Highlights for Children articles from December 2004

Highlights for Children archives from December 2004

Christmas Eve.(poem)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Christmas Eve On a winter night When the moon is low The rabbits hop on the frozen snow. The woodpecker sleeps in his hole in the tree And fast asleep is the chickadee. Twelve o'clock And the world is...

Find the pictures.
December 1, 2004... Can you find each of these pictures at another place in the book? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dear readers.
December 1, 2004... My favorite holiday memory is of the time my two younger sisters woke up very early on Christmas morning. At 3:00 A.M., they roused the whole household, shouting, "Get up! Get up! Christmas is here!" My sleepy parents allowed us to open...

Orangutans are copycats: but each group has its own way of doing things.
December 1, 2004... In Japan, people use chopsticks to eat their food. In India, using one's hands is common. Forks and knives are the tools of choice in Europe and the United States. Each group has devised its own solution to the same basic problem as part of its...

Thinking.
December 1, 2004... * How many different kinds of light do you see here? What causes the light in each? * Why do you think lights are an important part of many holidays, particularly in winter? * How would the light here be different during the day? In...

Make moving easier: moving. It can be exciting, scary, overwhelming. Talking with others who have moved can help.
December 1, 2004... Tips from Erin and Katie Two Highlights readers, Erin Rheinheimer, 10, and Katie Driver, 11, recently shared their thoughts with us about the ups and downs of moving. Erin didn't move far from her old home. Katie moved across the ocean to...

What Dad wanted.(Short Story)
December 1, 2004... It was Christmas vacation. Bob, Sam, Lisa, and Jenny were home from school. Mother went to the office every day. Dad worked in his office at home. Dad was a writer. Noise filled the house. The telephone rang. The doorbell rang. The...

Never too small: these athletes prove that bigger isn't always better.
December 1, 2004... Have you ever had a hard time because you are small? It happens sometimes in sports. In many sports, coaches and spectators often think that the bigger you are, the better you will play. That also means that in some sports smaller players...

Snowboarding fun.(Hidden Pictures[R])
December 1, 2004... In this big picture find the eyeglasses, slice of pizza, mushroom, apple, cup, fish, envelope, lollipop, needle, crescent moon, candle, paintbrush, mallet, and ice-cream bar. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Can you find these Hidden Pictures[R]...

Trim the tree.
December 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWERS: Columns 1 and 4 include the same six ornaments.

Riddles.
December 1, 2004... 1. What do frogs like to receive in the mail? Alex Moore, Ohio 2. Why did Paul Bunyan put on his pajamas? Mikayla Ferg, Wisconsin 3. What goes up but never comes down? Devan White, New York 4. What did the mama...

The bear family.
December 1, 2004... Poozy: Look! Mr. Zebel's recycling bin has blown over. Mom: What a mess! Piddy: Why should we clean it up? We didn't knock over the bin. Dad: You know, others have helped us lots of times. Woozy: Let's clean it up before the...

Breaking down the walls: I felt as if a wall divided me from the popular group.(Flashbacks)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... By the time I was nine, I was a well-established tomboy. I liked sports, exploring, fishing, flying airplanes with my dad, and making up adventures with kids from my neighborhood in Southern California. One morning before school, there was...

A Hanukkah for remembering: David tried to remember the story that Mom had always told.
December 1, 2004... "What are you looking for, Dad?" David's father was searching the kitchen cupboards. "I'm trying to find our menorah. I know Mom must have put it in here somewhere." "Why bother?" said David, drawing circles on the floor with the toe...

The grinning fish.(Our Own Stories)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... For my ninth birthday, Gramps and I packed up to go to an island near Mexico called Cozumel. Gramps was going to teach me to snorkel so I could see the beautiful tropical fish in the ocean. Pretty soon we were on our way to Cozumel. I was...

The snoring tree.(Our Own Stories)(Short Story)
December 1, 2004... Once upon a time there was a tree that snored. It was so loud that the whole world could hear it. Even aliens from Mars! Everybody kept wondering, "How long is this going to last?" They made a plan. They said to the tree, "How about you stay...

The elephant who blew bubbles.(Our Own Stories)(Short Story)
December 1, 2004... Once upon a time there was an elephant named Pete. He was entered in a water contest. It was his turn to blow water with his trunk. He tried and tried, but all he could get out was a bubble. All of the other elephants laughed at him. But he...

