Highlights for Children articles from June 2003

Highlights for Children archives from June 2003

Moonstruck.(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Moonstruck I'd like to see rabbits under the moon, dancing in winter, dancing in June, dancing around while twilight lingers and blinky-eyed stars look down through their fingers. I'd like to see...

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

Let's make ice cream! I scream, you scream ...
June 1, 2003... Ingredients: 1 cup milk (whole milk works best) 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Supplies: 20 cups ice 1 1/2 cups rock salt 1 quart-size zip-top freezer bag 1 gallon-size zip-top freezer bag (The...

How banks work: "there's no money in the bank!" I shouted.
June 1, 2003... Have you ever noticed the vault when you go to the bank? A vault is a room, usually at the back of a bank, with thick walls, a heavy door, and a big lock. All banks have one. When I was a kid, I thought the vault at my bank was where the...

For wee folks.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... * Which books would you like to have read to you? Which books might you read to yourself? * Which books might you share with a younger brother or sister? * How is hearing a story read aloud different from reading it to yourself? ...

Fuzzy peaches.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Why do peaches have fuzz on them? Kayla Roy, Age 9 Michigan No one knows why peaches have fuzz. But experts suspect the fuzz somehow protects the fruit. Plants have two common problems at their surfaces. One is a loss of...

June bugs.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Where do June bugs go after June? Cielo Pinawin, Age 14 California What we call June bugs are really beetles. They fly around in early summer and lay eggs in the ground. Then the adults die. The eggs grow into little grubs, or...

Matching.(Science Letters)
June 1, 2003... Look at each shape on the left. Find one like it on the right.

Sonny, with a chance of buckets.(Short Story)
June 1, 2003... Dad says things will get better. He says I'll take to city living just like I took to climbing trees and playing ball. I look out the window of our new apartment, and I see about forty-seven kinds of graffiti. Dad's right. Things have to get...

Home for a goldfish.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Tina and Dad picked out a goldfish bowl. "What should we put inside?" asked Dad. Tina pointed to the bags of colored rocks. "Red, blue, or yellow?" asked Dad. Tina picked one bag of yellow rocks. "A goldfish needs toys, too," she said. "The...

I wish Jackie wouldn't bring her little brother.
June 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: "I wish Jackie wouldn't bring her little brother along every time we play." "I don't mind. She looks after Billy until their mom gets home from work."

Find my twin.
June 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: "One of these robots is my exact twin. Can you find him?"

Monarch butterfly.(Nature Watch)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Did You Know? Milkweeds are poisonous to most animals. But the caterpillars of monarch butterflies can eat them. The plant's poisons stay in the insects and make them taste bad, even after they have changed into adults. Predators soon learn...

The Carrot Cafe.(Hidden Pictures[TM])
June 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: In this big picture find the sailboat, key, teacup, bagel, bowl, sock, ice-cream cone, paintbrush, worm, apple, ruler, and heart. heart apple sailboat paintbrush ruler teacup worm sock key bagel...

Good morning.(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Good Morning. Sun rises and... Seabirds twitter. Warm waves glitter. Palm fronds flitter. Sand crabs skitter. Good morning, beach. Sun rises and... Roosters crow. Farmers hoe. Tractors...

Riddles.
June 1, 2003... 1. Why don't shoes talk? Kamal Kaur, Virginia 2. What kind of food do musicians like to eat? Vy Nguyen, Texas 3. Why was the piano tuner hired to play on the baseball team? Tom and Claire Parker, Rhode Island 4. Is it...

The night a mountain blew its top.
June 1, 2003... As the tourist boat crossed the New Zealand lake on a June day in 1886, Sophia Hinerangi, the Maori guide, pointed to towering Mount Tarawera. Her European passengers commented on the mountain's inspiring beauty. But they had made the long trip...

Family travel stories.
June 1, 2003... In our December 2002 issue, we asked you to tell us about your most memorable family trip. Thanks for sharing your stories with us! We wish we could publish them all. Here are just a few. Once I took a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to...

What's your favorite holiday tradition?(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... During holidays, people often start traditions--both silly and serious--and soon everyone looks forward to them. Maybe you and your family compete in a water-balloon toss at your annual Labor Day cookout. Or maybe you make a point of reading...

Thinking.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... It's the last day of the school year for these kids. Some will be staying home this summer. Others will be going to camp or on family vacations. * What activities do each of these kids probably enjoy? Why do you think so? What other...

What will happen?(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... If each of these containers held a cup of boiling water, which one would cool off fastest? "Science Corner" (page 21) What Will Happen?--The water in container B will cool fastest. In each container, the water cools mainly by evaporation....

Weighty question.(Science Corner)
June 1, 2003... Stand on a bathroom scale to see how much you weigh. If you stand on one foot, do you weigh half as much as when you stand on two feet?

