Highlights for Children articles from November 2004

Highlights for Children archives from November 2004

Eletelephony.(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Eletelephony Once there was an elephant, Who tried to use the telephant-- No! No! I mean an elephone Who tried to use the telephone-- (Dear me! I am not certain quite That even now I've got it right.) Howe'er...

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

Dear readers.(Editorial)
November 1, 2004... Dear Readers, Have you ever been told, "Your imagination is running away with you!"? I have. But sometimes a runaway imagination can be good. I thought about this after speaking to our artist friend Les Gray. Les draws our busy family...

Camp indoors--with bears!
November 1, 2004... With a few supplies and a bit of creativity, you can craft an indoor camping set to use yourself, share with friends, or give as a gift, Cover the Ground Cut out an 18-inch-by-12-inch piece of cardboard. Glue on green felt to cover...

Five boiled eggs: an old Turkish tale.(Short Story)
November 1, 2004... Long ago, a poor country boy left home to seek his fortune. Day and night he traveled, stopping to eat at inns along the way. Though he ate sparingly, his money quickly dwindled until, one day, no silver akches remained. Still, the boy...

Farming in space: can we grow food on a space voyage?
November 1, 2004... What will astronauts eat when a space voyage takes years or even decades? Lots of fresh vegetables, says Dr. Mary Musgrave of the University of Massachusetts. She has spent the last 10 years learning how to grow plants in space. And it's a...

Thinking.
November 1, 2004... This family is moving to a new home soon. They've decided not to take these items with them. * What could be done with the things they no longer need? Who might want them? * Why do you think the family no longer needs these items? ...

You helped the cartoonist!
November 1, 2004... Last May, we asked you to send us captions for these cartoons. Thanks for the hilarious responses! Here are a few of them, along with the cartoonists' original punch lines. Cartoonist Jack Flynn came up with this caption: "The folks...

Jacob Komar: there's some of Goofus and Gallant in us all. When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.(Gallant Kids)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Jacob Komar spent a recent afternoon sweeping out his family's garage. That's the sort of chore Jacob is eager to do around the Connecticut home where he lives with his parents and his younger sister, Ana. After all, Jacob is a big reason...

A long winter's nap: the arctic ground squirrel spends the winter underground.
November 1, 2004... Winter is coming. It's time for the arctic ground squirrel to get her underground home ready. She chooses a quiet spot, hidden from wolves and foxes. She gathers grass and fur to keep her home warm. Winter is long and cold in northern...

Oliver music boxes.(Hidden Pictures[TM])
November 1, 2004... In this big picture find the ruler, banana, slice of pizza, ice-cream pop, hairbrush, scissors, tack, pencil, artist's brush, hatchet, slice of pie, and bowl. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Thanksgiving Day.
November 1, 2004... President John F. Kennedy made this Thanksgiving Day proclamation in 1961. "Let us observe this day with reverence and with prayer that will rekindle in us the will and show us the way not only to preserve our blessings but also to extend...

Jokes.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Man: "Doctor! Doctor! I need some glasses!" Waiter: "You sure do. This is a restaurant." Brenda Carvajal, California One day a boy crawled into class. "Why are you crawling into class?" the teacher asked. "Because," the...

Mean Jean Jones.(Short Story)
November 1, 2004... Shonnita had just moved to a new school. She didn't like it. Jean Jones was in her class. Mean Jean, Shonnita said to herself. Yesterday, Mean Jean had taken Shonnita's Sweetie Mouse toy and pushed him down the slide, just as...

Exploring Machu Picchu, lost city of the Incas hundreds of years ago the Incas ruled an empire that covered Colombia to Chile, but no one knows for sure why they lived at Machu Picchu.
November 1, 2004... From a cliff high in the Peruvian Andes, I stared down at the ruins of Machu Picchu, the mysterious lost city of the Incas. I had traveled far to South America to uncover the city's history, but soon discovered that would be impossible. My...

One bee rules.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Why is there only one queen bee in each hive but millions of workers? Carly Thomas, Age 8 Maryland Honeybees are social insects with inherited behavior patterns, which they cannot change. These patterns work only in a hive with...

Round planets.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Why are all the planets in the solar system round? Richard Truong, Age 10 California You are right that Earth, Venus, Mars, and all the other planets that go around our sun are shaped like balls, or spheres. A sphere is special in...

Giant squids are real.(Science Letters)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Do giant squids exist? Kayla Grieco, Age 10 New York Yes. Some dead giant squids have washed up on ocean shores. Most are 30 to 40 feet long. The largest ones are about 60 feet long. They have eyes almost as big as volleyballs,...

Something New.(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Something New Something new in the house-- under the stairs, a baby mouse. Something new in the meadow-- a little foal in the green shadow. Something new in the night sky-- a...

