The Realm of Imagination the Realm of Imagination

the realm of imagination the realm of imagination

January 2016 Volume 43 Number 4

CRICKET STAFF Lonnie Plecha Editor Karen Kohn Senior Art Director Patrick Murray Designer Carolyn Digby Conahan Staff Artist Deborah Vetter Senior Contributing Editor Julie Peterson Copyeditor Jestine Ware Assistant Editor Adrienne Matzen Permissions Specialist

CRICKET ADVISORY BOARD Marianne Carus Founder and Editor-in-Chief from 1972–2012 Kieran Egan Professor of Education, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver Betsy Hearne Professor, University of Illinois, Champaign; Critic, Author Sybille Jagusch Children’s Literature Specialist Linda Sue Park Author

PHOTO BY RAEPHOTO.COM BY PHOTO Katherine Paterson Author Barbara Scharioth Former Director of the COVER AND BORDER International Youth Library in Munich, Germany Anita Silvey Author, Critic by Micha Archer Sandra Stotsky Professor of Education Reform, “Scenes from Arabian Nights” University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Roger Sutton Editor-in-Chief of collage and pen and ink The Horn Book Magazine, Critic Ann Thwaite Author, Critic Micha Archer is an author, artist, and illustrator living in western Massachusetts. A world traveler, her sense of color and pattern is influenced by the art, crafts, flora, and archi- tecture of India, Nepal, West Africa, Educational Press Association of America Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge and Mexico, among other countries. Golden Lamp Award Honor Certificate for Outstanding Working in gouache, oil, ink, and col- Distinguished Achievement Award Achievement lage, she creates layered pieces from International Reading Association various materials, on paper and digi- Paul A. Witty Short Story Award tally. She taught for fifteen years in 1988–1993, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011–2015 a kindergarten classroom and spends her time now writing and illustrating books for children.

National Magazine Award Society of Midland Authors finalist in the category of Award for Excellence in General Excellence Children’s Literature

January 2016, Volume 43, Number 4, © 2015, Carus Publishing dba Cricket Media. All rights reserved, including right of reproduction in whole or in part, in any form. View submission guidelines and submit manuscripts online at cricketmag.submit- table.com. Please note that we no longer accept unsolicited hard copy submissions. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other material. All letters and competition Is it time to renew? entries are assumed for publication and become the property of Cricket Media. For information regarding our privacy policy and compliance with the Children’s Online shop.cricketmedia.com Privacy Protection Act, please visit our website at cricketmedia.com/privacy or write to us at Cricket/COPPA, 70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601. 1-800-821-0115 continued on page 47 5 Bully by Joanna Sisk-Purvis 12 Dance with Me by Patricia A. Micciche 13 The Exodermis Protection Suit by Michael Sismondo 16 Blots from the Inkwell by Cricket Chatterboxers 18 The Forty Thieves by Christy Lenzi 25 Hoppy New Year! 26 The Intergalactic Collection of Knowledge and Records by Ashley Kruger 33 Ode to the Pangolin by Ruth Gilmore Ingulsrud 34 On Dragonwings by Lucy D. Ford 40 Geoffrey Pyke’s Cool Idea by Louise Grippen 43 Hot Snowballs by Valerie Wyatt

2 Letterbox 4 Cricket Country by Carolyn Digby Conahan 44 Ugly Bird’s Crossbird Puzzle 45 Cricket League 46 Cricket and Ladybug by Carolyn Digby Conahan 48 Old Cricket Says

Dear Cricket, Marty, you are my favorite buggy. Ladybug, you interesting person, I’m going to become friends I absolutely adore your magazine. I love to read need to stop being so bossy or nobody with them, regardless of their gender. At my high and write and I was wondering if you could create will like you! Pussywillow, you are THE CELLO MAKES school, we don’t do clique things. We don’t a crash course in writing as one of your future ar- the cutest kitten in the world! Old A BIG SOUND, exclude, we don’t label, and we definitely ticles. In school, math is my favorite subject, with Cricket, I love to read “Old Cricket TOO. don’t bully. It reminds me of preschool in science at an extremely close second. I also really Says,” because it’s full of cool a way, when we were too young to know like to spell. I play the trumpet and am starting information. Zoot, I used to play the how to judge people. We’d just go up to piano. I want to play trombone, sax, flute, clarinet, violin. I have seen a cello before. someone and ask to play. They’d say yes, drums, et cetera. They are big! Sluggo, you are a very we’d make up a game, and by the end of I totally recommend the book Because of Mr. cool snail. My backyard has a lot of the day we’d be best friends—as simple as Terupt by Rob Buyea. I like the Percy Jackson and snails! Cricket, Ugly Bird might not be that. My school’s the same way. the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, but other as bad as you think, although I agree that Nora the Singer than that I am mostly into realistic fiction, not fan- he should preen his feathers more. To the boys, Down to Earth tasy. Brenli Pugh (January 2015), I am in the midst My favorite stories so far are “Becky Lets Off Chatterbox of Wonderstruck and am enjoying it. I love the Steam” (January 2015), “The Girl from the Tarpa- very first illustration of the wolves. Have you ever per School” (February–March 2014), and “The Girl Dear Buggies of Cricket Country, read The Invention of Hugo Cabret? You should Who Writes the Future” (November/December Hi! Hey, Zoot! I’m in band and I’m your definitely read it. 2014–May/June 2015). The Crowd-Sorcery stories arch-nemesis! Ladybug, I used to be a lot like Emmy Udry, age 11 are very fun to read. I like the characters kids you—vain, bossy, sort of selfish, and tricky—but Upper Nyack, New York made. They are so creative! I changed. Pussywillow is so cute! You bugs should I would like to be a famous author when I grow make a mag of Pussywillow. Hi, Everybuggy, up. I know that publishers sometimes turn down My favorite game right now is Spirit Animals Your mag is awesome! I’ve been getting famous authors’ books. That happened to Dr. and I’m level 60. I have a penguin, a komodo Cricket for around a year and a half now Seuss more than once! I know that you have to dragon, a fox, and a tiger. I really like and I like every part of it. I wish there keep trying when that happens. Percy Jackson and want to be an MATH DESIGN DECOR? CHANGED? WHAT FOR, was a new edition every day. I like SOUNDS PERFECT FOR Alfina Marie Eull, age 9 architect or a Greek historian. IF YOU WERE LIKE ME? “Goldilocks Goes to Camp” (July/ YOU, TATER. Torrance, California Allison (aka Crystal) L., HRRUMPH. August 2015). age 10 I really like computers and Dear Cricket, Air, nowhere in particular board games, although my favor- I absolutely love your magazine p.s. My grandma’s great x 38 ite subject is math. I’ll read just because you spark imagination in grandfather was prime minister about any math-related book I can even the most left-brained kids! of China. get my hands on and I’ve decorated You have great ideas for stories, art, MEWY SIGH. my bedroom in math formulas. IT DOES! competitions, and characters of differ- Dear Cricket, Simon K., age 114,243.53 hours ent personalities. My favorite parts are the I love your mag. It is the best one in the world! East Lansing, Michigan Letterbox, Ugly Bird’s Crossbird Puzzle, Crowd- I love to swim, run, hike, bike, and play. My favorite Sorcery stories, and what Old Cricket says. character is Sluggo. He is so funny! Dear Everybuggy, My favorite things to do are read your magazine, I love How to Train Your Dragon. I also love the I know a quadrillion people have said this, but I watch skateboarding videos, and go skateboarding. Harry Potter movies. love your mag! I have two brothers and two sisters. I recommend H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Sage F., age 10 I am the oldest. I think our family is one of a kind, Education and The Hunger Games series. They are San Jose, California because one of my sisters is a little person and one sci-fi books. of my brothers is autistic. To top it off, I am a trip- Calvin B., age 12 Dear Everybuggy, let, and one of my sisters and a brother are twins! I Fort Collis, Colorado I just finished the March 2015 issue. Every call it triplet and twin trouble. I am homeschooled, comment here will be about March 2015. First, and my favorite subject is science. I love Cricket My friends in real life are actually an even mix I read “Cricket Country.” Wowwie! I thought for because it includes science and fantasy. of guys and girls. If someone is a kind, trustworthy, sure it would be Ugly Bird, but it’s Ugly . . . Dragon?

2 Make him a recurring character! Please! whether it’s in a café, your room, under a CHIRPS FROM CRICKET’S I liked the story “Sweet Beginnings.” tree, in a pool, or somewhere over the LETTERBOX AND CHATTERBOX Where I live, it went straight from wintry rainbow in the land of unicorns. below-freezing temperatures to around I recommend The Name of the Your mag is epic! My grandma got me one for fifty degrees in the daytime. No time Star, The School for Good and Evil, Christmas, and I love it! for making maple syrup. and The Land of Stories series. I also Kaia I wonder if Samuel Clemens (“Old recommend the movies Max, From via email Cricket Says”) ever invested in John I’M GLAD Up on Poppy Hill, and Maleficent. Joseph Merlin’s inventions (“The Man SOMEBUGGY Movies and books are the best things My favorite part in your magazine is the comic Who Invented Roller Skates”)? INVENTED SKATES! in the world for me. section. The jokes always make me laugh, and I Magdalene Scheidel, age 14 Thanks for creating an amazing and think Pussywillow is cute. I also like how you come Philadelphia, Pennsylvania fun magazine. I love it with a capital L! up with funny titles with puns in them. Alexis A., age 13 Doris B., age 9 Hey, Everybuggy! Manlius, New York Greensburg, Pennsylvania I have been getting Cricket since January 2015. At first I didn’t read it: I had two other Dear Cricket, I’ve just finished the March 2015 Cricket and, magazines plus homework and books to read, I have six younger siblings (three girls and as a first timer, my mind burst! I love Pippa in so I didn’t have a lot of time. I am so glad I finally three boys), a mom and dad, a grandma who lives “Dragonfly’s First Flight” and Red Maggie in “The started reading it. next door, four pen pals, and a cat. I am learning Girl Who Writes the Future.” I am inspired! Ladybug, you rock. You are sooooo funny. I French and Latin and I also play piano and organ. Riley Simpson, age 8 love Pussywillow, too. I have two cats, and they’re My brother plays trumpet, and three other siblings Winchester, Massachusetts both adorable. are learning piano. Mom teaches us all. My aunt thinks it’s mean that Ugly Bird’s name Mom was reading Charlotte’s Web to my I love Cricket. I love Muse. I hope that you do a is Ugly. Maybe if everybuggy called him Pretty Bird youngest three siblings, and my sister Eve said, story about a dragon! he would stop trying to eat you! “Mom, I like reading Pig and Girl.” Isn’t Vivian L., age 10 Incanur U., age 13 that funny? Chirp at Cricket, Chatterbox Bronx, New York Anastasia Curtis, age 12 Worden, Illinois PIG AND GIRL... Everybody who wishes to partake in Dear Everybuggy, (GIGGLE) this debate is more than welcome. We will I love your mag very much, but I have one Hi, Everybuggy! be debating . . . paperbacks vs. electronic problem with it. Everyone always says to be kind Thank you so much for making reading! Thanks for the idea, S.E.! to everyone. But here you go stereotyping Ugly this magazine. It’s awesome! I love Everybody Bird. Would you like it if someone called you doing the crossbird puzzles and Debate Thread, Down to Earth ugly? Give him a chance; maybe he’s nice! In the reading the different stories. I liked HEE Chatterbox April 2015 issue you said Ugly is ugly because he “The Girls of Summer” (July/August HEE... has fangs and dandruff. I was offended because I 2015). Thanks, Heather Klassen! I just finished my first day of middle have severe dandruff and have to use medicated Grace H. (July/August 2015), I think it’s school, and it was AWESOME! I have a really shampoo. Love you, Nice Bird! so cool that you’re writing a book and a newspa- nice teacher, and we did so much fun stuff! I got Maya, age 11 per. Pippi Longstocking is my favorite book. my locker and it is right on top of my BFF’s one. I Harrisonburg, Virginia Please keep on writing these magazines! also get to ride my bike to school, and that’s also Kathryn Adler, age 8 really fun. Dear Incanur and Maya, Columbia, South Carolina Hermione Granger, age 11 I’ll try to give Ugly more of a chance to be nice. Hogwarts, Down to Earth Wait till you see his transformation in this issue! Hey, Everybuggy! Chatterbox Love, I’m probably the millionth person to say this, Cricket but I love your mag! Writing is my life, so Cricket I started school on August 3 so school has been magazine is a perfect mag for me! I recommend going on for a while now. I love middle school and I Dear Cricket, The Hunger Games, Divergent, and the Harry Pot- recently started playing oboe in band!! :) Books are amazing. I have two little brothers ter books. Those are my top three series. Shadowdancer at home and no one to play with. So I grab a book, I’m in a couple of fun activities. I play the piano Down to Earth, Chatterbox and it transports me to a whole different dimen- and participate in Girl Scouts. I’m also thinking sion, world, era; somewhere exciting, of joining synchronized swimming, where you do BOOKS, BOOKS, sad, or joyful; a new feeling every flips and cool tricks in the water. Send letters to Cricket’s Letterbox, BOOKS! time. Some moments catch your I don’t like your magazine . . . I love it! Keep P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354, or email us at breath, make you breathe with doing what you do, because it’s great. I especially [email protected]. Please include relief, make you whoop with loved “Dragonfly’s First Flight” (February–April your complete name, age, and address. joy, or cry for a loss. Books are 2015). Say hi to Ladybug for me. I love you, Lady- Letters may be edited for length. like foods, and you never know bug. You make me laugh! if you’ll like it or hate it until you Camryn Ward, age 11 Visit the Chatterbox at: read it. So curl up with a book, Urbandale, Iowa cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox

