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Sparkers

Page 14

creative
Rainbow
Pasta Art

Page 20

PIZZA! Page 12

WWRHOANT’GS?

It’s up
to you!

FEBRUARY

The Timbertoes 3 37
Now: Pizza Day 4
Follow
Plus, cleats for a cause & more me on a
journey!
About You 6
Hidden Pictures 7 arTehfeusne!
If a Penny Could Talk 8
14
That coin has traveled a lot!

Top This 12

Five tasty pizza recipes

How Are You Creative? 14
Hint: think beyond art class

Spotlight 20

Linda Miller Nicholson’s pasta art

Mustache Valentines 22
5 Questions for . . . 24

Tybre Faw, friend of John Lewis

Goofus & Gallant 25
Create 30

Ever Wonder? 32
Ask Arizona 34
BrainPlay 37

IV Laughs from You 39

Hurdles
in Life

My friend Tristan was a hurdler unfair barriers, not just for himself SWLOHWATIN’SG
on a track-and-field team. I loved to but for people all across the U.S. YOU
watch him run at the low “fences” DOWN?
and leap, gazelle-like, to clear them. Because of his work, the boy who 1
In these races, the hurdles are meant was denied a library card became
to slow down the runner. the subject of many books found on
library shelves. He also wrote his
Most of us face hurdles in life— own books, inspiring kids like Tybre
obstacles that slow us down as we and adults to think about how we
race toward a goal. Some hurdles can create a world with fewer
can be leaped over, like low fences. obstacles on life’s track.
But others are so high, deep, and
protected, they’re actually barriers Do you have a hurdle
that must be broken down. I thought or a barrier? I’d love
about this as I read about Tybre to hear how you are
Faw (page 24), a young friend of overcoming it.
Congressman John Lewis, the great
civil rights leader who died last year. Your friend,

Congressman Lewis faced many WRITE TO ME
barriers, unjustly erected, because
of his skin color. In 1956, when he [email protected]
was 16, he was denied a library
card. At that time, in some places in
the country, only white people could
use the library. Experiences like that
challenged Congressman Lewis to
dedicate his life to breaking down

Do you know Why did the clown thWneahomincelhydooitrnsgeealnfth?iast
a good joke? go to the doctor? TAhbeibgraaiinl.
(by e-mail)
He was feeling funny.

Dylan

(by e-mail)

We like kids’ jokes so much that we made a book of them!

The
Northern

Lights

By Larry Roland • Art by Jared Andrew Schorr

Some dark nights in the mountains
The ridges light with fires

That dance among the lofty peaks
In shifting, twisting gyres.

TSAohsmataefwlcilAthaswiisimnapyetvhraeialnbvtgoeyv,toecpurtianhccekaknstlriahneneegdasb.rgrterheeeTezmenhsey overwhelm the senses
As they stage a quiet show

For those who watch in spellbound awe
Unmindful of the snow.

2 cahg(relacolingoraaugewhlrnleertTeidgdndhdaitgzeipthsseahlpntediregulotNabhnriaycytontuhlriteirtnteshohshgrarmentaPnthasloaboiaudgltocentehucr..arteuoTasrafrhelsleis)

Syrup season! The maple sap
had started, but it was slow.

By Rich Wallace • Art by Ron Zalme

I want to We’ll Tommy climbed the tree
make syrup check in a and squeezed the trunk.
day or two.
today ! Did
more sap
come out?

Sploosh! Spot had a tasty treat.

Oops!

Crash! 3

National PiFebruary 9

Celebrate

everyone’s

favorite doughy,

cheesy, saucy

food! Since ancient

times, people all over

the world have eaten Day
some form of flatbread
with toppings. But the
modern pizza originated
in southwestern Italy in the

z1700s. Early pizzas were topped
zwith ingredients like tomatoes,
acheese, anchovies, and garlic. In 1889,

King Umberto I and Queen Margherita
visited Naples, Italy. They tried a variety of
pizzas from Pizzeria Brandi. The queen’s favorite
was a pie topped with white cheese, red tomatoes, and

green basil—the colors of the Italian flag. This pizza is now

known as Margherita pizza!

MARGHERITA IAASFPNTIAEZRMZAMEDE!
PIZZA

SOME SAY
WE INVENTED

PIZZA!

ITALY MaQrugeheenrita

NAPLES

Celebrating CafoCurlaesaets
Black History Each year, NFL players root for
causes they care about—using
Dr. Matthew Delmont, their feet. With the program
a history professor at My Cause My Cleats, players
Dartmouth College, wants wear custom-designed cleats to
to make sure that the raise awareness for charities.
everyday lives of Black They support causes such as
people are honored along Barbershop Books, Special
with those of famous Olympics, St. Jude Children’s
Black people in history. Research Hospital, and Big
Brothers Big Sisters. Players
He started Black share images of their cleats and
Quotidian, a digital the stories behind them on social
collection of African media. The athletes can also
American newspapers raise money for their charities
from the 1900s. These by auctioning off the cleats.
papers told stories that Way to “step” up for the
were ignored or reported community, NFL!
unfairly in mainstream
papers. Here are a few
about amazing kids.

WOW!

1947: Darwin Turner
graduated from the
University of Cincinnati
when he was only 15!

1929: Welford Wilson HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
won the New York City
Junior High School’s These adorable facts will warm your heart.
speech competition with
“The Constitution, a
Guarantee of the Liberty
of the Individual.”