Matching.
November 1, 2004... Look at each ball on the left. Find like it on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The chilling Mayflower mystery.
November 1, 2004... I didn't mean to do it. I was being so careful. But it happened anyway. I knocked off my turkey's head. Ice sculpting isn't easy. "Bummer," Lucky said, glancing at my headless turkey. "Maybe you could turn it into a cornucopia." ...

Riddles.
November 1, 2004... 1. Why are geese poor drivers? Matthew Holt, Georgia 2. Why did the pig take all the blankets? Stephanie Jaros, New York 3. Where do rabbits go when they get married? Teddy Pearl, Florida 4. What is a kitchen's favorite movie?...

Check ... and double check.
November 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: OUR TEAKETTLE IS WHISTLING! OUR TEAKETTLE IS WHISTLING!

What are yon thankful for?
November 1, 2004... We'd like to know! On unlined paper, draw a picture of someone or something you're glad to have in your life. Send your work to What I'm Thankful For HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN 803 Church Street Honesdale, PA 18431 Please include your...

Acorns.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Fat acorns make good food for squirrels and for mice and deer. The crows and blue jays like them, too, and so do pigs, I hear. In fall, the busy squirrels bury acorns in the ground. Then squirrels dig up these acorns when there's not much food...

Dickens on parade: a young soldier's pet brought laughter and trouble.(Short Story)
November 1, 2004... Grandfather told me that when he was a soldier in India, many of his fellow soldiers were fond of keeping pets. The barracks in Meerut had its share of dogs and cats and parakeets. But the favorite pet was Grandfather's myna, a lively bird with...

Tiny bouquets make great gifts.(Quick Crafts)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... 1. Decorate a spool using acrylic paints. Let the paint dry. 2. Stick tiny artificial flowers into the hole in the top of the spool.

Set aside some savings!(Quick Crafts)
November 1, 2004... 1. Use construction paper to cover a clean, empty cardboard canister. Glue the paper in place. 2. Decorate the canister using crayons, markers, craft foam, or felt. 3. Ask an adult to cut a hole in the lid so that coins and bills can...

Create a candied-apple decoration.(Crafts You Can Make)
November 1, 2004... 1. Ask an adult to cut a small slice off the bottom of a 3-inch foam ball. Use your fingers to indent the top of the ball. 2. Paint the ball red. 3. Put glue on the end of a craft stick, and insert the stick into the top of the apple....

This frame is picture-perfect.(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... 1. Cut two identical shapes from thin cardboard. 2. Cut a photo opening in the center of one of the shapes, leaving about an inch of frame around the opening. 3. Glue a photo to the uncut shape. 4. Tear or cut a long strip of...

Whirl into spacecraft-ing.(Crafts You Can Make)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... To Make a Spacecraft: 1. Cut a doorway from the side of a cardboard bowl. Turn the bowl upside down and glue it on top of a second bowl. Let the glue dry. 2. Paint your spacecraft, then glue on felt and pompom details. To Make Each...

Invite this talking turkey for Thanksgiving.
November 1, 2004... 1. Ask an adult to poke a small hole in the bottom of a plastic party cup. 2. Cut a 2-foot length of string. Tie a knot in one end. Thread the other end through a bead. Thread the string through the hole in the cup so that the bead is on...

The Thanksgiving dinner that almost wasn't.(Brief Article)(Short Story)
November 1, 2004... Would you like to come to my house for Thanksgiving dinner?" Woodchuck asked Rabbit, Raccoon, and Skunk. "Yes, thank you," said Rabbit. "I'd enjoy that," said Raccoon. "Count me in," said Skunk. "Let's all bring something. Then...

I wonder ... why this horse looks different.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... That's not a horse. It's a mule. Its mother was a horse and its father was a donkey. A mule has longer ears than a horse and may not look as pretty. But a mule can do more work in a day.

What will happen?(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... A chunk of ice is floating in a glass of water, and the water is even with the rim of the glass. The ice sticks up above the water level. What will happen to the water level as the ice melts? Will it go down? Will it stay the same? Or will it...

Make metal float.(Science Corner)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2004... Try to suspend a small steel paper clip in midair. ANSWERS: Make Metal Float--Tie a thread to one end of the paper clip. Tie the other end of the thread to a chair. Now use a magnet to pick up the paper clip, and lift it until the...

Dinosaur days.(Science Corner)
November 1, 2004... Do you have a dinosaur drawing, joke, question, or other contribution for Dino Don? Include your name, age, and complete address, and mail to Dino Don, HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN 803 Church Street Honesdale, PA 18431 RIDDLE Which...

The Timbertoes[R].
November 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Captions: It was coming. It was almost time. "Wake up, Ma!" Pa hurried down the hall. "Wake up, Tommy!" "Wake up, Mabel!" "What is it?" asked Tommy. "I don't know," said Mabel. ...

