The Realm of Imagination

the realm of imagination

October 2016 $4.95 the realm of imagination

October 2016 Volume 44 Number 2

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

© JOOHEE YOON Katherine Paterson Author Barbara Scharioth Former Director of the COVER AND BORDER International Youth Library in Munich, Germany Anita Silvey Author, Critic by JooHee Yoon Sandra Stotsky Professor of Education Reform, “Monster Jam” University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Roger Sutton Editor-in-Chief of digital The Horn Book Magazine, Critic Ann Thwaite Author, Critic JooHee Yoon is an illustrator and printmaker who has been drawing and making things as far back as she can remember. Her artwork has appeared in newspapers, picture books, posters, and on clothing. October is her favorite month since it includes pumpkins, Halloween, Educational Press Association of America Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge autumn leaves, and chilly weather. She enjoys Golden Lamp Award Honor Certificate for Outstanding drawing animals, especially cats and other feline Distinguished Achievement Award Achievement creatures. International Reading Association Paul A. Witty Short Story Award 1988–1993, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011–2015

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

October 2016, Volume 44, Number 2, © 2016, 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 Scarecrows by Justin Werfel 11 Life of a Leaf by Buffy Silverman 12 The Man in the Monster Suit by Shelley Walden 16 Which Monster Are You? by Ginger Garret 20 Vanquishing the Hungry Chinese Zombie by Claudine Gueh 26 Kyngdom by Cricket Chatterboxers 28 Hope on High by Lindsay Koch 33 Autumn by Allison Stevick 34 Vanishers by Josh Allen 39 All for a Lizard by Nell Wright

2 Letterbox 4 Cricket Country by Carolyn Digby Conahan 38 Ugly Bird’s Crossbird Puzzle 45 Cricket League 46 Cricket and Ladybug by Carolyn Digby Conahan 48 Old Cricket Says

Dear Everybuggy, Hi, Everybuggy! Halloween! Is every buggy around the mailbox? OK, I know Your magazine is by far my favorite thing to get My street is IT for Halloween. There is this you get this a million bajillion times, but . . . I. Love. in the mail. Other than that it’s wondrously huge mansion that decorates maaadly (like, This. Magazine! When we were looking at magazine ineffable. brand-new red Mustang suspended in the options, I was really only into poems. But your I don’t like picking favorites, but I WOW! LET’S air with skeletons in it) and turns their magazine inspired me to create a whole story! would probably say Muffin, you’re my TRICK-OR- house into a haunted house and hands I love looking at all of the stories, poems, favorite buggy. I share your love of TREAT THERE! out stuffed animals! The police literally letters, pictures, everything! Ladybug, I love you. all things books and vocabulary. Do close off the street. I also like handing You’re hilarious! You could be a little bit less bossy, you know what these words mean: out candy to trick-or-treaters. though. Ugly Bird, you kinda need to calm down. mountebank, syzygy, mondegreen. Abigail S., age 11 Could the buggies find out if Little Crow has any Can you come up with a word that I Santa Monica, California relation to him? Zoot, I play the violin and have for don’t know? Please try! Halloween, Down to Earth almost six years! Muffin, you are soooooo cute! I love Science Olympiad! It’s a Pussy, you’re adorable! Cricket, you pull the whole tournament where teams of kids compete in A friend of mine is going as a creepy package together. Thank you, everybuggy. events of all science subjects. You do tests, experi- doll—she likes horror. I’m just not into intense Trill Woodhena, age 12 ments, and engineering projects. It’s fun, and it’s and scary sorts of things. I see Halloween as an B.I.G. Dorms, This Month nice to meet everyone and be with your team opportunity to dress up as a musical or book members. I mainly do biology and ecology. character. So I am being Mary Poppins! Magical Dear Trill, Keep up the great work; what you do is amaz- nannies for the win! Yes, we all wait around the mailbox each day ing. Au revoir! Iki! Aloha! Bye! Sydney, age 13 for the mail snail—and also around the computer Zack S., age 12 The Woods for email! Austin, Texas Halloween, Pudding’s Place Love, Cricket Dear Zack, Dear Everybuggy, I wasn’t sure about your words, so I looked My English teacher gave me your magazine, Dear Everybuggy, them up. Thanks for enlarging my vocabulary! and I loved it because it is funny, full of surprises, I love your magazine. I first discovered Cricket How about weir? Do you know what that means? and very interesting. I think Muffin, George, when a friend of my mom gave us a bunch of old Short and sweet! and Tail are really cute. SOMETIMES issues. I loved “The Star Shard” (April 2008–April Love, I go swimming, snowboarding, I DREAM OF 2009) and “Rapunzel’s Bad Hair Day” (February Muffin biking, Rollerblading, ice-skating, and TRAVELING TO 2008). I also like dolphins, cats, the color blue, skateboarding. Of course, I go to RUSSIA! doing crafts, performing, and reading. I am a Dear Everybuggy, school. Our region is famous for its swimmer and dancer. I’m a total Harry Potter geek. Hi! I adore reading and watching book-based fishing industry and sled dog races, I can recite the names of all the chapters in order, movies. Some of my book suggestions are Percy too. My family likes spending the summarize them, and tell you every notable, Jackson and the Olympians and Harry Potter. summer by the seaside. I dream of funny, or inspirational quote in the series. I also Some movies I recommend are How to Train Your traveling to Paris, but my dad dreams enjoy Shakespeare and words. My current favor- Dragon, Harry Potter, and Big Hero 6. I play piano of traveling to Singapore, and my ites are translucent, vivacious, and alluring. and speak Russian. mom’s dream is traveling around Spain. Cricket, thank you for being so patient VIVACIOUS AND I love your mag because it has a Polina Zakharchenko, age 17 with Ladybug, for whom I have several ALLURING, little bit of everything. I think you are Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia pieces of advice. First, think less about THAT’S ME! being too hard on Ladybug. She how incredible you are and more just has a hard time controlling I have five beautiful chickens: a crazy buff about other buggies. Second, I think herself. Ugly Bird would probably orpington named Zahava (gold in Hebrew), two you should try being an actress— be nicer if you just gave him a barred rocks named Shakespeare (barred/bard— you have just the right personality. chance. get it?) and Puck (from A Midsummer Night’s Sela Martin-Lopez Natasha E. Haines, age 10 Dream), and two red stars named Scoot (because Sacramento, California ALLURING, OR Fredericksburg, Virginia when you pet her she scoots under your hand) and ALARMING?