Funny dog.(Our Own Stories)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... My dog's name is George. He is nine months old. George likes to play hide-and-seek with me. I run away and hide after I throw his toy for him to get. George comes back with the toy but doesn't see me, so he drops the toy and runs around like...

I wonder ... how hot water helps loosen the cap on a jar.(Science Corner)
December 1, 2004... Warming the cap makes the metal expand. Then the cap becomes just a little bit bigger. The change in size will be too small to see, but it may help the cap to come loose.

A different slant on work.(Science Corner)
December 1, 2004... Which ramp makes it easier to roll the wheelbarrow into the truck? ANSWERS: It's easier to use the longer ramp. Whenever you raise an object, you work against gravity. Using a short, steep ramp, you must do all the work almost at once....

Open your eyes.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Look at your eyes in a mirror somewhere that lets a lot of light fall on your eyes. Notice the size of each pupil, which is the black dot in the center of each eye. Next, cup your hands around your eyes to cast a shadow over them. Can you see...

Dinosaur days.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Why did the dinosaurs put stones inside their stomachs instead of chewing their food? Amos Han, Age 12 New Jersey In several cases, groups of rounded stones have been found inside the skeletons of different kinds of dinosaurs....

Racing team.(Short Story)
December 1, 2004... Carter woke up early. This was the day he had waited for all year--the New Year's Eve sand-sculpture contest at the beach. He pulled on his shorts and raced down to the kitchen, grabbed a granola bar and a banana, and headed toward the...

Elooster.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... Elooster is half rooster and half elephant. The elephant's head is for watering plants or flowers on a hot day. The rooster's body and feet are for plowing. Paige Fitzmaurice, Age 10 Pennsylvania

The Six-Leg Flyer.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... The Six-Leg Flyer can fly about 111 miles away and run faster than a rabbit. Its wings are three feet long, and sometimes it bumps into trees. Dan Nguyen, Age 6 Louisiana

The Blue Fire-Breather.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... The Blue Fire-Breather helps my dad solder water pipes. It can shoot two levels of fire--high and low--and can change the temperature of the fire. It shoots fire so my dad can melt the solder that is used to join copper water pipes together....

The Buffet Monster.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... The Buffet Monster comes whenever you're hungry. He will give you delicious food and desserts. When you finish eating, he uses a magic potion to make you forget you saw him. Evan Hunter, Age 11 New Jersey

The Flowerkins.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... The Flowerkins are about one foot tall And only come out at night. To care for your flowers Is their delight! Whirl, twirl, whirl, twirl--They dump their magic water. Surprisingly, The flowers begin to grow! Zip, zap, POP! They leave. ...

Star Polishers.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... In the middle of the night, the Star Polishers come from the sun. They polish the stars, but even people who stay up all night can't see them. That's why stars are so shiny. Taylor Gimple, Age 8 Indiana

The Kuchu.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... The Kuchu lives under your bed. It hides in its shell. It always sings a silent lullaby, and that's what makes you sleep! Cole Norgaarden, Age 8 Minnesota

The building monster.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... He builds stuff like houses and refrigerators. If an old house is breaking down, he is there to rebuild it. If something gets broken, he will be there to build it up again. William Price, Age 6 Arizona

The fairy of cats and dog.(Creatures Nobody Has Ever Seen!)
December 1, 2004... If you have a dog and cat that fight, this creature will make them stop fighting forever. This fairy has a medium-sized wand. Ryan Thorne, Age 9 Illinois

Why peaks are cold.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... If heat rises, why are the tops of mountains cold and snowy? Meghan Ohlinger, Age 10 Oklahoma There are two parts to the answer. First, hot air does rise. As it rises, there is less air pushing down on it from above. As a result,...

What we're made of.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... What are atoms? Jamie Motok, Age 12 Tennessee Atoms are tiny bits of matter that make up the Earth, air, and even our bodies. These bits are so small that we cannot see them, but scientists have done many experiments that give us...

Check ... and double check.
December 1, 2004... WHERE'S THE CIRCUS? WHERE'S THE CIRCUS? There are at least fifteen differences in these two pictures. How many can you find? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Timbertoes[R].(Comic)
December 1, 2004... Snow was falling! They played fox and geese. They made snow forts. "Time to go inside" The Timbertoes ran out to play. They looked at snowflakes. They threw snowballs. Where did everyone go? They slid down...

