Highlights for Children
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "I was reading reviews, thinking of ordering a subscription for my granddaughters. I loved the magazine when I was a kid. I only got to read it in the doctor's office or if a classmate brought one to school because we were too poor to afford it. I was so jealous of the kids who had this delivered to their home every month. What a luxury. I was ready to order something else after reading all the bad reviews of their marketing practices. Then I noticed that I had ordered it last year for other granddaughters. I knew that I wasn't getting any unsolicited items from them. I contacted my son. He told me that his girls love Highlights. The four year old is especially glad to get each edition. And no, he had never received unsolicited items or had any problems at all.\n\nI do not doubt that they engage in the practices that are alleged. The stories are too similar to discount and why would anyone lie about it. I am guessing that because the billing and shipping addresses differ we are not subject to the problem. I notice that grandparents are not complaining about the practice. It appears that because they have no billing information on the recipient they don't bother with the scam.\n\nMy advice is to have the grandparents order the magazine for the kids if you want to receive it."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2019', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-2 review-rating', 'review_body': 'First, the magazine purchase is set to automatically renew each year. Such a headache. I couldn’t wait for it to expire then missed the chance to cancel auto renewal by one day.\nThe magazine has very short stories usually set in different countries involving characters of other ethnicities. This is to make us feel like it’s an inclusive magazine; however, they will write about every religion except Christianity. There is a Jewish story every month but even for the month of December I am lucky to find a mention of Christmas. Certainly there is nothing more in-depth than a nod to baking cookies and building a snowman. Very disappointing.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2019', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'First of all, we purchased the HIGHLIGHTS magazine for our son, that\'s all well and good. BUT, here\'s the SCAM! We were gifted a one year subscription of the HIDDEN PICTURES CLUB. That should have concluded and we shouldn\'t have received any more magazines. We did along with a COLLECTIONS NOTICE. I called, tried to enter the provided Account Number, which the system claimed didn\'t exist... uh huh. Then I speak to a representative, and explain I never signed up for this. She said "it says here a postcard was mailed in." I said, "wouldn\'t I have had to pay to start a subscription? Wouldn\'t you have to have payment on file?" She said "I don\'t know, it just says you sent in a postcard." Well, we didn\'t so.... anyway, she took care of it "this ONE TIME." Like gee, thanks for taking care of me not having to pay for something I didn\'t sign up for. Will have to decide if we\'ll continue to support the HIGHLIGHTS family.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2017', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'In the last 3 years ordered 5 types of magazines for my kids, ages 5 to 11, and the Highlights is by far their favorite. Of course they\'re more drawn to the comics and the games first, but they do read the long articles when they\'re bored. And they\'re bored a lot because I don\'t let them watch too much TV or iPad. The key to get them interested in reading is to give them time to be bored.\n\nAnyways, I\'m glad I didn\'t get scared by the "free offer" that isn\'t free. The price $7.95 is right there on the same page as you can see on the photo I uploaded. One thing I know in life is that nothing is free, maybe except for love.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': "My daughter received 2 puzzle books. I thought it was just part of the subscription. Suddenly I get a bill for $23 with late fees and shipping and threats of it going into collections. Don't order Highlights Magazine."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "I haven't gotten any of the junk/promo subscriptions that others are complaining about. That said I teach my kid about things in life and to never trust when someone or something says 'free'. My 6 years old knows that in the end, everybody just wants your money, so don't get fooled/tricked. So when he saw the 'free/ask your parents/you win' promos, he checked with me first and I read him the fine print and explained how the hook and sinker of 'the free deal' to him.\nThe magazine itself is pretty fun for him, some stuff he is too young for, some stuff is too easy. Thats good this way he can grow with it."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2016', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Read and believe the other bad reviews - they are spot on. I\'m sending them a letter today, I think it says it all:\n\nI am so greatly disappointed in our experience with your magazine, I want to tell the world to save others the same headaches. But I’m going to start with you.\n\nWe signed up for this subscription for our daughter and feel that the perceived value of the magazine was greatly inflated. The magazines came. Then the bills came. And came. And I paid and then I cancelled. But the magazines still came. I CALLED and cancelled and was told that there would be a few more coming my way. I was never once told to send those back. So months after cancelling over the phone, I receive another bill. I write “CANCELLED” on it and sent it back, only to receive a past-due bill threatening to add a late fee. I am beyond flabbergasted at the incompetency of your system and the complete lack of helpful customer service.\n\nSo since we don’t have the issues (because I was never told to send them back and my daughter couldn’t care less about even opening them) I have to pay almost $30. OH, and since there’s yet ANOTHER on the way, I’ll have to remember to pull that from the mail, refuse it, AND send it back.\n\nWhen cancelling today I spent almost 15 minutes on hold before being connected with an actual person. And after my “customer service” experience, and telling the operator that I wanted “NO MORE MAGAZINES, nothing at all”… she ended the call straight from her script, offering me just a “one-time purchase” option. Comical really.\n\nYour system is seriously flawed. Or it’s complete genius as you trap poor parents trying to do something for their kids and the school. And since your “customer service” is anything but, I’m saddled with paying almost $30 and surely another $20 or so when the issues keep pouring in. Also, are you really giving back to the schools like I was initially told? That was one of the main reasons we did this. I’ll do myself a favor and think “YES, OF COURSE THEY ARE! because thinking otherwise would leave even a worse taste in my mouth.\n\nI’m sending this check in protest. I really hope others aren’t having the same issues I had with this.\n\nUPDATE 3/14/16: A month after sending this letter AND MY CHECK (which they have yet to cash!), I get another invoice in the mail, stating that they have yet to hear from me, outside of a "cancellation" note on an invoice (this after an extensive phone call with their "customer service"). Ridiculous! OH, and a late fee as well. This is absolutely criminal.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2019', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': "I like the product and always have. I'm disappointed that after ordering a few weeks ago I have already started receive spam mail to extend my subscription despite my first issue not arriving for another month."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2018', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "We got our first issue and it is a lot of fun. I have a seven and four year old and we look through the whole issue together. We get a lot of time together per issue. I spend more time in this magazine than I do when I browse my wife's entertainment weekly. Lots of content\n\nI also had highlights as a kid"}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2019', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-1 review-rating', 'review_body': 'I did not order this. I was looking at the page to try to find a single print issue to wrap for a subscription I previously purchased, and am now being charged for the digital copy without ever confirming the purchase.'}]