Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is not the Cricket magazine you grew up with. I remember getting Cricket for years starting the late 70s/early 80s. I think my dad first got me a subscription when I was nine, and I received them until I left for college! I saved every single issue. And, to this day, I keep a print of John Singer Sargent's "Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose" hanging in the house - I first saw it on the cover of a Cricket and loved it ever since. I can remember being so happy when a new issue would come in the mail. When my oldest turned nine, I subscribed to the magazine - eager for him to have the hours of enjoyment that I had gleaned from it so many years ago. The first few issues were pretty good. Not the fabulous magazine I remembered - but then again, that's typical of childhood memories. Then one day, he came to me, holding his latest Cricket and said, "mom what's a le5bian?" Well - it was quite a shock. There was a short story all about a girl in high school, struggling with her feelings and attractions to other girls. Her desire to dress like a boy, etc. This is fine - but not in a magazine for kids age 9-12 for petes sake! I hope that I can teach my kids to love and welcome people regardless of race, religion, and orientation. It sounds cliche...but it's true. I don't even mind the not-so-subtle liberal agenda of this magazine (lots of short "stories" about the evils of pollution and global warming - what fun!). What I do mind is a magazine for "children" introducing subjects that are in my opinion, more appropriate for teenagers. So, unless you want to waste your time previewing Cricket magazine each time your read it...or you feel this subject matter is OK for your grade school/middle school kid, don't subscribe. There are plenty of excellent sources of literature and poetry that are free from political agendas (both right and left), that have been read for generations of kids without having to have things like alternative lifestyles explained to them first. I did consider continuing the magazine and just previewing each issue. But ripping out inappropriate stories smacked too much of censorship. I didn't mind the story. I minded the story for a child. Just as I don't let my kids watch certain "R" rated movies...I don't let them read certain subject matter. All in good time though. Can't we just let them enjoy being children for a few short years, without burdening them with the concerns of adulthood???