Top Children's Markets

by Nita Walker Frazier

Writing for children is not easy, nor it is simply watered down writing for adults. Writing for children is a form of writing unto itself and has its own markets.

Unless otherwise stated these markets prefer to see the completed manuscript rather than queries.

Magazines

Children's Playmate Magazine
Children's Better Health Institute
P. O. Box 567
Indianapolis, IN 46206-0567

E-mail: cbhiseif@tcon.net
Website: www.childrensplaymatemag.org

Contact: Mrs. Terry Harshman, editor
Audience: 6-8 year olds

Published 8 times/year

The Children's Better Health institute has a special place in my heart as it published one of my first stories, "The Fact Twister," in Jack and Jill in 1981. It remains a top-paying children's market today.

Children's Playmate is looking for articles, poems and activities with a health, fitness, or nutrition theme.

Insider's Tip: These stories do not have to be a heavy health manifesto. CBHI prefers a light touch for all its magazines. My story was a humorous take on how a hearing impaired boy mis-handles his disability.

The key to this market is to include an accurate word count.

Children's Playmate is looking for anything with a sports/fitness angle. It is especially interested in interview/profiles of famous amateur or professional athletes and "average" child athletes.

Word Count is 300-700 words and payment is up to $0.17 (seventeen) cents per word.

Not buying much fiction now except for 100-300 word rebus stories.

Downside: May hold manuscripts up to a year before acceptance/publication.

Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids
Children's Better Health Institute
P. O. Box 567
Indianapolis, IN 46206-0567

E-mail: cbhiseif@tcon.net
Website: http://www.cbhi.org/cbhi/writersguidelines.shtml

Mrs. Terry Harshman, editor

Audience 2 -5 years (read aloud)

Turtle Magazine's needs are approximately the same as Children's Playmate.

Key to this market is again the word count of 150-300 words. The purpose of Turtle Magazine is to help preschoolers develop health minds and bodies. Stories must be energetic and entertaining.

Does not want storied about turtles as it has "PokeyToes", a trademarked turtle character.

Humpty Dumpty's Magazine
Children's Better Health Institute
P. O. Box 567
Indianapolis, IN 46206-0567

E-mail: cbhiseif@tcon.net
Website: http://www.cbhi.org/cbhi/writersguidelines.shtml

Contact: Nancy S. Axelrad, Editor

Audience: 4-6 years

Like its sisters, this CBHI magazine needs health related material with a 300 word maximum count.

Key to freelances is short (100 word) no-cook recipes.

Children's Magic Window Magazine
Promark Publishing
P. O. Box 390
Perham, MN 56573

Website: www.childrensmagicwindow.com

Contact: Mike Hoffman, production director

Children's Magic Window is a bimonthly magazine featuring sports and celebrity profiles with an educational slant.

Needs: general interest, historical, humor and photo features. Does not want anything involving sex, drugs, alcohol or violence.

Length: 400-1,000 words

Submission form: query first

Key for freelancers is the "Fun Facts" column (a short explanation on any topic) up to 70 words:
Science Fun (two page spread on interesting science projects) Make It Yourself (two page spread of a craft or skill; and Magic (two page spread of a unique trick and how to perform it).

Pays up to $800.00.

American Girl
Pleasant Co. Publications
8400 Fairway Place
Middleton WI 53562

E-mail: im ag editor@pleasantco.com

Website: www.americangirl.com

Contact: Magazine Department Assistant

Audience: 8-12 year old girls

Bimonthly

Pays up to $300 for featured articles

Key for freelancers is the Girls Express Section

Word count for Girl Express (Short profiles of girls with unusual hobbies, sports or activities) 175 words. Prefers queries rather than finished manuscripts.

Book Publishers

Milkweed for Young Readers
1011 Washington Ave. S
Suite 300
Minneapolis MN 55415

Website: www.milkweed.org

Acquisitions: Elisabeth Fitz, children's reader

Submission method: query with SASE

2-3 chapters

Looking for high quality literary writing. "Publishes books with the intention of making a humane impact on society."

Dutton Children's Books
Penguin Group, Inc.
345 Hudson St.
New York, NY 10014

Website: http://www.penguinputnam.com/static/packages/us/about/children/duttonc.htm

Acquisitions:
Stephanie Owens Lurie (Picture books and fiction)
Donna Brooks Editorial Director (books for all ages with distinctive narrative style);
Lucia Monfried, senior editor (picture books, easy-to-read, fiction)

Publishes high quality fiction and nonfiction for preschoolers to young adults.
Currently emphasizing picture books that teach a lesson.
Submission method: query with SASE and letter.

Children's Writer Newsletter
93 Long Ridge Road
West Redding, CT 06896

http://www.childrenswriter.com/

The Children's Writer lists an average of 30-40 markets in each issue, along with column on general writing tips. It is well worth the subscription price.