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ParentMap Awards

ParentMap newsmagazine is the award-winning monthly parenting publication connecting parents and the community around the greater Seattle and Puget Sound region. 

ParentMap Awards

2023 Awards

ParentMap wins 6 PMA awards, including 3 gold awards!

General Excellence category:  

Silver: Website General Excellence: ParentMap.com

"This original website design features fun icons and simple outlines to make each story stand alone, yet it provides a cohesive feel for the entire site. The regional options for newsletter signups are brilliant, as it caters to what parents want to know near their homes. Finally, an image-friendly calendar provides engaging updates for all audiences."

Editorial category:

Gold: Travel Feature: "Tea for Two"

"What a sweet idea for a story, and one that is masterfully crafted by a writer who is completely familiar with the landscape. A classic tea for two in a lovely spot has proved to be an ideal place for mother-daughter conversation, and the writer capitalizes on the depth of her knowledge by providing an inside look at the possibilities. Everything is covered here, from hours and cost to house specialties and added attractions — making the temptation almost irresistible."

Silver: Travel Feature: "City Lit"

"Who knew so many children’s books could be revisited by touring their places of origin in New York? From The Plaza Hotel where “Eloise” lived with her nanny, dog and turtle, to the Upper East Side neighborhood where “Harriet the Spy” operated, this is a welcome guide for any family visit to the city."

Gold: Personal Essay: "9 Things Breast Cancer Taught Me About Raising Teens"

“'One hell of a journey' was the phrase used by the writer to describe her travels through cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery, but the phrase much more describes a family’s transformation. There were rules that were never to be broken; now, forget about them. Micromanaging a household is out of the picture. Step by step, no-no’s by no-no’s, things changed. Children went from being children to almost adults – sharing, caring, responsible. It’s beautifully written with pitch-perfect pacing, examples, facts, praises and emotional reflections."

Bronze: Service Feature: "Stop What You’re Doing and Start Supporting Your Child’s School Library"

"From the knowledgeable perspective of a librarian, this story first establishes the importance and impact of school libraries, and then provides actionable ideas for how to support them. Personal anecdotes paired with advice make this a feature that’s both useful and engaging."

ParentMap December 2022 Magazine CoverDesign category:

Gold: Front Cover: Use of Stock Photo "Winter Holiday Arts"

"The two cover images are fantastic choices. The child echoes the ballerina’s arms and expression. They share similar white clothing and headdresses. The small caption below the insert photo says, “Let it Snow,” while the main photograph shows that snow. This is truly 'Holiday Magic.'"

 

 


2015 Awards

ParentMap wins 16 PMA awards, including 8 Gold Awards!

ParentMap earned the high honor of the gold award in General Website Excellence within the Parenting Media Association industry for the 5th year in a row! ParentMap also won additional awards in the editorial and design categories.

General Excellence category:  

Gold: Website General Excellence: ParentMap.com

"Outstanding content that’s always timely. Fun navigation and design style that still allows people to find what they’re looking for quickly. Typography is outstanding. Great use of pullouts, infoboxes and great linking out to relevant pages. Content is well written and complemented by strong local photography."

Digital category: 

ParentMap eNewsGold: Best eNewsletter: eNewsletters

"ParentMap has long been a leader in the genre, providing parents with timely information, resources and services. This newsletter puts it all in front of readers. Featured content is served up in a clean and clear design. There is a wide variety of editorial content, ranging from detailed explainers on Common Core and standardized testing – and how to opt out, to advice on whether to force a child to participate in sports, to when and how to discipline a child who acts out."

Gold: Best use of multimedia: "Healthy Kids Cook" Series

"When the staff at ParentMap created their Healthy Kids Cook video series they managed to create something that, useful and engaging for both parents and kids. These videos do a great job of showing how parents and kids can work together to make a quick meal, but unlike many adult-child cooking segments, this video treats their young chefs as full participants in the segment. Kids offered up food facts and their own jokes as part of the video."

Silver: Best Use of Social Media: Social Campaigns on Facebook, TwitterPinterest

"These campaigns demonstrate a clear strategy of attracting audience numbers and loyalty. The magazine is offering readers a way to connect with the brand around things that matter to them, whether that’s photos of their own children or promoting their favorite businesses. In addition, the regional Facebook groups offer a chance for the brand to be a conduit for connection with other parents. That’s an idea worth stealing."

