Kookie is a collaboration, founded and produced by childhood friends Nicky Shortridge and Vivien Jones – along with a talented bunch of creative contributors. Issue 1 was published in December 2017.

Since meeting at school 30+ years ago, our professional lives have travelled through editing, writing, publishing and design. Today we’re parents too (I have a pre-teen son, Viv has two teenage daughters). Kookie is the kind of magazine we wish we’d had growing up – and couldn’t believe still wasn’t widely available today.

I live in Australia, Viv is in the UK, and Kookie is magically created somewhere in between.

Welcome to our magazine!

– Nicky

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Who is Kookie for?

Kookie is created for pre-teen girls aged around 7-ish to 12-ish. But anyone can enjoy it!

Where’s the advertising?

There isn’t any. Just 52+ pages of fantastic content – and no ads at all.

Why print?

Kookie is proudly print, because pre-teens love interacting with a physical magazine – receiving it in the post, colouring in pictures, filling out quizzes, reading stories on the page – all without a charger in sight.

Why do we need another magazine?

Back when we were thinking about launching Kookie, research done by Girlguiding in the UK (‘Girls’ attitudes survey 2016’) and Plan International Australia with Our Watch (‘Everyday sexism’, 2016) made a big impression on us. Girlguiding found that three-quarters (74%) of girls aged 7-10 often felt they could do anything if they tried, but this proportion fell to less than half (40%) among 17 to 21-year-olds. Plan International Australia and Our Watch found that almost all girls (98%) aged 15 to 19 believed they didn’t receive equal treatment to boys. There were other worrying results and the picture is still much the same today.

Kookie exists to meet the needs of an under-served audience: pre-teen girls who want (and deserve) a magazine that provides a rounded and optimistic sense of who they are and what they could become. A magazine that respects and reflects girls with all kinds of interests, backgrounds and strengths, and helps to build their resolve for the challenging teenage years and beyond.

Can boys read Kookie too?

Of course they can (and do). Our magazine is girl-led, but we keep the content non-gendered. Reading about girls in challenging, creative and leading roles is good for everyone!

How do I get a copy?

You can subscribe or buy a single issue in our store.

Where do you ship Kookie to?

Anywhere in the world. (Although services to some countries have been suspended during the pandemic. For the latest on international deliveries, please visit Australia Post.)

Why are there two editions?

We print Kookie in Australia and the UK. It’s the same fabulous magazine, with unique local features keeping content relevant for readers of each edition. Our aim is to build a worldwide community of Kookie goodness.

Can I contribute to Kookie?

We LOVE to hear from readers. If you’re a pre-teen girl who likes to write, draw or take photographs, or have something special to say – about absolutely anything! – please get in touch. Find out more about submitting to Kookie here.

What were those awards for?

Our magazine took out the Consumer Publication of the Year (Small Publisher) category at the Mumbrella Publish Awards 2019 and was named Launch of the Year at the BSME Awards 2018. We’re stoked that Kookie has received this recognition.

Want to know more? Ask us.