Normally on READ days, I post book reviews. I’m actually caught up with that task for the moment so I decided to share a little bit more about a unique printed piece. Please see this not as a commercial (I don’t profit from the magazine sales or subscriptions) but a heartfelt endorsement.

Long before I began writing for SUSIE or any other magazine, I was a mom of girls—four, to be exact, along with one son. Our children have grown up to share their parents’ love of reading. We’ve encouraged that along the way through countless bedtime books and stories, regular library trips, and years of sharing books through homeschool. We’ve also subscribed to magazines appropriate for our kids’ ages and stages. For a while, five Focus on the Family magazines came to our mailbox each month. Brio, the teen girls’ magazine, was high on that list. 

Our then fourteen-year-old had received Brio for only a few months when Focus on the Family dropped all their teen publications in January 2009. At the time, they said the magazine would move to online-only (so far, that hasn’t happened). But my daughter wanted a print magazine—something she could hold in her hand, lie on her bed to savor, and store in a special folder. 

That’s how I found SUSIE Magazine—not because I’m a writer, but because I wanted my daughter to have a magazine that could take Brio’s place. What do we like about SUSIE? First of all, the content. Check out Seventeen or any of the other secular teen magazines. You’ll find articles and images that leave little to the imagination and much to be desired. SUSIE  has a strong faith element but also contains articles any teen girl would enjoy. You’ll find columns on fashion, health, and relationships as well as features about popular media stars or teens who’ve made significant contributions. 

We also love the design. I’m always amazed at the way the graphics team puts together work to match the words in such a fresh, appealing way.  I love the creativity I find there every month.

Finally, we love SUSIE (the magazine) because of our trust in Susie (the writer, editor, and Christ-follower). She spent nearly twenty years making Brio an award-winning product. She’s published more than forty books, many geared toward teen girls and/or their parents. As I’ve come to know her both personally and professionally, I’ve realized how seriously she takes her role. She encourages her writers to think of themselves as big sisters or brothers who whisper words of encouragement, admonition, and hope to their young readers.

In a day when many magazines are folding or moving to online only, I applaud SUSIE Magazine. I encourage you to subscribe for a daughter, granddaughter, or other young woman (target ages 11-19). The magazine should grace every church library and many youth groups. 

Check out SUSIE Magazine online (some articles are available; others require a subscription to the online portion) and notice the subscription link. $23 a year seems a small amount for a year’s worth of faith- and fun-filled content. And yes, make sure to read “Through Obie’s Eyes” along with a few other Marti Pieper bylines. I can’t wait to see the November issue which features our Guatemala missions trip.  

SUSIE‘s ads say, “More than a fashion guide for the ‘good’ life. It’s a passion guide for the God life.” I agree.

How important is a print magazine for teens today? Does SUSIE Magazine interest you? Have you seen and/or read it? Please share your thoughts!