Editorial category: 

Ice Cream ImageGold: Non Traditional Story Form Feature: "Brain Freeze: Ice Cream Day Trips"

"Taking a story about summer treats to the next level, this feature cleverly pairs ice cream venues with nearby outdoor activities so readers can feel good about the indulgence. Photos effectively portray what's in store at each location. The story also highlights mobile ice cream providers, and offers readers all the details they need to act on the ideas presented."

Gold: General Feature Writing: "Free Range Challenge"

"After hearing so much about the free-range parenting debate, three Seattle parents set specific goals to loosen the reins and see what would happen. Most of the challenges involved decisions not to hover — let children play, cook, bike, make choices on their own. The first-person observations are direct, insightful and self-aware, with conclusions that are thoughtful and well worth reading."

Gold: Travel Feature: "Language-Learning Vacations"

"The writer’s strong voice and colorful details make her passion clear and contagious. What a fresh approach to travel!"

Silver: Overall Writing

"The line above the title tips a reader off to the tone of this winner: ‘cause parenting is a trip! When so much of the news is depressing or frightening, it’s a real pleasure to pick up a magazine that is relentlessly – but not foolishly or dishonestly – upbeat. A trip, indeed."

Silver: Special Seciton Within a Publication: ParentMap Baby

"New parents will be entertained, educated and provoked by the wide-ranging content in this section. And, if it takes a village, parents will appreciate their peers’ tips in the “find your village” guide."

Making It Work LogoBronze: Special Series: "Making it Work"

"This is an interesting mix of individual anecdotes, expert comment and international perspective on the increasingly important topic of balancing work and family life."

Bronze: News Feature: "The Flipped Classroom"

"Just flat-out interesting. The story localizes and explains a very hot trend in education. It doesn’t function as a booster piece, just illustrates the pros and cons of the classroom through quotes and reporting."

Ancillary category: 

Gold: Ancillary Overal Writing: ParentMap Learning

"This auxiliary publication establishes a strong theme and sticks with it throughout, offering insightful advice for parents looking to ensure their young students are getting the most from their education and highlighting successful strategies that local families and schools are employing. We can all learn something from the way this magazine is put together."

Bronze: Ancillary Overall Design: Winter Family Adventure Guide

"When you open this adventure guide, hang on to your hats. There’s color! Photographs! Big type! Excitement. The design of the features about the various activities is active, yet not over the type. There is ample leading and additional white space above and below subheads to provide a good reading experience."

Design category:

Cover IconGold: Interior Illustration: "Find Your Village!"

"Illustration has many advantages over photography (in the right circumstances). One is the ability to isolate content without distracting foregrounds or backgrounds, thus more effective in small spaces. These are nicely executed visual descriptions of the accompanying text."

Silver: Front Cover Illustration: ParentMap February 2015

"Everything rotates around the clock in the center, emphasizing the lead tease, “Making it Work.” The surrounding words represent the things parents balance in their busy lives. The clutter adds to the theme."

Bronze: Special Section: ParentMap Baby

"This section does a superb job of using photos, color and type to help supplement the content while not making it a distraction. Readers can find many entry points into the story, which shows designers and editors have collaborated to make sure the information is presented clearly and creatively."
 


 


2014 Awards

ParentMap wins 2 PMA Gold Awards!

ParentMap earned the high honor of the gold award in General Website Excellence within the Parenting Media Association industry for the 4th year in a row! ParentMap also won an additional gold in the design category for our highly acclaimed Gender Issue, "Beyond Pink & Blue". We look forward to more great praise for ParentMap in 2015!

General Excellence category:

Gold: Website General Excellence

"In a word, a visitor’s experience on ParentMap’s website is phenomenal. The typography, visuals and use of color are stunning. The redesign demonstrates a clear understanding of how web user’s tastes and habits have evolved. While responsive in its design, the site is still attractive and well laid out well on a computer’s web browser. Navigation is intuitive and content is easy to find. It should be noted that the editors strive to represent the diversity of their city in the production of their content and its placement on their site."