I wonder ...(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... I wonder... how a seed knows which plant to become. Each seed has a tiny plant inside, all ready to grow. A built-in program tells the seed how to grow up. That way, each seed becomes a plant like the one that made it.

Dinosaur days.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... How do you know if a dinosaur is female or male? Jenna Luetjen, Age 5 Oklahoma Scientists can't tell yet if a dinosaur is male or female from its fossils, but they are looking for clues. One dinosaur was found on top of its own...

Flora's yard sale.
June 1, 2003... Flora and her dad were going to move. Friday, a truck would come for the furniture. Then the next week, workers would dig up the yard. Where Flora and Papi had grown flowers, the workers would put in a parking lot. "Our poor flowers,"...

Why birds wear bright feathers.
June 1, 2003... Have you seen any colorful birds lately? Common backyard visitors such as cardinals, blue jays, and orioles make a parade of color. For years, scientists have wondered why little creatures, like songbirds, are so brightly colored, especially...

The Timbertoes.(Comic)
June 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Captions: "Let's have a talent show." "That sounds like fun" "I have lots of talents!" Tommy tried walking on a rope. He tried standing on his head. He tried a magic trick. It was time for...

First time at camp?(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Some of you will be going to camp this summer. If you haven't been away from home before, you might be wondering what to expect. You might even feel a little nervous. Richard and Sheryl Kamen have spent many years at camps. They are the...

Jokes.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... First snake: "I hope I'm not poisonous." Second snake: "Why?" First snake: "I just bit my tongue." Kelsey Dengler, Pennsylvania One night my granddad chewed his feather pillow to bits. I mean bits. In the morning, I asked him...

Buildings in disguise: today, people can sleep in a beagle, eat in a shoe, or work inside a chest drawers.
June 1, 2003... Some buildings don't look like buildings at all. They look like super-sized baskets, beagles, or ice-cream cones. They are designed to grab your attention--and they usually do! Architects call these buildings mimetic structures because they...

Vine Snake.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Vine Snake [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wayne Bair, Age 11 West Virginia

My Kittens.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... My Kittens Kittens and Gittens and Strikes-All are very nice. When they get hurt, They can make you cry, But they will heal And chase mice. I love to watch them play. We play with them all day! ...

Animal Castle.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Animal Castle [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gabrielle Adeoti, Age 8 Germany

Yellow Umbrella.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Yellow Umbrella My yellow umbrella, a tropical flower that only blooms in cool rain showers, sleek petals spreading wide over its slender stem. Katie Raves, Age 8 Tennessee

Saturn.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Saturn [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tamara Zutz, Age 12 Wisconsin

Hovering there in the vast night sky.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Hovering there in the vast night sky, Sparkling brightly--my, oh my- What a wondrous sight to see. How happy I am that I can be Here in the country to feast my eyes On beautiful stars in the clear night skies....

My Pet Oppossum, Quint.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... My Pet Opossum, Quint [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Grace Clifton, Age 10 Indiana

Ocean Waves.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Ocean Waves The foamy waves beat down on the shore, The sand shifts under the water, A storm is coming with the fog, And yet we are safe from the roaring sea. Shannon Dennehy, Age 10 Oregon

My dog dreams about bones and balls, then she doesn't hear my calls.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... My dog dreams about bones and balls, then she doesn't hear my calls. She ignores me when I yell. Instead she hears the cookie bell. I always try to wake her up, but she is a lazy pup. Finally I let her sleep ...

Photos.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... The frame--a door into the past The picture--a moment that's gone by fast The memory--priceless, better than gold The figure in it--eternal, never old Max Chomet, Age 11 New York

Ice Skater.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Ice Skater [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mary Gatlyn, Age 7 Oklahoma

The Beach.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... The Beach The beach is a great place to go. The sand is lovely and as white as snow. You watch the sun begin to set And see the colors, yellow, purple, and red. Joe Chambers, Age 9 Ohio

Owls See Well in the Dark.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Owls See Well in the Dark [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thomas Devereux, Age 6 California

All the Things That Make No Sense.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... All the Things That Make No Sense There are lots of things that make no sense, like now we use pennies, but then they used pence, how we call it football, but they call it soccer, how not every door ...

Self-Portrait.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Self-Portrait [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hattie Knapp, Age 5 Michigan

Sky.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Sky The sky looks like Indians' faces drifting to a new hunting ground. The sky feels like the presence of a lost loved one walking on the clouds. The sky brings storms that feel like tears. Tynan...

Mali in the Desert.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... Mali in the Desert [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rebecca Dawson, Age 8 North Carolina

My Blankee.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... My Blankee My blankee is so soft and sweet, It makes me feel like I have heat. And when I am scared, It's always there To cuddle up to, Like a soft teddy bear. Erin Lafond, Age 7 New Hampshire

Ladder.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Ladder It is like I can touch the stars, with the stillness of night below, the peace of space above, the sound of stillness all around, where houses look like toys, the moon above ...

