Highlights for Children articles from January 2003

Highlights for Children archives from January 2003

Chickadees.(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Chickadees Black-capped and brave, two cheeky fellows peer in the window, munching sunflower seeds. They retreat and dance across the winter branch, rattling off bird words, discussing everything in...

Many kids dream about being heroes, or at least saving the day.(Editorial)
January 1, 2003... Many kids dream about being heroes, or at least saving the day. When I was the age of a typical HIGHLIGHTS reader, I longed to make the scoring run, save the school, or perform some other heroic deed. Maybe all of us want to be heroes because...

The Pretzel Alphabet.(Poem)
January 1, 2003... The Pretzel Alphabet Pretzels hide the alphabet, letters big and small. And if you have the appetite, you can find them all. A, B, G, D, E, F, G, The trick is to look carefully. H, I, J, K, L, M, N, ...

Thinking.
January 1, 2003... * How does each activity help keep a person healthy? * Which activities do you think are the most fun? * What do you do to stay fit? * What are these kids learning? * Which of these activities would you enjoy the most? Why? ...

Dino Don's: dinosaur days.
January 1, 2003... Can you tell me some interesting facts about dinosaurs that most people don't know? Emily Baker, Age 10 North Carolina Sure! Many people don't know that most dinosaurs are found by amateurs, not professional scientists. Kids find...

Sierra Oscar Sierra.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... Outside Eric's bedroom window the January blizzard raged. Treetops swayed dangerously as gusting winds sculpted snow into huge drifts. Eric turned on his ham radio and tuned in a station talking about the weather. An operator was...

Shelby's socks.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... "Time to fold clothes," Dad said to Shelby. Dad folded a pair of jeans. Shelby picked up a shirt and pulled a sock off it. Dad and Shelby folded the rest of the clothes. Where was the other sock? "You'll have one cold foot without the...

Good Idea or Bad Idea?(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Good Idea or Bad Idea? A bed that floats. Paper clothing. A fork you can eat. A birdhouse made of birdseed. An inflatable doghouse. An unbreakable light bulb. A roof made of glass. A...

Science corner.
January 1, 2003... Girl: Why do you put up your tails when you run away? White-tailed deer: We do that to send a danger signal to other deer. We travel in groups and look out for enemies together. If one of us senses any danger, that deer raises its white...

Fit to be president.
January 1, 2003... Are you fit to be President of the United States? Physical fitness is not a requirement, but it could be helpful. After all, the President's job is a stressful one. Many Presidents have found relief from the tension of their work through...

Hidden pictures[TM]: snowy feast.
January 1, 2003... In this big picture find the bell, fish, apple, tack, sock, pencil, needle, mitten, spoon, ladle, baseball bat, mushroom, candle, mallet, and fishhook. fishhook mitten ladle mallet bell tack baseball bat needle apple...

Jokes.
January 1, 2003... Patient: "Doctor, doctor, I keep seeing this spinning insect!" Doctor: Don't worry. It's just a bug that's going around." Anjum Ahmed, New York Doris: "Where are you going on vacation this summer? Mary: "I don't know." ...

How the weaverbird built his nest.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... Outside our kitchen window in Tanzania were some trees, and one day a beautiful Vitelline masked weaverbird came to build a nest. We had seen many old weaver nests, beautiful little baskets still hanging from trees months after the nesting...

The feel-good shoebox.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... Catherine sat on her bed with her chin in her hands. "Why aren't you getting ready for Grandma's birthday party?" asked Mother. "I can't bake like Sylvia or knit like Anne," Catherine grumbled. "They made good presents. All I made for...

The kiss that traveled to the Atlantic Ocean. (Our Own Stories).(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... There once was a little girl who lived high upon a mountain. One day she asked her daddy, "Where does the water in our pond go?" He began to explain to her just where that water would go, when she bent down, scooped up a handful, and blew...

Dogs and cats together? (Our Own Stories).(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... Ding-dong went the doggy doorbell. Tap-tap went paws from inside. Creak went the doggy door. "Meow," cried a cat. "Woof," said the dog. "Woofy-woof, come in." "Pur-r-r," said the cat, and swish went its tail. Bang went the doggy...

Cornmeal. (Our Own Stories).(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... In a small blue pond, a little duckling had just been hatched. His name was Cornmeal. Cornmeal looked at his mother. "How I wish I were a duck," he said. Cornmeal soon learned how to swim. He watched his father bend down into the pond...

The kite. (Our Own Stories).(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... I was in the garage waiting for someone to fly me in the breezy March air. Someone came in. I hoped he would pick me up. He looked for a while, then found me. He took me out, dusted me off, and asked someone to take him to the beach. That...

Once upon a time there was a prince who liked to play baseball.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... Once upon a time there was a prince who liked to play baseball. He played in his backyard by himself. One day he hit the prized baseball into a river near his castle. He wanted to swim to it, but the water was too strong and would certainly...

