Hello Spring! Goodbye arguments about shorts: In our house, we came up with a genius rule to put an end to any cold-weather clothing fights: If it's over 50 degrees, wear what you want. The Tiny Editor, who just turned 11 (!), has somehow programmed her ipad (with this app) to tell her the temperature with emojiis, so every morning, I hear her calling, "Hey Siri, what's the weather today?" and her ipad answers: “It is not over 50, face with big pleading eyes, huffing with anger face.” or "It's 50. Happy face, happy face." Why kids want wear shorts in the freezing cold (or listen to an ipad) is still beyond me, but it turns out that kids really do run hotter than adults and here's why. Still, looking forward to the warmer weather and the end of this particular daily convo.
Better Things: We binged so much TV during the pandemic winter, and the grown-up shows I liked most reminded me of anything that was not-the-pandemic. Ted Lasso made me wish for spring soccer. Station 11—counterintuitively—made me hope for the future. Ozarks made me want to be as fearless as Ruth. And Pamela Adlon's Better Things made me want to throw a huge, fantastic dinner party and invite everyone I love. I'm happy the covid numbers in Brooklyn are low right now, and though I've not had a big dinner party yet, I hope to one day soon. This Spring Greens and Pancetta Grilled Cheese, which we call The Better Things Sandwich, is a taste of it. (Recipe here: 5-stars, delicious, a keeper.) If you've got any other binge-worthy recs, send 'em my way! I'm keeping a list.
Young, Scrappy & Hungry: Meanwhile, my daughters binged on everything Lin-Manual Miranda. The Tiny Editor has learned so much real history between Hamilton tracks and the Teeny Editor, 6, knows every word of Encanto. If your kids can't get enough LMM, try old Sesame Street clips. Or this Jimmy Fallon/Roots "Helpless". Or see what the original Eliza, Phillipa Soo, had to say to us about Daydreaming in Kazoo #17.
What to Read: I guess it's horses all around. The Teeny Editor is loving Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse. She studies every page so carefully to find the horse and is delighted when she does. Meanwhile, we just finished reading Pony with the Tiny Editor and I probably don't have to tell you how wonderfulR. J. Palacio is, but this one...well grab some tissues. It's great.
The Magic Issue est Arrive!: Issue 24 has already landed in some subscribers' mailboxes. We heard from one Dad that his daughter and her friend put on a magic show for them this weekend. If yours hasn't arrived yet, keep an eye out or check here to see if you need to renew.
Run, Erin, Run!: So when the Tiny Editor's school asked for volunteers to help out with a new Girls on the Run team, I raised my hand, thinking I'd walk them to the park occasionally and bring some oranges when needed. But it turns out, I accidentally became the coach. Seven hours of training later, I got a T-shirt and everything! Practice starts this week, and in June, our team of 8- to 11-year olds is gonna crush a 5k. Wish us luck!
Rise Up!: You don't hear much good news, but these students managed to overturn a book ban at their school, and now they are pushing for a more inclusive curriculum. We've followed the so-called CRT debates with well, confusion, honestly. It's not CRT, but our (white) kids learn about Black History at school, and it's great. At home, we read the excellent 1619 Project's Born on the Water and were glad for the opportunity for even more discussion. (Born on the Water co-author Renée Watson also wrote the wonderful short story, "Diving In" in our Big issue, Kazoo #21.)
But why Girls?: We heard there was a heated discussion in a private Facebook group about our magazine's tagline: "For Girls Who Aren't Afraid to Make Some Noise." (The issue was not the noise part, but the girls part.) And you know, you never really want to hear that you're the subject of a discussion in a private Facebook group. We don't know exactly what was posted, but we received a number of emails from upset parents who want us to explain ourselves. We worried over how to respond, or if we even should. When we decided to make a magazine "for girls" we did so intentionally and believe it's important for a ton of good reasons. Can boys read Kazoo too? Of course! What about non-binary or gender expansive kids? Sure! But, as much as we'd like to, we can't be all things to all people, and we can only be the best magazine we can be. So, we're going to try to keep doing just that. (PS: We also got a ton of new subscribers from that FB post, so if you are here now because of it, Hi!!! Welcome. We hope you like our magazine and stick around for a while.)
March Madness: What you missed if you were smart enough to stay off Twitter this month.
(The octopus news isn't new, we were just searching for octopus videos, because, isn't that what Twitter is for?)
Surprise & Delight:
When I was 23, I interviewed for a job at Righteous Babe Records with Ani Difranco herself. I was a little starstruck and though I didn't end up working there, I've always been a fan. Ani's now releasing a 30th anniversary vinyl of her debut record, and I'm so happy for her (and surprised at the number). Time is surprising, isn't it? And, this year, the first signs of spring are even more so:
Looks like we maybe made it through something wild I can hardly even let myself believe it, inside Yesterday, I even heard you laugh Took it like a bird bath It has been a long, long, long, long time Since it felt like that
—Ani Difranco, singing "Crocus." She shared advice for young songwriters in ourMusic issue, Kazoo #5(Step 1: Forget every song you've ever heard. They have nothing to do with you and you can make a cooler one!)
I hope you make it through Spring with thepatience, power and grace of Ketanji Brown Jackson, and even get to enjoy some flowers this Spring. If you come across anything surprising or delightful, please send it my way. You can find me at erin@kazoomagazine.com.
This is a nice first magazine for girls. It has inspirational articles, a bit of science, a bit of brain teasers, fun pictures and interesting kid relatable stories. It's perfect for the car ride, during power outages or while waiting.
I have to admit I had never heard of the Kazoo magazine until I came across it on Amazon. I am really impressed with it, with the quality of its content and the way this magazine is made.First, the magazine is made to last, this is not regular paper, it is protected so it will hold up longer, I love the feel of it! The covers feel like they have some coating on them to protect from moisture and the pages themselves feel different. The quality of the magazine is fantastic.The content is also top notch! There is a variety of stories, interviews, games and projects all under the cover. I love the variety and the content, every page is different with so much variety!The Winning issue is nicely done, I might have liked to see more about winning not just about being first, but about also wining being about doing your best. There is only 1 winner ... but every should be considered a winner for trying because just trying your hardest and doing all the right things does not mean you will win first place. Not everyone will get a trophy, but winning for some may never be placing first or being the best tennis player in the world (because there can only be 1 but that does not mean all the girls who hit the court are not winners in their own right!). I still love the magazine, the content and what it stand for. Sometimes, placing 5th in the company of the best, is actually winning.I love the fish story, that represents winning in being successful! And I love the stories of success and doing what others tell you might be impossible.I do like the issue and I LOVE this magazine! Great for girls! Very creative, well written and beautifully designed and presented. If I were between 5 and 12 years old, I would love a subscription to this magazine.⭐️ 1 star - I don't recommend it at all.⭐️⭐️ 2 stars - I don't recommend it, poorly written or bad information.⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars - Good Book. Not for me. Not the most well written.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars - Very good book quite, I would recommend and well written.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars - Book that I totally recommend and could not put down. Well written and a book I would read again
This was my first exposure to Kazoo and we'll be getting a subscription for our daughter. Every page is excellent and positive. It has activities (puzzles, coloring), longer-form reading, and projects to do outside the magazine (crafts, recipes.) Everything in it was perfect for a 10-year-old girl.The printing and paper is very high quality and there are absolutely no ads of any kind. I'm not surprised Kazoo has won so many awards. Five stars.
Love this magazine. Have bought single back copies for granddaughters, nieces, friends and a subscription. Ages 5-13 - all found something meaningful in its pages.
