Justine Magazine

Justine Magazine, published by Justeen LLC, ISSN 15488241

 

Summary 

A recent issue includes information on how to fashion the best ponytail as well as how to win a $5,000 college scholarship.  Articles about lip gloss are juxtaposed to ones about selecting and earning a summer internship.  There is a wide variety of material here, but the difference between this and other teen magazines is evident.  There are no sexy stories, no material that may seem offensive to a parent who happens to flip through your subscription.  Justine is simply a fun girls magazine that combines popular culture in interviews with celebrities and articles on how to dress like actors in the latest movie with educational concerns such as choosing the right college and how to manage one's time.

Evaluation 

Justine does an admirable job of attempting to publish a teenage girls' magazine that is both important and yet wholesome.  It does not delve into issues of sex and relationships with anywhere near the candidness of other magazines, but it has found its niche in providing a safe alternative to those magazines in which educational issues are frequently discussed and where popular culture is still represented to make it fun.  This magazine may be considered boring by some, but may be perfect for someone a bit more conservative or who wants to supplement her reading of other teen magazines with one that caters to slightly different interests.

Reading Level/Interest Age 

14-18
This magazine's wholesomeness makes me tend to want to say this is appropriate for younger teens, but frequent articles about college, writing contests, and saving money lend its appropriateness to an older crowd.

Reason Selected

Teen magazines seemed to be challenge issues for me; everything I looked at seemed to be bait for a parental challenge until I found this magazine.  Now, this magazine is not that appealing to me personally, but I felt that a positive, if at times content-light, periodical would be something that would interest some teens.  Including challenging items is important, but positive items are welcome as well, especially in the medium of periodicals which are so casually perused to begin with.  There may not be an incredible amount of substance here, but it is fun, occasionally informative, and well worth a read in a car ride or in between classes.