The Olympics. (Our Own Stories).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... Once in a faraway land, there was a big Olympics. Invitations were sent everywhere. Soon all the people were signed up. The announcer said, "This is the great international Olympics. The rules are: Never hold onto someone when you feel you're...

Making a mobile.
January 1, 2003... The key to making a mobile is balance. Think of a seesaw, which is balanced when people of similar weight sit on each end. You will need glue, string, a sewing needle, transparent thread or fishing line, two drinking straws, and about five...

Omar and the Camel: based on an Arabian proverb.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... "Hfff, hfff, hfff." Omar stuck his head out of his tent. He came nose to nose with Camel. "Yes?" he asked. "The sand is blowing. It's getting in my nose and eyes," said Camel. "I can barely breathe." "Well, my tent is small," said...

The bear family.
January 1, 2003... Dad: Did you lose something? Woozy: We're looking for money. Woozy: We're helping a family who lost everything in a fire. Poozy: Everyone is giving spare change. Piddy: Do pennies help? Dad: Sure they do. Pennies add up to...

Triangles, diamonds, and a star.(Poem)
January 1, 2003... How many triangles can you find in this figure? How many diamonds? Can you find a six-pointed star? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

How many?(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Wheels on three cars? Sides on two triangles? Eyes on seven children? Feet on four dogs? Fingers on two hands? Bowling pins on two lanes? Ears on three cats?

Sonnet for a King.(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Sonnet for a King This January day was set aside to celebrate the birthday of a man, a gentle man, who bravely lived and died too soon, but left a challenge and a plan. He was a man of strength and grace...

Riddles.
January 1, 2003... 1. Why do firemen wear red suspenders? Jessica Keeler, Michigan 2. Why did the pig want to be an actor? Benjamin Kuang, New York 3. What kind of party does a flea go to? Jessica Gautney, Texas 4. What is a door's...

Payback.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... Sam stared hard at the pitted, scratched ice surface, her stick poised in the air. "Drop it, drop it!" she willed the ref. Her heart thudded in her chest, marking off the seconds. She glanced briefly at the scuffed skates of the girl who faced...

The timbertoes.(Poem)
January 1, 2003... The night was cold. The moon was bright. The Timbertoes liked to skate at night! They cleared away a nice, smooth place so they could glide or have a race. The moon looked down, surprised to find ...

For wee folks.
January 1, 2003... Which of these animals can fly? Run fast? Climb a tree? Which of these animals could open this jar? Eat leaves from this tree? Make a sound like a trumpet? Bring back this stick if I threw it? [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

A pencil holder that can change with your mood. (You Can Make It!).
January 1, 2003... 1. Glue magnetic strips to different-colored pieces of felt. Trim the felt around the edges and cut the strips into 1/2-inch squares. 2. Arrange the squares to cover a metal can that doesn't have sharp edges. 3. Cut a piece of colored...

Create a family of puzzle people. (You Can Make It!).
January 1, 2003... 1. Find a puzzle that your family isn't using anymore. Select some people-shaped puzzle pieces. Trace the pieces onto construction paper and cut out the puzzle shapes. 2. Decorate the shapes to look like members of your family. Glue the...

Keep the beat with a monkey drum. (You Can Make It!).
January 1, 2003... Street performers in India originally used these drums to train monkeys. The drums' popularity spread to Africa, Asia, and now you! 1. Trace around a 4-inch plastic lid two times onto construction paper. Add a half-inch all around both...

Jingle as you play. (You Can Make It!).
January 1, 2003... 1. Cover a clean round ice-cream-carton lid with construction paper. Poke a small hole in the center of the lid. Tape one end of an 8-inch piece of yarn to the inside bottom, thread it through the hole, and tie a jingle bell to the other end....

Make your very own snow kid. (You Can Make It!).
January 1, 2003... 1. For the hat, cut an 8 1/2-inch circle from felt. Poke several holes about an inch from the edge of the circle, and weave a piece of yarn in and out of the holes. Slip the two yarn ends through a bead, then knot them. 2. Cut a...

Meet the Pleiades: find this cluster of stars in the night sky.
January 1, 2003... On any clear, moonless night, the sky is crowded with stars. Most of these distant suns are strangers to one another. But if you look in the right spot, you can meet a whole family of stars called the Pleiades (PLEE-uh-deez). You can...

Headwork.
January 1, 2003... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. Draw a circle in the air with you finger. Draw a square. Can puppies have brothers and sisters? Make a noise like thunder. What else...

Big, bigger, biggest.
January 1, 2003... In each group, say the words in order from the smallest item to the largest. ear body head bus bike car ocean puddle lake house kitchen closet baseball basketball marble apple grape...

