Highlights for Children articles from May 2006

Highlights for Children archives from May 2006

Find the pictures.
May 1, 2006... Can you find each of these 12 pictures at another place in this book? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

May flowers.
May 1, 2006... What is hidden among the spring flowers? May Flowers--The Mayflower--the ship on which the Pilgrims sailed to America. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Riddles.
May 1, 2006... What do you call a town with 50,000 eggs? New Yolk City Whys is the sky so high So the birds won't hit their heads

5 Family fun days.
May 1, 2006... Make any day in May fun for the whole family with one of these themes. 1. Kite-Flying Day. 2. Yodeling Day 3. Maypole Dance Day 4. Mother Goose Day 5. Insect Hunt Day

Cinco de Mayo.
May 1, 2006... Parades, patriotic speeches, and barbecues are all part of this national holiday in Mexico. Many Americans, especially those with roots in Mexico, join in the celebration of liberty and freedom on May 5. Many Mexican Americans live in these...

Maybe you can say this!
May 1, 2006... Practice until you can say this sentence three times without tripping over your tongue. In May merry Mary sheared sixty silly sheep.

Celebrate your May birthday.
May 1, 2006... If birthday gifts make your toy box overflow, it's time for a "Goodie Giveaway." After you open your gifts, go through your old toys. Fill a box with toys that are in good condition but that you no longer play with. DOnate the box to your...

Dear readers.
May 1, 2006... Every spring, a pair of birds nests on top of a porch pillar outside my office window. My assistant, Sally, and I enjoy watching these birds fly to and fro. First, they bring small twigs and soft bits of found things to line the nest. Before...

The Freight Train.(Poem)
May 1, 2006... The Freight Train The slow freight wriggles along the rail With a red caboose for a lashing tail, With a one-eyed engine for a head The slow freight follows the river bed. He moves like a snake that has grown...

Horsing around.(Ask Arizona)
May 1, 2006... Dear Arizona, My friend is having a birthday party at a swimming pool. Nobody knows this, but I'm terrified of water, so I never learned how to swim. There's no way I can miss this party, and there's no way I can go. What am I going to do?...

Restless nose.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... The dream I had was very weird. I was at my friend's house lying on the couch, and I was poking at my nose all night long. My nose was on my cheek. I was trying to push it back where it belonged. Matthew Jones, Age 12 California

Who's on the bike?(dreams)
May 1, 2006... Hearts were riding bicycles. Then there were birds and cows riding bicycles and scooters. The cows looked funny on scooters. They were going fast! Cheyenne Futrell, Age 4 North Carolina

The iron tooth.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... I lost my tooth that I was supposed to give to the tooth fairy. We went to my friend's house. I said to my friend, "Aren't teeth made out of iron?" "Yes," he said. "Let's go get your metal detector!" I shouted. Joshua Stough, Age 7 ...

Book Dimensions.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... I was on the Magic School Bus, and Ms. Frizzle was taking us to "Book Dimensions." When we got there, it was just a library, but she said, "The scarier the book, the higher you levitate." I didn't realize what she meant until Carlos checked out...

The handstand.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... I was in a handstand ready to get down, but when I tried I couldn't. So I had to walk to school on my hands! Everyone at school was on their hands, too. Everyone was bumping into one another, even the teachers and principal. Finally a teacher...

My talking horse, dash.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... I had a horse, and the horse talked. She said, "I don't eat hay; I want eggs." Then she began to play the piano. She wouldn't let me ride her. All she did was lie on my bed and watch Mr. Ed reruns. Hannah Von Handorf, Age 10 Iowa

My Washington dream.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... I was friends with George Washington. It all started on Presidents' Day. I was at the White House in the 1700s. I was surprised to be friends with the first President of the United States. I went to the backyard and cut down a cherry tree. A...

Monkey business.(dreams)
May 1, 2006... There was a restaurant run by monkeys. All they served was tomato soup. Their first-ever customer walked in. A monkey waiter pointed at a table, and the man sat down. The chef heated up some soup. The waiter grabbed the bowl of soup and poured...