Jokes.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Bill: "Look, there's an egg. Why don't we tell it a joke?" Tracy: "Why?" Bill: "So we can crack it up." Darren Turner, California Mike: "What did Elvis sing to the dog he took home from the shelter?" Tia: "I don't know."...

Matching.
December 1, 2004... Look at each box on the left. Find one like it on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Smile! It's Sarah Bear: Sarah Bear the clown travels to Russia each November bringing laughter to those who need it most.
December 1, 2004... On her thirteenth birthday, Morrighan Clinco sloshed through crunchy, muddy snow and entered a Russian hospital. "The hospital had dirt floors and dirty walls," she remembers. "I spent most of the day watching others bring cheer to children and...

Reveal a Christmas greeting.(Creative Cards)
December 1, 2004... 1. Cut a 7-inch square sheet from construction paper. Fold down the top two corners so that they meet in the middle. 2. Trim the paper at the bottom, leaving a base. 3. Decorate the tree, and write a holiday greeting inside. 4....

Swing open a Hanukkah star.(Creative Cards)
December 1, 2004... 1. From blue construction paper, cut two triangles with 6-inch sides. 2. Glue silver trim or glitter to the edges of the triangles. 3. Place one triangle over the other to form a six-pointed Star of David. Use a paper fastener to join...

String a festive garland.(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... 1. Tie a loop at one end of a long piece of thin ribbon. 2. To make a spiral wrap a 12-inch chenille stick around your finger. Thread a few beads on the spiral. 3. Thread the ribbon through the spiral. Bend each end of the spiral...

These tags add sparkle to your gifts.(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... 1. Cut out a poster-board tag. 2. Glue a shaped sequin, such as a snowflake or tree, in one corner of the tag. 3. Wrap the tag with aluminum foil. Secure it with glue in the back. 4. Rub your finger over the sequin to make the...

Craft challenge!(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Create a cast of characters using cardboard tubes, magazine pictures, and cloth scraps.

Tuck your pen into this notepad.(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... 1. From a patterned tissue box, cut out a 3-inch-by-9-inch rectangle. 2. Cut ten sheets of scrap paper the same size. 3. Stack the paper on top of the plain side of the tissue-box rectangle, and fold the stack in half. Secure the paper...

Selfish or unselfish?(Crafts You Can Make)
December 1, 2004... Which children are being selfish? Which are being unselfish? "I want the biggest piece of cake!" "Should I set the table?" "I'll turn off the TV so you can study." "No, you can't take a turn on the swing." "May I help...

Porcupine.(Nature Watch)
December 1, 2004... Did You Know? A porcupine's teeth never stop growing. The porcupine has to keep wearing them down by gnawing on hard foods. In winter, porcupines eat evergreen needles, tree bark, and twigs from high up in trees. In summer, they prefer tender...

Mouse in the house.
December 1, 2004... My name is Sherlock. I am the best mouse catcher in the world But Ariel says there is a mouse in our house at no cat can catch. Ariel says the mouse lives in her bedroom. I looked in her bedroom. I did not find a mousehole. Ariel says the...

Destination: the Arctic: for almost fifty years, Donald MacMillan lived his dream of exploring the Far North. His wife, Miriam, joined him in that dream.
December 1, 2004... Donald MacMillan tore open the envelope. The telegram read: If you are still interested in Arctic exploration, come to see me at once. Peary. The young high-school teacher jumped on the next train to New York. There he...

Brain play.
December 1, 2004... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. START What is your favorite sandwich? Is ice hot or cold? How can you tell which way the wind is blowing? Would you rather...

The fox and the grapes.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... A Fable by Aesop A fox came into a vineyard where clusters of delicious ripe grapes were hanging. His mouth watered at the thought of eating them, but they were attached to high trellises. No matter how he leaped and jumped, the fox could...

Goofus and Gallant[R].
December 1, 2004... Goofus stays up too late at night and is tired the next day. Gallant gets a good night's sleep and feels well-rested the next day. Goofus holds a grudge. Gallant tries to make up after a quarrel, no matter who started it.

