I am always excited to review products, but I especially love to be introduced to a new, wonderful product. And when I find a product I like, I really want to share it with everyone I know which is why I LOVE doing giveaways! Now, this product I am reviewing, I cannot give to all of you, but I CAN give it to one of you, and I can tell ALL of you all about it!

What is it?

My lovely 8 year old daughter and I were given the opportunity to review Discovery Girls magazine. It is a bi-monthly magazine geared toward the "tween" girls crown (basically ages 8-12 or 13). We were sent the current issue of the magazine, a copy of their special Collector's Edition (a super-sized issue that celebrates their 10 years), and Friendship Hardship which is 1 of their 4 Fab Girls Guides books (the Fab Girls Guides are a 4 book set that provides questions and answers to help get through the sometimes difficult aspects of tween life including: Friendship Hardship, Sticky Situations, Getting Your Questions Answered and Getting Through Tough Times.)

Here is how their magazine was described to me:

Discovery Girls is a destination where tween girls can express themselves, share ideas, connect with other girls and discover helpful tips for handling life’s ups and downs. Discovery Girls articles and features are written by girls, for girls--which means their content touches on topics that really matters to tweens. Their goal is to help girls grow and develop, forming a positive sense of self through solutions that build confidence, resilience and independence.

It is pretty sweet because each issue focuses on 12 tween girls from a specific state (this one we read was Louisiana) and the girls contribute stories and experiences so it is really written by and for tween girls.

What did I think?

Well, let me say first that I have only recently started to think of my baby girl as a tween. She is mature for an 8-year-old, but I worried that some of the content that might be geared to the older tweens might be too advanced or scary for her. I mean they might want to talk periods and bras, right? Is she ready for that?

I should mention that my little girl has already been bra shopping (for a very small supportive top-nothing major). So, we have talked bras and puberty. So, she was somewhat prepared for that.

There was one article about whether you are ready for a bra or not. It gave some good girl to girl advice and ended up telling the young ladies to talk to their parents if they think they might be ready. I liked that the magazine did not forget that these are still basically kids with parents involved and it talked about how to ask parents for more privacy while also giving advice to talk to parents about different topics. Thank you for not assuming my child does not need me anymore at 8!

All in all Solace liked the magazines and book and did not think they were over her head-in fact she said to me "mom I like how this tells me about things I can expect int he next few years-very informative." (I will let her tell you more of her reaction).

As a mom I recommend it, but if you have a child on the lower end of the age spectrum, just know there will be topics like bras and wanting privacy discussed in the magazine. You or your daughter might not quite be ready for that. I was not sure I was, but it opened a line of communication and I really liked that.

One last thing I will say before I let Solace type her thoughts: I think this review is going to cost me more than any I have ever done! Why you ask? Because I have a little "Tween" walking around the house with a subscription postcard begging for her own subscription all the time now...that is how much she liked it!

What did my 8-year-old think?

Pictured above is a picture of her favorite page (the embarrassing moments) that she took and wanted to include) I will let her tell you her thoughts in her own words:

My favorite part was Embarrassing Moments where kids share their most embarrassing moments. In the magazine it said that kids thought the embarrassing moments were funny, and I thought they were too. I also really liked the health and beauty tips because I learned from them things that would be important in the future and important today.

I would recommend this to all tweens. But some tweens my age might get a little scared when they talk about some of the health tips like body order or when they talk about bras. But they would probably like the tips. So if you have a kid my age and you want to get them a subscription, first look at the books with your daughter and ask her how she feels about it. I think most girls would really like it!!

Where can you get it?

Most bookstores including Barnes & Noble, Borders, Waldenbooks and many stores like Wal‐Mart and Target carry it. Cover price is $4.95; a one-year subscription is $19.95.

You can start a subscription by going to http://discoverygirls.com/magazine and clicking on the "start subscription now" button.

And don't forget there is a giveaway too!!

Here is how to enter the Giveaway (PLEASE make sure to leave an email address in each comment so I can reach you should you win):

What can you win: One lucky Beckee's Deals Reader will win:
1 certificate for a one year subscription to the magazine (6-issues)
1 four-book set of their Fab Girls Guides
1 copy of their special Collector's Edition (a super-sized issue that celebrates our 10 years)

MANDATORY ENTRY (Must do this first for other entries to count): Go visit Discovery Girls Magazine online then come back to this post and leave a comment letting me know really anything you noticed or liked about their site or magazine.

Once you have done that, you can get 5 extra entries by doing the following things (Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and leave me your email address in each comment so I know how to contact you should you win):

1. Become a PUBLIC GFC follower of my blog.

2. Subscribe to my blog via Email or an RSS feed/reader. (Yes-you can use this entry if you are already an email or RSS subscriber- just let me know how you subscribe to my blog).


4. Follow me on Twitter here.

5. Tell me how you found this giveaway

Be sure to leave a comment for each entry with your email address. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. This giveaway ends on Thursday, July 21th at 11:59 PM Central Time.

***This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. I was given the above mentioned products to review and the giveaway products will be provided by Discovery Girls. I was not otherwise compensated. And, As always, all thoughts are my own (well, and Solace's in this case).***