Don’t you just love it when you unexpectedly happen upon a tresure trove of great gifts to give? This morning, I attended a meeting in the upper room at Shady Brook Farm in Yardley. When it was over, I decided to spend a few minutes browsing around the shop, the shop that included everything from fresh produce, to meats, cheese, baked goods and GIFTS. About an hour later, I walked out of there with beautiful gifts for four of the trickiest people on my holiday shopping list. I also picked up several ornaments for the grandkids. It was a successful start to my seasonal shopping.

Since I’m in the holiday spirit, I’ll share some reading gift suggestions that may enable you to easily check off some of the youngsters on your holiday list. I love to give magazine subscriptions because a subscription is truly the gift that keeps on giving. As you know, most kids love to receive mail. When that mail is a gift, it’s even more thrilling. A subscription is a regular reminder of your kindness and of course, provides a great incentive for the recipient to sit down and read. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. What’s more, it’s an easy gift to give…no shopping, no wrapping, just a little form to complete and you’re done.

The challenging part is choosing a magazine that your child, grandchild, neice, nephew, or friend will truly enjoy. To that end, I’m providing a list of magazines with a short description of each and a link to the site where you can order it. Have fun finding a great pick and feel good that you are giving the gift of reading.

Ask:  A Smithsonian magazine appropriate for or children ages 8 and up, this magazine focuses on Arts and Sciences.  Themed issues provide informative, interesting articles on many aspects of the topic. For example, the magazine I reviewed was all about about sugar. The articles spanned the gamut from various kinds of sweeteners to informational articles on diabetes and sugar birds. In addition to wonderful pictures and text supports, the magazine offers tricks and contests. Great choice for the inquisitive child on your list.   Web site: http://www.cobblestonepub.com

Boys Life: This well-known magazine, published by the Boy Scouts of America, offers a variety of articles accompanied by beautiful photography and helpful graphics. In addition to articles on history, outdoor life, sports, hobbies and other topics, the magazine varies the length and type of articles so that much of it can be enjoyed in small bites. The young man on your list doesn’t have to be a boy scout to enjoy this fine publication, which appeals to boys ages 8 to 17.   Web site: http://www.scouting.org.

Cricket:  This magazine is for anyone who wants to nurture a child’s imagination with a regular dose of rich literature. Content includes fictional stories (some in a serial format), interactive stories (where kids can participate online), poetry, non-fiction, crossword puzzles and contests.This is a unique gift for a 9 to 14 year old.                                                  Web site: http://www.cricketmag.com

Cobblestone:  Themed issues will provide the perfect gift for the young history buff. The magazine is focused on American History and each issue comprehensively covers a selected topic. The magazine uses many interesting formats to hold readers’ attention and includes useful text features such as photos, maps, and question and answer formats. Poems, crafts and puzzles are also regularly featured.  I was impressed with the variety of texts and the range of information offered in each issue. For kids from 9 to 15, this is a great periodical to jump start or enrich an interest in history.                                                            Web site: http:// http://www.cobblestonepub.com

Muse:  Another Smithsonian magazine by the editors and publishers of Cricket Magazine, this beautifully put together publication that includes a wide-range of topics (based on Smithsonian collections) is sure to interest most youngsters ages 10 and up. You can’t go wrong buying a subscription to this  publication.                                                                                   Web site: http://www.cobblestonepub.com.

Check out these great pubs, start your holiday shopping and offer the kids on your list a wealth of knowledge and entertainment for a modest price. Check back on Friday, when I continue this list. In the meantime, please let us know if you and your kids have a favorite magazine to recommend.