Design category:

Gold: Front Cover: Illustration

"This is smart, serious illustration. Smart photo, too. As a viewer, you aren't sure of the sex of the child. Good idea to divide the child between the colors. Then you take the extra twist on the headline by changing the colors of the words ‘pink’ and ‘blue’. This feels like you are taking a researched look at the topic in the vein of a news magazine."

 


 

2013 Awards

ParentMap wins 4 PMA Gold Awards! 

General Excellence category:

Gold: Website General Excellence

This site does just about everything well: Great local stories that include weighty material such as talking to kids about gun violence; ample multimedia offerings; thoughtful navigation with multiple ways to find specific content; a great calendar interface; and an attractive design that projects a unique personality and adjusts itself to fit a range of mobile devices. In short, this site provides a good model for other publications to strive for."

Editorial categories:

Gold: Best Travel Feature — "Modern Family Camp" by ParentMap Out & About Editor, Elisa Murray

"Sending the kids off to camp is a rite of passage, but when the whole family goes it lays the groundwork for an interesting story. Insightful reporting provides the details that may give readers a new idea for a family vacation."

Gold: Best Blog or Blogger — "Parent Stories" by ParentMap's distinct parent writers

"Far and away this category's winner. These blog entries stand apart by being uniformly well written and compelling. The topic choices are as bright as the writing. The mix of different writers provides several distinctive voices within the blog and the topics are wide-ranging, from taking kids to a Macklemore concert to how to handle kids and the toy guns they receive for Christmas."

Digital categories:

Silver: Best E-Newsletter — "ParentMap News"

"This colorful and vibrant newsletter is full of important information of interest to parents at every stage of childrearing. Featuring a mix of text, video and social media content gives readers the promise of a fully interactive experience on the publication’s full website."

NOTE: ParentMap also won the silver for Best E-Newsletter in 2012.

 


 

2012 Awards

ParentMap wins 11 PMA awards and earns Gold in General Website Excellence

ParentMap earned the high honor of the gold award in General Website Excellence within the Parenting Media Association industry! ParentMap earned a total of 11 awards for 2012:

General Excellence category:

Gold: Website General Excellence

Editorial categories:

Gold: Column — Child Development and Parenting Issues: "Ages and Stages 3-6: Five Phrases We Should Avoid; Ages and Stages 3-5: Boogeyman Begone!"

Silver: Column — Family Matters: "October and November"

Finalist: Interview — "Someone You Should Know: Jesse Gillman"

Design categories:

Gold: Feature Layout — "Superheroes for Washington Families"

Gold: Best Promotion — "Good Stuff"

Silver: Ancillary Cover — "LearningMap Multiple Math Methods"

Silver: Front Cover — Use of Stock Photo: "How Green Are We?"

Finalist: Front Cover — Illustration: "September 2012"

Digital categories:

Gold: Best Use of Multimedia — "Education Expo- Video/Webinar Series"

Silver: Best E-Newsletter
 


 

2011 Awards

ParentMap wins 10 gold PPA awards; places 19 times as a finalist in various categories

We're pleased to announce that we won 10 gold awards at this year's Parenting Publications of America Convention, and that we placed as a finalist in 19 different categories!

10 gold awards won in the following categories:

Editorial Categories:


Briefs/Short Stuff - "October 2011" and "November 2011"
Column: Child Development and Parenting Issues - "Getting School Ready"
Investigative Reporting - "TV Nation: Viewing time hits new heights"
General Feature Writing - "War Changes People" - Linda Morgan

Design Categories:


Front Cover/Glossy: Original Illustration - "TV Nation" Alli Arnold
Feature Layout/Color - "101 Ways to Save Money Now!"

Ancillary Publications Categories:


Ancillary Feature Design - "Golden Teddy Awards"

General Excellence:


Ancillary General Excellence - Gold "Golden Teddy Awards"
Website General Excellence - Gold "parentmap.com"
General Excellence - Gold

19 finalist positions in the following categories:


Editorial Categories:

Headlines Column: Family Fun "Out and About"; Profile - "Superheroes for Washington Families"; News Feature - "War Changes People"; Investigative Reporting - "TV Nation"; Service Feature - "Talking to Young Kids about Sex"; Overall Writing.