1952: Identical Sea otters hold Baby elephants suck Male gentoo
quadruplets known as the hands to avoid their trunks, just as penguins offer a
Fultz Quads celebrated floating away human babies suck shiny pebble to a
their sixth birthday. from each other. potential mate.
their thumbs.

5

YUM! Fun Chocolate ice
ideas, cream with
Enjoy this recipe! Mix Lillian! chocolate
a pinch of cinnamon sauce is a
I’m into writing special dish
and a pinch of things like Dear because my
rosemary into a Future Me, Dear favorite cousin
big glass of water. Future Owner of (Max) makes it
This House, and for me.
Oscar Michalsky why bubble gum
should be allowed Ruby Elliott
Czech Republic
in school. Age 7 • Georgia
Lillian

Age 10 (by e-mail)

This is my favorite AYBOOUUT I like crocheting
book. It is delightful, things. When I have
funny, and you will Stuff you love, things you a ball of yarn, I will
tried, and what you wish
really like it. other kids knew about you. start crocheting.
Garth Sterling Braden White
Oregon SEND US YOURS! Age 8 • Greece

I am Chinese. My SEE PAGE 38 I love it when my
family is too. My mom big family is able to
and dad say that my Sometimes I donate go to my grandma’s
brother Aiden and I money and food to the or aunt’s to celebrate
are so different—but animal shelter to help family birthdays.
we both love candy!
the little kittens. MaryJean Apen
Christina Liang Caleigh Petersen
Age 10 • Massachusetts Age 10 • New York
Age 8 • New York

Thanks!

6

Penguin Park

BONUS! slice of artist’s piece of
pizza brush popcorn
Can you find
the mitten, magnet ladle
golf club,
ice-cream muffin
cone, and
sailboat? spoon

tack

heart

crescent crown

boot carrot pencil shoe moon hat

By Mike DeSantis. Answers on HighlightsKids.com. PLAY ONLINE! Head to HiddenPictures.com. 7

PeIfnany TALK

Could
By Bradford H. Robie Art by Lee Cosgrove

Abhraa“shhthbeaeeamdepLnsei”nno1s9ncni0oydtl9ehsn.ieonfce

MmIn’iaaemndCtwtoeatilphniosneerhDna1Uiennd9.nyoyS6v..,4er,

8 onTtfchalhoycaeicitnnpihrgmecantuasonldaaytetphiitsnoeogrtrdhtiUrgaeay.hSitt..

Have
a nice
day!

A truck took me and the other new coins to a bank. Then I went to a grocery store, where I was
handed to someone as change.

From there, I One day, a man lost
moved from me on the sidewalk.
person to person
as people paid
for things.

Oof!

agFopinoeddninnluygciks. N-Ne-Nei-ieggihg-hbho-bbro!-ro. -r. moUpmfo.etSPraene.eknnMoeeirpiaebencsluiteh,lslhsdiyeooaoensttnahsht’retoe. ir

But The girl
a girl thought I
found was lucky.
me the She held
next me in her
day! hand when
she won a
spelling bee.

THERE’S 9
MORE. TURN
THE PAGE.

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9) He but she
returned mixed me
She gave me to her dad for good luck. me to his
We were gone for three years! daughter up with
when some other
he came
home, pennies.

The penny’s Then
official name someone put
me into a
is “cent.” jar for what
seemed like
When the girl forever!
bought an
ice-cream Finally, one day, I was
cone, I was on the move again!
back in
circulation.
The world
was changing
fast. . . .

I was moved hundreds—maybe even But lucky
thousands—of times. I was getting worn out! for me, now
I can finally
stay put A 1964-D!
and relax!

Most coins
spend more

10 than 30 years in
circulation.

FoundScientists discovered

a new dinosaur—

TWICE!inamuseum.
For about 40 years, a By Dougal Dixon
Art by Mike Lowery

dinosaur skeleton lay

in a museum—under

the wrong name. It

wasn’t anyone’s fault.

When it was found

in South Africa in

1978, the skeleton

looked very similar

to Massospondylus,

the most common

dinosaur found in

that region from the

early Jurassic period.

This led scientists to

believe that it was also

Massospondylus.

But no! Years

later, scientists used

new technologies to

study the skeleton—

and found that it

was different from

Massospondylus in

about 20 ways.

The specimen,

Ngwevu, showed

paleontologists that

Massospondylus was

not the only dino in

town after all!

As more fossils

in storage are

examined with 10-foot-long Ngwevu was an early It was not Ngwevu means
modern technologies, sauropodomorph. This group evolved a picky eater. “gray head” in the
scientists expect to into sauropods, the big plant eaters It gulped down Xhosa language
find more surprises big mouthfuls! of South Africa.
like this one. of the later Jurassic period.
11

Ask an adult for help with anything hot or sharp.