Baby Bird.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
June 1, 2003... Baby Bird Life is a baby bird Hatching from its fragile shell Entering into the new world at dawn Not knowing what anything means Feeling helpless Needing care from the mother bird It...

I Want to Be a Digger Man.(Our Own Pages)
June 1, 2003... I Want to Be a Digger Man [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Trevor Paige, Age 5 Wisconsin

Copernicus, king of craters: on the moon, this crater rules.
June 1, 2003... The best-known impact crater on Earth is Meteor Crater. It is nearly a mile across and about 550 feet deep. To see it, you would have to drive far out into the desert in Arizona. The Moon's best-known meteor crater is Copernicus. It is 58...

You really should do something.
June 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: "You really should do something about that cold."

Take action.
June 1, 2003... Find the picture that belongs with each action word. hit throw jump run kick catch [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Goofus and Gallant[R].
June 1, 2003... Goofus expects other people to clean up after him. Gallant cleans up after himself. "Oh, wow, I want this! Can't we use your money for a Father's Day gift?" Gallant uses at least some of his own money to buy family presents.

Headwork.
June 1, 2003... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. Which is longer, your smallest finger or your smallest toe? Can you kiss your own elbow? How is a pet cat different from a toy cat? ...

Back and forth.(palindromes)
June 1, 2003... A palindrome is a word that is spelled the same backward and forward. Here are some. Can you think of others? bib civic deed eye level dad noon rotor wow madam

Wilber's big windup.
June 1, 2003... A Story Without Words by Elaine Pageler Illustrated by Les Gray [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jellyfish tide.(Short Story)
June 1, 2003... We were at summer camp on Puget Sound, and Shelly had an idea. "Let's take canoeing," she said. I just giggled. "The way I swim?" Shelly was a junior lifeguard. My best stroke was the doggy paddle. "It's a boat," said Shelly. "You...

Thar she blows!(You Can Make it!)
June 1, 2003... 1. Stack five clean tissues without unfolding them. Use scissors to cut your tissue pile in half, and then stack the two half-piles to make one. 2. Place the tissue pile on a piece of felt. Draw a whale shape around the pile, adding a...

Hide your treasures here.(You Can Make It!)
June 1, 2003... 1. Cut off the top of a clean, dry, one-quart milk carton so that one side is 6 inches high and the other three sides are 2 1/2 inches high. 2. Fold over the 6-inch side to make a lid. 3. Glue on felt or construction paper to cover the...

Craft challenge!(You Can Make It!)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Ahoy, matey! Make sea creatures using only tissues, paper towels, and rubber bands.

Surprise dad with a bookmark card.(You Can Make It!)
June 1, 2003... 1. For the card, fold a 4-inch-by-8-inch piece of construction paper in half lengthwise. Make two 1-inch cuts on the fold, one 3 inches from the top and one 3 inches from the bottom. Unfold the paper. 2. For the bookmark, cut a...

You've been framed!(You Can Make It!)
June 1, 2003... 1. Carefully take a square tissue box apart at the seams. Peel off the plastic that covers the opening. 2. Cut off the box top (see diagram at right). 3. Fold back flap A, then flaps B and C, and glue them shut. 4. Insert your...

Stop, drop, and score.(You Can Make It!)
June 1, 2003... 1. Use a marker to number the cups in a disposable muffin tin from 1 to 6. 2. Put one tablespoon of water into a small balloon to make it wobbly and unpredictable. 3. Blow just enough air into the balloon so that it will fit in a...

Getting Betty ready.
June 1, 2003... There's a lot do before hopping on a horse. Chloe and Betty will show you the ropes. Betty needs grooming from her ears to her hooves. While Chloe grooms her, she will be on the lookout for injuries or other problems. Chloe rubs...

Cats vs. dogs.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... I like cats a lot. But I have a friend who likes dogs. Whenever I wear cat stuff, she just looks away and makes a face and ignores me. Can you please help? Megan M., Georgia It's too bad that your friend is not more accepting of your...

Study tips.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... Do you have some study tips for making good grades? Zach W., Georgia First, be sure to discuss your needs with your teacher. He or she may have some great tips for you. Here are some other ideas, too. In the classroom, be sure to...

A bad move?(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... We moved last year. Sometimes I wish that we hadn't. Can you help me? Jonathon Z., Texas Perhaps you could make a list of things you miss about your former home and then look for ways to enjoy your new home more. For example, if you...

In need of friends.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2003... At recess I don't have any friends to play with. How can I make friends with kids in my class? Wendy S., Ohio The first step might be to simply smile at a kid who seems friendly. When he or she smiles back, just say, "Hi," or, "How...

Animal wise crackers.
June 1, 2003... Jack: "My dog can talk." Erika: "I don't believe it." Jack: "Go ahead and ask him something." Erika: "OK. Who is the greatest baseball player in the history of the game?" Dog: "Roof, roof." Jack: "See? He answered, 'Babe...