Cricket Spider and Ladybug Magazines Launch New Web Sites for Kids

Award-winning children's magazines (http://www.cricketmag.com) Cricket, Ladybug, and Spider launched three new child-focused Web sites in June, bringing the iconic children's magazines online with a wealth of original content and new interactive features developed to create an entertaining, yet safe and family-friendly space for young readers on the Web.

Recipients of 2008 Parents' Choice awards for excellence in children's publishing, Cricket, Ladybug, and Spider magazines have been loved by children and their parents for decades for the quality of the writing and art included, as well as the many opportunities for budding young writers to submit their own work. The three new Web sites -- Cricketmagkids.com Ladybugmagkids.com and Spidermagkids.com -- aim to continue enriching the lives of a new generation of readers by taking the founding principle that "Only the best of the best is good enough for the young," into the digital world.

Each of the Cricket, Ladybug, and Spider Web sites reflects the individual style of the magazine and is built around the signature characters who frolic in the margins of every issue, making jokes and engaging readers in the content. Favorite characters from Cricket, Ladybug, and Spider magazines "come to life" as never before with animated presentations and interactive games.

Young readers have written letters to these characters since the magazines' inception, and with the launch of the new Web sites can now interact with Ladybug, Spider, Old Cricket, and the rest of the gang in a whole new way. In addition to moderated forums and simple polls, Cricketmagkids.com Ladybugmagkids.com and Spidermagkids.com each feature a wealth of contests and opportunities for young readers to comment on what the characters are reading and discuss their own book reviews and recommendations, all in a safe, family-friendly environment.

Like the magazines, the Cricket, Spider, and Ladybug Web sites are free of advertising and are age appropriate. A subscription is not required to access the online content, and the features and activities are designed so that even children who do not read the magazines can enjoy and learn from the sites.

Ladybugmagkids.com (http://www.ladybugmagkids.com) is designed for children ages 3 to 6 and features multimedia delivery of stories, songs, and activities.

Spidermagkids.com (http://www.spidermagkids.com) gives children ages 6 to 9 an interactive place to develop their growing reading skills with plenty of riddles, word puzzles, fun facts, and more.

Cricketmagkids.com (http://www.cricketmagkids.com) is intended for older children ages 9 to 14. In addition to longer animated features, Cricketmagkids.com includes enhanced opportunities for young readers to interact with the content, interviews with authors and illustrators, and archival content from past issues.

Cricket Magazine Group (http://www.cricketmag.com) began with the launch of Cricket in 1973, followed by Ladybug in 1990 and Spider in 1993. Cricket Magazine Group's current publications for young readers include fourteen different magazines spanning ages from toddlers to teens and focusing on literature, history, cultures, and science. Collectively, the magazines have won every award in North America, including the Association of Educational Publishers Golden Lamp Award and the Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award.

For more information about Cricket, Spider, and Ladybug magazines, as well as the Cricket Magazine Group, please visit www.cricketmag.com.

Cricket Magazine Group

30 Grove Street

Peterborough, NH 03458

603-924-7209

www.cricketmag.com

Cricket Spider and Ladybug Magazines Launch New Web Sites for Kids