olds, and hawking violent video games, this is a wonderful breath of fresh air. (Be forewarned that this is not a magazine aimed at younger children. I'd recommend it for kids 7-8 and older. Even then, some of the content is geared toward for pre-teens and early teens--although there's nothing that will scare or trouble the younger set.)

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