Athletic wasp.(Funniest Dreams)
May 1, 2006... A wasp with long legs was jogging on my dad's leg. Drew Baxter, Age 7 Michigan

Track and field-mouse.(puzzles)
May 1, 2006... Study this picture for one to two minutes, trying to remember as much as you can about it. Then turn to page 9 to test your memory! STOP! Before reading these questions, turn to page 43 and follow the directions. * How many different...

Animal actions.(puzzles)
May 1, 2006... Owls swoop and pelicans scoop. Skunks spray and mantises pray. Which animal below best matches each action? waddle pinch purr glow play dead soar flutter coil eagle/soar, opossum/play dead,...

Goofus and Gallant[R].(Cartoon)
May 1, 2006... Goofus ignores the new kid at school. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Want to play?" asks Gallant. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Ugh, I ate too much," says Goofus. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gallant doesn't overload his plate with...

One cool picnic, Nunavut style.
May 1, 2006... It is the end of May, and the fifth-grade students at Maani Ulujuk School are excited. They're going on a spring field trip--to ice fish! But they have to wait for the right kind of weather. This May, the weather is colder than usual. The...

The dog won't eat.(Short story)
May 1, 2006... "I wonder why Fergus didn't eat his dog food," said Tina. "Look, his bowl is still full." "I wish I knew," Jack said. "I gave the horses their hay. I put corn out for the chickens and ducks. If fed the pigs, sheep, goats, cows, and...

Jokes.(Cartoon)
May 1, 2006... A lady was walking her dogs down the street. "What are your dogs' names?" a man asked. "Timex and Rolex," she answered, "Those are strange names for dogs!" the man said, "But these are watch dogs!" the lady answered. ...

Number magic.
May 1, 2006... Take any number. Add 7. Double it. Add 16. Then double it again. Divide by 4. Subtract 15. The result will always be the original number.

Riddles.
May 1, 2006... 1 What kind of train gives people colds? Lauren McCulley, Colorado 2 What do cheetahs like to eat? Nilan Hirani, California 3 What travels around the world but always stays in a corner Manisha Byreddy, Michigan 4 What...

To Mom.(Poem)
May 1, 2006... To Mom A poem is a hug that sways to music. A hug is a poem that snuggles in rhyme. I know that if I could be a poem I'd snuggle with you all the time.

The wounded mastodon: what killed this Ice-Age creature.
May 1, 2006... During prehistoric times, shaggy-haired mastodons roamed North America. Near the end of the last Ice Age, one of these elephant-like animals collapsed and died. Sediment gradually covered the six-ton male's body. Over many years, the rest of...

Chili Dog and the cookbook treasure.(Short story)
May 1, 2006... One morning, Chili Dog brought in the mail to his owner, Mrs. Mitt. "What's this?" Mrs. Mitt said. She read the flyer: "Best-in-the-West" Chili Cook-off. Grand Prize: A Chili-Tasting Tour of Texas. Come to the park on Sunday...

Dino days.
May 1, 2006... Why couldn't T. rex see something if it wasn't moving? Devin Vickers, Age 6 Texas That idea was made up for the Jurassic Park book and movie. T rex had very good eyesight and a good sense of smell, too. The shape of the brain, the...

The lights at night.
May 1, 2006... Why do dim stars look brighter when you see them from the corner of your eye? The Lights at Night--For us to see any object, light from the object must pass through the eye's lens and hit a layer of special cells, called the retina, on the...

What's this stuff?
May 1, 2006... What is this green leafy stuff growing on the side of a tree? What's This Stuff?--That green stuff is called a lichen (LYE-kin). It's a harmless combination of two living things: a plant called an alga (AL-guh) living inside a fungus...

I wonder ...: how the cricket makes its chirp.
May 1, 2006... The cricket's wings have special places that are rough, like files. When the cricket rubs its wings together, these rough places run over each other and make the wings vibrate. That makes the sound of the cricket's chirp.

Opening a window.
May 1, 2006... I was raised by my grandparents, Jesse and Marion Bowman. They ran a little general store in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Folks would come into the store to sit around the stove and talk. One of them was...

Hot spot!(Yellowstone National Park)
May 1, 2006... "Here it comes!" my son Kevin shouted. We felt a rumble beneath our feet. We heard a noise like a roaring train. Boiling water shot out of the ground and blew high into the air. We were watching a geyser in Yellowstone National Park....