3 OR: PRACTICE MORE, AND PLAY EEK! SHE SAID HAPPY NEW HOW ABOUT: WE SHOULD TRY CHALLENGING. YEAR! WHO’S GOT DO MORE MORE NOTES!? (HEE LIKE MAKE HEE HEE) SOMETHING UGLY A GOOD IDEA FOR EXPERIMENTS DIFFERENT THIS A RESOLUTION? AND KEEP BEAUTIFUL? YEAR. SOMETHING (HA HA HA) NOT BETTER CHALLENGING. IMPOSSIBLE! NOTES? MEWY EEK!

AWKIE RAWKIE SPA DAY! A CHALLENGING MAYBE UGLY CHALLENGE INDEED. DOESN’T KNOW HE’S (SNORT) HOW WOULD EVERYBUGGY HYGIENE-IMPAIRED WE GET HIM TO GO LIKES TO WIN A AND A SOCIAL ALONG? CONTEST. WE’LL DISASTER. HE SAY HE WON A MENTION WHOA! IT A MUD WORKED! PROTECTIVE GEAR, MIGHT LIKE BEING FREE DAY AT EVERYBUGGY! WE PRESENTABLE, IF WE THE CRICKET BATH AND HE’S DON’T WANT ANY MADE IT HAPPEN. COUNTRY SPA! TOXIC EXPOSURE. WE COULD BE SURE TO GO FOR IT. FRIENDS! MEW! MEWY SNORK!

BUBBELS TIKEL! CAW HAW.

WHEW! ONLY CLOTHES AND MANNERS TO GO! (GROAN)

INDUBITABLY! MANY THANKS, MY CRICKET AWKEE RANEY COUNTRY SPA FRIENDS. SPANEE PLAINNY! WE DID IT! WE SHOULD ALL RIGHT! GETTING CELEBRATE! REPEAT AFTER ME: THERE... LET’S WHAT A WILL YOU THE RAIN IN SPAIN JOIN US FOR A TRY AGAIN... DIFFERENCE. MEOWIE STAYS MAINLY IN (SIGH) TEA PARTY, THE PLAIN. WOWZIE MR. BIRD? ZOWZIE!

4 5 FOREVER! IN CRICKET COUNTRY, IN CRICKET COUNTRY, EVERYBUGGY IS FRIENDS MEWY SNIFF! Giggling the flock from erupts girls of MatthewsMr. is talking the at someone to was three Fremont weeksUntil Jenn ago, posed to hit the ground first.the ground hit posed to knee Does my usually like I take that bend when a step? surrounding Jenn. rescue. adult the gym. of of hope side No other and pretend the first on bleachers of I plop row the last earth. on livingperson I’m I still half best friend. my my the have of heart“friends necklace forever” at bought we the mall Christmas, for andevery nearly day Jenn invite asks to want I mom when me my IT’S HARD TO LOSE ------–------YOUR BEST FRIEND. -

to walk to hurt, Melissa?”

I wince at Jenn’s voice piercing through piercing voice I wince Jenn’s at “Your knees hurt, Melissa. must Why else “Your walk tried to ever you normally Have Illustrated by Taryn Gee Taryn by Illustrated text © 2015 by Joanna Sisk-Purvis, art © 2015 by Taryn Gee the noise on the bleachers. Most of the the of Most the bleachers. on the noise class is already dressed gym for and waiting Matthews. Mr. I canfor of every feel one their eyeballs as me the floor. I cross on Every. One. walk you likewould that?” start you when thinking how about think I can’t can it be done. normally? I don’t is sup which part foot my of remember even by Joanna Sisk-Purvis

“DO KNEES YOUR Bully - - , I think as loudly sitting alone on on sitting alone has it her familyhas her belongs it HRRUMPH.

A few the weeks ago over been I’d have I walked English class into and all conver When I hear someone stomping down down stomping When I hear someone says their owner. “Hey,” identify to enough long only up I look to some weird religion that doesn’t celebrate celebrate that doesn’t religion weird some to birthdays dance read fantasy or or novels. think would’ve like Jenn somebody You’d moon that Jeff liked bettermoon than me Jenn. cared even Nobody worse. felt I just Now I was whether awful They were awesome. or afraidjust Jenn. of stopped. sation HERESO I AM, have praying that I don’t bleacher, the bottom and walk get up to again until my the rest of class dies in a rare, spontaneous simultaneous so That seems unlikely, incident. combustion I scan might the gym who teachers other for Matthews Mr. luck. a distraction. No provide like with the visitor, inis conversation deep class grad seventh has of he a whole forgot he ------–------dressed in stupid the waitingers bleachers, on gym uniforms the and by getting rowdier second. the metal head stairs hard my keep to I work is here one No turning. from good. Dirty No sneakersas appear possible. the staring rusty been over metal I’ve grooves the last for eternity. at tall new this She’s year. Allison. She’s It’s her. and really skinny and has nose. kind a big of hair wears chin-length sandy blond her She top on right shape in a kind mushroom of Rumor head. her of SOMEBUGGIES - ARE LIKE THAT. - - “Who

NICE. MEWY NOT Nikki. to do it—Jenn or or it—Jenn do to

doodling his name assign in my

I’d say Melissa, but I’m too afraid too of I’m I’d Melissa, say but “ Jeff answered. Jeff, whose scruffyJeff whose answered. Jeff, hair “Jenn! Hey!”laughed, I thinking“Jenn! she like me I was at something looked She Things downhill Jenn there. went from Destroy Operation weeks into Two what Jenn would do if she found out.” found if she do would Jenn what would you kiss had you ifwould you called She’d book. him boyfriend ment my since. ever Melissa?” I’d stared every at day in math class since be like to would it what August, wondering run fingers my time Jenn through One it. caught me for a sleepover. Jenn and I knew Jenn all each of a sleepover. for secrets and intimate talked our others’ about in code names.teachers I came Then into into I slid and when Monday, one homeroom her scooted she hers, next desk right to my Nikkichair to over Kingand started whisper like even doesn’t Jenn ing. me. seen hadn’t shoe. her of the bottom on sticky found she’d eyes Nikki at her rolled she andThen whis more. some pered a talk time I entered Every me. to wouldn’t I was quiet. like treated I had went it room, virus. contagious other Every horrible, some in line, me from away moved seventh-grader left find or to scrambled lab partner, another And I had table. no lunch own private my me would it decided that except Jenn why, idea be that way. Melissa, I was in the English hall class outside I heard Carterwhen ask his friends, 6 7

- - JENN! HA! TAKE THAT, HA! THAT, TAKE sketch

rab my cafeteriarab my “Hey! Look, did I “Hey! YAY!

MEWY I hesitate. The old me, the me with Jenn by with Jenn the me me, old The I hesitate. anymore. here isn’t me old The taking the chair I say, from across “Hi,” big. smiles me, at She She uses gesture sandwich to the her She at “OK,” she says, and goes sitting she back to “OK,” H’M. MAYBE H’M.MAYBE ALLISON CAN BE HER FRIEND! book, and a sandwich inbook, the other. like a dork. looked said she would’ve side, my yet. here kids any other over aren’t There her. get him?” face to around and scoots it sketchbook our Shaw, the page is on Mr. There me. A perfect cartoon, with teacher. pre-algebra forgotten how to talk, I’ll to Soon be drool how too. forgotten gym my ing down shirt. hands lap. in her silently, LUNCHTIME I g AT ------–----- for tables tray and of scan rows the long new and her Allison—quickly, Jenn before I find can at friends me. sitting alone spot her has a She neara window. a table of the end her over out hand, held in one pencil - “No.”

“I mean, you don’t don’t mean, you “I

I think, say, I just but to single out for the misery for treat out single her to “No! I mean, yes! That’s really nice. I will. I mean, yes! That’s “No! She plops down. Then she’s quiet. So is quiet. she’s Then down. plops She finally she a little when I jump speaks. “What?” can with me.” sit You lunch. “At stupidly. I say OK,” Oh, “Oh! embarrassed. looks She “Hey,” I say. Someone giggles behind me. Someone I say. “Hey,” asks. she sitting here?” “Anybody Duh, have to. I just . . . I don’t know if you see me. see me. if know you . . . I don’t I just to. have might like . . .” you I thought I’ve Now Great. Thank with you. you.” Sit everybody outcast and else. a weirdo An walk a gymnasium.into . . . can with me.” sit “You chosen chosen ment. But Allison is immune. She just sits Allison sits just But She is immune. ment. wants, talks she wherever talks whoever to in time her buried her of most spends her, to goodness knows doing spiral sketchbook big alone. andwhat, always goes home I starethe gym at floor. - baby baby

weird. She is “Not going.” “Not “You should, I should, “You

“Do you want to come come to want you “Do

“Unlikely,” she says. she “Unlikely,” drawn me?” you “Have Allison smiles just and closes her the I whisper across Watchdog!” “Pssst, Allison out, answers with a hiss. “Watch eyes. my I roll answers. she can“No do,” I look down. It’s Jenn. Well, it’s Jenn’s Jenn’s it’s Well, Jenn. It’s down. I look laugh this time. I don’t I say. really good,” “You’re OHHH, NOTHING. awful new giggling like her lot sur friends

don’t know, enter a contest or something.” or a contest enter know, don’t sketchbook. Allison RIGHT, I WAS anything let kids the other get to say doesn’t The it. about writes or draws just it, She her. is. she talented how idea kids no other have she’ll famous. be And someday I know But I’lland allsomeday Jenn be free from her worker ants. table. lab my to I look kittens two at Batgirl, o’clock!” friends a pair Jenn’s and of right, enough, sure are and we’ll see snickering watching what to next. do I whisper, the dance before tomorrow?” over the check instructions to in my pretending lab notebook. even try to figure out what I’m doing in my doing tryeven figure to I’m what out and riffles up it picks She ------–------throughsketchbook.” again. me toward says, pushing it she “Here,” it. eyes, wide head—flowing hair, blond cheeks—on queen The ant. a fat of the body ants with heads that look Little worker ant. an the page. on her round “I guess“I

“I don’t know.” don’t “I

“So why are you talking are you why “So

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LADYBUG?DOING,

“I write, too. A lot of it’s private.” it’s of A lot too. write, “I

“Gah!” Next to him a student sleeps on on sleeps “Gah!” him Next to a student “Nobody cares what I do. They don’t cares They don’t I do. what “Nobody