Design Categories:

Front Cover/Glossy: Use of Stock Photo - "December 2010" (War Changes People); Front Cover/Glossy: Original Illustration - "March 2011"; Interior Photography (Original) - "Superheroes for Washington Families"; Table of Contents - "July 2011," "August 2011"; Briefs/Short Stuff - "Mind + Body", January and February 2011; "Postings (Body Talk)", January and October 2011; Feature Layout/Color "War Changes People"; Overall Use of Photography - Superheroes for Washington Families"; Overall Finalist Special Section - "Education Gift Guide."

Ancillary Publications Category:

Ancillary Cover - "LearningMap 2011"; Ancillary Feature Writing - "Home School Cool"; Ancillary Overall Writing - "BabyMap 2011".

Website Categories:

Website Design

 


 

2010 Awards

ParentMap wins a record 30 awards in 2010!

ParentMap has just been awarded 30 prestigious industry awards for editorial, design and Web excellence! The Parenting Publications of America (PPA) awarded the honors at its annual convention in Charlotte, North Carolina last weekend. ParentMap was singled out from more than 1,000 entries from more than 60 publications in the US, Canada and Australia.

The 2010 awards - and the judges' comments - are as follows:

Website content

Gold Award: parentmap.com, Kristen Russell Dobson, Web editor; Kris Collingridge, Calendar and Out and About editor; Kristin Hart, Web product manager; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. ParentMap has mastered the art of writing for the Web, with a liberal use of short paragraphs, bullet points, bolded words and quick reads. The front page is a great listing of important news now -- the site reads like a news site and less like a magazine, taking advantage of the immediacy the Internet offers. Directories and calendar listings are very robust and contain great information for parents.

Website design

Bronze: parentmap.com; Kristin Hart, Web product manager; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. Clean design and soft, muted color palette make the top of the page very pleasing and easy to navigate to the links and content. Inside pages are equally clean, easy to navigate. Many of the page elements are the same from page to page, making site recognition easy and distinct.

Front cover: Glossy stock

Gold: ParentMap; "Full-time Daddy," Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher Denim colored blue jeans would overpowered the feet and it's the contrast of those two pair of feet that make this work so well. Smart use of duotone and type placement allows the eye to quickly find the content. Effective use of spot color sets off the nameplate and secondary story promos. Great, subtle execution.

Front cover: Original illustration

Gold: ParentMap, September cover; Alli Arnold, illustrator; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher The cover story is about fall arts, and the cover is a clever illustration of fall arts. Children form the letters. The message is art told in art.

Front cover: Stock illustration

Silver: ParentMap; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher The striking field of red grabs the reader's attention. The brushwork on the Chinese characters lend an interesting texture to the layout.

Interior photography

Bronze: ParentMap; Will Austin, photographer Bold use of portraits that go a long way in defining the story about heroes. The grand size reinforces the grand ideas. Excellent technical photography.

Gold: ParentMap; Katie McCullough Simmons, photographer. What a marvelously engaging photograph that gives readers lots to look at. The enigmatic glance of the Dalai Lama adds so much to the special exuberance of the singers. Excellent, authentic, surprising photography.

Table of contents - design

Gold: ParentMap; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher This is a design that likes to mix things up while still maintaining a sensible, easy-to-navigate design. Playful imagery, sectioned headers, and clear size dominance signals to readers which stories deserve the most attention.

Best overall use of photography

Silver: ParentMap (Jan, April and May 2009.) Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher Good design diversity on the covers, not just cute kids staring into the camera. The designs are clean and attention-getting. Simple and effective. In the January issue the lead photo is a very tightly shot right half of a girl's face on the cover. The left half is used as the lead image with the story. It's clean, simple, effective and reader can instantly tell that they're at the cover story. Stock images are used well, catch the eye on the page.

Gold: ParentMap (Dec. 2008, Feb. and June 2009.) Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

This magazine uses photography well as storytelling images. Looking at all three covers, there is a good diversity in the types of photos used. It’s easy to tell that these images go with stories in the issue. In this set of issues the photos are used a bit more dominantly in the feature stories, not just in the cover story.

Best overall use of color

Silver: ParentMap - May 2009; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher This magazine has chosen a rich, muted color palette and does not stray from it. The colors complement each other, and they are used to communicate hierarchy and direct the reader's eye. The palette plays a crucial role in defining the magazine's calm, pleasant personality.

