SHOOFLY An Audiomagazine for Children

Magazines for children have always encouraged children to read and learn. And just as audiobooks entertain the all-too-busy parents, audio-magazines can take the opportunity to delight young listeners. Shoofly is a quarterly magazine on cassette geared to ages 3-7. In the two issues reviewed, a combination of stories and poems highlights favorite icons of this age group--dump trucks, bugs and magical cats. Numerous voices add variety and change of pace. The stories of Grummel the puppy have an all-American flavor, while Simon, a British centipede, tries out roller skates. Each edition features a guest musician--blues artist Lightnin' Wells adds a lively rendition of "John Henry" to the combination of traditional American folk songs and sprightly tunes. In the four years since the magazine started, Shoofly has developed an astute sense of its audience and what delights young listeners. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB 98]