Children's comics

I would say don't buy comics, buy books (not much more expensive!) I so agree about the girls' comics with fairies and lipstick in the same comic. When I ask my grandchildren to choose a comic, the six year old grandaughter says "I don't really want a comic - they are so silly" . Octonauts is quite good with lots to do but I also hate trying to part the rubbish plastic toys from the comic without damaging it. I have given up on comics and buy a supply of crafty things - googly eyes, pipecleaners etc instead. Also you can buy nice books in Bargain Books which are cheaper than comics!! How often do we look at the price?? When I do, I am shocked.

I have two DGS who are great Dr Who fans and I had a subscription for the magazine for them. I understand that any 'gifts' that came with the magazines were always good and at times useful.
They are now12 and 8 years old and live in USA so when they came for their first UK Christmas last year one of their gifts were tickets to the new BBC Dr Who experience which the parents also enjoyed, and another tickets to a pantomime - which they had never seen before -no excess baggage for either of those!

Mine get Beano, National Geographic for Kids, and the Horrible Histories one.

They help the reading along no end.

There are also the quarterly mags they get through Storm Force (lifeboats) and YOC (junior rspb)

What a great mix, J. How old were your grandchildren when they first started with the N.G. for kids?

That is the younger one, now going on 8. (though they both read it of course) Think about a year now.

Thanks J Wish there was a thanks emoticon. Shall I start another petition?? - now there's a thought.

We (GCs and I) were very sorry when Puffin Post folded following the sale of Penguin to some big conglomerate. I do National Geographic Kids for an 8 year old and there is also a good one called Aquila for 8 to 12. The latter is subscription only, not in newsagents which is a bit of a shame.

I offered Aquila to my older one. Naughty boy said no thank you.

Is it a bit hard going?

You probably need to be a fairly keen reader to enjoy it. In my experience some boys prefer to keep away from too much reading - put off by the pressure at school these days.

I might offer it again. I thought it looked good. But he is starting secondary school in September. Lots of pressure.

My GS liked some of the CBeebies comics when he was coming up to school age. I tended to buy him ones that had craft stuff rather than plastic toys as gifts. Now he's nearly seven he's not that interested in them, but does like looking through his dad's National Geographic.

It would have been nice to have a granddaughter but not if I had to buy those dreadful pink comics!

Not going to buy any more. Cost £7 to post 2 comics to Australia. AIBU to think that is a rip off? And sometimes, so called "airmail" takes over 2 weeks to get there. How on earth do they manage that?

It's a shame Jess.

A relay of pigeons, Jess?

www.thebookseller.com/news/phoenix-comic-launch-Waitrose.html

Is there aything out there you could buy them a subscription to jess? I know you lose the personal touch, but you could chat to them about it by emails/skype.

Need to be something like ospreys or bar tailed godwits to go all that way anno