That’s really, really good,” I finally really good,” really, gasp. That’s “I’m invisible,” she answers she matter-of- invisible,” “I’m “I guess,” I say, poking at my vegetables vegetables poking my at I say, guess,” “I “OK,” I say quickly, hoping that she’ll hoping quickly, I say “OK,” Allison her?” to asks do did you what “So seems like ages It heavy. feel I suddenly I answer. “Nothing,” “Really?” and day, one came I just school to “Yeah, I figured was that’s lame, it but “Wow, “Is that what you’re always in that doing that you’re what “Is says, flipping she through mostly,” “Yeah, I laugh feelsand what like laugh the for “ to me?” factly. she’ll anything do attention.” for with the flimsy fork. show me more. For now, though, she closes she though, now, For more. me show the book. bluntly. ago I was laughing that at picture. Jenn hated me.” last pauses chew her bite to She stupid.” just sandwich. peanut-butter-and-jelly of Allison looks relieved. I wonder if she thought thought if she Allison I wonder relieved. looks that? I used do I to Did I was laughing her. at remember. can’t I ask,book?” finally breathing normally and plastic fork. my unwrapping the pages. her desk, math desk, falling papers her the floor. on first time ever. his crazy spiky hair, eyes, wide shirthalf marker in his whiteboard untucked, hand. with his trademark a speech bubble There’s word, 8 9 - -

- over over

beautiful. It’s of me. me. of beautiful. It’s

on’t see Jenn yet, so I test out Allison’s Allison’s I test so out yet, see Jenn on’t I d My mom drops me off, and as as off, soon me drops mom My It’s one of Allison’s drawings, but it’s dif drawings, it’s but Allison’s of one It’s to her. I’m standing a grassy on hillI’m arms with my in maybe dancing. sun The the is air, setting in the of the and top at colors, bright of a burst page joyful, the stars I look are coming out. powerful, free. I GO TO the dance. the gymI get into straight I head con to anymore. me hate theory that they don’t Nikki King is standing near the wall watch eighth graders. I walk of ing a group ------–------sheet a single out and slide the envelope open paper. of in full color—oil pastels, I think. It’s ferent. a cartoon. It’s not It’s of behind a cup hide easier to It’s cessions. punch. - - Her Her

“They

“Maybe “Maybe

“They act just

“But everybody’s going, it’s the going, it’s everybody’s “But

“Here, I made this for you. Open it at at it Open this I made you. for “Here, I start, she’s but the . . .” to going not “I’m As as soon until wait I get home. I can’t “You should totally go,” she says. she totally go,” should “You I mumble. right,” “Yeah, A month has passed firstA month we since had I I hope I whisper. that sucks,” “Wow, “I’m not allowed to dance. valen allowed to do Or not “I’m “What?” I blurt too loudly. I have to wait wait to have I “What?” loudly. too I blurt home. Have fun Have the dance.” at home. a manilla holding envelope. I’m gone. getsthe guy me off sitting next to the I bus, ALLISON CATCHES ME my CATCHES at ALLISON breath. of out afterlocker school, I won’t go, then. I’ll just end up stuck to the stuck to I’ll up then. end go, just I won’t I think Jeff and his of wall time.” the whole I think Allison hair. how messed-up isn’t of I be there. won’t and she afraid anybody, of walk to how remember think I can’t how of Jenn. of in front hate anymore.” you don’t the plague.” got like I’ve tines. I’ll probably have to go to church.” go to to have tines. I’ll probably time to is a long A month together. lunch you of neither when someone know get to turns the stuffhas It out friends. any other fantasy and birthdaysabout is true, novels Allison wants talkbut to never it. about perfectly seem parents nice, and they me let all over fam the time, though even come my very religious. not ily’s crushed I am. how quite show don’t for Mrs. Benton to turn back around before turn to before back around Mrs. Benton for I continue. dance!” Valentine’s ------–------11 - -

“And my my “And

BOOGIE DOWN!BOOGIE “Sure thing.” “Sure

that to people, Jenn,” I con Jenn,” that people, to looks at me like I’m insane. She insane. She like me I’m at looks

picture of all the zombie couples. all of picture the zombie

“I’m not afraid anymore!” not you of “I’m zombie with my arms stuck out in front arms in with front my stuck out zombie

ut I’ll see her tomorrow, and I’ll tell her I’ll tomorrow, ut see her

You can’t do I do dance with another boy. Two more more Two danceI do boy. with another “What like?” was Nikki it asks excit me I answer truthfully. “Sweaty,” giggles.She I wish Allison to was here B “ true! I it’s I know it, I say second The Jenn Jeff and to tap the him I march on over dance?” “Wanna I Suddenly each other. elbow His buddies Jeff stutters. OK,” “Sure, awkward the most I feel dance ever. It’s ends. the song “Thanks,” Jeff when to I say actuallyHe blushes. actually, both of whom ask me to dance ask to me after whom both of actually, get any they doesn’t dance see me It with Jeff. less awkward. edly after last my dance. arms are tired.” draw a all it. about laugh out loud. and I see the new Jenn up, gathers herself care. I don’t face. mean The one. Jenn. Right of in front shoulder. face feels hot. My strong. so feel don’t like a hands. my put to where know I don’t me. of Jeff and I try talk to up. give we a little, then run fingers my through his I hair. I don’t swear myself I will to ask boy another never danceto again. ever all But grade the seventh girls are watching, wide-eyed. All them of except Allison. tinue. THERE ARE LOTS OF FRIENDS OUT THERE! YAY! MEWY

------–------“Is the “Is

“No,” I “No,” “I WILL SURVIVE...!”

“Having fun?”“Having

DANCE! EVERYBUGGY he sounds nervous when she speaks she when nervous sounds he Yeah, it’s OK,” she says, smiling. she OK,” it’s Yeah, Jenn, I . . .” I Jenn, “ “ and I see a second, eyes for my I close eyes. my opening I say, “No,” slapped. been like looks she’s Jenn S That was the first thing said ever Jenn I guess I don’t have the plague have anymore. I guess I don’t find to Jenn me. take for long doesn’t It says. she Melissa,” “Hey, I’m I hope I glare answer. her. at I don’t I . . .” “Melissa, glaringI wait, pathetically. guess, start“I to I mean, I want over. the glare lose I shocked, so completely. I’m “Hey,” I say. “Hey,” Allison’s picture of me. Strong. Free. Strong. me. of picture Allison’s louder. repeat, again. “So, I hear you live in my neighbor again. in my live I hear you “So, hood . . .” hood I’m was school. our she new at when me, to Something prickles remembers. surprised she eyes. behind my punch any good?” punch finishing just comes she when punch my I’m Jeff and Carterstrutting alone. me, to up are boys the seventh-grade of and a bunch dancing barely just that’s in a circle huddled girlfriends Jenn’s of none but a few away, feet are around. very glaring, good at not I’m glaring her. at with. work to giving much me not and she’s I actually. Jenn, friendly like looks old She a pang I wasfeel gut. I thought in over my that hurt. start we could over?” know, Like, you With e e h M c cic ic M e n . A a a ci ri at D P by

Would you like to dance with me? A cha-cha-cha? A waltz maybe? Some toe ballet? Some hip-hop soul? Jitterbug with rock and roll?

Square dance? Line dance? Old soft shoe? Perhaps you’d dance a pas de deux? Do you like to dance to rap? Maybe you like classic tap? Any dance will really do . . . as long as I can dance with you.

BOBBY WASN’T VERY After matching up his socks in pairs, good at making up things, but he wasn’t sure he found one sock left over with no match. the truth would work on his mom either. He How does that happen? He was always los- tried the truth anyway, offering in his most ing socks. He could swear he put two blue sincere voice, “I swear, Mom. I did finish socks in the hamper. He remembered taking my report, but then Oscar got hold of it and them off, then rolling them into little bas- chewed it up. I think he buried it outside.” ketballs and shooting them into the hamper Mom turned the laundry basket upside from the three-point line. It was Tuesday down, emptying Bobby’s clean clothes onto when he wore his blue pants to school—blue the couch. The expression on her face meant pants, blue socks. that she wasn’t buying it. He walked into the kitchen for a drink “It sounds a little hard to believe,” she and with relief immediately discovered the said, shaking her head. “I mean, Oscar’s a missing blue sock on the floor. Mom must Chihuahua. Your notebook is bigger than have dropped it carrying the clothes out to the he is.” living room. He opened the fridge and was “Really, Mom. I was playing with Oscar up in my room, and he grabbed the report right out of my hand.” “I’m sorry, but if Oscar chewed up your report, you’ll just have to do it over.” Bobby sighed as he grabbed a shirt from the pile and began to fold it. “I have to run to the store now, hon,” Mom said. “Finish folding your clothes. The whites are in the dryer.” She wagged a finger. “Then get to work on that report!” The screen door slammed shut, and Mom was gone. Bobby grumpily folded his shirts, saving the socks for last. He was irked that he would have to write his report again. He had better things to do on a Saturday afternoon. by Michael The Exodermis Sismondo Protection Suit Illustrated by Jennifer Reinhardt text © 2015 by Michael Sismondo, art © 2015 by Jennifer Reinhardt 13 reaching for a bottle of juice when he realized the dryer was much louder than usual. What was that clunking noise? Had Mom put his sneakers in there? Where was Oscar? Bobby raced over to the dryer and twisted the dial to Off. As the cylinder slowed to a stop, there was another clunk, followed by the sound of movement. He swung open the dryer door. A faint blue light shimmered from the opening. Five or six skinny arms, several elbows on each, reached slowly outward and then bent back upon themselves to the edge of the circular opening. Dozens of slender fingers gripped the edges of the dryer door. Then a round, blue head with a doglike snout popped out. It wasn’t Oscar. Bobby stumbled back and stood frozen in his sneakers as a slit in the side of the thing’s snout opened. “Sorry to trouble you,” the thing said in a friendly tone, “but could you kindly reengage Both have nearly identical ionization frequen- the cycloteleporter?” cies, and when you happen to be using yours at “Reengage the what?” Bobby muttered. precisely the same moment as I’m using mine, “I was afraid of this,” it said. “I don’t want well, sometimes I end up in your dimension to miss my window, you know. If that hap- instead of in D-9. Worse, the transcendental pens, I may have to wait another millennium leap vaporizes my exodermis protection suit. As to continue my journey.” you know, one leap, one suit. I confess, it has Bobby didn’t know whether to scream or happened several times now. But thanks to the laugh. plentiful supply of exodermis protection suits “My apologies,” the thing explained, mak- you keep available in your cylinder, for which ing pleading gestures with several of its hands. I am eternally grateful,” here it held up one of I cannot impress upon you enough the grav- Bobby’s white tube socks, “I have always been ity of the situation. I can see by your puzzled able to continue my journey.” expression you may not be aware that your “You mean our dryer is a teleporter,” cycloteleporter happens to be situated in at Bobby blurted, “and you need one of my least four of the same dimensions as mine. socks to transport out of here?”

HEY! I’M MISSING EEK! LOOK WHAT CAME MEWY A SOCK. OUT OF HIS DRYER! CUTE! 14 “Precisely. Of course, one cannot expect from the top as it backed into the dryer to traverse the rigors of interdimensional cylinder. travel without an exodermis protection “I promise to repay you for the exo- suit. Your exodermis protection suits are dermis protection suits I have been, um, much more comfortable than the ones borrowing. Now, if you’ll be so kind as to we have in D-9.” Here it rubbed the tube close the hatch and reengage the cyclotele- sock along the side of its snout. “Ours are porter, I’ll be on my way.” designed more for utility than for comfort.” Bobby closed the door and pushed the It rotated its head and eyed the dryer from button. The dryer whirred to action. He top to bottom. “What did you call this heard a loud clunk, then a second clunk. model? Dryer? Interesting. But I must be on Then just the usual whir- my way.” ring sound. Bobby watched in amazement as the Mom was thing spread the sock opening wide with two never going to of its hands and quickly stuffed in its body believe this, down to the toe. Only its snout protruded either.

