Members of the TOS Crew received the fall issue of a new magazine geared towards Christian teens (13-19) to showcase the art and writing skills, Aletheia Writing magazine. Now, first, to answer the question that I know is burning on your lips ~ What does "Aletheia" mean? Aletheia is the Greek word for "truth" or "unveiling", and is pronounced Ah-LAY-thei-uh.
OK, now that I've gotten that out of the way... :)
This is a very new publication (I understand that the fall issue was their third, of 4 quarterly printings), with a desire to reach out to Christian teens and give them an opportunity to share their voice and talent with others.
I realize that the title emphasizes writing, but there are opportunities to share photography and other artwork.
The magazine has a number of short stories and poems penned by young ladies and gentlemen in many genres including allegory, fantasy, fable, historical fiction, and more.
OK, now that I've gotten that out of the way... :)
This is a very new publication (I understand that the fall issue was their third, of 4 quarterly printings), with a desire to reach out to Christian teens and give them an opportunity to share their voice and talent with others.I realize that the title emphasizes writing, but there are opportunities to share photography and other artwork.
The magazine has a number of short stories and poems penned by young ladies and gentlemen in many genres including allegory, fantasy, fable, historical fiction, and more.
I appreciated the artwork in the magazine, and was impressed with the talent of the artists. I thought it was interesting that the magazine solicits art sample submissions, and keeps them on file in order to pair up authors with appropriate illustrators. Very neat!
Much of the prose and poetry we read was often dark or dealt with heavy or intense topics. There is validity in this expression, as teens are experiencing some of the most turbulent years of their lives from a maturing standpoint, physically, mentally and emotionally. I do feel it is worth mentioning, tho', as my daughter was not that enamored of the struggles in many of the submissions (She's kind of a rose-colored glasses sort of girl~ which is fine by me) in spite of a final resolution of hope . Indeed, there is a warning put out by the magazine itself~ *Aletheia Writing Magazine is geared toward youth ages 13 to 19. Because contributors’ ages vary, the maturity level of situational content may likewise vary.
Much of the prose and poetry we read was often dark or dealt with heavy or intense topics. There is validity in this expression, as teens are experiencing some of the most turbulent years of their lives from a maturing standpoint, physically, mentally and emotionally. I do feel it is worth mentioning, tho', as my daughter was not that enamored of the struggles in many of the submissions (She's kind of a rose-colored glasses sort of girl~ which is fine by me) in spite of a final resolution of hope . Indeed, there is a warning put out by the magazine itself~ *Aletheia Writing Magazine is geared toward youth ages 13 to 19. Because contributors’ ages vary, the maturity level of situational content may likewise vary.
While this wasn't a great fit for our family, Aletheia Writing Magazine looks like it would be a very interesting resource for those families with aspiring artists or writers, who are fans of darker allegories, as well as budding photographers.
One neat little feature is the "Writer's Challenge" which gives a starting of point of inspiration~ The challenge for the month of October (found at the link above) is to write a story that shows the truth of (Proverbs 11:8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead. )
or to write a poem inspired by a sweet picture of a tiny hand holding tight to someone's finger.
Please, read a digital version of the Spring 2011 issue here to get a feel for the content and quality, and check out my fellow TOS Crew member's reviews(There are a variety of opinions and ages represented, which may be very helpful if you are considering a subscription to Aletheia Writing Magazine).
Price: US $26/CAN $29 Four issues per year. 40 pages. Color. As is typical for magazine subscriptions, price includes shipping and handling.
As always, I hope that this review, based on my honest opinion, is helpful to you as you determine where to best spend your homeschool dollars, and find curriculum and items that fit your family's living/learning/teaching style.
Blessings~
