Tween Magazine, founded by Mary Flenner, is a quarterly print publication for girls ages 8–12, focused on inspiring confidence, creativity, and connection through fun, age-appropriate content—no celebrity gossip, just real stories, advice, and activities that empower.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to create Tween Magazine.
I grew up reading magazines that weren’t always great for girls—they focused a lot on impressing boys, celebrity gossip, and unrealistic beauty standards. Like most preteens at the time, I also read content that was way too mature for my age.
Now, as a mom of three daughters—including two tweens—I wanted something better for them. One day they asked if there was a magazine they could read,, and I realized there really wasn’t anything that felt both fun and age-appropriate.
With nearly 20 years of experience in writing and marketing, I decided to create the magazine I wished existed for my girls—a mix of fun, friendship, advice, creativity, career inspiration, and positive stories about real girls.
2. How has your background in marketing and media shaped the vision for the magazine?
I’ve seen firsthand how powerful storytelling can be—and how much representation, tone, and intention matter, especially when it comes to content for kids. Over the years, I noticed a gap in the market: a lack of media that truly honors girlhood without rushing girls to grow up too fast.
With that insight, I set out to create a magazine that feels both fun and meaningful—one that inspires creativity, encourages confidence, and reflects real tween girls. My experience has helped ensure the magazine is not only beautifully produced but also rooted in strong editorial values and a respect for our audience.
3. What sets Tween Magazine apart from other content created for this age group?
Tween is the only lifestyle magazine made just for girls ages 8 to 12—those tricky in-between years when you're not a little kid anymore, but not quite a teen.
We keep it real with content that actually matters to tweens: changing bodies, friendship drama, confidence, life skills—and we do it all in a way that’s honest, uplifting, and never cringey.
No photoshopped models, no "sexy" fashion, no pressure to grow up too fast. Just smart, fun, age-appropriate content parents can trust—and girls actually want to read.
Plus, we cover everything: inspiring real girls, cool careers, mental health, crafts, quizzes, recipes, and more. Think of us as the go-to guide for tween life—with heart, humor, and a lot of fun.
4. What topics or themes do you think are most important to address with tween readers today?
Around this preteen age, navigating friendships is so hard as girls try to find their tribe. There’s jealousy, competition, mean girls, group texts, and all the added complications of phones and social media. Group texts can turn into bullying, not getting a Like on social media can feel like a betrayal. Emotions are so high at this age, and we try to provide realistic advice for girls on how to be a good friend and show how important it is to celebrate each other.
5. As girls start to explore their identity during these years, how does the magazine aim to support their confidence and self-expression?
Girls are trying to fit in, and confidence plummets 30% around age 8 to 12 (according to a YPulse poll). So it’s important to us to help girls build confidence and feel secure in who they are. We want to celebrate girls for what makes them weird and unique, and not encourage them to try to fit in with the “cool crowd,” or keep up with the latest trends.
In Issue 3 we have a feature on “What makes me, ME!” and are asking girls to share things that make them unique, whether it’s the little gap between their front teeth, freckles, or a different ability.
All of the communication around beauty, style, fashion, etc. is always thoughtfully approached and positioned to girls in a way that encourages them to embrace their own individuality. Your best friend might be into something you’re not, and that’s okay!
6. What’s been one of your favorite features or reader responses so far?
The moms who grew up reading magazines are rooting for us and are so happy to finally have something their girls can read.
People really love our penpal program, the travel stories, and the Real Girl Who Rocks feature. It warms my heart when people share that their daughter came home from school and an article really helped her through a hard time with a friend, or in dealing with anxiety.
Someone recently said, “Thank you for putting good into the world,” which meant a lot. And another mom recently shared that she has even caught her husband and sons reading Tween!
7. Where do you see Tween Magazine in the next few years?
I’d love to get Tween in some retail stores and possibly increase to six times a year eventually.! I also see some in-person events in the future.
8. What advice would you give to parents or caregivers looking to better understand and connect with their tween girls?
Resources like the book “Untangled” by Lisa D’Amour have been so helpful for me. Books about the preteen years helped me to gain perspective as to what to expect, what is normal, and why they might be acting in a certain way. Some of my biggest takeaways were to listen, spend quality time with them, and don’t pass judgment on them or their friends. Be the calm and steady for them during this rocky time.
9. Is there anything else you'd like to share about your mission or what’s next for Tween Magazine?
We are so happy to have found so much support during our first year launch. If you’re interested in subscribing to Tween, or giving it as a gift, check us out at TweenMag.com
You can also follow us on Instagram, where we post about parenting tweens and more.
Mary’s vision for Tween Magazine reminds us how important it is to give girls content that celebrates who they are. Explore more on TweenMag.com.
