November 21, 2024
As tween and teen girls come of age, they have many questions about who they are and what the future holds. It’s important that they establish a sense of self during this crucial time. The following popular products encourage a strong sense of identity, build self-esteem and offer a vision of the future without scrimping on fun. Because many of them are niche products available primarily at metaphysical stores and occult shops, they may do well brought to customers who may otherwise not discover them.
The Master Book of Candle Burning by ORIGINAL PUBLICATIONS
Can you say love spells? Quite popular among teen and tween girls, according to a number of retailers, most love spells involve candle burning rituals. This book, written by Henri Gamache, is one example of a best-selling item that teaches such ceremonies.
— At The Lucky Mojo Curio Co. in Forestville, Calif., Diana Edler, personal assistant and buyer, said this book is quite popular with younger clients. “In the last six months, business has really been exploding,” she said. Spells and candle burning that relate to love and “breaking up a boyfriend from a girlfriend” have been all the rage.
— “Over 120,000 copies sold. Truly the most popular candle burning book ever published,” claims the Abaxion website, a store based in Chico, Calif.
— Eri Glasor, sales associate at The Magical Blend Inc. in Montreal, said, “a lot of teens are into love spells.” She’s always sure to warn them, “It might not work out the way you want.” Her store manufactures many of its own products, including the pink candle, attraction oil and Fire of Love incense many teen customers use in casting their spells.
10/21/2005 (MSRP: $5.95; Age: 13 and Up)
Be a Teen Goddess by CITADEL PRESS
By Francesca De Grandis, this book teaches girls how to be strong through the performance of magical charms and spells, while encouraging them to be spiritual.
— “The spells in this book also work. I found this out when I accidentally (perfectly accidentally, thank you) did a love spell and within less than a week I had three guys attracted to me!” said Rachael “Nakoru” of Greenfield, Mass., who rated this book five out of five stars on Amazon.com.
— “I received so much mail from young adults, it showed me there was a need,” said De Grandis, explaining why she wrote the book. Since the book’s launch last April, “I’ve heard wonderful things from readers about it helping and empowering,” she added.
— Peaches Ballenger, manager of The Crystal Fox in Laurel, Md., said “Oh, this is another great one” for the teen/tween set, and added that it sells quite well at her store. She said one draw is that girls enjoy feeling a connection with the goddesses mentioned. 10/21/2005 (MSRP: $12.95; Age: 13 and Up)
Journey to Wild Divine: The Passage by THE WILD DIVINE PROJECT
This biofeedback computer program leads players through a realm of meditating yogis towering waterfall, magical animals and reflecting pools atop mystical mountains. It won’t let users move to the next level without reducing their level of stress and becoming more focused. The computer software comes with three sensors that measure heart-rate variability and skin conductance levels to determine players’ degree of physical and mental stress and energy.
— According to Nancy Baumgarten, camp director of the Enchanted Forest Intuitive Camp at Psykids.net, this is an item that her group highly recommends for children working on improving their psychic powers.
— Wendy Goldner, vice president of marketing for the company, said that children as young as age 4 can use the system. As she put it, “If someone pushes my buttons, this game increases my capacity to make decisions to deal with it.” It has already sold 50,000 copies in the past two years.
— A second version of the game, The Journey to Wild Divine: Wisdom Quest, recently hit stores on September 30, and the company is slowly rolling out the product in Whole Foods Markets, Goldner said. 10/21/2005 (MSRP: $150)
Ouija Board: Glow-in-the-Dark by HASBRO INC.
This classic, controversial game consists of a board with all the letters of the alphabet and all 10 digits written on it. Players ask the Ouija a question and then give into a “mysterious” power, letting their hands roll across the board using a special arrow-shaped game piece to select letters and numbers that “answer” the question.
— “This is even scarier than the original. Kids and adults love it,” said John Strait, owner of 2Kool Toys in Chicago, Ill.
— “This is the best sleep-over toy we sell. It’s scary, fun and now it glows in the dark,” said Robin Cosby, owner of Cosby Toys in Austin, Texas.
— The Glow-in-the Dark model has caught on at The Lucky Mojo Curio Co. in Forestville, Calif., according to Diana Edler, personal assistant and buyer.
9/30/2005 (MSRP: $17.99; Age: 5 and Up)
The Transformation Game by INNERLINKS
This unique board game allows players to gain awareness and heal pain as they move through different physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms. For 2 to 4 players, it allows children to answer questions about themselves in non-threatening ways.
— Nancy Baumgarten, camp director of the Enchanted Forest Intuitive Camp at Psykids.net, recommends this product for children working on expanding their intuitive powers.
— Cofounder Kathy Tyler said that the game, available to retail outlets since 1986, is a consistent seller available worldwide. Though sold at some game stores, it is more commonly found at metaphysical and new age shops.
