special report

National Geographic Kids

Dare to Explore
Readership: boys and girls ages 8 - 14

SUBMISSION SPECIFICS:

National Geographic Kids buys nonfiction only. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS nonfiction is extremely visual -- lots of graphics and lots of short content. They are interested in geography, history, archeology, paleontology, adventure, sports, natural history, science, technology, and the environment.

Their editorial staff includes
Editor: Melina Bellows
Executive Editor: Julie Agnone
Photo Editor: Jay Sumner
Senior Editors: Rachel Buchholz, Susan Hayes, Catherine D. Hughes

Send queries to:
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
National Geographic Society
1145 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036-4688

WHAT THEY WANT:
Magazine website does not contain guidelines.
But it does contain a “send us ideas” feature that might possibly be used by an enterprising writer as a free query device, but personally -- I would recommend going through the proper channels. The site also includes multi-media content and a great “feel” for what the magazine likes and how they engage young readers.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. You must query with clips.

Word length for articles varies but most pieces are short.

Buys all rights. Pays on acceptance. Payment varies (mostly meaning they don’t want to tell you upfront what to expect.)

ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC ISSUE

Contents:
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
March 2004

6 Ways Your Favorite Entertainment is Changing the World -- Looks at how kid’s spending habits change adult marketing and production. (1) kids flicks are on the increase, how text messaging on cell phones was a response to kid’s use of text to communicate electronically -- like instant messaging on the phone, (3) how the CDs kids buy effect which celebrities companies choose for spokespersons, (4) how kid TV viewing has increased both the number of cartoons, and the number of adult cartoon fans, (5) how computer and video games are created because of kids and (6) how young reader books have become acceptable to adults -- both in terms of sales (best seller lists) and award (like the Whitbread.)

Future World: A list of projects for possible technological advances in 2025 -- presented as a kind of story about what “you” may be doing on an average 2025 day. Ends with a list of possible gadgets being created today that may effect tomorrow.

Who’s Smarter … Cats or Dogs? A collection of fun stories of “smart” things specific dogs or cats have done. Also includes ways to test your pet’s IQ. A long piece -- it’s the cover story. 6 pages, though done in short blurb style and lots of pictures.

Earthquake! Six earthquakes with a short blurb about each one. Also a few general facts about earthquakes along with a quote from a seismologist. Two pages. About 300 words.

New Movie: Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Lots of photos from the movies but the piece looks at things Scooby does vs. things a real dog could or would do.

In Search of the Giant Squid -- Giant squids and colossal squids. With a lack of specimen, how do scientists form theories about these animals. Includes quote from a senior curator of mollusks at Museum Victoria, Australia. Single page, a couple hundred words.

King Kong in my Pocket -- A new species of lemur discovered. Nice personal experience piece from a researcher along with very cute photo.

DEPARTMENTS

March Calendar -- Another great facts calendar --mostly anniversaries though also includes upcoming events. Sometimes as far away as 2014 (When a giant asteroid will pass the earth).

Just Joking -- A very old knock-knock joke, a tongue twister, and a riddle. All with nice animal graphics. Also includes a riddle from a reader.

World News -- short “fact blurbs” -- one on a research project with capuchin monkeys focused on one interesting event in the study. Also a study on the room needed for big cats in zoos. And fun facts on capybaras (the world’s largest rodent) and spittlebugs (the worlds best jumper). Also a cute visual piece on how a study in England suggests that your sleep position reveals things about your personality. Finally, “Inside Scoop” gives brief celebrity facts of interest to kids. These pieces all run from 50 to about 100 words long.

Amazing Animals -- specific “fact blurbs” on animals. An Orangutan who sneaked out of her pen and carried a volunteer around, the yearly wild horse swim to Chincoteague Island, and a purple polar bear -- covered with medicine for a skin condition.

Reality Check -- fun quiz -- readers look at photos and guess which of 3 one-sentence descriptions accurately reflects what is going on in the photo.

Guinness World Records -- look at record holders -- a man who can blow up a weather balloon, a man with long earlobes, and a gold potty.

Total Techno -- fun facts on crash test dummies. Four facts, about 50 words each. Along with photos. How dummies are made, what they can do, how they have changed, what they have shown manufacturers.

Fun Stuff -- a picture puzzle about matching kids by finding what they have in common about their clothes, reader art, a fun photo caption “joke” gives past reader responses and shows new photo. Also a fun “fill-in-the-blank” excuse letter. And finally, a photo from a reader.

What in the World? Close-up photos with scrambled captions -- readers guess what the photos show.

This page last updated on 01 July 2004