Gold: ParentMap - February 2009; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

This magazine has chosen a rich, muted color palette and does not stray from it. The colors complement each other, and they are used to communicate hierarchy and direct the reader's eye. The palette plays a crucial role in defining the magazine's calm, pleasant personality.

Overall use of typography

Silver: ParentMap; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulken, publisher

A big part of ParentMap's consistency and approachability is its simple typography. The magazine is scannable and easy to navigate. Text type is friendly and sized well. When the display type with features varies from the rest of the publication, it stays enough in the same style as to feel cohesive.

Cover writing

Bronze: ParentMap (September and November); Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor, writer; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. Some fun alliteration is created with the cover blurbs, such as "Bratz, Barbie and Body Image." Good use of questions and exclamation points (which can be tough to do, especially on magazine covers).

Gold: ParentMap (February and June); Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor, writer; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. These cover lines use a pairing of title and deck to fully explain the article to readers. It's a wonderful formula that allows for both creativity and an opportunity to explain the story. These cover blurbs balance fun with providing crucial information for parents. Page numbers mean that readers won't have to hunt for a story.

Headline writing

Silver: ParentMap; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor, writer; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. It's rare to find a headline without a subhead in this publication, and they are all strongly written. For example, "Reading with toddlers: Storytime tips for wiggly kids" is bound the draw in every reader who has ever tried to get a child to sit still long enough to read a book – the headline does a great job of selling that article. It's just one example of many headlines in this publication that work well.

Column writing: child development

Gold: ParentMap; "Getting School Ready," Linda Morgan, writer. Strong storytelling and accomplished writing. Important lessons for parents with a gentle, well-sourced touch. Nice use of personal anecdotes.

Column writing: family matters

Silver: ParentMap; "Ages and Stages," Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

(Entire A&S section is the winner) Finding "me time" for mothers is becoming more difficult. The writer of this column does a good job of explaining why it is important for moms to get a break from the kids. It also has resources moms can turn to for help. The second column on finding the right babysitter is something mothers will clip out and put away as a reference guide. The information is excellent and real-life examples add to the resources provided in the column.

Column writing: family fun

Bronze: ParentMap; "Out + About: Fort Nisqually," Kris Collingridge, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. An informative column that combines a mother's voice with an expert's knowledge. Not a wasted word in these articles, written in an active, enthusiastic voice.

Silver: ParentMap; "Out + About: Penguin," Angie McCullagh, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. Nice use of personal anecdotes to add local flavor, combined with a great use of local information that readers can act upon. Lively and informative writing throughout.

Column writing: travel

Bronze: ParentMap; "More Maui, Less Money," Lora Shinn, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. Who doesn't want to go to Maui? Is lovely, but airfare has made it out of reach. This article helps you find the bargains, and plops you down on that silver sand for less.

Profile writing

Gold: ParentMap, "Superheroes for Washington Families," Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; ParentMap writing staff; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. A sparkling collection of sharply honed, revealing vignettes about people who make a difference in childrens' lives. Each mini-mini-profile punches to the heart and soul of its subject – and every one of them, no matter how short, has an outside perspective from someone who offers testimony to the subject's accomplishments and value.

Writing: news feature

Silver: ParentMap, “Unschool Me!” Lora Shinn, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. Letting children decide what they want to learn sounds illogical and foolhardy, but in the hands of this author, the story transforms into an interesting piece about "child led learning." With skillful reporting, interesting anecdotes to humanize the story, and an authoritative narrative voice, this feature article will cause readers to rethink what may be best for children.

Writing: investigative reporting

Silver: ParentMap; "Worked Up about Homework," Linda Morgan, associate editor; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. A pithy lead pulls the reader into this article that looks at the quantity and quality of homework that teachers assign students. The writer shows how homework can disrupt home life by talking to parents of local school kids. The writer also backs up the anecdotes with research.

Design: ancillary cover

Silver: ParentMap, BabyMap, Spring; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor. The cover photograph is as simple as the theme. The open background and the baby-in-the-basket work to establish a visual package. The tease lines along the bottom are small but written well. Design: ancillary feature

Bronze: ParentMap, BabyMap, Spring, "The No Waste Nursery," Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. What a creative use of photography in this layout. A great illustration idea that proves the basis of the story: simplicity is always the best option. Subheds and typography aid readers through the text of this layout.

