Scholastic Kids Press

The articles on the site cover select current events in an approachable way because they're written by kids, for kids. Scholastic Kids Press visitors may not get a completely comprehensive view of everything that's going on in the world today, but they can learn about social issues like gender equality and homelessness and check out articles, such as an interview with former first lady Michelle Obama, that are typically an interesting read. Some are written in a traditional news style -- beginning with an update on the latest California wildfire, for example, before offering background information about how wildfires start. Other items are more personal accounts of taking a class, or a reporter connecting with her ancestral heritage by learning about the language the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand traditionally spoke. The reporters' contributions are generally posted at least a few times a week.

The site doesn't offer much interactivity -- most items just involve reading -- and the navigation isn't ideal. New posts are added above previous ones on a long list that starts on the homepage. Currently, items about only two subjects, the coronavirus pandemic and the 2020 U.S. election, are compiled under a separate heading. Kids can click over to a Search page to look for articles by keying in a specific term, but there's no easy way to view things by topic. The only way to find out what subjects have been covered is to keep clicking through the 50 pages of articles that have been posted on the site since 2014 -- so kids can't really do much general browsing for things to read on the site. Even if they successfully search for something by keyword, there's no way to filter the results by date to see the latest posts first. But the content, aside from the way it's organized, is commendable. Reporters tackle some in-depth and timely topics, and the effort and enthusiasm they put into each piece is clear. Posts that speak to tweens and teens on a level they can understand could introduce them to new subjects, ways of thinking, and people. Scholastic Kids Press is a great place to chew on bite-sized pieces of current news topics -- and, if kids aspire to be a journalist, to apply for a chance to have their work published, potentially providing valuable hands-on writing experience.