IS THAT MY SOCK? DON’T BE SILLY. IT’S AN EXODERMIS PROTECTION SUIT. 15 WHAT EVIL MAY I SMITE FOR THEE? THIS GOOD HEADGEAR DAMSEL! IS GIVING I’M AN ELF! ME A DUH. HEADACHE. WHAT ARE YOU? MEWY LIKE IT! HOW ’BOUT A TRIM?

Role Play Excerpts from I climbed onto the top bunk of one of the then it will be done for. It doesn’t even have a form of its own; it will be Cricket’s Chatterbox bunk beds. My roommates came in with their luggage. They all stared at me. I can done for! only guess that they were startled by my A girl approaches it. “Who are You hear a voice, calling from downstairs, appearance. In sharp contrast to the white you?” she asks quietly. She has green “Special delivery! You’re invited to a blanket on which I lay, my pitch-black scales eyes—they are very green. It likes ski resort in Colorado! There will be and large black wings must be something to that. Her mousy, unkempt hair is people, milk, snow, and absolutely no see. I glare at them with my silver-and-blue tucked under her scarf, so it can’t see murders at all! Come join us in the eyes, the only part of me that isn’t black. the length. It hopes it is long hair. It Alps and enjoy the great free stay!” One of them says, “Is your name really tries to talk to the girl, but it still has Without thinking about how the Alps Shadow Dragon?” no form of its own. are in Italy and not Colorado, you “No,” I reply. Names have power, and I “Are you lost?” she asks. “I’m lost, rocket upstairs to pack. You fail to do not give mine away easily. too.” The girl holds out a hand. “We notice the creepy laugh from the sound — submitted by Shadow Dragon, can be lost together.” system, “Muahahahaha . . .” age 11, Happy Butterfly Express It takes her hand and watches, Everyone proceeds to the back horrified, as the girl disappears before double doors and finds skis, hats, goggles, Rose � It looks around. It’s out on its very eyes. It looks down at its coats, basically everything needed the streets, alone. The sky is darken- hands and realizes that now, finally, it for skiing. After skis are on, goggles ing; the bots will be out soon, and has a form of its own. The girl’s form. adjusted, and hats argued over, they set —submitted by Theo W. off downhill much faster than gravity should pull. They scream as they YIKES! BUG BEWARE THE KRAKEN! rocket down the mountainside. Palm OVERBOARD! Tree continues speeding down the hill straight toward a cliff, screaming her head off. She slides off the edge like it’s some graceful ski trick, then falls . . . falls . . . falls. . . . — submitted by The Manager, age Unknown, Ski Lodge

16 In Tree Town there are no large man- sions or castles. Nothing more than IS IT SAFER THAT’S MY FREE average, and nothing less. From the sky THAN THE SKI WELCOME TO LODGE? LUNCH! you can tell the town is round, a small THE HOTEL spiral, leading to the center. The tree. LE’FAYE! NICE HAT, The largest tree you would ever see. SLUGGO! It covers most of the houses along the inner spiral road. Its leaves are various colors; you could almost call them per- sonality leaves, Nortasun Hostoak. But the leaves are falling. For ages, new leaves have sprouted for new life. Every leaf is a life in the town. But the leaves are falling; people are Aquamarine � I saw Rain perched Like there are hundreds of spirits dying. Something is causing this, and on a log, gazing at the night sky. I watching me, guiding me, sometimes we need to find out what. We need to went over and sat down next to her. allowing me to have a little suffering find out before all the leaves fall. The “Hey,” she said. Her grayish eyes now and then, to help me be pre- town gathered us, each of a different looked different in the dark. They pared for lots of situations.” Nortasun. seemed to glow faintly, which made — submitted by Owlgirl aka Elena O., age 11, Texas, Magic RP —submitted by Katydid, Tree Town RP her look very mysterious. “Nice night, huh?” I replied. There is a knock at the door. You open “You know, I’ve always been fasci- Montana � I dash down the cobble- it and find a letter floating in front of nated by stars. They’re so far away, stone street as fast as my legs can carry your door. You open it. You are invited and there are so many of them, but me. Today is the day that the mayor will to a FREE* stay at the Hotel Le’Faye! nobody really knows what they are.” choose one person from each hostoak to Free* Breakfast! Free* Guided Tours! “I like to think of them as angels,” go on a very important mission. The mis- Free* Everything! Rain told me. sion is to save the tree in the center of the You frown in puzzlement. A free* “I really like that idea. I like to city. Every leaf is a life, and it’s losing leaves hotel stay? What in the world? imagine things about the stars, too. for no reason. I know that we can stop it I am The Teller of Tales, hotel Like that they’re different worlds, from happening. The people dying from manager. I always wear a cloak and for different planets that people like us the lost leaves don’t deserve this fate. some reason, like this letter, l float. live on. Maybe those people don’t We meet in the town square and line You are now frightened by this letter. realize they’re just glowing beacons to up by hostoak. As the mayor starts calling You tear it up and throw it away. others. Maybe our earth is just a star names, I hear: “Adira Forkestar, May. Skye “You cannot escape the Hotel to them.” Morgan, Wrengold. Willow Cottonwood.” Le’Faye! You will come!” cries an eerie “I think of And then, to my surprise, “For the green voice. “Pack your bags and imaginary stars as angels hostoak: Montana Windsling.” friends, because you’re coming to the because that I knew I had a small chance of being Hotel Le’Faye!” makes me chosen, but I never thought I would be. *No, in fact it isn’t free. You will — submitted by Dragonrider, feel pro- have to pay for our rocket boosters. Tree Town RP tected. — submitted by The Teller of Tales, Hotel Le’Faye

Join other Chatterboxers in creating new role plays and progressive stories at cricketmagkids. com/chatterbox. Look on the Inkwell and Pudding’s Place. 17 The Forty Thieves Part One

by Christy Lenzi

THE MOON IS a pearl Jamal edges himself into the curve of my against the black skin of night. I reach for body. “Tell me the twirling story,” he whis- it and sigh as I lie on my mat beneath the pers. His skin smells of olive oil and goat’s window. My little brother sighs, too. Snores of milk. the nearby women and children drone in our “Close your eyes, little donkey.” I run my ears like mosquitoes, but that’s not what keeps hands through his curly black hair. “Seven us from sleep. years ago—” Jamal’s nose almost touches mine. “I “How old were you?” don’t like when you wake me up with your Using my fingers, I count off seven from dreams.” His worry forms a line across the my twelve years. “Five. And you were fat and smooth surface of his forehead. “If the dreams round inside Mother’s belly; she could barely are about Mother, then why do they make hold the lute to play a song, because you were you cry?” in the way.” I tickle him between the ribs to I draw in a deep breath. If only the scent make him giggle. of jasmine could fill me up like a bottle of “One day Amani played the Twirling perfume, I might not feel so hollow. “It’s not Song. She said if I spun around to the music, the dreams that make me cry.” I close my it would carry me to Allah in Heaven, and fingers over the moon until it disappears. “It’s when it stopped, his angels would fly me the waking.” home. So I twirled until all the colors of the “Morgiana.” He wiggles closer. “What world ran together. I spun until all the peo- was Mother’s name again?” ple, creatures, earth, and sky melted together “Amani.” I roll the word over my tongue into one beautiful, perfect Heaven. When like a savory morsel. “It means wishes.” the music stopped, I fell to the floor, and

the world kept spinning. Mother’s laughter Finding a paring knife, I cut the skin danced around with the colors until every- from a pear in one long coil as a thrush sings thing finally slowed down, and the angels a lonesome tune outside the harem walls. brought me back to earth.” The ribbon of fruit-skin drops to the table, Jamal gazes at the ceiling, wide-eyed. and the birdsong ends, replaced with a new “Magic,” he whispers. sound—a low rumble of thunder. I trace his profile. “That’s my favorite Impossible. The wet season won’t come memory of Mother.” for months, and there’s no smell of rain. Jamal’s shoulders tense. “Why did she Suddenly, little hairs on my arms stand up. give us away?” The sound’s not an approaching storm, but I sigh. I’ve explained hundreds of times. thundering hoofbeats like an army galloping “You know that’s not what happened. When into battle. The pear slips from my fingers Mother died, her master gave us to his sister and rolls across the mosaic floor. My heart and her husband as a wedding present. And is a drum banging out a warning. Hoofbeats you—a messy, stinky little boy. Not much of rumble in my chest, under my feet. The wind a wedding present.” I dig my fingers into his of fate hurtles toward me like a hurricane. side to make him smile again, but he shrugs The storm of hoofbeats roars right up to my hands away. the house. “You should learn to play the Twirling My heart pounds against my rib cage, try- Song on your lute, Morgiana. Then I’ll spin ing to escape. up to Allah and ask him to fly us both to Doors crack like lightning and rip off Heaven to be with Amani. Then you won’t their hinges. An army on horses crashes into be empty inside when you wake from your the house with gleaming sabers. dreams.” Screams pierce the air as sleepers in the A lump swells in my throat. “I can’t.” harem wake to a nightmare. Slave women and “Why not?” children clutch each other, eyes wide with ter- “I’ve forgotten the tune.” I rise from my ror. A tall man with a beard and a face as cold mat. “I’m hungry. I’ll go slice a pear for us.” as the devil’s rides up the steps and through It hurts to think about the emptiness inside the doorway. His stallion rears and snorts. me that Jamal can see. It’s too hard to believe Chills shoot up my spine. in magic anymore. I concentrate on stepping Master’s away on a journey, but the only on the patches of moonlight that slip guards rush in, swords drawn. through the openings in the carved window They’re outnumbered. screens. I make it all the way to the cupboard The devil-man spurs his horse and without touching a single dark spot. charges at their leader.

IT’S THE THIEVES! OOOOO! RUN! HORSES! 20 I scream, turning away, but the thwack horse’s reins around to gallop away. I rush at of the man’s saber says the guard is dead. the rider, beating his legs with my fists. Mistress sobs as the men crash through the A strong arm hooks my waist, jerking me house, grabbing silver, gold, anything valu- upward. The devil-man. able. Slaves hide as riders whisk people onto I kick and fight, but he thrusts me into horses, kidnapping them. the saddle and locks me in a tight grip. My brother’s a stone statue on his mat in Shouting to his men, he spurs his horse the moonlight, miles away. toward the door. With a jolt, we burst from “Jamal!” I run toward him, but I’m too Master’s house into the night. Hoofbeats and late—a rider snatches him and pulls the wild shrieking fill the air.

21 A QAMIS IS A LONG TUNIC.

At first, I can only scream, but after a “We’re valuable, like the gold and silver while, my throat grows raw. A green serpent they wear, proud as peacocks. We’re treasure, tattoo curls around the devil-man’s arm, bar- Jamal.” I give a little laugh. “A dirty runt like ing fangs at me in the moonlight. Its eyes you—not much of a treasure if you ask me, flash red for a moment in the darkness. But but this pig-headed captain won’t listen. He that’s impossible. As if in a trance, I stare at thinks you’re quite a prize.” I glance at the the blade of the paring knife still in my hand, devil-man. hidden by folds of my qamis. I could plunge Jamal’s lips tighten into a small grin. the blade into the man’s thigh and leap from “Will they take us to a magic palace?” the horse to escape, but I’d lose my chance “Magic palace?” of saving Jamal. I inch the knife up until the “They have magic, Morgiana. When they blade’s hidden in my fist, the handle con- stopped the horses, one of them said a strange cealed beneath my sleeve. word and opened a little wooden chest, the The cold desert air seeps the life from my size of Mistress’s jewelry box. He pulled out bones. I drift in and out of sleep, waking later enough food to feed all the men. And not to the men’s voices. They’ve halted at a cedar pan bread—banquet food, like Master eats. grove to rest and water the horses. The full Roasted hens! Melons, figs, and cheese. Cakes moon has vanished, but the sky’s lightening. and goblets of juice! All for just a quick snack, I see the riders more clearly, all bare chested and tattooed. Gold and silver earrings, neck- laces, and arm rings glitter against skin. Their turbans shine a brilliant white. I’m lifted from the horse and set on the ground. Jamal calls out to me, his voice cracked and small, like a broken hand bell. I push over to him, and he falls across my lap, curling himself around my knees. “Morgiana, they killed the guard,” he whispers. His thin body grows taut like a bowstring. I rest my hand on his head and try to smooth his wild hair, his wild thoughts. “I know. But they won’t do that to us, Jamal.” “How do you know?” His voice is the squeak of a mouse.