African Caracal Cat.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... African Caracal Cat Cassie Collins. Age 8 Missouri [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

My Pet Dog, Pinky.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... My Pet Dog, Pinky I used to have a Jack Russell. What a friendly dog she was-- Entertaining, energetic, enthusiastic, Till the day she passed away. She told me on that fateful day, "Don't cry, my friend, I...

All the People.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... All the People All the people around the world wish they lived in peace and harmony. If we all join hands, we can make this wish come true. Maggie Wood, Age 9 Kentucky

How I looked as a lamb in The Nutcracker ballet.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... How I Looked as a Lamb in The Nutcracker Ballet Julia Taylor, Age 6 Hawaii [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

When the sun is out.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... When the sun is out, I can throw a stick, but today I'm inside 'cause I'm sick. My tummy hurts and I don't want anything to eat; when I get hot and feverish, I just want to sleep. Angela Hess, Age 7 ...

Grass and Butterflies and Flowers.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... Grass and Butterflies and Flowers Kristin Matuszynski, Age 5 COlorado [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I am really happy when ...(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... I am really happy when... Lightning strikes, thunder roars, and the rain beats down on the roof. Inside, my family and I are snuggled, safe on the couch. Beneath the covers I listen to the fire crackle ...

Canoe.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... Canoe An old native creek... Some pioneers board a canoe... They're off to find new lands. Walter Bender III, Age 12 Indiana

Bike in Florida.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... Bike in Florida Reno Schwind, Age 9 New Jersey [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A Different Kind of Hero.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... A Different Kind of Hero My grandpa was a soldier in World War II. He was a different kind of hero. and a great fellow, too. He had a lot of courage to fight in such a war. He ended up with cancer. ...

Adobe village.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... Adobe Village Lauren Hall, Age 7 Arizona [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Your Little Blanket.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... Your Little Blanket Have you got a little blanket? Well, if you do, go have a little fun. Go out in your front yard and lay it in the sun! Then act like an astronaut glidin' to the moon. or maybe a superhero...

The Seasons.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... The Seasons In the fall, there is Halloween in October, with scary costumes. Fuzzy jackets in the wintertime when it snows. Spring with sunny days and nice people and music. Summer is very hot. and you...

A Bear.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... A Bear Emmanuel Tan, Age 3 New York [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Glad Days.(Poem)
May 1, 2006... Glad Days Every day is different. Sometimes it's sunny. Sometimes it's hot. Sometimes it's cloudy. Sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's rainy. Sometimes it's shiny. But every day I'm glad. Rosemary Grant, Age 5 ...

Matterhorn.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... Matterhorn Ben Miller, Age 6 Michigan [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

99 Fence Posts.(Your Own Pages)(Poem)
May 1, 2006... 99 Fence Posts 99 fence posts all in a row. standing in Alaska. standing in the snow. There is no grass. there is nothing to pass, except for the 99 fence posts all in a row. Isaac Roberts, Age 7 ...

My Dad.(Your Own Pages)
May 1, 2006... My Dad Luke Schlotman, Age 7 Wisconsin [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Earthworm.
May 1, 2006... Did You Know? Earthworms make dirt. They eat dead leaves and other decaying material. Then they deposit waste that is rich in nutrients for plants. By feeding and tunneling, they enrich the soil and make it easier for many plants to grow. ...

Thinking.(puzzles)
May 1, 2006... These people are having fun at the skateboard park. * Two people are taking photos. Will their pictures look exactly alike? Why or why not? * What might happen if these skaters didn't wear safety gear? * Which would be easier to...

Dumplings on Sundays.(Short story)
May 1, 2006... "I have a problem," says Aunty Mae as we gather around the table to make dumplings. I dip my fingers into the bowl. The egg mix is cool and wet. Me, too, I think, but I am glad Aunty Mae has gone first. Her problem is small. She has...

The Timbertoes[R].(Cartoon)
May 1, 2006... Ma went for a walk. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She picked flowers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She listened to birds. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She took a nap. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Where is Ma?" asked Pa. ...

