The History
A married pair of children’s educators, Garry Cleveland Myers and Caroline Clark Myers, first created Highlights in 1946. It remains family-owned till this day. Aimed at ages 6–12, the editors packed it full of engaging learning materials such as stories, brainteasers and puzzles. According to their website, The Myerses believed that children best developed from a mix of “using their creativity and imagination; developing their reading, thinking, and reasoning skills; and learning to treat others with respect, kindness, and sensitivity.” The magazine’s slogan has been “fun with a purpose” since the beginning, and its pages have never contained any ads. I fondly remember Goofus and Gallant; either I learnt manners from it, or else I read the comic to feel superior that other people needed to learn manners from it. Can’t remember which, but I loved reading about Goofus’s bad life choices. G and G are still out there, just giving some sweet advice to still-malleable kids, can you believe? It’s amazing how the company has expanded over the years. Products include books, games, websites, and book clubs—there’s even an app for that (multiple, actually). Their magazine itself continues to modernize as it promotes education and kindness, incorporating more diverse portrayals over the years; there was the inclusion of a same-sex family in 2017.
The Series
I watched the first episode, “Making Friends.” Helping kids navigate friendships was the focus, and especially thoughtful in the live-action conversations. Suggestions are given by the children about coping with sleepovers, an activity that can be very anxiety-filled. That is a very basic childhood experience, and one that some may not realize is normal. Addressing it this way shows its universality. Highlights prioritizes educational content over ad promotion, and it’s wonderful that they have chosen to release their new series for free through Hoopla. Put your always valuable library membership to use and stream the series with your favorite small humans.