22 too. He only took five bites and left the rest I shrug my shoulders, trying to appear on the ground.” unconcerned. “Those men don’t look smart. Jamal’s imagination thrives on magic. You and I go together like a pair of earrings. I pretend to consider as I strain to hear the We’re too valuable to be separated, but they captain. He’s ordering his men to have the chil- might not think of keeping us together. dren cleaned up and dressed in fresh clothes. Fortunately, I have a plan.” The looming slave market churns my stomach, The devil-man glances at me as he passes. but I look thoughtful for Jamal. “Well, I’m not I long for my gauzy head scarf. Even sure about a magic palace. It’s hard to know. though I’m a slave, I sometimes let it fall over They certainly like gold and silver. A boy like my face like a wealthy woman’s veil so people you might get them valuable jewelry in trade. can’t see my eyes. My hair is dark enough, I bet that thought crossed their greedy little and my skin a decent olive color, but I have minds. Look how they show off their pretty light eyes like a Western infidel—undesirable. arm rings, strutting like monkeys.” I wet my Ugly. Weak. lips. “But the thing about being traded is . . . “Don’t worry, Jamal. I won’t let them well, we want to be traded together.” separate us.” Jamal sits up. “They might trade me with- Some men stand around the grove watch- out you?” ing for approaching parties, but most are asleep in the shade. Forty in all, including the The men spring into action. captain. He points his weapon. After we change clothes, our wrists are Shaking, I lift my eyes and follow the tied behind our backs, and we’re told to lie saber tip, staring at a cloud of dust pursuing down and sleep. The camp grows quiet as the us across the desert. heat of the day weighs down upon us. “Attack!” Now’s the time to cut our ropes and The devil-man and his men thunder by escape. I watch the devil-man, gazing out into on their horses. the desert. He could turn toward me at any “Morgiana, how did you do that?” Jamal’s moment. eyebrows slide to the top of his forehead. “All right, Jamal,” I whisper. “Close your “That was strong magic. It made them all go eyes and think of Mother. I need you to say away!” her name over and over—” The dust cloud must be men gathered “Amani, Amani, Ama—” to catch the thieves. Perhaps they’ll defeat “Sh. In your head.” the robbers and rescue us. But perhaps they His lips move as he thinks the name. won’t. Tomorrow Jamal might be sold, and “And wish with all your might for my I’ll never see him again. I must get him safely plan to work.” I let the knife slide down into back to Baghdad. This moment could be our my palm. “Hold still.” I move the blade back only hope. and forth like a saw over Jamal’s ropes. “They may return, Jamal. Let’s hurry.” I The captain unwinds part of his turban rock back and forth, moving the blade across cloth and dabs his forehead. He looks our Jamal’s ropes. As I work, battle noises rise in way, and his body stiffens. the distance. He’s seen me. The wind of fate whispers in my ear and I forget how to breathe. tugs my fingers until the blade severs the final “Captain!” Shouts erupt from the guards. thread. When Jamal finishes cutting through They’ve seen, too? my bonds, I tie the knife around my thigh. My heart races. I crumple to the ground, “We’re free, Jamal.” The words sound bracing myself for the strike of his blade. strange and beautiful, like music sung in a “Captain, they’re coming!” foreign language. I squeeze my brother’s hand The devil-man draws his saber. and point toward Baghdad. “Arise!” he shouts. “Mount!” “Let’s go home!”

to be continued WHEEEE!

24 Hoppy New Year!

What do rabbits wish each other on January 1? Hoppy New Year! What reference book lists famous owls? Whoo’s Who

Why is a story about a broken pencil so boring? Because it has no point.

What’s the different between a fish and a piano? How do you begin a You can’t tuna fish. story about chess? Once a pawn a time . . . What would you call a history of cars? An autobiography

Why is the ocean salty? Because pepper would make the fish sneeze.

THE SKY, IF selected another— one could call it The Paranormal INDIGO IS VERY that, was indigo that Occurrences and DARK BLUE. morning, broken Theories—and up by swaths of Intergalactic opened it to page 71, glittering red, blue, where he’d left off and orange stars. the previous day. The velvet couch Collection After several min- was covered in utes of reading, he heavy blankets, and grew tired of this beside it the only book as well. He illuminated lamp in of Knowledge glanced at his pile: the building gave off The Curious Lives a soft, golden glow. of Martians, The The library was a and Records Care and Keeping of great rectangular Native English Flora, building, each wall Artifacts from the Lost lined from floor to Part 1 City of Hork, along ceiling with books, with a large number and the ceiling was in languages one made of glass so at all hours one could see can’t even describe using Earthling writing the starlight and great yellow sun passing characters. For once, Milo just didn’t feel like overhead. On the couch sat two boys, each reading. So he stood up, shedding his soft with his nose in a book, and a small black blanket shawl, and stretched. cat. Milo, the smaller of the two, with messy “I’m going to put on some tea,” he blond hair and sea-green eyes, looked up at announced. The cat looked up, while Desmund the sky once more. carried on with his work in silence. Without “There’ve been a lot of comets recently, further comment, the younger boy wandered off haven’t there, Dez?” he remarked as another to the kitchen in the rear of the building, where zipped past them. their living quarters were located. Desmund briefly glanced upward, then Then came the knock upon the door. returned his gaze to his book. “Yes.” Milo started the kettle and poked his Milo frowned and scratched the cat head around the corner, watching as Dez under its chin. His book, The Novice’s Guide looked up from his book, pushed his glasses to Beekeeping, felt heavy in his hands. He up on his nose with one slender finger, and A LIBRARY IN SPACE, WITH ALL THE BOOKS IN THE UNIVERSE? WOOO! SIGN ME UP FOR A CARD. Illustrated by Scott G. Brooks 26 text © 2015 by Ashley Kruger, art © 2015 by Scott G. Brooks

MILO AND DEZ ARE KIND VERY CIVILIZED, OF LIKE YOU AND ME. AND SPACED OUT!

stood. Desmund began to mumble to him- “I can’t believe they did this again, those self as he shuffled to the grand front door, idiotic, insufferable . . . ugh!” a physics book tucked under his arm. Milo From within the kitchen, the kettle whis- watched him till he went down the stairs and tled urgently, so Milo was torn from the sight disappeared, then returned to making tea. of the slamming door and the large bundle in He set up a tray with a fine little pot and two Desmund’s arms. matching cups, then fished in the cupboard “Milo, set out another cup,” Dez called for the tin of tea leaves, which he carefully out. “The Blattodeans are at it again.” scooped into the pot. The cat wandered into The younger boy stuck his head out from the kitchen and began to meow for food, but around the corner once again. “Another cup?” Milo hushed him in order to listen to Dez he quizzed. unlocking the door. As the front door opened “I just told you, didn’t I? Hurry up, with its heavy creak, Milo found himself please.” holding his breath. Milo frowned, but did as he was bid, set- “Yes?” Milo heard Desmund say curtly. ting one more little cup upon the tray. He He strained to listen from his position six thought a moment then took out a plate, stories above the entrance. Thankfully, due placed it on the tray, and rummaged for some to the quietness of the building, Desmund’s biscuits. When he was satisfied, he walked voice projected just enough for Milo to make back into the reading area, setting the tray on out what he was saying. the little table by the velvet couch. “We’re closed. You can come back at “They’ve never been very bright,” he . . . is that a . . . oh . . . We’ve told you remarked as he poured a cup of tea. “What’d before, we don’t accept artifacts! If you have they bring this time?” artifacts then take them to Uncle Klaus!” Desmund sighed irritably as he nudged There was a pause, in which Milo assumed the heavy bundle he’d set on the couch. “A the person on the other side of the door was human.” speaking. “But that’s . . . that’s not even a “A what?” . . . where did you even get that?” Another “Quiet, it’s waking up.” pause. The cat began to meow again so A muffled sound issued from the bundle, Milo quickly fetched a saucer of milk to followed by a rustling and the appearance of a quiet him. “No! For the last time we don’t pair of curious eyes. Without thinking, Milo . . . Oh, come on!” thrust the cup toward the human’s face in Milo tiptoed from the kitchen, leaning offering. The eyes blinked, and the creature against the polished wooden banister to get shed the blanket in which it was wrapped and a look at what the unwanted patrons had tremulously accepted the cup, eyeing Milo unloaded on Dez. warily.

TREMULOUSLY MEANS SHE WAS QUIVERING OR TREMBLING. 28 “It’s a girl,” Desmund commented as he After a long moment the little girl mum- poured himself a cup of tea. He took a long, bled, “This doesn’t smell like tea.” Her frown calming sip to soothe his rattled nerves while deepened. Milo studied the girl. She was small, about “That’s because tea trees are different in his own size, with tangled brown hair and Omega Centauri,” Desmund said matter- freckles and the large brown eyes of a doe. of-factly. He took another long sip of tea. She wore purple flannel pajamas that looked “What’s your name?” just a bit too big for her. The little girl merely furrowed her brow “Hello,” Milo said, smiling. in response and instead asked, “What’s an The girl continued to frown, staring at Omega Centauri?” him. They all regarded each other in silence “It’s a . . . cluster of stars. A bit past the for a minute or two. Milky Way,” Dez answered carefully with a “Perhaps she doesn’t speak English? Try vague wave of his hand, trying to simplify French or Italian or something?” Desmund things as best as he could. “You’re from Earth, offered as they watched the girl sniff her teacup. correct?”

29 AN ARTIFACT IS AN INTERESTING CULTURAL OBJECT, SUCH AS A MUSEUM MIGHT COLLECT.

She nodded. not a library, but the Intergalactic Collection “I think the Blattodeans found you of Knowledge and Records.” and assumed you were an artifact. They do “So . . . you live in a library.” that from time to time. It can’t be helped. Desmund pressed his lips together, glanc- Honestly, it’s a wonder they can build space- ing again at his brother. “It’s too early for craft.” Milo nudged him in the shoulder. this,” he muttered, looking at his watch. “We “Oh, right. Well, my name’s Desmund, and open in two hours. Milo can you take care of this is my younger brother, Milo. It seems you things today?” were mistaken for an artifact and kidnapped Milo nodded confidently. “Of course, I by aliens—those ugly, insect-looking crea- doubt it’ll be too busy.” tures—then taken here.” “H’m,” Desmund murmured to himself. The little girl looked about at her sur- He used his fingers to comb through his roundings, taking in the multitudes of books fine, dark hair then adjusted his crisp white and the stars plainly visible through the glass shirt, which peeked out from under his bright ceiling. She took a sip of tea, surprisingly orange vest. “I suppose she’ll have to stay here calm for having been thrust into such an odd till we get this sorted out.” and uncommon situation. Desmund glanced “What do you mean?” asked the girl. at Milo, and Milo glanced back at him. Desmund folded up the blanket Milo had Suddenly the cat appeared from the kitchen been using earlier. “I need to drop down to and leaped into the girl’s lap, almost upsetting Ahria XII to arrange your transport back to her cup of tea. She giggled in surprise and Earth, of course,” he replied, referring to the began to stroke its head. planet around which Pandora traveled. He “What’s his name?” she asked delightedly. stacked his books and carried them to the “Cloud,” Milo answered. back of the library. Milo took the time dur- “But clouds are white.” ing his brother’s brief absence to study the girl “Yes, but we hadn’t exactly seen a cloud once more. Her inquisitiveness gave her spe- before we called him that.” cies away, as most humanoids were already a She blinked. “Never seen a cloud?” part of the Intergalactic System. However, she “There weren’t really clouds where we didn’t seem frightened, like humans normally came from. At least not white ones.” did when abducted by aliens. In fact, she “What’s your name?” Milo asked her gazed up at the ceiling in wonder, as though again. she’d never seen so many stars in her life. “I’m Paige. Where are we? Why do you Milo couldn’t remember if stars were visible live in a library?” from Earth, or if so how many. Desmund nearly scoffed. “We’re on the “Right,” Desmund huffed when he moon Pandora, firstly, and secondly, this is returned. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I