Silver: ParentMap (Family Directory); "Family Fun All Year Long," Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. This layout uses art to its advantage as a means of breaking up long blocks of type. Use of typography and color help enhance the concept of the layout theme.

Writing: ancillary feature

Bronze: ParentMap LearningMap; Elaine Bowers, writer; Linda Morgan, editor; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. As children start school, whether they have the requisite maturity and skills is a longstanding question that resists easy analysis. Here the author takes up the issue and offers considered insights into the ongoing quandary of when to send a kid to kindergarten. It's the perfect example of an old idea, reported in a new and interesting way.

Silver: ParentMap BabyMap (Spring); Tera Schreiber, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

This creative, insightful and well-reported service journalism feature will help parents upend old notions of what a baby's nursery should include. This piece offers counterintuitive but helpful suggestions about what’s best, and most economical, for the baby who, as it turns out, doesn't need everything.

Ancillary general excellence

Bronze: ParentMap, Baby Map; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher. A baby guide for today's hip parents, including questions for your doula, plus fun ways to choose unusual names and how to have a greener nursery. A publication worth copying for other cities!

 


 

2009 Awards

ParentMap dominates the 2009 Industry Awards!

ParentMap was singled out from more than 1,000 entries from more than 80 publications in the US, Canada and Australia to win 19 prestigious awards in 2009. Among top honors won this year: the Gold Award for news reporting for the feature, “Teaching Empathy,” the Silver Award for excellence in overall writing, and the bronze for overall design. This here Website won the silver award for overall excellence.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to be recognized for doing what we love to do,” says PM head diva, publisher and founder Alayne Sulkin. “These 19 awards are a great honor, and a nice validation that we’re doing things right – really serving our community with the very best resources and information.”

The 2009 awards are for the following 2008 issues:

Design awards:

Front Cover/Stock Photo - Silver: “Facebook?” Emily Johnson, art director; Kristen Russell Dobson, editor.

"This cover brings a smile to your face and invites you to read the story. The secondary line, “The challenge of Generation Text” is an effective hook. Secondary story teases are packaged neatly along the bottom so there is no clutter."

Front Cover/Glossy: Original Illustration - Silver: “Mapping Your Career After Kids”; Alli Arnold, artist; Emily Johnson, art director

"Straightforward, colorful imagery that quickly illustrates the theme. Large, bold images communicate effectively. Composition suggests movement, not a static image."

Interior Illustration (Original) - Gold:  “Mapping your Career After Kids”; Alli Arnold, artist; Emily Johnson, art director

"The illustrator takes a complex story – mapping a career after kids – and sets a scene that includes the frenetic lifestyle but also presents the possibility of a plan. The simple style that uses a contemporary palette and getting beyond the typical portrayal of a mother both helped to make this a winner."

Table of Contents - Bronze:  “August 2008”; Emily Johnson, art director; Kristen Russell Dobson, editor

"The designer of this contents page leaves no doubt what is most important in the issue, with a dominant tease that earns half the page’s space. The rest of the page is kept simple and easy to follow."

Calendar of Events - Silver: Emily Johnson, art director; Kris Collingridge, calendar editor

"A vivid, contemporary color scheme sets an exciting tone and beckons the reader. The calendar grid layout makes these pages particularly user-friendly. The 'hot tip!' box in the June calendar provides a nice focal point as well."

Feature layout - Bronze: “Superheroes for Washington families”; Emily Johnson, art director; Will Austin, photographer; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"Generous portrait sizes, fun tips boxes and good white space make for a nice profile series on superheroes for Washington families. The portraits are especially well done, and balanced well with fun candids to balance the presentation."

Overall Use of Color - Bronze: Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"Bold, attractive colors in the cover illustrations of the July and September issues are effectively mirrored in the tease type below. Elsewhere, well-selected color combinations give the publication an up-to-date feel, for example on the summer safety layout and on the monthly calendar pages."

Overall Design - Bronze: Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"A rich color palette sets the tone for this down-to-earth publication. It’s easy and fun to read, with simple typography and a good use of space."

Ancillary Feature Design - Silver: Family Directory 2008; “Family Fun All Year Long”; Emily Johnson, art director; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"A delightful design for what might have been just a traditional calendar of events listing. The artwork is crisp and the images engaging. Color is used to inform and draw readers into the design. Typography is crisp and easily legible. Informative and fun."

