[Ilanna]

Has anyone here been turned by Cricket? They turned down my short story "Lunch Box" which was about poverty and hunger. They said it wasn't "appropriate" for their publications. Any one heard this before? 

[Aimee W. Posts: 459 Status: Offline MADNESS WWW]

If it's a matter of being appropriate, was it written so grade school kids will understand it without getting a case of the soppy sads? If you read the mags which print the stories you're submitting to, you should have an idea of what level they publish at.

[MaryWitzl]

No, but I've been turned down by Cicada. My story was 'heartfelt, but not quite right'.  My kids loved all the Carus magazines, from Ladybug through Spider. I thought I had a pretty good idea of what would work, but I still got turned down. It was a kind, personal rejection though -- I'm going to try again.

[Ilanna]

Quite honestly, I was a bit taken aback by that comment. But I'll look at the magazine again and see if perhaps it was too much. I thought it was gentle enough to fit but perhaps not. It's a blow to the old ego though!

[Aimee W. Posts: 459 Status: Offline MADNESS WWW]

Have some hot chocolate and read a good book. Let it roll off....

[CarrieF Posts: 271 Status: Offline WWW]

I haven't submitted anything to them, but are you sure they meant the subject matter was not appropriate? Or were they maybe referring to some other aspect of the piece (e.g. the reading level)? I have gotten the "not appropriate" comment in contexts like that -- too young or too old for the audience, or too long (as in a long poem).

Just a thought...

Sorry about the rejection, it stinks, doesn't it?

Carrie

[olmue Posts: 4,233 Status: Offline WWW]

Sometimes, too, rejections are written in stock phrases which can't be taken at literal value. They just mean no, for whatever reason. Maybe they're all full. Maybe there's nothing wrong with yoru article, they were just thinking of something else. You never know. Have a hug and some chocolate, and get it back out there.  

[Franzilla Posts: 1,146 Status: Offline Gah! WWW]

Llana, I had a similar experience with a book publisher (I don't want to mention the name). They loved my story but said they didn't want to focus on hardship/poverty/hunger in relation to Africa (where the story was set) and so wanted to see other stories of mine, but wouldn't publish the one I'd sent. (The story's focus wasn't at all on poverty, but the child's life was represented realistically.)

I get the idea - they don't want to give the impression that all books/stories about a certain race/place have to be about being poor/hungry etc, so they try to publish books that are positive. That said, I got a little bit of an ostrich head in sand feeling about not publishing ANY books that even touch on these very real aspects of some people's lives.

It could be that Crickets has a similar policy.

[Vijaya Posts: 8,516 Status: Offline LISTEN. Let all mortal flesh keep silence ... WWW]

I have a drawerful of rejections from all kinds of magazines including Cricket. But it's not true that they don't publish serious stories. Not appropriate is a generic phrase that could be interpreted in many ways. Send out your story to other places. Pockets might like it.

Good luck.
Vijaya

[Sara Posts: 342 Status: Offline WWW]

I have lots of rejections from Cricket and Spider, neither of which has ever furnished me with more than a xeroxed form. So perhaps you should consider yourself lucky (and talented enough) that you got a comment?   

Anyway, better luck next time!

[Ilanna]

In April of this year, the focus of the magazine is on hope. I wonder if this could fit in somehow? Ultimately, it's about a young girl who cares enough to find out the truth and bring some hope to kids whose parents can't afford to pay for their lunches.

[jenniferfisher]

I've been rejected by Cricket, does that mean I am accepted into the R club? 
The Lunch Thief is a current picture book covering this topic, so I think it's a relevant story
http://www.tilburyhouse.com/childrens/the-lunch-thief.htm
Keep trying!

[lauriew Posts: 172 Status: Offline WWW]

Hi Ilanna, My guess is that it's way too late to get a story in the April issue. They probably closed that issue sometime last fall. Laurie