The making of handmade or ‘manuscript’ magazines was a common leisure practice for young people in the late-Victorian era. Two interconnected movements taking place during this period—the explosion of the periodical press and the first Golden Age of children’s literature—contributed to youthful interest in at-home magazine production. Affluent girls were particularly well placed to take a leading role in the production of manuscript magazines, due to their enhanced leisure time and textual prowess. Creating manuscript magazines provided girls the opportunity to socialise with peers and relations and hone their writing skills.