20 Serves Fairly
thisMinutes 2 Easy
top
You can put

MargPhizezraita anything By Taylor Clifton

on

mozzarella a pizza!
cheese

tomato
sauce

basil*

YUM

prebaked Read
mini pizza crust aMobnaorupgtahgQeeurei4te!an

12

On the avocado* crheodpbpeeldl
Sunny Side pseasutcoe pepper
efgrgie*d

salsa shcsrhpeeidcedyseed sour
garonsudenacdsobooenkeeefdd cream*

Tasty
Taco

black olives lettuce*
cilantro* chopped

Bold shredded red
Barbecue Gouda onion
cheese

ccohoickkeedn bsaarbuecceue

Bake until
cheese is
melted.
shwrheditdeed
Keen on cchheededsaer olive
Green oil

redf-lpaekpepser chopped
steamed
broccoli

Photos by Jim Filipski, Guy Cali Associates, Inc. * Add after baking. SEND US YOURS! SEE PAGE 38 13

ahroew
YOU

CREATI

14

spark ideas
with these tips!
bdooDucrn.tNdoare,rrayirObcxhremitaeakcnet,r,

VE?WInmore tCMhoamtIgXobdiotnInoTe’gtteUhutisPhnue!gars.lly

e’ve all heard people say, “Oh, Never
stop
ways than that person is so creative!” about trying!
someone who is great at art. But
you realize! art is just one area where people

Creative can be creative.
Any time you try something
thinking different to solve a problem,

isn’t just you’re being creative. In sports, Dr. Lonnie
for art that might mean trying new Johnson
class. moves to get past your opponents invented the
to score a goal. In engineering, Super Soaker.

By Andy Boyles, that might mean combining Go on 15
Contributing different materials to make a adventures
container that will protect an egg.
Science Editor At home, it could mean figuring in your
mind.
out a shortcut to get to your
Shigeru
friend’s house or making up a Miyamoto
(He created
game to amuse yourself. You are Mario and
Zelda.)
creative every day!

Are some people naturally

more creative than others?

Maybe, but anyone can get more

creative with practice. Here are

some techniques that work for

experts who are creative in very

different ways.

(Continued on next page)

Lin-Manuel Hey Lin, are (Continued from page 15) worry—you’re not alone. In
Miranda you writing the Netflix series Abstract,
another Explore and Imagine Dr. Oxman said she often
musical? doubts her ideas. “My father
Shigeru Miyamoto is the said, ‘When you create, you
Constantly! brains behind some of the must always feel a little bit
world’s most popular video uncomfortable, and if you’re
That stain games: Super Mario Bros., The feeling uncomfortable and
looks like a Legend of Zelda, and Donkey alone, you know you’re doing
Kong. He exercised his creativity something right.’”
castle! like a muscle when he was
growing up near Kyoto, Japan. Keep Creating
Leonardo He spent hours exploring nature
da Vinci and going on adventures in his Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote
mind. As a game designer, he the musical Hamilton and co-
still finds joy in making up new wrote the songs for Disney’s
worlds and adventures. animated movie Moana. In an
interview, he was asked if he
Look for Details was writing another musical.
His answer: “Constantly!”
Artist Georgia O’Keeffe found
beauty in things that others The most
passed over. She became creative people
famous for her huge paintings
of small flowers. She said: “I’ll have more
paint it big and they will be failures than
surprised into taking time to successes.
look at it. . . .”
Researcher Dean Keith
Look for Make Wacky Mash-Ups Simonton at the University of
California-Davis found that
patterns Dr. Neri Oxman and her the most creative people don’t
everywhere! team at the Massachusetts wait for the perfect idea. Like
Institute of Technology’s Media Lin-Manuel Miranda, they
Find a song pNetoohtpailcteeomdthiesetsar. ils Lab combine things that don’t constantly come up with new
that will usually go together. They mixed ideas, then keep the best of
inspire ideas from robots and insects them. Also, they have many
you! when they invented small more failures than successes.
robots that spin fibers the way
silkworms do. In the future,
their work may lead to swarms
of robots that quickly build many
types of structures.

If you come up with ideas
you’re not sure about, don’t

Georgia let your mind wander
O’Keeffe
Researchers held a creativity challenge. Who won?
16
1People who 2People 3People 4People
did an easy task who who who kept
that let their did a took working
mind wander hard task a break without stopping

WINNER!

Tune into Music get unstuck

“Music is important to me. Writer’s block doesn’t happen only to writers.
It stirs my creative juices,” Any creative thinker can get stuck. Take this quiz
says author Linda Trice. to help you solve a problem that you’re stuck on.
“When I start a new project,
I find a song that will inspire YES wHoaarvkleoinnyggoauttibmieteef?nor NO
me.” When she was writing
about American hero Harriet Have you Is it the only problem
Tubman, she started each day tabkreenakasny you’re working on?
by listening to “The Battle Hymn
of the Republic.” yet?

Her characters are also NO YES NO
moved by music. In her picture
book Kenya’s Song, Kenya and YES foGroa gPesltaoybnagac, kgthraeetanitt.
her father compose a song Do you walk.
inspired by all the different anhaevaesy
music they hear in their chore you Finwdoarknootnhefor rparowblheimle.to
neighborhood. can do?
reNaollty. Um, I think a
Find Pictures in Patterns I parent can think
guess of one for you.
Have you ever looked for
animal shapes in clouds? The so. grefaoWHYlWtodeuOiHsntOhgAOiadsOTd!eo?!atc-!hk?wes??hile
artist Leonardo da Vinci looked
everywhere for patterns that Share your
would spark his imagination. creative tips!

He wrote that artists SEE PAGE 38
should look at stone walls and
irregular stains to discover
landscapes “or strange faces
and costumes, and an endless
variety of objects, which you
could reduce to complete and
well drawn forms.”

Don’t Give Up

Dr. Lonnie Johnson is the
inventor of the Super Soaker.
When he was in high school,
he wanted to build a robot like
ones he had seen on TV. Nobody
told him that the TV robots had
people inside. After a year, he
succeeded. He later became an
engineer and an inventor. Now he
develops technologies to deliver
clean energy worldwide. In a TED
Talk, he said, “Just like with the
robot, I don’t know any better
than ‘Try.’”

17

Zayne E.’s BakArtbySusanBatori
eryTOWDHOAOTNAYROEUYROUVAGCOAITNIOGN?
DOES IT FEEL JUSTPLROOABFAABRLYOUND.
WARM IN HERE
WHAAT?
TO YOU?

AHH!
A TALKING
CUPCAKE!

HERE BCRRIUDME!BS
THE

I’M SKIPPING I FEEL WHAT’S I FEEL KIND
DESSERT. I DOUGHNUT BELONG HERE. WRONG? OF CRUMBY.

WHAT’S WSTHIRARTIANRGEAYTO?U
NEW?

MUFFIN I’M IN TIERS!
MUCH!

OH NO,
I AM
CRACKING UP!

18 WI OWHUEILSKDHNCTEOHAMEDSEBAMBKAEEC!RK.

I’llbneeinvgermset!op What I Wish

You

Knew

I’m what people Tehveerreyiosnme othreanto
you can see.
call nerdy and
bookworm-ish, Everyone is unique. For “I’m struggling” isn’t the
and I am always same as “I can’t.”
doing something me, that means stuttering,
academic. Kids which makes it hard to talk, This is important to me
say stuff about and asthma, a lung issue because nobody likes to
it, and it hurts. that makes me prone to be judged.
I can’t finish a coughing. I am often asked
worksheet first by toddlers if I can talk, If you make assumptions
because then or by P.E. teachers if I based on what you see or
kids grumble need a break. hear, it’s likely you won’t be
and say that correct. I think many people
it’s not fair. But I want others to know that could learn from this.
I can’t finish there is more to everyone
second because than you can see and that Julia Anderson
then kids say,
“Wow! I finished Age 8 • Minnesota
before Caroline!”
whIaigtsnapoyer.oeple I like to play with dolls.
When they jeer
like that, I just Some kids think dolls
smile and say, are just for girls. I ignore
“Good job!” I’m
not going to let when people say that.
their comments
get me down, Wesley Foster
and I’ll never
stop learning— Age 5 • Massachusetts
and being me.

Caroline Baxter

Age 11 • Illinois

Art by Ro Ledesma. SEND US YOURS! SEE PAGE 38 19

blu&ebbeeerrty

drfarguoitn

harissa

Linda Miller
Nicholson’s
art supplies
include eggs,
flour, and
vegetables.

TLhinadt’as. YES, beet
20 PASTA
CAN BE Linda Miller Nicholson was just four
HEADWEAR years old when she spent a summer with her
TOO! grandparents and learned how to make pasta.
She loved the soothing feel of dough in her
hands, and she loved the satisfaction of creating
something people could eat. She started making
pasta nearly every day.

Meanwhile, Linda was always creative but
didn’t know which art form suited her best. “I

turmeric

Nature’s
Colors

aLpvLidaentiisbhngdstleedttaauihta.pneada“lbmcbonaItelutnaerhtpgdktsaraehy,eesirtp.sptfisierpsDseehu?senloheiafr“tder.a,sp”Yssrc,aaedFooeossheolanrtoroarcestrttnh.ehpsocdxeicbhdcaonyfeiemlllostoaiae,-pvr”dtcloodhetsrih,aanoveygfers

parsley

pbeuattfelorfwlyers

never really held paintbrushes the right way,” Using only pasta, Linda has created a wide
she says. It wasn’t until she was an adult that range of art, including celebrity portraits,
she realized she could use pasta to make art. playful sculptures (such as mini tacos and
fried eggs), re-creations of famous paintings,
Her five-year-old son was not a big fan of and even clothing.
vegetables. So Linda started adding veggie
purees to pasta dough, which made it green. The perfect medium for Linda turned out to
After figuring out how to make red (her son’s be the one she had been working in all along.
favorite color), she began experimenting with She says, “You don’t have to take one direct
more colors, shapes, and patterns. path, as long as you practice what you love.”

SEND US YOUR ART! SEE PAGE 38 21

15 Easy
Minutes

valFeunntinnyes!

Mustache
Pops
to be my valentine. Lollipop

Cut a mustache shape from a sticky-back foam SFhoaeemts
sheet. Stick it to a regular foam sheet. Trim around
the mustache, leaving the edge visible. Ask an adult Cardstock
to poke a hole, then slide a lollipop through it. Make
a card from cardstock. Pinch the card and cut two Crafts by Kimberly Stoney. Art by Mike Lowery.
slits to make a tab. Slide the stick through the tab. Photos by Jim Filipski, Guy Cali Associates, Inc.

22 SEND US YOURS! SEE PAGE 38

Spot the
Impostor
Can you Can you
find the also find
12 hidden
cow?
fish?

Answers on
page 38.

23

Tybre Faw aLnTedywbRisreep.

This 12-year-old became friends with 4WHAT DO
his hero, Congressman John Lewis. YOU WANT
OTHER KIDS
1IN 2018, 2AND HE 3WILL YOU TO KNOW
YOU RODE INVITED TELL US A ABOUT HIM? That
7 HOURS TO YOU TO STORY HE
ALABAMA, MARCH SHARED? he worked tirelessly
HOPING TO WITH HIM? for voting rights, and
MEET JOHN As a kid, he he believed in peace
LEWIS. WHY? Yes. It was the preached to and nonviolence. He
anniversary of chickens to get cared about the youth.
I wanted to meet the 1965 peaceful better at speaking He stood up for others
somebody who civil rights march out. He named the and cared for others
had marched with when he and others chickens, and they more than himself. He
Martin Luther King, were beaten for were special to loved everybody.
Jr. I wanted to thank participating. It was him. There’s even a
him. He showed me an honor to march book about it.
how to have raw with him. It felt like a
courage. big thing for me.

A good
audience!

5HE TOLD YOU TO GET GOOD GRADES AND NOT
TO GET INTO TROUBLE—UNLESS IT WAS
“GOOD TROUBLE.” WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Getting into “good trouble, necessary trouble” means not

fighting, but you stand up for somebody, you help the community,
and get in the way of something that is going on that is bad.

You help people who need you and
support them.

John Lewis passed away in July
2020. At his request, Tybre read
the poem “Invictus” by William
Ernest Henley at the funeral.
The poem is about strength.

24 Photos by vlw photography.

Goofus shovels snow Gallant piles snow out
onto the road. of everyone’s way.

Goofus calls people names. Gallant calls people by

Idea sent in by Miranda Alvarez, Age 8, Alabama the name they like.

Idea sent in by Miranda Alvarez, Age 8, Alabama

See ya, Bye,
brainy Alex—I
Amy! mean, Al!

YOUR Goofus and Gallant Moments
like Goofus “wIbrhfueesnlhteIldliikemedyGthtoeaeottfIhu’.d”s
“I felt frwo“hmIefnfeaIllltsMinaalgirvkgeoaedrfeftGmtahyleslaibsentdetr.” Megan
was supposed Age 6 • Illinois Age 9 • California
when I my dad but I
to help
kept playing.”
Nicholas
Age 10 • Washington, D.C.
SEND US YOUR MOMENTS! SEE PAGE 38 25
Art by Leslie Harrington.

VTAtheHcaNsIeEDof .I.E.SRH-BIONTG
By Andrew K. Hoe • Art by Oriol Vidal
26

“Without my control
device, I can’t call my

spider-bot back!”

Hakuto was reading flying past looked as if plants. Big spiders. Small
they’d rather be inside. ones. Ones that grouped
his favorite manga, together, and spiders
Detective Whoozit, when The Spider Room spinning webs alone.
he heard a shout from the was where Mom, also
Spider Room. known as Dr. Ishida, kept “Without my control
hundreds of spiders in device,” Mom said, “I can’t
As he ran through the terrariums. It was like call my spider-bot back!”
apartment, he noticed the a zoo for spiders. Using
view outside the windows. the spiders as models, Hakuto looked at the
The streets of Kanazawa she’d spent the last year terrariums. “Did your
were drenched with designing a tiny robot robot crawl in with the
rain, and the neon signs spider. It was supposed real spiders?”
were hard to see in the to help scientists study
grayness. Even the drones real-life spiders. Mom nodded. “I was
teaching it to act like a
When Hakuto reached proper spider by having it
the Spider Room, Mom mingle with living ones.
held up what looked like a I let it wander different
broken remote. “I stepped terrariums. Now it’ll be
on my control device!” tricky to find. We’ll have to
examine these spiders one
Hakuto had thought by one.” She sighed.
something had happened
to the spiders, but the A mystery! Like
terrariums lining the walls Detective Whoozit would
looked safe. Lamps shone solve! “Let me help,”
on the see-through plastic Hakuto offered. Maybe
tanks. Inside, spiders someone would write a
crawled or just sat on manga about him—Ishida
sand, branches, and leafy
(Continued on next page) 27

Time to reel in
the suspect.

(Continued from page 27) take this.” She sat down one brown-and-tan spider
at her desk. lazing on a web, staring
Hakuto, child detective back at him.
extraordinaire! “Can I keep looking?”
asked Hakuto. Mom put herself on
“The spider-bot looks mute and said, “Hakuto,
like a wolf spider,” Mom “Yes, but finding it could why don’t you go play? I’ll
said. “It’ll be furry, with take hours.” make korokke for dinner.”
brown-and-tan patterns. It Korokke was his favorite
has large front eyes above As he searched, Hakuto deep-fried dish. Mom’s
a row of smaller ones.” got confused squinting eyes worriedly scanned
She held her thumb and at so many spiders. He the terrariums as she
index finger together to couldn’t keep straight continued her call.
make a circle. “About this which terrariums he’d
big.” She showed him the already checked and “Mom? Ittekimasu.” The
labels on the tanks. which he hadn’t. He saw expression meant “I’m
furry spiders walking leaving the house, but I’ll
Hakuto saw several along sand as if they be back.” It was a joke.
terrariums labeled wolf were strolling miniature He wasn’t leaving the
spider. “We’re narrowing beaches. He saw them apartment—it was pouring
the suspect list! We have jump like tiny acrobats. He outside.
a description!” saw them climbing plants.
When Hakuto put his face “Itterasshai,” Mom
Just then, Mom received to the terrarium walls, it murmured, squinting at
a call from work. “I’m looked as if the climbers the spiders. Take care. She
sorry, Hakuto. I have to waved to him. He even saw was really bothered about

28

the spider-bot. other spiders, wolf spiders Her eyes narrowed. “Is 29
Hakuto slipped away to didn’t weave webs. that . . . ?”

his computer. Detectives Hakuto gasped. He ran Hakuto reached his hand
used their eyes, but they back to the Spider Room. toward the web. Quietly,
also used their minds. the spider walked onto his
Detective Whoozit Hakuto gasped. He ran palm, its feet tickling him
always collected as much back to the Spider Room, slightly. Now that he was
information as possible to the terrarium with the able to look more closely,
before hitting the streets. spider he’d seen, still Hakuto saw that its legs
That’s why he always lazing on its web. But wolf were slightly shiny. The
solved his cases. Maybe spiders didn’t weave webs. little strands of fur were
Hakuto needed to collect This one hadn’t learned finely woven plastic. Most
information too. how to act like a proper remarkable of all, the
wolf spider yet. spider-bot’s eyes glowed
He researched wolf like tiny jewels.
spiders—how they weren’t Time to reel in the
social, how they liked suspect. Hakuto removed “My spider-bot!” Mom
being alone. How they the terrarium’s lid. clapped her hands. “You
climbed and sometimes found it!”
lived on plants. They Mom, now finished with
were furry, like Mom had her call, said, “Careful! Hakuto grinned. “Case
mentioned. They traveled, Wolf spiders bite when closed.”
like that spider strolling startled! Their venom isn’t
along the sand. Unlike very dangerous, but . . .” “Thank you, detective,”
Mom said. “Now let’s go
make that korokke.”

HAPPY
KITTY

Reiya Drury

Age 10 • Saskatchewan, Canada

NEEDLNEIWCEORK!

Adam Kimball Cleamae

Age 11 • Michigan Age 6 • Tennessee

If unicorns were real, I would AHH. Snow
keep one as a pet. FallinDgPalnSferctaoiesnmWlaglanaPtohtsMenh,eadiantcgrehgeeretaSaoyamwn-lyiebnhldue sky
New York City
We could fly anywhere, I bet!
To the moon and beyond, Great pizza
To an ocean or a pond, Parks
In the mountains we could roam,
But most of all, home sweet home! IBduoilnd’itngthsingkalore
New York City
Audry Lewis Could have

Age 9 • Texas

Haiku Bears are good

Boy on a scooter AnAyMgtheairn6gg•oMmtinoTnraeey.slootra Even when they attack the trash
Faster than a lightning flash And when they do
He zooms out of sight. Really, they’re just hungry.
Zoey Groff
Age 8 • South Carolina Makarios Shenoda
30 Age 11 • California

SEND US YOURS!

SEE PAGE 38

THUUMP!BS

Parley Harmon

Age 8 • Wyoming

OFF WE GO! Portrait

RV (inspiGreArdagcebey5W•aMriteinicsnhtemJsuoaltianann Opie)

Talin Wroblewski

Age 9 • Oregon

This is where the wind blows,
On the redwood tree.
When the house turns black
And the wind turns blue,
Tater Dog
At night it looks like
There’s a bruise on the moon. dwIiwDtdotHghikooHegimoentagn,ilhteet!egbttt.wiIttamouht(h’yttmmeWgyie.tItoeALuHpeKw.aawrveoaATmntaoiutTeielemsipt?selPsdsylom.eeOeirmdPooLIcfefceefuf’roeavfeaceoc,r,censoltpydvolsDltulhyiauomeSIdrtaNnnsrounTetdeqtNAhV’lbstulaTmtiaEienihevlaEcsRlaklaseRmhu!ltn?inueIhvTnyDy)’mdaaemgOAsten.hteGemnnqiaIircm!ymcu,yrrDwToiTeeeshpoaue,taghaegntvsyuietoeotn,lor’eprasgIuyrlr!ste!
And when you go outside at night, Age 11 • Washington
The Big Dipper shines
the North Star’s bright light.
Near
Asher Mendelssohn
Age 8 • Pennsylvania

The Odd One 31

I am the odd one out of the crowd.
People think I’m foolish, but I am so proud.
There’s only one thing I’ve got to say,
I’m so proud to be different in ways.

Elizabeth Culver

Age 9 • Wisconsin

If you drop a Ah, wouldn’t it be nice if loves water—clings to the water
bar of soap we could clean a floor just by you’re using to wash up.
onto the floor, dropping a bar of soap? Sorry to
is the floor say, it takes a bit more work than SO . . . the dirt clings to the
clean? Or is that! After all, it’s not soap itself oils, the oils cling to the soap
the sAovaaRepnnedr irty? that cleans things, but rather molecule’s tail end, the soap
mixing it with water and some molecule’s other end clings to the
Illinois rubbing or scrubbing. water—and they all go down the
drain together.
Soap molecules have two
different ends. One end loves (By the way, if your bar of soap
water. The other does NOT. So gets dirty when you drop it, you
when you’re rubbing your hands can clean it as easily as you clean
with soap and water, the end of your hands! Just rub-a-dub it
the soap molecule that avoids under running water, working up
water is attracted to the oils that a lather, then rinse.)
are naturally on your hands. And
the dirt and germs on your hands
stick to those oils.

Meanwhile, the other end of
the soap molecule—the end that

32 ASK A QUESTION! SEE PAGE 38 Art by Jim Bradshaw.

-blowing maze Answer on page 38.

mind

Use your
noodle to
find your
way from
START to
FINISH.

Start

shwceWiaeasndhtytwihseett’s? brsaBhieencshatauodsrmea!

Finish

tcChhheaaonropacsachettoeahor.s, e A rob A Untanglekuptruc
bagel a Tale
ken k
dragon

A
ot
A chic
A pic

on a secret who This story-starter
mission. becomes a maze gives you 25
with a superhero. different story ideas.
beautiful Try a few, then make
singing
voice. up your own story-

who has starter maze!
a bad
named DrNawotainpitcotuwreriitnisntgea?d.
Eugene. hair day.

