They USED to be longer. :_( 

It was a 12-month mag, until just a few months ago.  I'm glad they're cutting down on they're carbon footprint, but still, it's not fair!!!  My brother says that they don't do it at all in the summer.  AAARRRRRGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!  I miss it sooooo much.  They could have made the mag compostable or out of recycled paper, or both, but their excuse is that they encourage readers to pass on their mags or keep them to read again.  Really Cricket, you should be ashamed.  I agree it's good to pass them on or whatever, but you have all those stories about recycling and making sure the earth stays green, and you wont help!!!!  I think you should do more things to make Cricket green.  Now, I know that it is more expensive to buy recycled paper, and non toxic ink that will compost, but you would think with all of the tons of readers, you would be able to spare a little more money on the cost of supplies.  I also want you to think about the fact that so many devoted readers are breathing in these toxic ink fumes.  Have you ever smelled a new Cricket (mag) before?  Sure, it's nostalgic, but if you set aside that wonderful familiar feeling, it smells really bad.  I have kept all my Cricket mags for as long as I can remember, so I can't promise this next logic, is, actually, logical, but oh well.  I'm guessing, that you use basically the same sort of ink as a newspaper (though I could be wrong), so say you have a fire.  You know how when you put a newspaper into the fire, it burns up right away, but if you look closely, you can still see the words?  I personally, do NOT think that is healthy.  Now, Don't get me wrong.  Cricket is, and always will be my favorite mag.  But I really think you should improve, and update.  :)  But don't change any of the contents!!!  I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!  :)

They were longer? That's interesting. I don't think I would like a 12-month mag. I'm a fast reader and would finish it the first day!

Nice and long?  Kimberly, they cut the magazine in half. From 64 pages to 48 pages (one fourth) and then from 12 issues a year to 9 (one fourth again).  I really don't want to seem rantish, but to tell the truth, I'm still grieving.  Cricket used to be SO GOOD. It still is, but I miss my old magazine.  I miss the bugs they took out. I miss Lloyd Alexander. And although this site is THE BEST, it doesn't replace half of a magazine.  Maybe I spend half of my time on here, but honestly, I'd give it all back just if only I could have my old Cricket again.

Cricket was reduced to 48 pages in January 2008. It was an economic decision made by our business managers in order to keep publishing the very best stories and poems for young people. But it's not getting shorter and shorter. It's staying at 48 pages.