Highlights for Children articles from July 2003

Highlights for Children archives from July 2003

My People.(Poem)
July 1, 2003... My People The night is beautiful, So the faces of my people, The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people. Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.

Find the pictures.
July 1, 2003... Can you find each of these pictures at another place in this book? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dear readers.(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... Dear Readers, At HIGHLIGHTS, a big bag of joy arrives at our office every day. It's a mailbag, of course, stuffed with mail from kids. If you have ever sent us a letter, a poem, a drawing, or a joke, you know how much we enjoyed hearing...

A chipmunk's home.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... When our brick sidewalk caved in, I suspected that our rodent neighbor was the cause. From my front porch, I watched as a chipmunk disappeared through a hole in the dirt at the edge of the walk. I removed some of the bricks. Underneath I...

Sam toes.(Short Story)
July 1, 2003... When Mom said we had to give away Sam Toes, I didn't say a word. I just picked up Sam and walked out to the shed that used to be Dad's workshop. What Mom said to me wasn't a surprise. I saw it coming. My name is Nathan. Sam Toes is my...

A life painting animals: Rosa Bonheur's love of animals went hand in hand with her love of art.
July 1, 2003... "Moo!" "Baa!" Animal sounds filled the air as drovers prodded the cattle and sheep into town. The September livestock market was underway. All at once, unnerved by the throngs of people, the oxen lowered their long horns and charged. Screaming...

Bothersome bugs.(Science Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... Every time I go outside, there are always gnats and mosquitoes flying onto me. How do I get them to stop? Damere Allen Maryland Gnats and mosquitoes are tiny flies. There are many different kinds of flies, but most of them make a...

Shampoo mystery.(Science Letters)
July 1, 2003... Why does shampoo turn white when you lather it up, no matter what color it is to begin with? Linda Swier, Age 10 South Carolina Shampoo is a soap-like detergent. When added to water, it gives a soapy solution that is great for making...

Multicolor hair.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... My hair is brown. When I wash it, it looks black. Why? Jessica Raymond, Age 11 Virginia When your hair is wet, it looks darker because more light is absorbed. When your hair is dry, it looks lighter because more light is reflected at...

Together again.
July 1, 2003... Which of these things could you take apart and put together again so they would be the same as before?

Would you rather have ...
July 1, 2003... a helicopter or a horse? three diamonds or three apples? a pet zebra or a pet dog? one best friend or three good friends? a lot of money or a lot of happiness? "May I wash the car, Ma? I'm trying to earn money to buy that video game I...

Matching.
July 1, 2003... Look at each cat on the left. Find one like it on the right.

Invite your friends to this Dino-mite Prehistoric Party!
July 1, 2003... Invitations Make invitations by cutting construction paper in the shape of dinosaur footprints. On the front, write "Follow the footprints... " and on the back, write "to a Prehistoric Party!" Decorate each invitation, leaving room to...

Barn dance.(Hidden Pictures[TM])
July 1, 2003... In this big picture find the comb, sailboat, pencil, artist's brush, woman's shoe, ice-cream cone, bird, fish, paper clip, crown, fishhook, rabbit, and heart. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Can you find these Hidden Pictures on page 14? ...

The Beach Belongs to Me.(Poem)
July 1, 2003... The Beach Belongs to Me The sea hurls shells upon the sand and snaps at uninvited guests. Waves bare dragon teeth at sea gulls pasted on the sky. Furious gray, the sea and sky roar, "Go away!" But I...

Jokes.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Sister: "Where are you going? Mom said not to walk on the kitchen floor unless your feet are clean." Brother: "My feet are clean. It's only my shoes that are dirty!" Halie Fritz, New York Knock, knock. Who's there? A...

The tin man was made of iron.(Try This!)
July 1, 2003... In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy had to oil the rusty Tin Man before he could move. But tin doesn't rust. So the Tin Man must have been like a tin can--made of iron, with a coating, or plate, of tin. Many metal things are plated, including...

Check ... and double check.
July 1, 2003... A FISHING WORM! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are at least sixteen differences in these two pictures. How many can you find?

Night of the whippoorwill.(Short Story)
July 1, 2003... Alex stared through the cabin window at the darkness. Soon his dad would call him. And he didn't want to go. He wished he hadn't come to the lake for the weekend. "We're ready," Dad said as he came in from the porch. "Grab your rod." Alex...

Black dots and earmuffs: life teaches you in surprising ways.(Flashbacks)
July 1, 2003... At times in life, it's not other people or events beyond your control that hold you back or get in the way. Your own attitude can be just as big a problem. At school in Ghana, Africa, I was one of a group of boys who sat on the floor of...

For wee folks.
July 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Caption: * Which of these animals is the biggest? The smallest? Which could be good pets? * What is similar about the items in each pair? What is different? * Which happened first? Second? Third? Fourth?