INSECT-LOOKING CREATURES AREN’T UGLY–THEY’RE CUTE! WE’RE CUTE! BRILLIANT! BEAUTIFUL! AND GOOD-NATURED! 30 noticed the kitchen is understocked as well. so he handed her the last tin of lemon Ping me if there’s any trouble, Milo,” he said, biscuits. As she started eating, the con- holding up his crystal tablet. versation died for several long minutes. Milo nodded. “Of course.” Paige seemed content with the silence. She “And don’t let her touch anything. Bad chewed slowly as her eyes brushed across enough we have such distractions just before the shelves curiously. opening time.” With that Dez was out the “What is a library doing out in space?” door on his way to the shuttle. she asked between biscuits. Milo looked at Paige. Milo brushed a few crumbs off his shirt. Paige looked at her fuzzy pajamas and “Well, see, it’s much more than a library—” bare feet. “These pajamas are making me “So your brother kept saying.” She sweaty,” she complained. brushed herself off as well, then wandered The boy bit back a smile and pointed to over to the banister a few meters behind the the stairs leading up to his room. “You look velvet couch. She leaned over it, staring at to be the same height as myself. My room’s up there, and I have shirts and trousers in my dresser.” “Thank you,” she mumbled shyly before She chewed slowly as her wandering up to his room. Milo set to work cleaning up the tea tray, eyes brushed across the gathering up all the cups and saucers and taking the lot into the kitchen. He rinsed them shelves curiously. out briefly and left them to dry, wanting to get started on the morning’s chores before opening time. After a few minutes Paige appeared in the kitchen doorway, wearing one of Milo’s button-down shirts and a pair of the ground six floors below. The library was trousers. massive. “The trousers were too long,” she “It’s a place where we hold all the infor- informed him, “So I rolled them up.” Milo mation and records of the universe,” the looked down and noticed she was wearing his blond-haired boy explained as he disappeared soft blue slippers. He gathered up the tray and into a small closet and grabbed a broom and led the way into the library. dustpan. “Or at least, all the parts of the “Would you like any biscuits? We universe worth reading about. Thousands of normally have more food,” he noted apolo- worlds donate their literature and records for getically. He looked back to see her nod, safekeeping here.”

31 looked like any old library to Paige, who expected that a space library would feature much more chrome and robots than wood and paintings. “You said you and your brother weren’t humans. What are you then? You look human to me.” Milo finished sweeping with a flour- ish, then set the broom and dustpan next to the great circular desk near the ornate wooden doors of the entrance. “We belong to one of several species in the universe who mostly resemble humans. Desmund and I are Neptunians. We were charged with obtain- ing knowledge and holding records since Neptunians live the longest and have the best memories.” “Neptunians?” Paige muttered as her interlocutor turned on a few desk lamps. “Yes, Neptunians. We’re from Neptune, that’s what we’re called. Your parents taught you the planets in your system at least, didn’t they?” Paige followed him as he walked briskly “I don’t have any parents.” down the six flights of stairs, till they had “Oh.” reached the first floor. The floor was white “I know about Neptune anyway,” Paige tile and only appeared to need a light sweep- said as she picked up a smooth metal paper- ing, which Milo began while the little human weight and stared at it in her hand. “It’s called girl set down her tin of biscuits on the front a gas giant, and it’s the eighth planet from desk then took the dustpan and held it for the sun so it’s very cold. But there aren’t any him without being asked. people—or aliens?—on Neptune.” “That’s quite a lot of books,” she Milo shrugged, booting up a computer admitted. with a large glass panel for a screen, not The ground floor was minimally deco- unlike his and Dez’s crystal tablets. “Not that rated, with several work tables and benches humans know of, at least.” and a few pictures hanging on the walls. It to be continued

SO–AN INTERLOCUTOR NO, SILLY. IT’S SOMEBUGGY IS SOMEBUGGY FROM AN YOU’RE IN A CONVERSATION WITH. LIKE ME. 32 ALIEN PLANET? Ode to the Pa ngolin

by Ruth Gilmore Ingulsrud

Oh Pangolin, dear Pangolin Your name sings like a mandolin Alas, I cannot play your scales They’re hard as rock and sharp as nails

When threatened by a toothy beast Intent on making you a feast You simply stop and drop and roll And curl into a scaly bowl

Dear trusty, crusty Pangolin With toothless mouth and tongue so thin You lap up ants from hill and tree And hunt for grub nocturnally

A stalwart, armored, rough, tough bloke Who looks just like an artichoke With tail unfurled and front claws curled You make your way across the world

SLOWLY LEOLIN climbed its tail tip. It had no color but shadow and it the ladder to his attic room. Night wind made no sound, except for that whisper of air rattled the shutters. His back throbbed after a and speed. long day breaking slate at the quarry, and his Leolin caught his breath. “Dragon!” face felt grimy even though he’d washed up He stared up in awe as the creature soared for supper. He trudged to the window on sore over Thornheath. It should have been fright- legs. Cool air felt good after a day in the sun- ening, the beast was so huge. Yet all he felt baked quarry. He dragged a stool over and was the whisper of its speed lodged in his slumped onto it. chest. The dragon never paused. It glided on, Da said it would get better. He said serene and terrible, to vanish at the horizon. Leolin was twelve, so it was time he tough- Leolin limped back to bed, amazed by ened up and did a man’s work. Leolin didn’t what he had seen. He lay there, all aches for- feel any tougher. He ached in every sinew, yet gotten as he watched the dragon fly, over and sleep eluded him. over, in his mind. And thus he was awake The autumn night was gemmed with when the low whistle came again. stars. No cloud marred the velvet blackness, He hurried back to the window hardly only a full moon, silvering the slate rooftops of daring to believe the dragon had returned. Thornheath. Farther back, the jagged outline of Eyes darting, Leolin scanned for a glint that the Skyclaw Mountains reached for the moon. wasn’t stars. But this wasn’t the same dragon. He savored peace and quiet after the day-long It came over the Skyclaws at a different angle. pounding clatter of hammers and chisels. It was also smaller, and held its wings in a A low whistle tickled his ears. Leolin deeper curve. This one, too, passed without raised his head. Movement caught his eye, acknowledging the town below. something dark crossing the starry sky. The Nobody else in Thornheath seemed to breath caught in his throat. notice the dragons going by. The houses The creature was immense, for all it flew stayed dark. Not even a dog barked at the high above Aerde. Mighty wings dimmed the whistle of dragon wings. moon for a moment. Scales glinted like a river Heart in his mouth, Leolin watched it of stars all down the neck to the scythe of pass from sight. He didn’t go back to bed.

SINEW IS FIBROUS TISSUE THAT ATTACHES MUSCLE TO BONE. Illustrated by H. T. Yao 34 text © 2015 by Deborah Fredericks, art © 2015 by H. T. Yao On Dragonwings He rested his head on the window sill and Da muttered, “Somebody had better warn dozed there, jolting awake when more dragons the shepherds.” passed. It was like a grand parade, a spectacle “Dragons don’t attack our sheep,” Leolin just for him. He didn’t want to miss a bit of it. protested. “Might not be the sheep,” Da answered in “LEOLIN! TIME TO get moving!” a dark tone. “Do you want to take chances?” Da’s bellow from downstairs roused him. Leolin chewed his food in sullen quiet. Leolin was slumped across the window sill, He’d never heard of dragons attacking either his neck cramped from lying in such a posi- sheep or people. tion. Dawn painted the Skyclaws with ruddy Ma filled the awkward silence, offering, light. There was no sign of any dragons. Had “It’s fall. Maybe they migrate, like the ducks.” he dreamed them? Da shrugged with a jerk and shoveled “Let’s go, lazybones,” Da called, “before food into his mouth. you make us both late.” Dragons were not like ducks, Leolin Leolin stumbled up, groaning at the thought rebelliously, but the food was gone thought of another day’s work. He ran quick now. The second he was done, Da stood up. fingers through loose black curls and shuffled “Let’s go.” into the coveralls he wore for the quarry. He kissed Ma’s cheek and headed out Then he hurried down the ladder from his the door. Leolin snatched up the sacks with loft. In the kitchen, Ma passed a bowl of their lunches and hurried after. His shorter steaming groats. legs made it hard to keep pace with Da’s “Thanks.” Yawning, Leolin moved on to long strides through Thornheath. The town the warmth of the hearth. Da nodded and was busy, like every morning. Shopkeepers made room. were opening up and workmen ambled Leolin ate slowly. Questions buzzed in toward the quarry. Da and Leolin joined his mind. For certain, he remembered six the flow. dragons passing in the night. Where were In the town square the watchman, the great beasts going? Why were they going, Calbert, nodded just like always. “Morning, and would they come back? He paid so Orym. Lad.” little attention to his eating that he actually Leolin paused. “Did you see anything odd spooned groats down his chin. last night?” Laughing, Ma handed him a rag. “What Calbert gave a wary shrug. He didn’t say has you so sleepy?” the word dragons, just muttered, “Dangerous He brushed the grains off his front and beasts, good riddance to ’em.” said, “I saw some dragons last night. They Da snapped, “Keep up, boy. It’s nothing were all flying north.” to do with us.”

A BOWL OF STEMING GOATS? NOT GOATS, GROATS! IT’S HOT THAT’S JUST WEIRD. CEREAL, LIKE OATMEAL. 36 Unsatisfied, Leolin followed his father out First, Drall had Leolin hold the chisel the other side of Thornheath and down the while he swung the maul high and rammed twists of the narrow canyon. The morning it down. Stone broke off in ragged chunks. greets had a shrill, forced tone. Everyone was Leolin tried not to flinch, but Drall saw his on edge. Didn’t they know how amazing the hands jerk. dragons were? “You’re afraid of the hammer. Don’t be,” At the quarry, Foreman Makson told Da, Drall said. “I won’t hit you. Hold the chisel “I need you shaping roof tiles, Orym. Your straight up, so it sits along the grain.” lad’ll work with Drall today.” Leolin tried to keep the chisel steady, even Da frowned with hurt pride. “He’s my when the big hammer seemed sure to smash son. I should be the one to teach him.” his knuckles. Hours passed in noise and dust. Leolin tried to act upset, but inside he felt The clatter and bang of hammers on chisels a surge of relief. Da might be a great stone cut- resounded off the high, flat walls and filled ter, but he wasn’t a patient teacher. A certain Leolin’s head with shrill thunder. All the gleam in Makson’s eye said he knew it, too. while, shadows of dragons soared in his mind. Makson said, “We have two orders to fill But the slate never would flake off in neat for Hawkfell,” and that was that. slabs, the way it was supposed to. Drall was an older man, calmer. He nod- After the noon meal, they switched off. ded welcome. “This way, lad.” Leolin swung the heavy maul with aching “Yes, Drall.” shoulders.