Owl and Bat.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... Owl and Bat [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rachel Budnick, Age 5 Massachusetts

Bluebird.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Bluebird Bluebird soars across the sky, across the town, across the city. Then he lands at my house to rest. I want him to soar some more, but he needs to sit there to get his energy back. ...

The Snow Zone.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... The Snow Zone [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tori Taylor, Age 9 West Virginia

The Lizard.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... The Lizard He sits upon a flat rock, Quiet as a stick, Then suddenly he's off again With a long-tailed flick. Samantha Collins, Age 10 Oklahoma

747 on Approach.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... 747 on Approach [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Robert Hale, Age 10 New Jersey

The Puppet and the Puppeteer.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... The Puppet and the Puppeteer My soul is a puppeteer, and I'm the puppet. The strings control the outside and the inside, the way I see things-- literally and emotionally. I am the puppet, and my soul is...

Rollerblades.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Rollerblades I roll, roll, roll away, trying not to fall, swaying side to side like a palm tree in the sky. Keeping my balance, I roll, roll, roll away on my wonderful, trying-not-to-fall, ...

Books are magicians.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Books are magicians, Performing the trick of taking your soul to mystical places, Telling tales of death or mystery or joy, Touching your heart and making life more colorful, Although every page is only ...

Avalanche.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... Avalanche [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dee Ellis, Age 11 Zimbabwe

A Little Person Inside.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... A Little Person Inside At night when I sit in my bed, I never get lonely. I read, play games, discuss the day, And visit the person inside me. I share my feelings; we have a great time. Together we wrote this cute...

Daddy Is Working in the Garage.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... Daddy Is Working in the Garage [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jiayi Hu, Age 5 Washington

My Name.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... My Name My name feels like a soft dandelion rubbing against my toes. My name reminds me of a cute puppy playing with me under the sunset. My name smells like my mom's fruitcake in the oven, baking....

Grandfather Clock.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Grandfather Clock When I'm down and the skies are cloudy, I hear his heart beating oh so loudly. He's very tall and looks way down to me, I hear him singing very happily. Tic-tock, tic-tock,...

Tortoise Haiku.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Tortoise Haiku Tortoise in his shell. He looks like a big green rock. No one sees tortoise. Nadia Rahman, Age 5 Ohio

A Sunny Scene.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... A Sunny Scene [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Abraham Younes, Age 9 Louisiana

Snow and Us.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Snow and Us I like snow because it makes me happy. With my hands and feet and my little brother we play snowball fight and footprint in the snow. Amos Kong, Age 6 New York

Self-Portrait.(Our Own Pages)
December 1, 2004... Self-Portrait [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lori Bowler, Age 7 Virginia

Dolphins are swimming.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
December 1, 2004... Dolphins are swimming, ripping through the blue water, jumping out of seas. Mitch, Metzger, Age 9 Indiana

Wings.(Short Story)
December 1, 2004... As I finished tying my toe shoes, my best friend ran into the dressing room. "They're handing out numbers for the audition," Holly wailed, "and my shoes aren't even on yet! I'm so nervous. Maybe I shouldn't do this, Jessica." "Holly!"...

Friend or not?(Dear Highlights,)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... There is a girl who acts like my friend but isn't. She took away my friend and finds ways to ditch me. I've tried ignoring it, telling someone, and talking to her, but she denies it. Help! Mary L., Missouri It sounds as if you've tried...

"I did not cheat!".(Dear Highlights,)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... My teacher was explaining decimals. I took a few notes. About a week later we had a math test. After the test one of my classmates asked to see my test. My notes were with the test, and he saw them. He said I cheated, but I really didn't....

Not fast enough.(Dear Highlights,)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... When I race with my brother, he always wins. I never, ever beat him. I'm always in second place. And when my friend comes over, I am in third. Can you help me? Fletcher L., Oklahoma Highlights editorial assistant George Brown says, "It...

Toy story.(Dear Highlights,)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... My friend takes my toys even when I say no. He makes me insecure about my toys. What should I do? Daniel V., New Jersey You might want to have a talk with him about this. Explain to him that you are happy to share your toys with him as...

Mystery photos.
December 1, 2004... Can you identify the common items shown in these close-up? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] ANSWERS: 1. Broccoli. 2. Baseball glove. 3. Manhole cover. 4. Cancelled postage stamp. 5. Wristwatch. 6. Sliced pepperoni.