Not Too Young for News   

The September launch of Time Magazine Big Picture edition reeled in half a million new subscribers, but most of these new readers can't even read.

Designed to cater to the "emergent" reader in kindergarten and first grade, the Big Picture joins two other print editions and an online version of Time for Kids, a division of the newsmagazine giant. With an initial circulation of 500,000, the new biweekly magazine is intended for classroom use to foster an interest in the news and build pre-reading skills.

"I like to think we're opening up their eyes to the world," says Claudia Wallis, managing editor of Time For Kids and a mother of three. "We're trying to show them that they can understand issues that other people might think are over their head."

The four-page Big Picture edition tackles issues like the presidential election and the Sydney Olympics, often piggy-backing off of stories in Time magazine, says Wallis, who often sits in on the newsmagazine's daily story meeting to collect ideas for the kids' versions.

"We have a real newsmagazine mentality, rather than a lot of canned stuff planned months in advance," says Wallis, who started writing at Time in 1979 and worked her way up to senior editor before launching Time for Kids in 1995.

Since its audience can't read, the Big Picture edition fills its pages with photos, maps, charts and graphs that are easy for kids to understand. The September 8 issue focuses on the presidential election and includes a colorful U.S. map highlighting the two candidates' home states; a list and pictures of their favorite colors, foods, books and sports--George W. Bush likes to snack on popcorn; Al Gore prefers cookies and brownies--and photos of the two clans vying for first family status.

Wallis says her own children, ages 7, 11 and 14, appreciate Time for Kids' efforts. "They're very excited by what I do. They love my job, because they think it's very cool that I do something for kids."