— It was developed almost 30 years ago at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland, a unique group that respects nature and believes in developing new ways of living infused with spiritual values, and is still used there today.
10/21/2005 (MSRP: $59.95; Age: 12 and Up)
The Teen Spell Book: Magick for Young Witches by TEN SPEED PRESS
This unique 320-page book by Jamie Wood, geared toward the teenage set, guides readers through the casting of different spells. It asks readers to use their inner power and seek protection and guidance to realize their dreams.
— Julie Bennett, senior acquisitions manager at Ten Speed Press, said this book is a best seller for the company.
— According to “A Kid’s Review” on Amazon.com, who gave this book five stars, “It explains about witchcraft and spells, and it is amazing! All of my friends have asked to borrow it, so after I read and reread it, I barely saw it, because all of my friends have been reading it!”
— The book sold so well that it is being followed up by “The Enchanted Diary,” a second book by the same author, that leads girls through a number of self-realization activities. Since its release over the summer, it is already selling well, according to Bennett.
10/21/2005 (MSRP: $12.95; Age: 12 and Up)
Maria Shaw's Tarot Kit for Teens by LLEWELLYN PUBLICATIONS
For years, tarot cards have been used by fortune tellers the world over. While they come in many different styles, this popular deck and explanatory book is positioned specifically for the teen market.
— The kit made Llewellyn’s Top Titles page in their 2006 winter catalog with over 200,000 copies sold. It was so popular, Llewellyn released another teen-friendly tarot book, “Seeker: The Tarot Unveiled” by Rachel Pollack, just this past August.
— “For a while, I was just reading the Rider-Waite kind, and I couldn´t interpret their meanings as [well] as I wanted to. When I got this, however, it helped me 10 times better!” wrote Minkis “Sims Fanatic” of Grosse Ile, Mich., who gave the product five out of five stars on Amazon.com.
— Online retailer Dave Roell, owner of The Astrology Center of America, said young female adults make up the bulk of his tarot card customers. He said he stocks many of Llewellyn’s tarot cards, though not this particular deck, and they sell quite well.
10/21/2005 (MSRP: $19.95; Age: 13 and Up)
To Ride a Silver Broomstick by LLEWELLYN PUBLICATIONS
By popular author Silver RavenWolf, this everyday spell book acts as a good starting point for any teen interested in spells, magic and witchcraft.
— “We have a whole teen witch section,” said Eri Glasor, sales associate at The Magical Blend Inc. in Montreal, who recommends this book first to her customers. “I’d try out a couple of Silver spells and then move onto the philosophy behind it. Magic is quite philosophical.”
— This book received an average of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars on Epinions.com. Meghen R. wrote, “As a teacher of Wicca, I have certain criteria for my students. Reading requirements are just one of them. I have this book as one of four reading requirements for the first degree. I absolutely love Ravenwolf´s style!”
— The kit made Llewellyn’s Top Titles page in their 2006 winter catalog with over 314,513 copies sold.
10/21/2005 (MSRP: $14.95; Age: 15 and Up)
Mapping Your Birth Chart by LLEWELLYN PUBLICATIONS
Part of Llewellyn’s Astrology Made Easy line, this book comes with a CD that allows users to plug in their birth times and other personal information so that they can do their own readings.
— Alison Aten, publicity manager for Llewellyn, said that this product, though not implicitly designed with teens and tweens in mind, likely draws in many young astrologists because it includes tech features.
— “You just punch in your information and it’s pretty accurate,” said Peaches Ballenger, manager of The Crystal Fox in Laurel, Md., who said the program is easy to use, unlike other astrology chart mechanisms. She added that “astrology is big” for teen/tween girls.
— According to Randall Sapphire, a reviewer on ecauldron.com, this program “sets itself apart from the pack by skipping all the complex details of creating a chart that usually scares away everyone but the math lover.” 10/21/2005 (MSRP: $19.95; Age: 15 and Up)
Magic 8 Ball by MATTEL INC.
This all-knowing soothsayer has sure stood the test of time. Shake it up, ask it a yes or no question and in the window will appear the answer.
— Briana Miller, manager of Rockridge Kids of Oakland, Calif., said that when they get the product in, it “sells just fine.”
— According to Palo Alto Sport & Toy World manager, Eric Hager, this product still sells well for customers of all ages. For tween and teen girls, his store did “okay” with a pink tween/teen girl version called the Magic Date Ball. He suspects his store will get it back on shelves if they can negotiate a good price.
— “I never had one as a kid, and as a result I was unfocused and directionless. Fortunately, I now have one in my office, and it helps me greatly in my professional life,” wrote Robert I. Hedges from Burnsville, Minn. who gave the product 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com.
10/21/2005 (MSRP: $5.99; Age: 6 and Up)
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