We Have Moved!

Our blog has changed addresses...and we don't want to miss you! Please check us out at www.blog.zoobooks.com. See you soon!

Graduation Time

In this season of milestones, we are looking for stories of Zoobooks fans from way back. Did you get a subscription as a child? How old were you, and what part in your growing up years did Zoobooks play? Nowadays, people in the Zoobooks family can start with Zoobies as babies, move on in preschool years to Zootles, and then graduate to Zoobooks. Tell us what life was like before all those options!

Zoobies Needs You, Too

Covers are always fun to choose. And when we're choosing for Zoobies, our magazine for our youngest fans, we want to be sure that we've got an image that really engages and entertains. Which of these images do you see as a better cover shot?

Connect to the Louisville Zoo

The Louisville Zoo is helping us celebrate our May Zootles issue, Backyard Birds, through their Backyard Action Hero program for kids. The activities and guide books are loads of downloadable fun, and are just the ticket for empowering children to help their environment. We'd love to hear your review of the program, and whether you would appreciate similar zoo connections to enrich your child.

This One Has to be Perfect

We need a dramatic, double-page photo to use as the introductory spread in our upcoming Zootles issue, Bears. It's important that the photo show how closely young bear cubs need to stick to their mothers for safety. Which image here do you think better demonstrates that, and is at the same time the most appealing picture?

Earth Day Adventures

Zoobooks has got three suggestions for your Earth Day week:
1. Read Rachel Carson's "Preserving a Sense of Wonder" with your child.
2. Visit a National Park (they're free this week!)
3. Take your child on a wildlife adventure. This could be as simple as a close-up look at the bugs in your backyard, or as special as a trip to a zoo or nature preserve near you.
Enjoy!

What is Earth Day Worth?

Plenty! Earth Day is this Thursday, April 22^nd. Your friends at Zoobooks have got some ideas about how to get involved and empower your family to make a difference.

Everybody, no matter how small, can be a force for change. Ecology.com offers lots of practical and simple advice for kids to improve the air quality in their own neighborhoods.

Making ourselves heard is important, too. The World Wildlife Fund wants to make sure you can directly reach decision makers to let them know how you feel about specific environmental concerns. Letter writing can be a major influence!

Change can also come through fundraising. Audubon’s Pennies for the Planet program is a kid-friendly way to make every penny count. It's not too late to decorate a jar and start piling up pennies.

After all that hard work defending Mother Earth, we suggest kids treat themselves to a visit to the Environmental Kids Club. Their home page offers access to more tips and projects, but it’s also a fun place to hunt up earth-friendly puzzles and games. Enjoy!

Read your magazine. When you read an issue of Zoobooks, Zootles, or Zoobies magazine, it gets you thinking. Feel free to post ideas on our Facebook page or our blog. We want kids and their families to inspire each other all year long--not just on Earth Day.

Zootles Bears Needs a Cover, Too!

We can't forget the delightful bears coming up in July to educate and inspire our younger Zootles readers. We know the cover has got to be cute--which of these bears would you like to see peeking out at you?

The Elephants Are Coming!

We are very excited about welcoming Elephants back into the Zoobooks subscription series. The cover has got to be just right! Weigh in and let us know which of these images you would prefer for the July issue--and be sure to share the reason behind your choice.

Zootles Zooworks Contest

Our monthly Zooworks contest in Zoobooks is very popular. We often receive as many as 800 entries a month from children hoping to have their drawings or poems published in an issue or on our website.

We have launched a similar contest for our younger Zootles readers, but with less enthusiastic results. What do you see as the key to encouraging younger artists to contribute?

Action vs. Beauty

In years past, the thinking when choosing a cover photograph for Zoobooks was that a close-up portrait, where the animal had eye-contact with the camera, was ideal. This created a connection with the viewer, and allowed for a lot of detail.

But what do you think of showing an action shot on the cover, instead? Would the drama of a shot like this outweigh the personal connection of a portrait?

Empowering or Overwhelming?

Kids want to help animals, and Zoobooks wants to provide an channel for their energy. There is quite a debate, however, about how much ominous environmental news children should have to hear. There is a fine line between teaching/informing a child so he or she can make a difference, and making a child feel that a situation is too big to manage, and consequently hopeless.

We at Zoobooks want to be all about empowerment, and not fear. We are constantly looking for new options for activities and projects that take a very small view of a bigger issue, so that kids are set up for success. Are you aware of any such projects you'd like to share? Do you have any thoughts or comments on this debate? Help us make Zoobooks better than ever.

Help Us Choose a Cover for the Backyard Birds Issue!

It's time to make a final cover pick for the May/June Zootles issue, Backyard Birds. Which of these photos do you see flying its way into your home?

Issue Alert!

Keep an eye on your mailbox...Zoobooks Sea Otters, Zootles Whales, and Zoobies Animal Babies will be on their way to you shortly, and should be arriving between March 10th and 17th. Be the first to review your issue here!

We all love to get out and explore nature...

Spring break is coming up soon and your family may also be planning your summer vacation. We thought we'd ask for your feedback about your favorite zoos, science/nature museums, nature centers, and national parks (or state parks). We want to create an online resource list for our subscribers.

We'd love to hear from you. Please give us the name of your favorite zoo, science/nature museum, nature center, or national park and WHY YOU LIKE IT. We'll add your comments to our list. You'll be helping other Zoobooks/Zootles/Zoobies families with your reviews & comments. We'll post your information with your initials and your location if you give us that information. Please let us know if you want your suggestion to be marked anonymous

Thanks in advance for pitching in.

ZooTube: Have You Tuned In?

It's better to see a butterfly break out of its chrysalis than to just hear about it. That's why we offer our ZooTube option on our website--to make animals come alive. Right now we offer this adventure address on the back covers of our issues, but what do you think of incorporating these video links within the text of the issue to illustrate different points? Can you see yourself putting down your issue in mid-read to pursue related live-action on your computer?

Digital Previews

Have you checked out our digital previews of the upcoming issues yet? You can see the entire issue before it ever even arrives in the mail! Do you enjoy this perk, or do you prefer to be kept in suspense until your printed issue is in your hands?

Jump in to This Photo Dilemma

We're selecting a large, dramatic photo to end our upcoming April issue, Old World Monkeys. We originally started off with the monkey leaping through the forest that you see here. But now we are wondering if the baby riding on its mother's back is more endearing. What do you think?

New Contest Ideas

We'd like to offer our readers a chance to share their creativity with others who share their interests. Which of these opportunities do you think people would be most eager for?
1. A place to publish their animal photography
2. A place to publish animal illustrations or stories
3. A place to post fun family photos of kids interacting with animals
Or have you already come up with an even better alternative to these? We'd love to know.

Have You "Safaried" Yet?

We're talking about our eSafari--our electronic newsletter full of news, games, activities, and crafts. When it comes to social media, how does the eSafari rank with you, especially when considering Facebook and blogging? What particular advantages are you looking for when you click your newsletter open?

We Need a Whale of a Winner

Nice close-up whale portraits aren't easy to come by. Whales tend to overflow camera view finders! Which of these potential cover images do you think would better appeal to our 3-6 year old readers of Zootles?

'Tis Better to Give....

When you give a subscription as a gift, how do you prefer to present it? Does a simple gift card suffice? Do you prefer to wrap that up with a copy of an issue? How about subscription bonus items like stickers or posters--are they the best way of saying the first issue is on its way?

Designing a Closing Spread

Whenever we end a Zoobooks issue, we hope to do it with a photograph that is both dramatic and memorable. Here are a couple of choices for our upcoming Butterflies issue, which will reach subscribers in February. Which of these images do you prefer, and why?