Editorial awards:

Cover Writing - Gold: Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulken, publisher

"The editors give lots of space to the lead story of their magazine and the cover-line writer makes this work. With effective, short and snappy lead-ins like 'Entitle-mania' we know the magazine confronts the contemporary issues in parenting. The cover lines are smart and effective; well done. The writing is fresh, making these a great read."

Column: Briefs/Short Stuff - Gold: “Postings”; Kristen Russell Dobson, writer, Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"The secret is in the writing – bright, breezy and brief! Subheds sing, and Green Bites are a great idea for today’s environmentally conscious families."

Travel Feature - Silver: “Hail, Victoria!”; Lora Shinn, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, editor

"A cheerful voice and playful tone turned this travel feature into a pleasant but informative read. Details about places to visit were provided with a smooth, narrative flow that takes the reader effortlessly to the end of the piece."

News Feature - Gold: “Teaching Empathy”; Kristin Russell Dobson, writer; Alayne Sulkin, editor

"From its compelling lead to its useful tips, this is a well-balanced story about adding compassion to the lives of children. Excellent job of inserting vignettes throughout."

Overall Writing - Silver: Kristen Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"The overline on the cover sets the tone: '’cause parenting is a trip!' The writing throughout is lively, the tone conversational. Headlines and even the listings are fun to read."

Ancillary Feature Writing - Bronze: “BabyMap”; “Pottytunity Knocks”; Tera Schreiber, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor

"This is the straight poop on potty training. Who knew there was so much to consider? This helpful article on different methods offers some practical advice from other parents that will save both child and adult a lot of frustration."

Ancillary Feature Writing - Silver: “BabyMap”; “Slow Parenting”; Lora Shinn, writer; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor

"Interesting perspective on how parental competiveness for childhood development comes into play. The story should make some parents laugh, and some squirm as they recognize themselves in this story about anxiety on everything from when the child will crawl to what is eaten. Good reporting and interviews."

Ancillary Overall Writing - Bronze: “BabyMap-Spring”; Kristen Russell Dobson, managing editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"Well-sourced articles provide information on a variety of subjects, including feeding a baby to more trendy topics such as 'babymoons.' Solid writing and interviews with locals should be a real attraction for local parents desiring information on all the joys and challenges that go along with the job."

Website awards:

Website Design - Silver: Kristin Hart, project manager; Kristen Russell Dobson, Website editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"The strength of ParentMap’s Website comes from the designer’s use of photos. Photographs act as entry points to articles and information."

Website General Excellence - Silver: Kristin Hart, project manager; Kristen Russell Dobson, Website editor; Alayne Sulkin, publisher

"Parentmap.com uses sophisticated colors and fonts to provide an enticing first impression. The site then provides depth with its Web-exclusive features. Those include an up-to-date blog and calendar with content linking users to the greater Seattle region"

 


 

2008 Awards

ParentMap takes home 24 awards in 2008!

We're honored to say we've just been awarded a record 24 honors from the Parenting Publications of America! From design excellence to investigative journalism to Website content, we took home top honors - the Gold Award - in 7 categories. Our award-winning Out & About section took home yet more awards, in lovely shades of gold and silver. Ages & Stages? Simply the best column of its kind in the nation! And those eye-catching ParentMap and BabyMap covers caught the judges' eye, earning us multiple gold, silver, and bronze awards.

Editorial awards:

Column: Briefs: Silver: ParentMap, "Postings"

Column: Reviews: Gold: ParentMap

Column: Family matters: Gold: ParentMap, "Ages & Stages

Column: Family fun: Silver: ParentMap; "Out and About"

Travel feature: Silver: ParentMap, “Tree houses, caves, and volcanoes—oh my!”