The ghost of Yuckachi Swamp.(Short Story)
July 1, 2003... Everyone in Yuckachi Swamp knew everything about Donald T. Crocodile. He loved crunchy crab legs for lunch just like his father. He slithered in the tall saw grass just like his mother. He snarled and snapped and terrified turtles just...

Sometimes Pots, Sometimes Clouds.(Illustrate the Poem!)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... Sometimes Pots, Sometimes Clouds Banging pots. Tapping shoes. Playing cowpokes, buckaroos. Tooting horns--here's the train. Splashing, shouting in the rain. Singing loud in the sun. ...

Riddles.
July 1, 2003... 1. What did the astronomer do when his theory was proved correct? Becca Winters, Tennessee 2. Where do cars go swimming? Neeraja Ravi, California 3. What do invisible cats drink? Chloe Burnham, Texas 4. What is black...

The Timbertoes[R].
July 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Caption: Pa had the "grumps." So did Ma. Tommy and Mabel had them, too. "We'll cheer them up!" "Let us try!" said the flowers. Nothing worked. The wind knew what to do. He blew hard....

Thinking.
July 1, 2003... * What are some things you'd want to bring with you for a sky-watching outing like this? What might you do before the outing to make the evening more enjoyable? * When you look at the night sky, do you recognize any constellations or other...

Stack 'em up.
July 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: How would you put these together into one stack?

Goofus and Gallant[R].
July 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Goofus ignores his parents' friends when they visit. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Rivera! It's nice to see you." "Yes, Mom. I'm cleaning my room." Gallant tells the truth.

Hoop it up!(You Can Make It!)
July 1, 2003... 1. Cut the centers from one large, one medium, and one small plastic lid to make three hoops. For hangers, attach a different-colored chenille stick to each one. 2. Tape on paper signs that say Good (for the large hoop), Better (for the...

Send your friends a caterpillar greeting.(You Can Make It!)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... 1. Cut three 12-inch-by-2-inch strips of construction paper. 2. Fold one strip back and forth, accordion style, making each fold two inches deep. With the paper still folded, use scissors to round off all four corners. Repeat with the other...

Fill the Fourth of July sky with stars.(You Can Make It!)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... 1. Clean a potato-chip canister. Separately cover the canister and its cap with yellow paper. 2. Cut three 2-foot-long streamers from yellow crepe paper. Repeat with white crepe paper. 3. Tape the ends of the streamers into the...

This octopus comes in handy.(You Can Make It!)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... 1. Cut twenty-four 3-foot-long strands of yarn. Knot six strands together and braid them. Make three more braids. 2. Use yarn to tie the braids together at the center. Then tie the yarn to the string at the center of a bath scrubby (see...

Critters to clip your chips.(You Can Make It!)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... 1. Paint wooden spring-type clothespins. Let the paint dry. 2. Decorate the clothespins with painted spots or stripes. 3. Glue a wiggle eye on each side of each clothespin. Use the critter clips to keep chip bags closed or to keep...

Craft challenge!(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Hope you've been saving your ice-cream sticks! Use them now to create your mini dream house.

The smell of rain.(Jennifer's Journal)
July 1, 2003... What do you mean, you can smell rain coming?" Amanda asked She was my first cousin. ten years old, same as me. She was on a visit to our ranch from her home in Vermont. "Nobody ever asked me before." I said, shaking my head. "I just can."...

Harry Truman, lost and found: ever since he was a young boy, Harry S. Truman depended upon his spectacles.
July 1, 2003... In 1892, children seldom wore glasses, but eight-year-old Harry S. Truman was different. He was probably the only one in his class to have spectacles. Harry's mother, Martha, had noticed something odd about his eyesight. Harry was a very...

The greedy spider: a folktale from Ghana.(Brief Article)(Short Story)
July 1, 2003... Ananse the spider was once a very greedy eater. Night and day he gobbled everything in sight, trying to fill his big round belly. One morning Ananse met Elephant, who was stomping up the path. "I'm going to a feast," Elephant said as he...

Headwork.
July 1, 2003... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. Can you run faster than a rabbit? Faster than a puppy? A spider? How did the Three Bears know that someone had been eating their porridge?...

Queen Saturn.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Queen Saturn [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Emily Roth, Age 8 Indiana

Under My Bed.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... Under My Bed Under my bed I stuck my head to make sure no monsters were there. But to my surprise I saw two big green eyes and a monster with snakes for hair! So I got out and made a loud shout! Then my parents...

I Have a Pen Pal ...(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... I Have a Pen Pal... I have a pen pal who lives in France; she taught to me a really good dance. I have a pen pal who lives in Spain; she has a very pretty name. I have a pen pal who...