NOT ME! I DON’T YOU HOLD THE CHISEL. WANT TO BE I’LL SWING THIS HEAVY MAULED. HAMMER, OR MAUL. 37 “Harder,” Drall urged. “Can’t make tiles where larger men got scratched and torn. without breaking the stone, lad.” None of that impressed Da. The quarry Leolin heaved. Sharp twinges tore at his was their family’s life blood and tradition. shoulders, his back. The maul came down Nobody was going to tell him his son was no hard, but off-center. The slate under Drall’s quarryman. chisel exploded into gray and black shards. Only it wasn’t so easy for Leolin. All he “Careful!” Drall jumped back. He winced was good for was fetching a broom to sweep and shook his hand. up the gravel. “Did I hurt you?” Leolin cried, worried. “Well, I did ask for more power.” Drall AT THE END of that day, Leolin shuf- grinned, but Leolin saw the pain. “Lad, that’s fled down the street after Da. His father bad aim, even for you. What’s got you turned growled, “Get your head out of the clouds, around?” boy. Focus on what’s important.” A couple of men came over to make sure Leolin thought the dragons were impor- Drall was all right. Guiltily, Leolin muttered, tant, but Da’s mind was like a rock that “Some dragons went by last night. Do you nothing could chisel through. He groaned, know where they went?” “OK, Da.” “Nope.” And Drall didn’t seem to care, Ma had supper waiting for them—brown either. bread and lamb stew with cabbage and pars- One of the men wrapped Drall’s hand in nips. It was Leolin’s favorite meal, yet he a rag, while another quipped, “Maybe they barely tasted it. He ate just enough to quiet went to declare war on the gnomes.” his growling stomach, then clambered up to Rough laughter echoed through the the loft. Out his window, shadows crowded quarry. Leolin slouched, sullen at the Thornheath’s narrow streets. Beyond the mockery. town, dry brown hills stretched on toward the Makson hurried over. “Well, gravel is use- mountains. The dying sun dipped the peaks ful, too,” he sighed when he saw the mess. in blood. “Sorry,” Leolin mumbled. The Skyclaws were in the south, he knew. Worse, Da noticed the commotion and That meant the dragons were heading north. came over. He shook his head, disgusted. For the first time Leolin wondered what lay Leolin withered where he stood. that direction. Aerde was vast, yet he’d spent Da was a master stone cutter. He could all his years in this one small corner. It must shape slate into perfectly even building stones, be so much easier for the dragons. They could each one just the size he wanted. Leolin had rise up and fly wherever they wanted! quick fingers to tie knots and thread needles Downstairs, Da and Ma were talking for Ma. He could slip between gorse bushes in muffled voices. Leolin knew well enough

38 what Da would be saying. He crossed his arms on the sill and let his head droop. He was tired, so tired. Of the quarry. Of heavy mauls and slippery chisels. He never wanted to go there again, but Da wouldn’t hear of it. And when did Leolin get to decide about his own life? He must have dozed, for a familiar whistle jolted him out of sleep. Leolin jerked up, confused. Thornheath was dark save a few lamps that lit the windows. An orange glow clung to the edges of the world, reminder of the day gone by. But up above— There! One more massive shape glided between him and the stars. Awe washed over him, and keen regret. The dragon slid across the moon’s face in silence. He ached to know where it was going, and why. If only there was some way to call it to him. Leolin would beg to fly off with it! Time passed and the moon crept higher before he heard the whisper again. The next beast was a small one. The spikes along its neck didn’t seem quite as sharp. It beat its wings steadily, unable to achieve the effortless to do. In the morning, he’d tell them the glide of the bigger dragons. quarry was no good. He had to give it up It must be a youngster. Leolin wondered before someone really got hurt. if its dragon father had told it not to fly. Instead, he would go around the town Warned it to stay in the south, not risk its and ask for other work. A way to earn his safety in a long and difficult journey. way in the world. Maybe the weaver Rellick Yet still the young one flew. Leolin needed a helper. Or some of the shepherds—it watched it dwindle in the north and felt would be good to roam beyond this cramped something harden inside him. A will to rise village. and fly on wings of his own. In the morning, he’d say all that. For now All was quiet downstairs. Da and Ma Leolin gazed upward, alert for the whisper of must be abed. But Leolin knew what he had dragon wings and the promise of his future.

39 RETURNING FROM HIS bombing mission, the World War II fighter pilot eased his plane down onto the aircraft carrier HMS Habbakuk. “I can’t believe I’m landing this plane on a ship made of ice,” he mumbled to himself. Sound like a scene from a science fic tion movie? Actually, this ship was the dream of Geoffrey Nathaniel Pyke. He believed it was possible to build an air by Louise Grippen craft carrier from a mixture of ice and wood pulp. Why would he propose such a strange idea? Aircraft carriers played an essential role in World War II. They acted as port able airports, allowing planes to take off and land on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Two of the aircraft carriers used in World War II, the Lexington and the Saratoga, could carry 83 planes each. Some of these planes defended the aircraft carrier, while others dropped bombs or torpedoes on enemy targets. Without the aircraft carriers, these planes would have had to take off from land to fight battles at sea. Therefore, they would have to fly many more hours and carry a lot more fuel and fewer bombs. Because the carriers were so impor tant in battle, they were a prime target for enemy torpedoes. When they were struck, fires and explosions resulted, and the ships often sank. Within a ten-month period in 1942, four United States Navy aircraft carriers were sunk. Replacing these ships was an expensive and lengthy undertaking.

Illustrated by Jan Adkins Great Britain was experiencing the same The bullet penetrated the wood 25 inches problems. Geoffrey Pyke, an English inven- but only penetrated the pykrete 6.5 inches. In tor, was determined to find a solution. During another test, someone poured boiling water World War II, Pyke was an adviser to Lord over a block of pykrete, but it did not melt. Louis Mountbatten, a member of the Chief of Pyke was convinced that building aircraft Combined Operations, which planned strategies carriers out of pykrete would solve several for the war. Concerned about the number of air- problems. Torpedoes would only penetrate the craft carriers being sunk, Pyke proposed a new ships a short distance, and the damage could way of making them out of a mixture of wood be repaired. Therefore, the carriers could get pulp and ice. This mixture was first called pic- very close to enemy ships. They would also be colite, and later called pykrete, after Pyke. unsinkable. Just as ice floats because it is less Pyke began by mixing water with a small dense than water, pykrete would float because amount of tiny woodchips, then freezing this it is even less dense than ice. Pyke believed substance into small blocks. A number of these ships would be indestructible. tests proved that the material was incredibly Pyke drew up plans to build a 2,000-foot- strong. In one test, an official tried to smash a long ship that would hold 300 planes. The small block of pykrete with a hammer, but the outside would be covered with wood, followed hammer bounced off the block, hurting the by insulation, then pykrete. The hull, or walls official’s arm in the process. During another of the ship, would be 40 feet thick. A compli- test, a researcher fired one bullet at a block of cated refrigeration system would keep the ship pykrete and another one at a block of wood. at the necessary temperature to prevent thaw- A BRILLIANT INVENTOR, IS THIS GUY A CRACK- MORE LIKE. A SHIP OF ICE– POT, OR WHAT? HOW COOL IS THAT? 41 IF GEOFFREY PYKE CAN INVENT PYKRETE, TOO BAD SOMEBUGGY ALREADY MAYBE I COULD INVENT SOMETHING. INVENTED TATER TOTS...

ing. The trade-off of building a ship so large Churchill, the Prime Minister of England. was a much slower speed. The carrier would Further tests were done in Canada, where slabs only move at 7 knots, compared to the 35 of pykrete were bombed and torpedoed, with knots of the 890-foot-long Lexington and the little resulting damage. Finally, a 60-foot model Saratoga. Since Pyke’s ship would not sustain of the ship was built on Patricia Lake in Jasper, great damage from enemy ships, the slower Ontario, in 1943. It stayed afloat and did not speed was not a problem. melt all summer. Pyke planned to name this aircraft car- Although some people were supportive of rier the Habbakuk. It is believed that he took Pyke’s plan, others thought it would never work. the name from the Old Testament book of Some scientists were concerned that the motors Habakkuk, the difference in spelling prob- on the Habbakuk would create so much heat that ably due to a secretary’s mistake. Chapter 1, the ship would melt. There was also concern verse 5, of this book says, “Look at the na- about the labor and expense needed to build it. tions and be utterly amazed. For I am going Other problems were considered as well. to do something in your days that you would The Habbakuk would have been limited not believe, even if you were told.” to certain areas because some places, like the After he proposed his idea, Pyke won the English Channel, were too shallow. Plans called approval of Lord Mountbatten and Winston for keeping the carrier in the North Atlantic, particularly to aid in the invasion of France. It took many months to try to convince the right people to build this ship. In the meantime, plans for the location of the invasion of France had changed, and the Allies decided to launch air attacks from England to the beaches of Normandy. It was decided that the Habbakuk was no longer needed, so it was never built. Was the project a failure? No. Pyke’s idea of using ice as a building material has led to other projects, such as constructing runways out of ice and twigs in northern Canada and highways out of similar material in northern Siberia. Clearly, it took a lot of courage and persistence for Geoffrey Pyke to promote such a new and strange invention, and he is still known for his very “cool idea.”

42 What You’ll Need: What to Do: 2 egg whites (Ask an adult to help 1. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). you separate the whites from the 2. Put egg whites in bowl and beat them. Stop yolks. It’s important that no yolk eggbeater or mixer from time to time. Use it to gets into the whites.) lift some egg whites. When they stand in stiff, clean, dry glass or ceramic bowl moist peaks, they’re ready. electric mixer or eggbeater 3. Put cookies on cookie sheet. Spoon small 6 flat cookies without any icing or filling mound of ice cream onto middle of each cookie. cookie sheet Make sure bare cookie shows all around ice spoon cream. ice cream 4. Spoon egg white over each ice cream mound. Egg white should completely cover ice cream and bare cookie around it. Make sure there’s no ice cream showing. 5. Put snowballs in oven for 4 minutes, or until egg white turns light brown. With an adult’s help, remove cookie sheet from oven. 6. Eat your cookie snowballs! The foamy egg white acts as insulation. The air bubbles you whipped into it stop the heat from getting through to the ice cream. Now, that’s a cool idea!

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Solution on page 47 Across Down 1 2 43 5 1. You build one of these to get warm 1.F IceI is ______R E water M I T T E N S 3. What the Three Little Kittens lost 2.R Past tenseO of ride C L 6 7 6. ______Winter (two words) 4.O ______L D creamM A N E O E 8 8. Winterize your car with ______freeze 5.Z “DashingE through the snow in a one-horseA N T I 9 10 11 12 13 9. Dorothy’s aunt in The Wizard of Oz E openM ______”D S C A R F G 14 15 16 12. Winter neck warmer 7.N A Eclumsy fellowI O A S H 17 18 14. Compass direction 10. TheL sun makesG L snowA doC thisI E R L 19 20 21 15. Powdery substance left over from a fire 11.S AfterT aS blizzard you mustO ______outE I F UGLY SEEMS 22 23 17. Large, slow-moving mass of ice on land TO LIKE HIS 13K. Hot ______F is greatL O onA coldT days D D R MAKEOVER. 24 25 19. Streets (abbreviation) 16.A PastW tenseO L of slide B I 26 27 20. In case that 18. T Color of a Ucold noseT S T R O N G 22. Icebergs and ice cubes ______in water BUT HIS 19.E Footwear used on Eice I I BREATH 28 29 23. Doctor (abbreviation) 21.S VeNry coldO W M A N S I’ML THINKINGE D IS STILL REFRESHING 24. Absent without leave (abbreviation) TOXIC! 22. Short for influenza (INDUSTRIAL- STRENGTH) 27. Opposite of weak DON’T LET HIM 25. “A watched pot never ______s” MINT TEA 28. Frosty was one BREATHE ON YOU 26. Drink served hot or cold FOR OUR IN THIS WEATHER. TEA PARTY... 29. Used to slide down a snowy hill IT’LL FREEZE! MEWY FUMY!

44 WHAT DRAMA!

WHAT TALENT!

WAIT FOR ME!

