S.I. Newhouse, You’ve Got Competition

Rule 17, Paragraph 6 of the classic text “The Reporter’s Guide to Really, Really Good Journalism” states that “Whenever possible exploit your family in print.” That has always been at the top of the list of principles guiding this column.

And so I turned to my wife, Irene--a.k.a. SuperTeach--Lechowitzky and her third-grade class at El Sereno Elementary for help in evaluating CREATE YOUR OWN MAGAZINE by Barbara Taylor (Sterling: $12.95, hardback, ages 10 and up), a book that can be used in groups as well as by individual kids.

Budding journalists, designers and storytellers can choose to follow their own interests as Taylor leads them through the production process from developing ideas to final printing, with stops along the way to examine such subjects as picking typefaces, bindings, paper and the like. The chapters are well-written and thorough; for example, “The Design” section covers computer design, drawing a storyboard, design tips (“Leave enough space for the words so they are clear and easy to read”), drawing a grid, designing a symbol, constructing a game, and how to make boxes, borders and flip strips.

The interest of the kids in Irene’s class fell into two fairly predictable categories (at that age, they have a tendency to follow each other’s lead): Most of the boys created variations of video game magazines (“Cool Arcade Magazine for Kids”) and the girls veered off into fashion land (“Fashion Clothes of Movie Stars”). Budding marketing pros at age 7-8, most concentrated their efforts on the magazines’ eye-grabbing covers, far less on the contents.

“Create Your Own Magazine” may require some parental effort but it is well-worth the trouble--this excellent work will utilize the young publishers’ writing and drawing skills while stretching brains as they sort out the ideas and information behind what may one day be the next Time magazine.

THE NEWSPAPER ANTI-COLORING BOOK by Susan Striker (Henry Holt: $6.95, paperback, ages 6 and up) is a nice, albeit much lighter companion piece to “Create Your Own Magazine.” Kids can become a “cub reporter” and report as well as illustrate local news and school events, comics, crossword puzzle, write an advice column and be a movie reviewer or a theater critic. It’s fun and clever--and odds are the children won’t even realize that they are learning how to use the newspaper as an information resource.