Giraffe Eating Leaves.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Giraffe Eating Leaves [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joseph Figueredo, Age 5 Florida

What Will Grow?(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... What Will Grow? The rain is dropping on the seeds. I wonder what will grow. The sun is shining on the plants. Now I think I know. The leaves are growing strong and green. They are getting tall. They must be...

Gramma Knitting.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Gramma Knitting [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vendela Rogers, Age 9 Pennsylvania

Basketball.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... Basketball I love basketball. It's my favorite game. You jump, you run, the good players go to fame. I love to try to get the ball to shoot in the net, and if I get it in the hoop, two points our team...

"Play Ball".(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... "Play Ball" [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Luke Schaaf, Age 7 Massachusetts

Gone for Life.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... Gone for Life When you love someone and they go away forever, that special person that you miss misses you. Even though you can't see them, they will always be in your heart. Tim Gooler, Age 9 ...

My Dog Shawnee at the Beach.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... My Dog Shawnee at the Beach [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Krista Borsari, Age 11 Connecticut

Garden Rainbows.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... Garden Rainbows I went out to water the flowers so they can grow. I sprayed the water in the air and out came a rainbow. Constance Chan, Age 6 California

Grasshopper.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Grasshopper [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] James Shu, Age 8 Wisconsin

God.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... God As I look around and see the work God has done for you and me, I see the stars, I see the moon, I see the flowers bloom. I see the snow. I see the trees. I cannot believe God did this for...

Clock That Dad Made.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Clock That Dad Made [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kenna Krambeer, Age 10 Iowa

My Garden.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... My Garden [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cristina Maria, Age 7 Puerto Rico

Four Bundles of Life.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Four Bundles of Life [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stayzha Lee, Age 10 Arizona

Growing Up.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... Growing Up When I grow up I want to be So many different things--A writer, a poet, a movie star, A lovely girl who sings. When I grow up I want to be What I think and see. When you grow up, be yourself ...

The Digger.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... The Digger The digger is orange, black, and white. You can drive it late at night. It can dig up hills or it can stand still. It digs small holes for lots of poles. You can park it in a barn that's...

Britannic.(Our Own Pages)
July 1, 2003... Britannic [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joshua Person, Age 7 Minnesota

The Moon Is Bright.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
July 1, 2003... The Moon Is Bright The Moon is bright! The Moon has seas! A long time ago people thought it was cheese! The Moon has craters made by meteorites. The Moon doesn't glow. It is just the Sun's light. ...

I wonder ... why dolphins are always smiling.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Dolphins look as if they are smiling but they aren't. The curve of a dolphin's jaw helps the dolphin catch fish and keep fish in its mouth.

One penny shoots out.(Science Corner)
July 1, 2003... Make a stack of five or more pennies on a smooth table. Lay a dime on the table and flick it or slide it so that it hits the bottom of the stack. The bottom penny will shoot out, and the others will stay in a stack. Explanation on page 35....

A flower opens.(Science Corner)
July 1, 2003... One day, this tulip was closed (photo A). The next day, it was open (photo B). What do you think the difference was? Answer The first day was gray and drizzly. The second day had sunny weather. One Penny Shoots Out Why do the...

Dinosaur days.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... How do paleontologists know that dinosaurs had leathery skin and not fur? Bailey Hancock, Age 10 Vermont In some cases, scientists have found the impressions of dinosaur skin along with other fossils. These skin imprints show the...

First things first.(Short Story)
July 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Rabbit, Turtle, and Bear went camping by the lake. They brought sandwiches, apples, sleeping bags, and a tent. "I'm hungry," said Rabbit. "Let's eat first. We can have our sandwiches and apples." ...

What's in a whistle.(Short Story)
July 1, 2003... Years ago in Hungary, there lived a girl named Hanni who loved to whistle. She whistled tunes she heard at village dances. She whistled like the blackbird in the plum tree. She whistled through her lips and through her teeth. She whistled all...

Happiness.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... I am happy most of the time. Why am I not happy all of the time? "I don't know the answer, but your question reminds me of a story," says Senior Editor Marileta Robinson. "Once a man asked a painter to paint a picture for him. He told...

A matter of trust?(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... I let my friend borrow one of my CDs and she never returned it. I thought she could be trusted. What should I do? If you haven't tried talking to your friend, then that would be the place to start. She may have lost the CD and is afraid to...

Musical differences.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... My friends like rap and other music that I don't like. I like country music and southern gospel, but I'm too embarrassed to tell them. How can I get over being too shy? Everyone has his or her own likes and dislikes. That applies to music...

Picture puns.
July 1, 2003... What common word or phrase does each picture represent? 1 WAKE 2 Skating ICE 3 OOO CLOCK 4 C LEVEL 5 MINUTE 6 SPACE 7 TIRE 8 HAIR "Picture Puns" 1. Wake up. 2. Skating on thin ice. 3. Three...