My Family.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2004... My Family [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JeeSu Moon, Age 4 Michigan

I Love Cats.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... I Love Cats I like mice. I think they are nice. But I love cats. I like cows. We could be pals. But I love cats. I like dogs, both short and tall, and puppies and bunnies and bears who eat...

My Baby Brother.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... My Baby Brother My baby brother is cute. He crawls and walks and he also talks. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. I sing him a song when he cries. Faige Moskovitch, Age 7 Ohio

The Blooming Cacti.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2004... The Blooming Cacti [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Camila Cortina, Age 6 Texas

Seasons.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Seasons Fall, winter, then it becomes spring and summer. Rain turns into ice and snow, then melts into flowers. Maddy James, Age 5 Washington

A Salmon Story.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... A Salmon Story Jumping, splashing, upriver to the end. Flipping, swimming, struggling up to the stream they once called home. Toiling to reach their goal, they fight the great current as it pushes them back....

I am a snowflake.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... I am a snowflake. I toss, tumble, spin, and flip to Earth. Then I land on the soft blanket of snow that has already fallen. Now I am part of it. Brandon Gage, Age 9 Oklahoma

A Fruit Basket.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2004... A Fruit Basket [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vaidehi Vihari, Age 8 India

Evening.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Evening Evening gently falls on me A sheet of nighttime's ebony One star in the sky appears A silver drop, a single tear Through the phantom of a pine The moon turns her round face toward mine One last...

Time with Pa.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Time with Pa Pa is very special to me. He laughs because he thinks I'm funny. We enjoy going on walks. and many times we have long talks. Sometimes we look for treasures to put in my pail. ...

Trees in Winter.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Trees in Winter Bare, naked trees quivering in the cold, all covered with snow like a winter coat. Edmond Godoy, Age 6 New York

Bad Hair Day.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Bad Hair Day I went downstairs. My brother said, "Nice hair." My mother said, "You look like a bear." My hair was wild and sticking out. When I looked in the mirror, I wanted to shout. Combing it...

Reading.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... Reading I learn new words, I get facts, I read stories nonfiction, fairy tales. and nursery rhymes. I see myself in the book. Oh! The different places I go. I am anything I want to be. I use my...

Ice-Skating in Central Park.(Our Own Pages)
November 1, 2004... Ice-Skating in Central Park [ILUSTRATION OMITTED] Emma Snyder, Age 7 Oregon

The Rainbow in My Room.(Our Own Pages)(Poem)
November 1, 2004... The Rainbow in My Room Purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red--I saw a rainbow from my bed. The rainbow was pretty. The rainbow was fine. It's usually made out of rain and sunshine. This one was...

A long way for chocolate.
November 1, 2004... "Dad, are you sure there will be heaps of chocolate?" I ask. I'm lined up with Dad and Uncle John near the back of a pack of twenty thousand runners in Los Angeles. My first marathon. It's pouring rain, my legs are cold, and I'm wishing I...

Brain play.
November 1, 2004... Start at the beginning and see how far you can go, thinking of good answers from your own head. START What sound does a bee make? Would you like to take a trip to the moon? Do you usually shake hands with your right hand or...

Find Freddy!
November 1, 2004... Teddy's brother Freddy looks exactly like him. Can you pick Freddy from the six dogs below? ANSWERS: Freddy is number 5.

Goofus and Gallant[R].
November 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Goofus yells when he gets upset. "Look, we're both getting annoyed, Dan. Let's talk about this after we've cooled down." Goofus interrupts. Gallant lets his friend finish speaking.

Computer mice point and click: here's what makes these gadget tick.
November 1, 2004... A computer mouse usually has two buttons, a cord, and a ball on the bottom. It seems simple, but is it? What is a computer mouse? A mouse is a device that lets you tell the computer what to do. When you move the mouse, it sends an...

Dance choice.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... I'm in fifth grade and I like ballet. Some girls in my class say ballet is for little kids and that I should do jazz or hip-hop. What should I do? Sarah C., California It sounds as if these girls have mistaken notions about ballet....

Sister tags along.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... I have a cousin who is my age, and we like to play together. But every time we play, my little sister tags along. We don't have any fun with her. What should I do? Monica R., New York Perhaps it would help to spend some special time...

Sleepover problem.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... I am having sleepovers on three different days, and one of my friends wants to stay on a day she isn't invited. I can't argue with her because that would end our friendship. What should I do? Kiara M., Virginia Ask your friend why she...

Staying awake.(Dear Highlights)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2004... Every night when I go to bed I start remembering things about school, like projects and homework I didn't do. I've been worrying about that. Jordan D., Italy The best way to avoid this situation is to complete your assignments on...

More than meets the eye.
November 1, 2004... In this big picture find the goose, sliced apple, numeral 3, butterfly, dolphin, thermometer, banana, lamp, ice-cream cone, letter A, gingerbread cookie, three pencils, chair, penguin, duck, pitcher, pear, star, violin case, three slices of...