Mumsnet Talk

I have just learned that Puffin Post is no more and am very disappointed with penguin.

I can't see anything about why it has folded (not enough profit?! surely not if I was feeling skeptical I'd say it was only ever disguised advertising) but what a shame. My 7 year old really enjoyed being a member and I was planning to add DD2 today - she has so been looking forward to joining her sister in the Puffin Club.

Hurumph.

My dc's had it as a present one year. I was very disappointed with it-and that was before I saw the cost.

There were rarely any books that they didn't have that they were interested in for the "free books"-I felt it was a very "boy dominated" set of books-and dd1 does read more boy-type books, but she is not interested in football or things she would term "disgusting".

Dd2, who had the younger age selection, just found the books she was offered so easy she wasn't interested. I asked if we could get from the older selection for her, but was told "no".

We ended up getting books to pass on as presents.

Puffin Post could be back and better than ever!
The Bookseller magazine says Penguin have acquired it from the Book
People and could relaunch in March 2013. Penguin haven't confirmed this.
Coud be good news as the book choice wasn't always very inspiring under the Book People.

Yes, the letter they have sent out is a bit ambiguous. It says 'Puffin
Post is returning to its home at Penguin books'.
Hope they re-launch it.

Am really disappointed. I do hope it returns in some form, or that there is something to take its place. Boo to Penguin!

Wow! I used to love the Puffin Post when I was about seven. That's forty years ago... If it's going back to Penguin, hopefully it will be all that I loved again and just in time for my DD (5). <self centred>

I hadn´t realised that it was the Book People who´d been putting out Puffin Post recently. No wonder it was so bad. Very glad to hear it´s going back to Penguin - hopefully it can return to what it used to be.

I didn't realise either that it WASN'T Penguin who put out Puffin Post. Was rather confused at 'going back to Penguin' statement. Is there any indication that it will be back soon 'under new management'?

After googling information on this I fear we might be getting an online newsletter. No no no! Want a paper magazine with a choice of 'free' book each time. Can we lobby them?

DD has been getting Puffin Post as a present since it re-launched. I was a member many decades ago and absolutely loved it. Hoping it will be brought back, with LOTS of creative writing competitions as well as book reviews. (Oh, the thrill of getting my little poems published!!) Note, Puffin/Penguin, this parent would prefer to see the magazine minus the 'free book.' Also, in the old Puffin Post days, were there club events in London? Am I remembering correctly? It would be good to see this as a proper club again.

There were club events all over the country, as I remember. I only went to one - somewhere in Shropshire, when I realised we were going to be on holiday nearby.

That's reminded me to ask for Kaye Webb's biography for Christmas!

Me too ! I am really annoyed, ds has only had one mag and a free lego book. I met Noel Streatfeild at a Puffin show once .

The old Puffin Post was fantastic, great reviews and lots of competitions (my sister won once). We used to go to the London events and I remember them being incredibly chaotic and fun with loads of authors and lots of craft stuff. I think I went on a Puffin Post holiday club for a week too.

I hope the relaunch works, but I wonder if part of the reason it wasn't so good is that Penguin used to publish a huge amount of children's books and now I think it's only a very small amount. The majority of the books I've kept from my childhood were Puffins, but I'm not sure I have any new Puffins for my children.

This suggests it won't be coming back.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/dec/17/puffin-post-penguin-become-extinct

Very sad

I've emailed -
puffin@penguin.co.uk

Anyone else care to join me in pleading for its return?

Ahh but have you discovered the Phoenix Comic? You can subscribe and it comes every Friday and my daughter looks forward to it every week. Also, just found out today that you can get it on the ipad!

Nah! Just looked at it. Not in the same league at all.

It was extortionate.You can get fab priced books from the Book People and The Phoenix is waaaaay better.Sorry I won't be e-mailing.