University of Mississippi

                                                      Boy’s Life 

Boy’s Life

 editor J.D. Owen explained the longevity of his then 85-year-old Boy Scouts 

of America publication in 1995. Through the years, the specialized magazine has achieved its 

mission “to entertain and educate America’s youth, and to open their eyes to the joyous world of 

reading. We do that through a mix of news, nature, sports, history, fiction, science, comics, and 

Scouting.”

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The successful formula for “The Magazine for All Boys” is focusing on fun—making 

subject matter come to life with exciting colorful graphics, splashy photos and illustrations for a 

broad spectrum of interests with jokes, true hero stories, and condensed comic book forms of the 

classics such as 

Gulliver’s Travels

, 

Don Quixote

, and 

Hans Brinker and His Silver Skates 

(written by none other than 

St. Nicholas

 editor Mary Mapes Dodge). Legendary authors, artists 

and heroes including Norman Rockwell, Ansel Adams, Ray Bradbury, Pearl Buck, Alex Haley, 

and Orville Wright have contributed.

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In 1996 

Boys’ Life

 began including a special eight page section for seven- to 11-year-old 

readers that consists of highly visual editorial heavy on graphics and light on text. The other 

section for junior and high school readers has meaty outdoor skill information, serialized articles, 

and the opportunity to address issues for older youth. In addition to a successful formula and 

quality content, lack of competition may explain the publication’s longtime popularity.  

“While there is a lot of competition at the younger end and for teenage girls, 

Boys’ Life

 is 

the only magazine that has appeal for teenage boys,” Owen said. “Our reason for being is to 

encourage reading and promote literacy.”

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