Black holes.
May 1, 2006... Do black holes really exist? Timmy Dong, Age 9 Florida Yes, they do. At sometime in its very long life, a star may use up the nuclear energy that keeps it in the form of a hot gas. Then it contracts and gets smaller. It may become...

Blink of an eye.
May 1, 2006... Why do people blink their eyes? Marlee Klopfer, Age 11 Illinois I guess you've noticed that your eyes blink rather regularly. Most people blink about twenty-five times a minute while they are awake. In blinking, your eyelids are...

Where are we going, mam?(Short story)
May 1, 2006... "Where are we going, Mama?" Ayanna asked one spring morning. "Someplace special," Mama said. Ayanna watched Mama make ham-and-swiss-cheese sandwiches. Her favorite! Daddy liked them, too. She wished Daddy were home. But this was his...

Film canisters can carry fun.
May 1, 2006... A tooth-fairy treasure chest 1. Wrap masking tape around a film canister, Glue colored paper over the tape. Glue on cutpaper stars and teeth. 2. With an adult's help, use a pushpin to make a hole in the lid. Enlarge it with a pencil....

Catch the sun in a pretty picture.
May 1, 2006... 1. Cut two large matching shapes from construction paper. 2. Paper-clip the shapes together. Draw a design, and cut it out through both shapes. 3. Lift off the top shape. On the bottom shape, glue colored tissue paper over the cutouts....

Craft challenge!(Crafts You Can Make)
May 1, 2006... Make a scrapbook out of paper bags, string, and magazine cutouts.

Make a coaster set for mom.
May 1, 2006... 1. To make the coasters, cut large circles from scrubber pads. 2. With a yarn needle and yarn, stitch designs into the coasters. Knot the ends on the back. 3. For the coaster holder, cut the bottom section from a small box that's...

Feed baby birds in a worm-toss game.
May 1, 2006... 1. For the nest, cover a coffee can with brown paper. Glue on Spanish moss or dried grass. 2. For the birds, cut four paper-towel tubes to different lengths. Cover the rolls with colored paper. Glue on paper beaks and wiggle eyes. 3....

Save your page with a folk-art bookmark.
May 1, 2006... In many Polish cottages, people used a paper-cutting art called Wycinanki (vi-chee-NON-kee) to decorate the whitewashed walls. Before paper was available, people cut bark and leather with sheep shears. 1. For a bookmark, cut a...

Troll trOUble.(Short story)
May 1, 2006... There once was a man who had three sons. The two older sons were strong, but they were also lazy. The third son was a hard worker and clever, too. But he was still only a boy. One spring, the father, feeling his years, told the eldest son...

Bringing back the bluebirds.
May 1, 2006... I am a steward for a bluebird habitat. I help protect and promote the eastern bluebird population on Long Island. I never imagined that I would be involved with bluebirds; however, sometimes our own curiosity can take us in unexpected...

Brain play.
May 1, 2006... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. START Can you touch your ears with your shoulders? Tell a difference between a cookie and a brownie. Name three things that would...

On your mark, get set, pedal! Over land, across sand, through mud, and in the water ... race your art.
May 1, 2006... A giant shoe with blinking eyes and smiling lips. A fat-bellied goony bird. A two-story dinosaur skeleton. And a massive floating iguana! These are just a few of the amazing kinetic sculptures that have been seen during the annual Arcata to...

Won't play by the rules.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... My friend doesn't play basketball by the rules. He bends the rules so he can win. I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I don't want anybody to feel like a loser. Can you help? Kaiser S., Pennsylvania Try talking to your friend...

Wants to be a writer.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I want to be a writer when I grow up, but I don't know what to write about. Please help. Emma B., Illinois Even professional writers sometimes have trouble figuring out what to write about. You might want to start writing in a journal....

Fights with sister.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... My sister and I fight. What can we do to not fight? Kirsten S. (by e-mail) You might want to have a heart-to-heart talk with your sister sometime when the two of you are getting along. Perhaps the fighting has been bothering her, too....

Worried about shots.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I have to get a special shot. Do you have some tips to make me worry less? James C., California One of our editors, Kim Griswell, says that when she was a kid, she was terrified of shots. She would fight to keep from getting one. ...