Personal essay: Bronze: ParentMap, "A heartbreaking need for clean water"

Investigative reporting: Gold: ParentMap, "Mothers' Rights"

Special section within a publication: Bronze: ParentMap, Ages and Stages

Ancillary feature writing: Bronze: BabyMap

Ancillary overall writing: Silver: SummerMap

Design awards:

Front cover – original illustration: Bronze: ParentMap – “Protecting your child”

Front cover – original illustration: Silver: ParentMap – “A Heart for the arts”

Interior photography - Silver: ParentMap; “Fatherhood now”

Table of contents: Bronze: ParentMap

Overall use of typography: Gold: ParentMap

Infographics: Gold: ParentMap

Special section: Silver: ParentMap "Gift Guide"

Overall design: Bronze: ParentMap

Ancillary cover: Silver: BabyMap

Ancillary feature design: Silver: Family Directory

Ancillary feature design: Gold: BabyMap

Website awards:

Website design: Silver: ParentMap.com

Website content: Gold: ParentMap.com

Website general excellence: Gold: ParentMap.com

 


 

2006 Awards

ParentMap wins 14 prestigious awards!

A summary of the 2006 Awards presented to ParentMap newsmagazine include:

General Excellence Bronze:
ParentMap offers compelling writing and strong content. They have unique articles about teaching teen parents, ‘Teaching Kindness and Empathy’ and ‘Teaching Peace.’ This is a publication with a sense of purpose. The College Planner special section was full of helpful information. Cohesive design and informative photographs complete the package.”

Website General Excellence Gold:
ParentMap is an outstanding parenting resource. The site is clean and simple, easy to navigate, and a gateway to a wealth of parenting information. Particularly strong is a bilingual calendar of events in the Puget Sound region. Content is clearly organized around major parenting topics, and the site encourages a great deal of reader interactivity. This is THE parenting resource for the Seattle area, and the site shows why.”

Front Cover/Glossy: Original Photography and Illustration Gold:
“This is a warm, inviting, accessible invitation to read the magazine. One can't help but smile along with the girls on the cover: Children having fun and enjoying themselves make an instant connection with parent readers.”

Interior Photography (original) Gold:
“Turning each page is a visual treat: beautiful photographs, generous display and great printing and reproduction. A good mix of fashion, accessories and explanatory text.”

Best Overall Use of Color Silver:
“This is a clean, beautiful publication. The color choices show restraint and attention to detail, especially in the department labels. The designers manage to stick to a limited palette and also match colors to specific content. The result is an elegant reading experience.”

Overall Design Gold:
“Superior quality makes ParentMap stand out from the rest. From the cover illustrations to the creative feature page designs to the solid typography, this publication is all about giving the reader the highest quality possible.”

Cover Writing Gold:
“The simple elegance of the cover lines on ParentMap is creative and compelling. Putting the cover lines on the bottom wouldn’t work for commercial magazines on the newsstand, but it works exceptionally well for this publication. It helps avoid complex and confounding issues often seen in other magazines.”

Column- Briefs/Short Stuff Silver:
“Here was a good read in part because it was brief and tightly edited but mainly because it seemed to be written by one person and the voice of that writer came through. At times one brief fed off another very neatly, carrying the reader along and speaking to the reader as if part of an intelligent conversation. If that voice is identified with that feature issue after issue, readers will look forward to that much as they would a columnist.”

Travel Feature Silver:
“Vancouver: Here's a rare bit of close-to-home adventure, a border-crossing visit to a city that sure seems enticing. The "if you go" details are plentiful and specific.”

Service Feature Gold:
College Planner:“For a parent of any soon-to-be college student, this is a must-have section. It is comprehensive in its details about planning for and paying for college, as well as help in deciding which college experience and when is best for your teen. But behind the facts and figures is a human face with interviews with parents, college officials and private consultants. Writing is straightforward but not stiff, well-edited and organized.”

Ancillary Overall Writing (55K category) Bronze:
BabyMap. “Taking the complicated subject of how a baby's brain works and turning it into a readable, informative story is representative of the writing in this publication. Issues are thoroughly explored and experts interviewed to give readers a complete picture.”

Website Design Silver:
ParentMap's Web design offers what it promises: a comprehensive map for parents to follow when looking for news and information that will help them as parents. Information is clearly organized and easy to find, and the Website's color palette works as an organizational tool rather than being purely decorative.”

Website Content Silver:
“This is a strongly written magazine, with plenty of content for all age groups. Ages & Stages writing is particularly useful, giving parents useful information about particular age groups. Taste recipe section adds a dash of humor to what can often be a boring section. Use of local experts makes the writing particularly strong.”

 


 

2005 Awards

 

2005 Awards