Cicada, Jan/Feb 2011

ISBN: 1097-4008
Publisher: Carus Publishing

Around 48p.

Reading Level: Grades 9^th and above.

Summary:

Cicada is a young adult literary magazine aimed towards those who love to read literature, especially short stories and poems, and perhaps are looking to become an author themselves someday. Each volume takes the reader through a series of poems and short stories, both by adults and other teenagers, that deal with subjects that range from death and loss to fear and abandonment. The stories are gripping to read and, at times, leave the reader wishing for more. Because they are not long, these stories deal with their subject matter succinctly and with great expressiveness. This magazine also contains a section that deals with readers’ thoughts on the prior magazine in order for teens to delve into the various issues raised in the previous volume. Cicada also sponsors The Slam at http://www.cicadamag.com/theslam, an online writing colloquium for young adult authors who wish to express themselves with the stories they have within themselves to share.

Critical Evaluation:

After reading the printed and on-line editions of Cicada, I came away with a few consistent themes. The perseverance of the human spirit is readily apparent throughout the poems and short stories from a bad day at a job to a tragic tale of loss to an absolute loss of self-identity. The melodious poetry, written both by teens and adults, really place the reader in the author’s mind with clear visions and exacting word choices. Furthermore, there’s a page where authors can see what the next magazine’s theme or overall concept is, and many of the submissions will deal with the theme of the issue.

The submission page truly defines the type of stories they are looking for. They break down the different genres of fiction they’d like, as well as add the requirement that the “Main protagonist should be age 14 or older; stories should have a genuine teen sensibility and be aimed at readers in high school or college.” (Retrieved from http://www.cobblestonepub.com/guides_cic.html). The magazine also states that non-fiction should deal with experiences relative to teens, while poetry should be “serious or humorous; rhymed or free verse” and the “expressions” area should include essays by teens about their own lives. For teens who devour books, this is definitely the magazine to get, and for teens who do not enjoy novels, they’ll enjoy the short stories and general prose that is available.

Readers Annotation:

Cicada, a magazine that "confronts the joys and absurdities of growing up" in the form of adult and teen-written short stories and poetry. To read, to write, to imagine, to create. This is the magazine for you.

Author Biography:

Cicada is part of the Cricket Magazine group that started with the self-named magazine in 1973. Their goal is to establish “A family of magazines that grows with your child’s changing interests.” (Retrieved from http://www.cicadamag.com/). This group publishes magazines for children of all ages, from toddlers to teens, and focuses on “Literature & Imagination, History & Culture, and Science & Ideas.”

Cicada, a literary magazine for teens, is made up of poems, short stories, and other creative writing such as comic format. The magazine also is made up of various genres from science fiction to realistic fiction. There are also sections for high school authors where they’re able to get tips and resources for where they can submit their work.

Genre: Literary magazine for teens 14 and above

Curriculum Ties:

This would be great for a creative writing class in order for teens to get ideas for pieces,
and to learn how to submit their writings.

Booktalking Ideas:

-What format shows the clearest story? Poem, short story, or longer prose?

-What types of stories are submitted and what would a teen submit if given a chance?

Read-Alikes:

Magazines such as Cricket and Brio.

Challenge Issue:

Perhaps some of the themes written about, such as young adult death or depression or suicide, would cause parental concern, but teachers and librarians will discuss how each item evokes a moment in a teen’s life in such a realistic way that this magazine can be used as a learning tool, as well as a magazine to aspire being published in.

Reason to include in blog:

I picked this magazine up in the Burbank library teen section because the name intrigued me. Also, amidst all the pop colors of Tiger Beat and other fashion magazines, this particular volume contained muted colors. When I realized this was part of the Cricket brand, a magazine I would see and read at home, growing up, I was intrigued. The short stories I read in this volume were beautifully written and at times heartbreaking. It is a must for those who like to read short stories and poems or even those who may have short attention spans.

References:

Cicada. (2008). In Cicada. Retrieved at http://www.cicadamag.com/theslam

Cricket. (2010). In Cricket. Retrieved from http://www.cricketmag.com/about_us.asp

Cobblestone & Cricket. (2005). Writer’s Guidelines for CICADA. Retrieved from

http://www.cobblestonepub.com/guides_cic.html