anyone read the new children'snewspaper yet?

[surprise]

I bought it last week and thought it was quite good. haven't seen it advertised much anywhere though. just wondered if it was a hit with mners?

[SueW]

Oh bother, forgot all about it after that last conversation speculating whether it was worth a subscription for an unknown quantity

[spidermama]

I haven't heard of it surprise. What's it called?

[surprise]

It's called First News and it's the brainchild of Piers Morgan (but don't let that put you off). My DD 9 was really engrossed in it last week. I ordered a copy from my local shop and they presented me with First magazine instead - full of celeb gossip etc. good job I didn' send DD to go and get it!

[desperatehousewife]

blimey the independent launched one 18 years ago that i worked on as my first job when I left school. Didn't last long, because kids just won't sit down and read a 'paper'. Not convinced it will work now either.

[roisin]

\link{http://www.firstnews.co.uk/\here's the website}

I was impressed by the team behind it and took out a sub (through Red House - save £10) before it was even launched.

DSs love it - they fight over it when it arrives , and are already learning how to read a newspaper .. i.e. you don't read it cover to cover, you skim, look at headlines and pictures, then read the articles ... then if you're ds2 run downstairs to tell mummy all about the news every 5 mins

It's very colourful, loads of fun/interesting articles to appeal to children ... unlike heavy/worthy/educational publishing. But it's not salacious celebrity gossip junk. Great balance - I'm very impressed so far.

I hope it's a success.

[spidermama]

Yes that looks really good.

How do they handle the grim news stories? Or do they concentrate on the lighter and the more positive stuff?

[roisin]

They do concentrate on lighter, more positive stuff, but do cover more serious stuff as well.

OK I've just been and wrested it off ds1, who was still secretly reading it in bed

In today's issue on p.2 (of 24):
Headline: Boy stabbed outside school
A teenager has appeared in court charged with the murder of 15-year-old schoolboy, Kyan Prince.
Kiyan was stabbed outside the London Academy school in Edgware, north London, on Thursday. He died in hospital later the same day.
A 16-year-old from north London, charged with his murder, appeared at Brent Youth Court in north west London.
He will be held by police until Tuesday (30 May) when he will again appear before the same court.
First News is taking reader Nick Elliott, 14, to interview the new Home Secretary, John Reid, about knife crime. You will be able to read what he says in next week's First News about Government plans to get knives off the street to make our country safer.

HTH you get an idea of the level SM

[roisin]

\link{http://www.redhouse.co.uk/OrderMech/search.exe/dosearch?SType=4&CID=1&Layout=87&MenuID=passion&MenuLayout=526&templatefile=home\Red House website} - scroll down a bit on the LH side. Code says RH1004.

[singersgirl]

That looks really good. Will keep an eye out for it on our weekly 'Beano' hunt.

[spidermama]

Thanks roisin. Interesting. I suppose they couldn't actually leave out that story. It was reported pretty much as it has been on the radio.

I wonder what age it is aimed at. I think my oldest (nearly 8) would be just about ready, but I don't think I'd want my 5 year old to be reading about murder in school.

[roisin]

I don't work for them, honest, but if you want to get hold of a copy, but can't find it in your local shop you can print a form \link{http://www.firstnews.co.uk/Where-To-Buy.aspx\here} asking your local newsagent or whatever to stock it.

I'd love this venture to succeed, as so many children's newspapers in the past have failed, and it seems such a great idea.

[roisin]

Do they watch Newsround Spidermama? I've always been very impressed with how NR handle sensitive stories, and dss have both watched it from the age of about 5. I'm rather overprotective about some things, but have never been worried about the content.

I would say this newspaper would appeal to any children how like Newsround. Probably, say, 7-14 yr-olds; but there are certainly plenty of children, esp. 11-14 yr-olds, who it would not appeal to - just because they are not particularly interested in that sort of thing, and resist any attempt to get them to read.

My boys are 7 and 8, and are loving it.

[SueW]

We managed to find a copy in Tesco today which DD devoured round at my mum's just before we ate lunch.

She then spent lunch discussing news issues with all of us and coming out with all sorts of facts! Great stuff :)

[roisin]

Glad your dd liked it SueW.

Dss are just complaining that this week's hasn't arrived yet