I don't know where to start with Cobblestone Publishers. They have so much to offer the homeschool community and I absolutely love them. I am a big "magazine recommender" anyway, and feel that when a publication comes fresh off the press on a regular basis, it's fun and exciting for me, and my children feel the same way about getting their own magazines.

For sure, Cobblestone offers much in the way of science, early reading, and social studies. Offering a whole plethora of choices, you're sure to find something you'll love. Of course, certain aspects of some of their publications include evolutional theory, which naturally, my family (and most of you) do not subscribe to as a valid principle. I can overlook this, however, because in our own home school, while laying a firm, primary foundation of our faith in Jesus Christ as our God and Savior, and definitely teaching a "young earth" approach, which we feel is biblical, my husband and I sometimes teach our children mythology, evolutional principles, and world religions in our family discussion times. We are doing this so that they can defend their faith and articulately address and even debate against theories that are known to be just that - theories. Please, hear me. This does not make me shun quality materials that have an enormous amount to offer in the way of education. I would subscribe to periodicals produced by Cobblestone Publishers, just as I would Zoobooks, Usborne, or other select materials that happen to include a spot here and there of evolutionary theory. Their publications are not about these theories.

Cobblestone Publishers, www.cobblestonepub.com, produces the following XCELLENT magazines and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is pleased to recommend them to discerning parents: Baby Bug for ages six months to two years (adorable! I love this precious magazine! These look more like sturdy books than they do magazines and are so colorful and fun), Ladybug for grades one and under (this one is so popular and sparks an interest in reading), Click for grades one and two (ignites a child's curiosity in the world around them - super nature magazine for that age group), Spider for grades one through four (reading for pleasure and adventure), Appleseeds for grades two through four (my favorite of all of them - general social studies, like how food gets from the field to the market and a lot more!). Ask is for grades two and three (science and discovery), Odyssey for grades four and higher (adventures in science), Footsteps for grades four and higher (African American history), Muse for grades four and higher (more science excitement), Faces for grades four and higher (world cultures and geography - excellent. I love this one!), Cricket for grades four and higher (everyone remembers this fun fiction magazine from their youth), Dig for grades four and higher (talk about unique - this one is about archaeology - read it with your kids), Cobblestone for grades four and higher (American history - one of my favorite sources is Cobblestone Magazine), Calliope for grades four and higher (World history), California Chronicles for grades four and higher, and Cicada for Jr. high and high schoolers (fiction and poetry - I don't know much about this one, but I did note that it is thicker than the others and is smaller in dimension, more like a book).

Cobblestone Publishers offers a lot to cultural learning and we think they have some great magazines for educators. Personally, our family uses a few of them in our own home school for pleasure reading, study of cultures and interesting science, and topical discussion time where we can talk about some of the above-mentioned theories. Subscribe to one or all of them for enrichment to your homeschooling day! Unlike many periodicals, these do not get tossed when you're done. Keep them for future learning as well. They are produced on thick gloss stock, extremely colorful and inviting, and are of the highest quality.



-- Product Review by: Publishers, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine