Creative Kids articles from June 2008

Creative Kids archives from June 2008

From the editor.(Editorial)
June 22, 2008... Summertime is swiftly settling in across the country and the Creative Kids staff wanted to ensure all of our readers have plenty to do this summer. That's why we've made this issue bigger than ever! You've noticed it's thicker surely, but take...

Dear editor.(Letter to the editor)
June 22, 2008... The vast deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is destroying many species of animals that cannot live anywhere else in the world. If the rainforest is totally destroyed, more than half of the world's species will become extinct. Many tribal...

Jumping into her community with a splash: Janet Scognamiglio.(Dare to Dream Big)
June 22, 2008... Felicia tentatively shuffled down the diving board, her face twisted in worry and her hands shaking furiously. In the YMCA pool, a group of volunteers cheered her name and yelled encouraging words while bobbing up and down. She glanced at her...

DIY: do-it-yourself.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Creative Homemade Doll Clothes Have you ever wanted to make some unique clothes for your doll, but didn't have the energy to sew? Do you want a cheap, easy, and environmentally-friendly answer? Instructions for making a doll dress, winter...

Fast food: is it worth it?(WRITE ON)
June 22, 2008... "May I take your order please?" Ah, the all-too-familiar sound of the fast food drive-through window. "And, would you like to super size those highly saturated, fully trans fat, no fiber content, artery-clogging, cholesterol-causing French...

Homing devices: for our protection?(WRITE ON)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Ever feel like you're being watched? Don't worry, you're not going crazy. New high-tech surveillance devices allow parents to track their children. These devices are now being put into cell phones, cars, and even shoes. Everyone knows this is...

The World Almanac for Kids 2008.(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... All 337 pages of The World Almanac for Kids are positively bursting with color and pictures. Although it seems to appeal to everyone, kids ages 10 and up will find it most interesting and useful. This book would be enjoyable for a long car ride...

Alex and the Ironic Gentleman.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Alex and the Ironic Gentleman by Adrienne Kress I think that Alex and the Ironic Gentleman is a great tale of adventure. It is full of excitement and humor that could reel in any reader. The author, Adrienne Kress, makes great characters,...

History Dudes: Vikings and History Dudes: Egyptians.(Book review)
June 22, 2008... History Dudes: Vikings and History Dudes: Egyptians (written by Laura Buller and illustrated by Rich Cando) are hilarious history books, start to finish. History can be boring, but these books are different. Instead of pages of dull text, this...

Walk Two Moons.(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
June 22, 2008... Walk Two Moons By Sharon Creech My teacher, Mrs. Neuhaus, always read stories to my class that were really interesting and usually funny, but one afternoon she brought out a book called Walk Two Moons. When she read the first page, my mouth...

UFOs: are they real?(SCIENCE & MATH CORNER)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When my family moved into our new house, I did not have shades in my bedroom. I used to see a bright white light outside my window with red and blue flashing lights near it. I though it was an airplane, but it never...

Getting lost in time "run".(Short story)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "RUN!" I screamed at Neb. We had just gone back in time, and we had landed right next to a giant Tyrannosaurus rex. He had dark green skin and teeth that were the size of my hand. His eyes were as big as tennis balls...

What happens at school when we're gone? Have you ever wondered what happens at school when you're gone?
June 22, 2008... Well, let me tell you, I have. I think the school employees make the school pretty, prepare delicious meals, play in a pool, make lovely bedrooms out of the classrooms, and have a bunch of parties. In my head the school staff makes the...

Stories stones tell: discovering turkey stone by stone.
June 22, 2008... It was a hot, dry day in late summer. I shifted in my seat and stared out at the dirt road. Soon, a dolmus or minibus, would come and pick up my mother and me to take us to the small but bustling town of Sinop, Turkey. My mother rose from our...

The shadows.(Short story)
June 22, 2008... There it was, the abandoned, crumbling shanty, sitting on a lone hill in the middle of the Forest of Shadows. The lawn's grass had not been mowed or watered in a very long time. Weeds surrounded the shanty like a moat of water. Its walls seemed...

I'm stuck!
June 22, 2008... It was a cold day when my family and I went on a two-day tour of Catalina Island. On the side of the boat we took were big letters spelling out "Princess Cruises." My room on the boat was tiny. My brother Mark and sister Leslie got a bigger...

Aching back, happy hearts.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Our group leader laid branches on the ground. If we crossed over the line, we were agreeing to climb the Appalachian's Mt. Race with the more experienced hikers. If not, we'd join a slower group, on a more experienced path. "Look inside...

The story of Jesse James: outlaws and bandits in post-civil war America.
June 22, 2008... Jesse James is one of the most well-known and publicized outlaws of the American West after the Civil War. Jesse grew up in the state of Missouri, and spent his late teen years fighting in Missouri's own civil war. Missouri was a slave state,...

Sydney's time machine.(Short story)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] My name is Sydney. I like watches--in fact, I love them--but I don't collect them. One day, my watch broke down, so I went to a store called Clothes 4 Ever and Such. When I got in, I looked at one of the staff's...

A new home.(Short story)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On a particularly dreary day in Ringoes, NJ, nothing seemed to be right with the world. I gazed at the bleak, dark grey clouds that hung over my house in a threatening gaze, and I let out a long sigh, for that was...

Lost with the protection of a Grey Furball.
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The map showed the hiking trail clearly, but I was finding that the trail itself was not so clearly marked. The dark blue blazes were faded into the bark of the trees they were painted upon. In the dimming light...

Animal cross word puzzles.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Use the clues to fill in the words on the crossword grid. Across: 2. You measure this animal in hands. 3. This animal loves bananas. 4. Kermit is this type of animal. 5. You'll have to look upside down to find this animal....

Human nature traits: word search.
June 22, 2008... Find all of the words listed below. They can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and backward. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Adamant Cruel Curious Determined Gentle Lazy Lovable Mild Modest Naughty...

Stickler.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Directions: Start at the quotation mark and draw a line to connect the letters to make words that fill in the missing quote. Use the clue to help you decipher which letters should go in each space. Your line cannot cross over itself at any...

Amusement park rides.
June 22, 2008... Four best friends, Julio, Jose, Sofia, and Mary, went to an amusement park together this summer. They went on all of the rides: the Twister, the Scary Coaster, the Tosser, and even the Flip-O-Matic. Each friend had a favorite ride. Can you...

Chain link.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Write word in the space that is the answer to the clue. The last two letters of that answer will be too first two letters of the next answer. 1. Attack with violence 2. Forbidden 3. Saying hello in Hawaii 4. A little amount...

Hinky pinkies.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Crack the clues to find two rhyming words that fit each definition. 1. A humorous rabbit 2. A disco-dancing chit 3. A carpet with a beetle on it 4. A lady on an island 5. When you're asleep in a tree 5. When a group...

Science crossword puzzle.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Across: 1. A piece of land connected to mainland that projects into a body of water. 3. A region's average temperature or rainfall. 6. Visible particles of moisture floating in the air. 7. To determine the weather in advance....

Canines word search.
June 22, 2008... Find all of the words listed below. They can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and backward. BasenjiCollie German Shepherd Pekingese Saluki Chihuahua Dachshund Golden Retriever Poodle Siberian Husky ChowChow Dalmatian Mastiff Saint...

Rebuses.(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... Directions: Use the pictures and letters to solve the puzzles and find the commonly said phrases represented by each rebus. Answer: 1. Mind your P's and Q's 2. Sell like hotcakes 3. Rome was not built in a day 4. Strike...

Candy Island.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Candy Island I was sailing on the sea, When before my very eyes An island appeared to me. It was quite a big surprise. The isle was uncharted, And it looked very odd. It was made out of candy! For...

On Top of My Ice Cream.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... On Top of my cream On top of my ice cream All covered with ants, I lost my appetite And dropped it on my pants. It rolled off my lap And onto the ground And then came more ants And my old Bassett...

How to Eat a Banana.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... How To Eat A Banana The best place to eat a banana, Is in the rugged and wild savanna. After you have found a place to eat, Sit down and stare at your feet. Peel the banana with care, So you don't disrupt a...

You Stare at it.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... You stare at it. A monkey... The color of Beautiful, Rich, Creamy, Brown cocoa. You watch the monkey swing Smoothly, From vine to vine, So fast that it looks like a cheetah Sprinting...

The Quiet/Noisy World.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... The Quiet/Noisy World What if the world would turn its volume down? What could we accomplish in the quiet? If babies screamed silently, If trucks roared more softly, If the world would just turn down its volume. ...

Two Ropes.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Two Ropes Two loose ropes lay flung along the ground. They soon find each other. They'll hopefully stay tied for all eternity. But, when nothing seems wrong, They break in furious agony. They break. My mom...

Overpopulation.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Overpopulation Another kid is born every couple of seconds Bringing the worldwide population up Cramming the world with more and more people Destroying animal houses to make our own Endangered animals become extinct ...

War.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... War You think war is cool? The violence, death, grief, And snapping of guns appeals to you? The tiny clatter of an empty bullet shell, Or the clatter of an approaching tank? The tiny plop of a tear hitting the...

Lightning.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Lightning Quick as a flash, deadly as a sword. It pierces the darkness of the night sky, Nature catches me unguarded. For a split second my expression is unknown. My body feels as if it's being skewered by a spear. ...

Ecstasy.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Ecstasy Is lying in a grassy field Watching the clouds Float above your head Finding your favorite animal Barely feeling the ants crawl up your arm As the lawn makes a home for you. Ecstasy Is...

Hollyhocks.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Hollyhocks. Tidbits of summer, peeping through Tightly wrapped, unopened buds, Soon a blossom, color new Into the morning, a prism flood. Sweet honey-ripe scent wafts on the breeze From delicate petals,...

Fairy Wings.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Fairy Wings Should you but leave a bit of jam Out upon a log And spy by night for fairy flight Through mists and rolling fog The flutter prints from where there stood A dash of jam on fairy wood Shall be...

Tree.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Tree A tree Once small Warped Gnarly Reaching and stretching Raising contorted arms to the sky Something that can never be copied Unique in every way Something that can never be manufactured Or...

Ballroom Dancing.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Ballroom Dancing People in fancy dresses, Dancing with joy. Music is playing. Sliding, twirling, People moving Like butterflies in the air. Showing their feelings In their dancing style. Counting...

Little Angel.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Little Angel See her smile as the sunlight hits her face. See her strike a pose like a ballerina. See her snow-white dress with pink flowers and lace. Take a picture, And have her remain in your heart Forever and...

When I Was Young in Connecticut.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... When I was young in Connecticut When I was young in Connecticut, I remember the laughs from my best friends And siblings out on the streets, The smack of that red rubber ball against The sidewalk and the sound of ...

Untitled.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Untitled (inspired by William Carlos Williams) Untitled So much Depends upon My little brother. He's like A duck feather The wind takes In different directions. Kelly Akyena, 14 ...

The Unlucky Game.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... The Unlucky Game I wear a hat when I'm at bat I hit the ball to Fletcher but he was playing catcher On first base I tripped and my shirt ripped Rounding third I hit a bird When I sat on the bench ...

Tennis, Anyone?(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Tennis, Anyone? Stepping onto the dusty court, small beads of clay find their way into the crevices of my dingy, pink Nike shoes. The sound of the fluorescent yellow Wilson ball springing against the tightly strung ...

Take It to the Net.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Take I to the Net Sometimes I stop and think, What if I could make the basketball sink? Like Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, or Robert Parish, Just think, my name would be known for all to cherish. If I could nail the...

The Distant Shoreline.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Send me to Where The willow lifts my face through curtains of green droplets, Drapes an arm around thin shoulders, Murmurs comforts through the leaves The river dances over my bare, wiggling toes, Dodging...

The Swimmer.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... The Swimmer The swimmer practices each day, No matter what I do or say. She stubbornly keeps swimming laps, And later takes too many naps. She's happy when she's in the pool, And jumps right in to help stay...

Until Next Summer.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... Until Next Summer The fresh, crisp, salty air Blowing and throwing my sun-kissed hair The hot white sand engulfs my toes As the smell of the salty waters tickles my nose The creaky wooden boardwalk on the coast of the...

The Claw.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... The Claw The safety bar descends. It locks over our chests. The floor begins to lower, And The Claw starts to rise. Swinging like a pendulum, Back and forth, Higher and higher. Then, at its highest...

Only a Surfer Knows the Feeling.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... The first step into the icy water and the stingy sensation of salt water trickling into your eyes. The intense fire in your shoulder after paddling on a rough day, as the sun heats up every inch of your skin. The...

The X That Is So Hard to Find.(Poem)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This is the X, so hard to find. This is the treasure hidden under the X, so hard to find. These are the pirates, who said, "Heave ho, heave ho," who found the treasure hidden under the X, so hard...