zodiacgirlz.com - Young teen forum

Targeted to girls aged 11-15, this forum and activity center site is themed with a bunch of female characters, each one corresponding to one zodiac sign. Its interactive and sate-of the art animation design in truly appealing for its targeted audience, offering several sections where users can download character related contents, like wallpapers, icons, music, videos and games. Unlike similar sites, zodiacgirlz.com has an advice column where girls can post their questions and concerns, and get an answer that is both educational and hip; another interesting aspect of this site is that it stimulates girls to upload their original contents, like poetry or drawings.



A good element about this site is it multi-cultural style, since many of the characters are not standard-looking animations, but have their own personality, looks, culture, ethnic origin and opinions, thus inspiring young girls to be unique in their own way as well.

"DILEMMA: Sidney writes in with:

There is this guy in my class and he is really hot!!! I dress 2 impress EVERYDAY and he still doesn't respond to anything I wear or do! What do I do?

TRICK: Dress to impress YOURSELF instead! That will give you more confidence and believe it or not, having confidence really IS your best fashion accessory!

DILEMMA: Briana writes in with:

I think I'm too overweight and that not that many people like me.

TRICK: People who like (or don't like) other people because of what they look like really don't know a whole lot about friendship! Caring about people because of who they are inside is a much better way to make really good friends. If you're worried about your weight, don't go on any of those silly fad diets! Ask your mom to take you to the doctor, and then you can all talk about it together".

This site's professionalism, both in regard to its design and the quality and interest of its contests make it a secure area for children to surf the internet, while learning a few things about growing up, that is getting the good-hearted advice that any mother would care to provide to her child.

It seems that the great potential on this page is somewhat not used to full extent, as it could include some information on the history and tradition behind zodiacal and prediction practices, and in that way exploit the multicultural background for the zodiacgirlz characters.