33

mMwyyrgigithveroeaimntu.dpeMp,w”ayobrruepktnatiIrssew.ntIoat—stnWwrtaayrnltiwttaoeinnaggadyitvsostertQsyouuaripbyty!iun“aHtNObecgeolauvpunne!tq’rtuit

If at First
You Don’t

Succeed . . .
By Lissa Rovetch • Art by Amanda Morley

Dear Wanting to Quit, “What’s in it anyway?” kit,” Ollie said. “I bet I
“I honestly don’t know,” can open that lock in
two minutes flat!”
Our parents have a lot Abuela answered. “Most
All I can say is, Ollie
in common! Mine love the likely a bunch of stuff we definitely lost that bet.
Those two minutes turned
saying “If at first you don’t don’t need.” into two hours, with no luck
at all.
succeed, try, try again” so “Didn’t you look inside?”
“Ugh.” I grumbled.
much that they actually asked Ollie. “We’ve tried every tool
in this kit, and the lock’s
bought a pillow with those “I can’t find the key,” not budging.”

words on it. And, just like Abuela said. “We’d need a “It’s no use.” Ollie
sighed. “I guess we have
you, I was recently in a master locksmith to figure to give up.”

situation where I was SO it out.” “But we can’t give up!”
I said. “What about ‘If at
ready to give up. “I want to try!” said first you don’t succeed, try,
try again’?”
It started last week when Ollie. “Maybe there’s a
Ollie shook his head.
my friend Ollie and I were treasure inside!” “Unless you know a magical
key fairy, we’re never
helping his grandmother. “Like gold or diamonds,” getting this unlocked.”

“You two are the best I said. “Or an ancient map!”

helpers,” Abuela said as Abuela chuckled. “I’ll

we carried boxes from tell you what. If you two

her garage to her car treasure hunters can open

for the homeless shelter this trunk, you can have

rummage sale. it, along with whatever

“It’ll be hard to lift that is inside.”

big old trunk,” said Ollie. “I’m going to get the tool

34

wge“ivIhegauuvepes.”sto

Just then, my little sister answered. “It’s an old trunk “I should be the captain!”
and brother showed up. that we can’t open.” “Uh-oh, a storm is

“Mom wanted us to bring “It looks like an upside- making big waves,” Ollie
these cookies to Abuela,” down boat!” said Indi. “Can said. “You better watch out
said Indi. we turn it over and pretend for sharks!”
we’re sailing in the ocean?”
“To sell at the rummage “Yikes! Sharks!” Tex and
sale,” said Tex. “Sure,” Ollie replied. “It’s Indi giggled as they jumped
no good for anything else.” up and down.
Ollie grinned. “I’d better
taste one. Just to make sure “Ahoy!” Tex said, And right then, a screw
they’re good enough to sell.” climbing on top after Ollie from a hinge came loose and
and I turned it over. “I’m rolled to the floor.
“Me too,” I said. “Just to the captain!”
make sure.” (Continued on next page) 35
“It was my idea,” Indi
“How come you have a said, also climbing aboard.
giant suitcase?” asked Tex.

“It’s not a suitcase,” Ollie

“That’s guess you could say
it!” we found treasure
after all!
(Continued from page 35) “What’s so great about a So, dear Wanting to Quit,
bunch of shoes?” said Indi. Ollie and I found out that
“That’s it!” said Ollie. doing something the same
“These are regular screws. “Lots and lots of shoes!” way over and over isn’t
We could probably remove said Tex. always the best way to get
the hinges!” results. It can help to stop
As you can probably and try something different.
“Whoa,” I said. “We imagine, Ollie and I were Maybe you could step back
were so focused on the pretty disappointed. But and see if there’s another
lock, we didn’t look to see here’s the good news. way to write that story. What
if we could open the trunk Those shoes were in such if you interviewed relatives
another way.” great shape that most of to get some ideas, or turned
them ended up selling at the story into a picture book,
Tex and Indi jumped off, the rummage sale. They with fewer words and fun
and we turned the trunk weren’t diamonds or gold, drawings? One thing that
upright. Ollie grabbed his but they made money for helps me get my writing
screwdriver. In two minutes the homeless shelter. I unstuck is to ask my teacher
flat, we were looking inside or parents for a good first
that trunk. line. Anyway, I wish you
tons of luck!
36
Ciao for now,

Arizona

WOULD YOU RATHER

write the START
words for a story
Take your
brain on
a hike!

or create Name
the artwork? some foods

Why?

I Wmresetaahhomoskamitinteetehhgemsraestnbrose?r you eat that
wonder . . .
animals
Name something
you’ve been also Hey,
curious about
eat. want some
hay?

today. SPAGHETTI? If all foods APPLE?

VE LOOK LIKE T LOOKED
WHAT DOES LO O YOU? ALIKE
but
wDhaItFTwAFouElSd RtThaEEt bNDe liTke,?
POPCORN?

THE Do you and your
END havcelatshsemsaamtees
experiences
flIofaytoiunctohueldair each day?

WOULDwYchoOeureUldbynuo’DttuycOfooluonIatTrtoe?ld, Why or why not?

How do yItfomatulakitgb,hhlwietnhsskacattoyhdu?eoldy Take
you make its chair
a hot dog away!

stand?

