(1953– ; Oct. 7, 1953–Dec. 25, 1963, as Junior Guide ; weekly; RH ; 1994 circulation, 34,000; file in RH ; indexed in the SDA Periodical Index, 1971– ). A paper for readers aged 10 through 14. The first official action that led to the publishing of Guide was probably a meeting of the officers of the General Conference during the Autumn Council in 1951, from which came a recommendation to “give study to the adjusting of the content of our existing children’s and youth’s papers so as to provide a journal especially adapted to the junior age group.”
On Apr. 9, 1952, during the spring meeting of the General Conference Committee, it was voted “that a journal be provided for junior youth” from 10 years to 15. On Oct. 20 it was voted that the Review and Herald should be the publisher, and on Nov. 20 it was voted to call Lawrence Maxwell from the Northern California Conference to be the editor.
Through a contest announced in the pages of the Youth’s Instructor , the title Junior Guide (submitted by 225 out of 1,600 entries) was adopted.
The first issue, dated Oct. 7, 1953, contained 16 pages. There were three stories, an editorial, an article on the MV Honor in stars, instructions on making a crystal radio set and a tight-line telephone, news of Pathfinder activities, and the junior Sabbath school lesson.
Beginning with volume 2 in January 1954, the number of pages was increased to 24, and the size was reduced. Further reductions were made Jan. 4, 1967, and July 4, 1973. The printing was in one color until January 1967, when a second color was added to each issue.
Beginning with the first issue of 1964, the name was changed to Guide and the earliteen Sabbath school lessons were added. A switch to offset printing and an increase to 32 pages were accomplished with the Mar. 18 issue.
Each issue uses several communication methods and styles of writing. These include true stories, parables and allegories, Christian humor, and truth-conveying fiction. Along with life-changing stories, young readers enjoy special columns that provide honest answers to tough questions today’s juniors are asking, encourage readers to react from a biblical perspective to current events, give problem-solving advice from Christian counselors, and help readers find their way through the Bible. The first issue of each month is specially crafted for sharing with a friend who may not know Jesus. Twice a year the entire issue is a cover-to-cover story that invites the reader to choose Jesus as Saviour and Friend.
Editors: Lawrence Maxwell, 1953–1970; Lowell Litten, 1970–1983; Penny Estes Wheeler, 1983–1986; Jeannette Johnson, 1986–1994; Carolyn Rathbun, 1995– .