What is it?
January 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANSWERS: A snake doing a push-up

The mile run.
January 1, 2003... Four friends participated in the mile run during the fifth-grade track and field day. Using the following clues, can you tell in which order they finished? Julie finished twenty seconds after the winner. Darren finished thirty-five...

Goofus and Gallant[R].
January 1, 2003... "Mom! I can't find the shirt I was going to wear!" Goofus handles food he isn't going to eat. Gallant gets his clothes ready the night before. Gallant touches only the piece he's going to take. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A sea turtle's quiet miracle: we watched in silence as a mother laid her eggs.
January 1, 2003... One summer night, my daughter Meg and I walked in the moonlight along a Florida beach. It was nearly ten o'clock. The sunbathers and surfers had all gone home, and we were alone. Suddenly we saw a sea turtle crawling out of the water. Her...

Young Finch. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Young Finch Christopher Hill Age 9 Michigan [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Kindness Matters. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Kindness Matters All I want is the world to be a better place for you and me. All we must do is be kind, treat others the way we would want to be treated, and then this world would be better for you and me....

Looking for a Wide Receiver. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Looking for a Wide Receiver Rohit Monga, Age 9 Maryland [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Drum. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... The Drum Rain is a lot like a drum, pouring down, the way you can hear it, the way you can feel the beat. Anna Ursu, Age 11 Ohio

Trees and Lakes. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Trees and Lakes If you sit and listen in a wood, you can hear the trees whispering. If you sit and listen by a pond, you can hear the fish singing. But if you talk back they will stop talking, and they will sit...

Invading Ants. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Invading Ants Looking for food that's on the ground, ruining my picnic, crawling and scattering all around, on every tree and stick. Creeping, crawling everywhere, marching up my pants. ...

Penguin on a Camping Trip. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Penguin on a Camping Trip Meredith Watkins, Age 10 New York [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Skating. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... Skating I love to skate. It gives me happy feet. Rubber wheels move me everywhere Across the slippery floor. Marisa Zaremba, Age 5 California

Ballerina Cows. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Ballerina Cows Charlotte Zelz, Age 5 Maine [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Wind Shouts. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... The Wind Shouts Why does the wind shout? Why can't it whisper? What is it all about? Is it to answer the owl's whooos, Or to wake the raccoons from their snooze, Or perhaps to spread the morning dews? ...

Happy. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Happy Heidi Wagner, Age 7 Wiconsin [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A Seed. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... A Seed A little seed pod opens. Its seeds all come on out. They all blow up and down. They blow round and about. They're buried through the winter beneath the cold, cold snow. But when it is springtime, ...

Me and My Dog. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Me and My Dog Colin Walsh, Age 7 Georgia [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

My Brother. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... My Brother My brother is so nice. I think he is the best. He is a nice playmate. He's better than the rest. Sometimes I say he's stupid, But deep down I know it's not true, Because if I didn't have my...

Dream Princess. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... Dream Princess Lynn Shin, Age 7 Georgia [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

My Brother Playing Chess. (Our Own Pages).
January 1, 2003... My Brother Playing Chess Rosie Clay, Age 12 Illinois [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Apple and the Orange. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... The Apple and the Orange The apple and the orange had a fight just yesterday. They argued who was tastier and solved it just this way: They held a contest on the table among the plates galore. ...

The Beautiful Dancer. (Our Own Pages).(Poem)
January 1, 2003... The Beautiful Dancer Three years of age Small crown upon head Pink dress Silvery stomach sparkling Like the dazzling sun of a hot desert Flashing camera as she takes her bow Like lightning flashing over a...

Leaving Moscow.(Short Story)
January 1, 2003... We must hurry. The train to Saint Petersburg, where our aunt lives, leaves Moscow at midnight. I follow my sister Anna, our footsteps loud on the path. My suitcase is heavy in my hand, and the wind brings a dash of snowflakes to my face. ...

Party invitations. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... I have two friends that I want to invite to my party, but they don't like each other. What should I do? Carly S., Washington You could talk to each friend separately. Tell them that you want to invite both of them to the party. You can...

Choosing activities. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... How do I deal with my sister? She always wants to dance, but I always want to find rocks and do things like that. Samantha B., Nevada Perhaps you can take turns deciding what to do each time you play together. If your sister is much...

Shooting a basketball. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... I am not good at shooting a basketball, but I am working on it. Do you start on the or in the front, or can you just stand anywhere? Latisha J., Oklahoma It is a good idea to start by standing to the side of the basket, a few feet back...

Brother sings out loud. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... My brother likes to listen to music, but he sings out loud. I've told him many times to stop, but he just says "What?" really loud. What should I do to make him stop? Tony P., New York Try talking to your brother sometime when he isn't...

Coin cutouts.
January 1, 2003... Which of these puzzle pieces belong in the numbered spaces? Challenge: Find where the other puzzle pieces belong. C fills space 1, F fills space 2, and E fills space 3. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]