37

FEBRUARY 2021 • VOLUME 76 • NUMBER 2 • ISSUE NO. 832 YoSuhraWreork

Founded in 1946 by Garry C. Myers, Ph.D.,

and Caroline Clark Myers YOUTWROPHPFIZAPAZTIVNAOIGSR?ITE You might see it in a future issue!
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Illustration credits: doodle art on pages 1, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16, 24, 33 bottom,
and 38 by Sebastian Abboud; page 4 (bottom, from left) iStock/Getty Answers PAGE 33 PAGE 41
Images Plus/tanys04, iStock/Getty Images Plus/ioanmasay, iStock/Getty Two of Hearts
Images Plus/Olga Turkas; 14–15: iStock/Getty Images Plus/SiberianArt; PAGE 23 Mind-Blowing Maze
17: iStock/Getty Images Plus/pressureUA; 23: Travis Foster; 30–31: (frames) Spot the Impostor Here is the path that
iStock/Getty Images Plus/carlacdesign; 33: (top) iStock/Getty Images Plus/ we found. You may
Jackie Niam; 37: Jon Lightle. Photo credits: page 1: Andrea Behrends; 4: (top have found others.
pizza) iStock/Getty Images Plus/ANGHI, (bottom pizza) iStock/Getty
Images Plus/Dukell, (Queen Margherita) Getty Images/DE AGOSTINI START
PICTURE LIBRARY; 5: (newspaper) from Baltimore Afro-American - May 10,
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38 iStock/Getty Images Plus/fcafotodigital, (kitten) iStock/Getty Images Plus/
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41: iStock/Getty Images Plus/elenafetisova.

TVVUQU\V[WZ

What happened to the With a sea-saw. cy THIS BIG!ASONMDI EFITOTWURANASDSH,
woman who slipped in She pulled a mussel. AgeN9ic•hFololarisda
a seafood restaurant? Captions SIT!
GOOD BOY!ASgaev9a•nFnloarhida
Cael Ceurvorst LMGI.KIE.ME.,IAE“CRNITODS’USTTLIJHDCCUlNEKaSrN,’aTTAYANTOODSDUTAICICWHTKOAH!L!SID”S
Age 10 • California
Iowa
My family went on a beach trip. IMLMISEAPgT.eOTEK9RNHa•tTGiIeeATSoOrNgIiSaT!
JIM: What is a classical From a 14th-floor patio, we saw
composer’s favorite awpevaoetperylr.e,Iltasrowgamesysesbwariotmuthrmtelirensgi,nctoothuwseainrds, Funny But True
game? and grandma started yelling
“Tur-tle! Tur-tle!!” Even though OItgifanrlnoweotleoaoowedttHrtei.-enhabrOgelgygul.oeecarWtw,orctwlsiheaanteeetnugnndmss,ruaweebmrwayeebydohitwysbhximeraitaonnotsntdtehhgdetleeopfop’r!de,tupWrnmgteidceotooketmnol-ntauoet,aurnr.ag-cnhadetd
BOB: I give up. What? they yelled at the top of their
JIM: Haydn-seek! lungs, the people in the water Clara
didn’t hear. Now it is a family
Abraham Watts joke from that day. Age 10 • Florida

Maryland Lainie

Tongue twister: Age 12 • Georgia
Racing Russell ran on
wobbly, rainy rocks.

Naomi

Maryland

A book never written:
How to Act like
a Lady or Gentleman
by Ella Gancy.

Cora Smith

Montana

“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?”

“Cargo.”
“Cargo who?”

“Cargo beep beep.”

Caroline

Maryland

How do you cut the
ocean?

Charlotte Benson

Virginia

A man went into a
library and asked for a
hamburger and fries.
The librarian said,
“You’re in a library.”

He whispered, “Oh,
sorry! May I have a
hamburger and fries?”

Zoe

Washington, D.C.

SEND US YOURS! SEE PAGE 38 39

My mom is wpthhaoosWssthyoehoosetuuinflmnrdoIgeImeslord.,owoWIk?hmhaeatinstsI
always on her Peter
phone. I want Maryland
to spend more
time with her. It’s fine to look back and
enjoy memories. But if that
A Highlights Reader makes you sad, try thinking
about them a little differently.
(by e-mail) Instead of seeing those times
as something you’re missing,
Your mom may not realize see them as something you’ll
how you feel. Ask her if always carry with you. They
there’s a time when you helped make you who you
two can sit down to talk are and are part of your
about something that’s on life’s story. Focus on feeling
your mind. You could start thankful that you enjoyed
the conversation by saying those fun times.
something like “I love when
we do things together. I know Then think of things
you’re busy, but can we find you’re grateful for now,
a way to spend more time and remember: all kinds of
together?” Here are a few great experiences are yet
ideas you could talk over: to happen! Resolve to make
• Start a daily “team” routine, good memories every day.

like washing dishes Pick topics you like. And
together. Chores can be a think of how you want your
great time to talk, sing, or audience to feel when they
tell jokes. watch, like excited or scared.
• Choose one night a week to
do something fun together. Anya
• Find 15 minutes every
evening to talk about Age 10 • California
each other’s day.
HAVE A QUESTION?
ADVICE FROM YOU
Write to us at [email protected]
I’m making Troyrsfpatoavproo-rdmitAieenoistssiehooonf wyfioslu.mrs or by postal mail (see page 38).
movies! Any Age 11 • Colorado
movie ideas? Art by Keith Frawley.

Caleb

Arizona

40

TWO OF HEARTS

These two piles of 41
sprinkles are
mirror images.

How many differences
can you find?

Answers on page 38.