WINNERS SEPTEMBER 2015 STORY CONTEST Performance and The Theater

First prize 10 and under one, George was certain he wouldn’t be called. He didn’t you know that in Shakespeare’s time, all the girl parts Ehren Collins, age 9 even notice that Rose was next. were played by boys?” Lakewood, OH “Row thirty-one, seven from the left,” Rose honked What? Juliet, a boy? Queen Titania, a man? proudly. “There’s a reason Shakespearean actors are called Inline Dating George counted the flamingos on his right to dis- players—we’re playing at theater, being silly and coura- All George could think about was Rose. Her gor- cover he now had a partner for life. geous, stepping outside of who we are. Are you brave geous pink plumage, preened tidily in rows, glistened enough to play Shakespeare today?” in the morning sun. Her long, beautiful legs resembled First prize 11 and up On the stage, I stand under the hot lights, in front handcrafted chopsticks. Rose was flamingo perfection! Sunaya DasGupta Mueller, age 11 of all the expectant audience. I wear my hair pulled back Shaking himself from his daydream, George focused Palisades, NY and a beautiful velvet vest. I am a Shakespearean player, on his workout again. He stretched his S-shaped neck brave enough to play at anything. upward, swiveling his head from side to side, like a pink The Play’s the Thing After all, all the world’s a stage, and all the men and sock puppet. Tomorrow was the most important day of “I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,/Where women merely players. his life—his first courtship dance. oxlips and the nodding violet grows, . . .” George woke early the next morning, too nervous I’ve see Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream Second prize 10 and under to sleep. As he began his daily routine of stretching and at least five times. It’s my favorite play, and my favorite Amelia Chief, age 9 preening, nervousness overcame him. His shrimp break- character is Titania, the fairy queen. I’ve always dreamed Los Angeles, CA fast churned in his stomach like pebbles. of playing Titania—with flowers in my hair and a court of Meanwhile, across the lake, Rose was nervous her- dancing fairies! Good Sportsmanship Leads to Good Friendship self. She knew her parents expected her to choose the Or maybe sweet Juliet, calling to Romeo from her Peggy took a deep breath and climbed onto the perfect flamingo mate—tall, dark, and handsome. But balcony! stage. She had practiced for many hours and felt confi- Rose was looking for more than your average lawn orna- But no Juliet this year, because this year, my chil- dent. The music started. She began to twirl. ment. She wanted a dedicated, sincere mate, who would dren’s Shakespeare company is putting on Midsummer! If you don’t know already, Peggy was trying out for become a lifelong friend. Today I’ll get my part. I hope I’m Titania! I can wear a Pernsetta the Phoenix at the school ballet performance. As the male flamingos lined up, George searched for beautiful gown and crown! If not, Hermia or Helena She was wearing a feathery headdress that was itchy, but Rose in the sea of pink spectators. He positioned himself aren’t bad parts either. oh well. No one ever said ballet costumes were comfy! so Rose could easily spot him. By now, his skinny legs I run down the front steps. Oh! Spring is here! The wind The next day, Peggy couldn’t pay attention in class. trembled like guitar strings and could barely support his chime sings. Daffodils are blooming. The world is bright! She only wanted to see if she was Pernsetta. coral body. “There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,/Lulled Finally, the bell rang. Peggy and a whole bunch of As the courtship dance began, George started to in these flowers with dances and delight.” other students ran to the auditorium. relax. He shuffled through the shallow water flawlessly. When I get there, everybody is crowded around “Who got Pernsetta?” someone asked. He extended his graceful neck and tilted his head slightly, the cast list. I push my way through and look. I’m . . . Peggy felt confident enough to say, “Me!” but she creating a perfect capital I. All was well . . . until he caught Philostrate? Master of Revels? Wait, that’s not right! Oh, didn’t. Instead she walked over to the list. And this is a glimpse of Rose gazing at him. Their eyes locked, and no. I have to play a man! what she saw: Pernsetta—Summer Green. George froze. Flamingos toppled behind him like flap- I grumble as the others squish past me. There go my Peggy was heartbroken, but anyways she congratu- ping, pink dominos. dreams of beauty and flowers, gowns and crowns! Beside lated Summer. That’s when they both heard crying. The crowd gasped and burst into laughter. George me, another girl beams. She’s Titania! This is a midsum- Elaina Ellie Easten was sitting in the corner. “I got Sky had never been so embarrassed. He slipped into the next mer nightmare! crew,” she wept. row, trying to hide in the mass of dancing flamingos. To As we get closer to the play, my mood doesn’t Yikes, thought Peggy. The Sky crew was a group of block out his blunder, George concentrated as hard as he improve. I mutter my lines, while the others speak loudly, dancers who only moved their feet. could and finished the dance admirably. clearly, and with enthusiasm. The director walked over to Peggy. “You are the As the young females called out their choices one by The day of the play, my director pulls me aside. “Do Sun,” he said. 45 Then at last it was the day of the performance. I wasn’t great at, and I didn’t get it. Why try something let something like a little embarrassment get in my way. Peggy was all dressed in yellow. When it came time for new when there was a chance I would fail? Even though I’d never admit it to my friends, not being Peggy’s dance, she started flapping her arms. The Sky I ran to get to the bus, my huge backpack slowing me perfect at something was actually kind of fun. crew stood behind her, moving their feet. She did a pir- down. I was so late that the driver practically closed the ouette, which received a lot of applause. door on me. My friends were studying in case there was a Third prize 10 and under After about thirty minutes, the show ended. Peggy pop quiz. I stumbled to a seat and started studying, too. Emma Tolppanen, age 10 went out for ice cream with Summer. When we got to school, I dragged my feet toward Charleston, IL the arts building. When I got in, the drama teacher was One Year Later just starting. The Show Must Go On Peggy and Summer clacked their feet. They were “Glad you could join us,” the teacher said coldly. “As I They crowded around the cast list, elbowing each starring in a tap performance together. When they grew was saying, the Oratorical Contest will begin next week. other. I didn’t have to put up with any of that nonsense. up and became professional dancers, they continued to You can only be eligible if you get an A in my class. Who Standing alone by the crew list, it seemed to me like no star concertedly. Peggy never knew good sportsmanship would like to perform their scene first?” one wanted to be part of the crew. But there it was hang- would lead to good friendship! Wait. Did she say oratorical contest? I loved con- ing on the wall and there it was—my name, Julia Smith, tests! I needed to step up my game. With a gulp, I raised next to Head Scenery Director. I had been trying for Second prize 11 and up my hand to go first. Assistant Scenery Director, but this was better than I had Kirin DasGupta Mueller, age 12 “What are you doing, man?” My friends looked at hoped; after all it’s not every day an eleven-year-old gets Palisades, NY me like I was crazy. cast as head scenery director for her school’s production I bombed. I couldn’t remember any of my lines, and of Peter Pan. F.A.I.L.—First Attempt at Learning by the end, my ears burned hot with embarrassment. I After the first crew meeting, I sat in my room read- “Remember, honey, Albert Einstein once said, stumbled back to my seat, dying inside. But I wasn’t ready ing until my older brother, Danny, left the house. Then ‘Anyone who hasn’t made a mistake hasn’t learned any- to quit, either. I slipped into his room and grabbed his TV remote. But thing new!’” The next day, I used my bus cramming time to before turning the TV on, I realized that Danny’s script My mother is obsessed with proverbs: cheering- memorize my lines. My friends started laughing at me for the play was open on his desk. (He was in the play, up proverbs, scolding proverbs. Today’s proverb was when I put my hand up again. too, as Mr. Darling.) I couldn’t help but take a peek at the because I had drama first period, a class I hated. “He’s gonna fail,” someone mumbled. script and once I started, I couldn’t stop. I got good grades in general. But in drama? Not so But it was better. Much better. I had my eyes on the Danny came in after I’d read the entire script three much. My parents always encouraged me to try things prize—well the contest, anyway. And I wasn’t going to times and knew all the lines. “Hey, Julia,” he said, then he

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UH-OH, THAT’S EEK! THAT’S ALL WHAT’S UGLY’S WE’VE THAT STOMACH! YIKES! NEXT YEAR I’LL STICK GOT. RUMBLING? TO A TRIED AND TRUE (AND SAFE) RESOLUTION. MEWY MEWY HUNGRY! THAT SOUNDS LIKE A FINE SKIDOOEY! RESOLUTION TO ME!

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14 15 16 Knowledge of Collection Intergalactic “The in Paige like maybe, Or teacher. substitute or student Photo.

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24 Toronto. Ltd., Press Can Kids of permission by 25Used Wyatt. Valerie written by Valerie Wyatt and illustrated by Pat Cupples. Text © 1993 by by 1993 © Text Cupples. Pat by illustrated and Wyatt Valerie by written ho knows what you’ll find when you open the door to your dryer or gaze up at the the at up gaze or dryer your to door the open you when find you’ll what knows ho W

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owners for permission to reprint selections from their publications. All All 28 publications. their from selections reprint to 29 permission for owners

Grateful acknowledgment is given to the following publishers and copyright copyright and publishers following the to given is acknowledgment Grateful

Allison, who visits Melissa’s lunch table in “Bully.” And some are just plain awesome, like the the like awesome, plain just are some And “Bully.” in table lunch Melissa’s visits who Allison,

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Claire Svetkey, Claire age 11, Belmont, MA. MA. Belmont, 11, age OH. Falls, Chagrin ust stood there and said, “OK!” After all, what else else what all, After “OK!” said, and there stood ust I j I down and unhooked me. While on the stage, the music music the stage, the on While me. unhooked and down

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Honorable Mention Honorable members, ready for action, when all of a sudden I heard heard I sudden a of all when action, for ready members, ang along perfectly and I was “flying” perfectly in in perfectly “flying” was I and perfectly along ang s I

t was opening night, and I was with the other crew crew other the with was I and night, opening was t I OK, Timothy. Cue the music,” Mr. Shavi shouted. Shavi Mr. music,” the Cue Timothy. OK, “

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other people sitting around him. around sitting people other anny hesitated before replying, “No. I suppose not.” not.” suppose I “No. replying, before hesitated anny D ook a step back and breathed three times. A man man A times. three breathed and back step a ook I t I

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behind me. The only thing that changed was Mr. Shavi. Shavi. Mr. was changed that thing only The me. behind “ Hello, my name is Timothy Brown,” I told them con them told I Brown,” Timothy is name my Hello, Reading,” I replied calmly. “You’re not going to tell, tell, to going not “You’re calmly. replied I Reading,” “ -

the floor. The rope was still dangling. The man was still still was man The dangling. still was rope The floor. the school play, play, school are you doing?” you are Peter Pan. Peter

as still drenched in paint. The scenery was still on on still was scenery The paint. in drenched still as I w I the people who would determine if I would be in the high high the in be would I if determine would who people the looked at me. He took a deep breath and asked, “What “What asked, and breath deep a took He me. at looked ICE IS A lot more than frozen water. In ancient days, it was nearly worth its weight in gold. Egyptian pharaohs, Roman emperors, and Mideastern kings ordered slabs of ice brought from snowcapped mountain peaks to chill their royal drinks. Loaded on camels or donkeys, floated on barges, hauled in wagons, ice soon became a brisk business—not only as refreshment but also to cool houses in an antique version of air conditioning. The Chinese of 3,000 years ago constructed special buildings to store the glittering luxury. The Persians enjoyed crushed ice mixed with rose petals, orange blossoms, and fruit juices: a kind of sherbet they called sharbia. In time, a rage for sharbia spread throughout Europe. The best was yet to come. In Italy, around 1550, some clever chef added milk to the recipe. Presto! The ancestor of ice cream! But, for cen- turies, it stayed a rare and expensive treat. In 1809, Dolly Madison, wife of our fourth president, dazzled her dinner guests by being the first to serve ice cream at the White House. Apart from fancy desserts, ice was serious business. Packed in straw and sawdust, it cooled fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables sent all over the world in the holds of high-masted clipper ships and merchant steamers. I even remember a time when the “iceman” went door to door in a horse- drawn wagon. Since then, with home freezers, we needn’t scramble up mountains for ice all year round. A small ice cube has a big history. Imagine yourself a queen or king of Persia when you plop a chunk of ice into your lemonade. It’ll taste even better.

48 january 2016 $4.95 volume 43 number 4 cricketmedia.com