2 Shooter (she will not actually my friends found my jokes funny CHIRPS FROM CRICKET’S shoot you . . . most likely). ALL THIS TALK OF due to my excessive usage of LETTERBOX AND CHATTERBOX Shooter is the leader CHICKENS MAKES such outlandish words. Then and really loud! Her butt ME NERVOUS. DON’T TELL I decided to speak a bit Hey, Muffin! I live in the “land of ponies.” is bald. Scoot is next in ME–YOU’RE more like a normal twenty- There are ponies on the beach, at a restaurant, the pecking order, and CHICKEN OF first–century kid. Anyway, you name it! she is curious. If you hold CHICKENS? keep on using words! Emi V. Shelton, age 9 food over her head one Neminem, age 13 Chincoteague, Virginia second too long she will jump Castle of Books three feet in the air and grab it! Kyngdom Q & A My last name is Greek for “the needle,” Shakespeare is next; she is very bold because some of my ancestors were sail makers. I and always the first to try new things. Zahava Dear Cricket magazine, was named after a character in a Shakespeare play is next, and she is kinda mean, but we love her I love your magazine, especially the fantasy who has a twin brother just like I do. anyway! She is also extremely fluffy and gold! Puck stories and Ugly Bird’s crossbird puzzle. The Viola Velonis, age 14 is the smallest hen and is very sweet and not very stores are wonderful, and every time I see a Dobbs Ferry, New York outgoing. Chickens are great pets and everyone crossbird puzzle I race to grab a pen. should meet some! I think kids nowadays should ask Ohmigandalf! It snowed before Hallo- Cockleburr more questions in their letters: SO I SHOULD SAY ween! And a couple nights ago I saw the Pets, Down to Earth make requests about stories WHAT I THINK... northern lights! I wrote a poem about it. or articles, share ideas. In my LIKE, RIGHT NOW? Katydid Dear Cricket, opinion, that’s what the Letter (IS THERE GOING TO Talking Thread, Chirp at Cricket Your magazine is the best, but I have a ques- box should be for. I am not BE A TEST?) tion for you: Is Pussywillow a kitty or a buggy? My criticizing anyone who writes Books are my life! I have three favorite buggy is Ladybug, because she is like me. to Cricket about him/herself. bookcases in my room, full of good- I like Harry Potter and E. D. Baker’s Wide-Awake Still, I encourage you to use the ness, full with classics from Harry Princess series. Letterbox for other purposes. Potter to Nancy Drew. When I read I I have a ton of chickens, and the littlest one is Let the world know what you completely zone out, and someone has Hakei Bell. She is five years old, which is very old think, not just what instrument you to bring my attention back. for chickens. play in the school band. Maddalena Hylton, age 12 Gayatri Shringarpure, age 10 Catherine I. Ricciardi, age 12 Half Moon Bay, California Indianapolis, Indiana Port Washington, NY p.s. Speaking of ideas, I did not send this letter I’m in a huge cavern with a domed ceiling and Gayatri, Pussywillow is a pussy willow that slid in an envelope. I used an origami technique to covered in stalagmites, with an exit to the Laby- off a branch and magically came to life one April securely fold it. It’s more eco-friendly, since less rinth on my left, but I know I can’t get to it in time. day. She was all alone, so Ladybug adopted her, paper is being used. I found it in the book Origami There’s a giant black dragon standing contentedly and she’s been a part of our gang ever since! on the Go! by Margaret Van Sicklen. in the middle of the cavern, looking at me. . . . Cricket Icy, age 11 Hello to All the Buggies, Editors, Publishers, The Forest Dear Cricket magazine, Readers, and Contributors of Cricket! Kyngdom Power of Claw I really enjoy your magazine and look forward A big thank-you to everyone who makes this to it every few months. I appreciate your wonder- mag possible for people young and old (looking at The teacher walks in. “Turn to page fifty- ful contribution to the lacking world of actually you, Dee/Diane Alter Weisberg, March and Sep- three,” she says. This lesson is about rodents. entertaining young adult literature magazines. I tember 2015). Cricket has changed my life! I think Lucky me! I can give examples of my hamsters or enjoy every moment reading Cricket, even feeling I’m about the three thousandth person to say that wild mice I’ve caught. The teacher pulls out some the need to read all the fine-print acknowledg- I love this magazine! I own about thirty Crickets pictures. “Here’s a common rat,” she says. I hear ments and every single word in the Letterbox. from 1980–1990 (my mom’s) and about twenty many squeals, but I think the little creature is Thank you for your inspiring magazine. from 2010 on (mine). I went through all of my adorable. Tess Nguyen, age 13 magazine’s Letterboxes and counted all the letters Leeli Princess Anne, Maryland that expressed love for this great mag. Then I did True Selves RP, Inkwell some averaging and addition, and it came out to I have found a fellow roughly three thousand. I’m a huge math geek. FORSOOTH! heteroclitic word lover! I used I love baseball, math, violin, chess, and THUS WE DO to be a bardolater; I got a lot Star Wars. I love Rick Riordan. I’m also a huge Send letters to Cricket’s Letterbox, VOW. (HEE of strange looks back then, Harry Potter fan. I’d like to end with one of my P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354, or have your parent/ HEE HEE) when I said stuff like “thou” favorite Dumbledore quotes: “Nitwit! Blubber! legal guardian email your letter to us at cricket@ and “shalt” and gener- Oddment! Tweak!” cricketmedia.com. Letters may be edited for ally tried to imitate the 31415 Bdino length. speech of the people in The age 35,925,200 seconds Merchant of Venice. After a Evanston, Illinois Visit the Chatterbox at: while I realized that none of p.s. My name, Emmet, is in polyalphabetic cipher. cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox

3 OK, WHAT DO WE NEED FOR OUR DISASTER KIT? OLD CRICKET WAS PROBABLY HOMEWORK ON THINKING SO IF WE PREPARE OF STORMS, FOR A ZOMBIE HE’D BETTER HALLOWEEN! CANDLES– ZOMBIES! UGH. SO FAR I IN CASE AND IN CASE FLOODS, AND ATTACK, TOO, NOT MAKE US LISTED FOOD, THE LIGHTS OF ZOMBIES! EARTHQUAKES MAYBE WE’LL MISS TRICK- WATER, AND GO OUT. THEY’RE WHEN HE GAVE US GET EXTRA OR-TREATING! FIRST AID. AFRAID OF THE ASSIGNMENT. CREDIT! THAT WOULD BE FIRE. A DISASTER.

MMMMMM, DON’T FORGET BIG PLANS FOR GOODIES! IF WE IT HAD YOUR COSTUME, ALL RUN TO BRING BETTER NOT LET’S DO THIS EVERYTHING WITH OR FOR HOMEWORK AND GET YES! IT’LL DRAG ON! COLLECTING SOMETHING, TO OUR THE STORM MAKE A LOTS TO I HAVE BIG SO WE CAN DESIGNATED READ, IN LOTS OF GET TO THE IT WON’T CELLAR UNDER GOOD, STOUT PLANS FOR TREATS? TAKE EMERGENCY THE SCHOOL ZOMBIE CASE THE TRICK-OR- TRICKING, AND LONG. SHELTER. LIBRARY? EMERGENCY TREATING. TREATING. BUNKER. DRAGS ON.

I DON’T AND I WHAT DID YOU PUT IN SEE ANY ARE ZOMBIES BROUGHT THIS BAG, TAIL? IT’S ALL WE HAD AFRAID OF ZOOT WAS A LIST, MATCHES, WATER! WHEN BRINGING CORNERS, POKING ME. BUT I CAN FIREFLIES, WE’LL FIND THE SNACKS GUYS! I TOO? SNACKS. BOARD BROUGHT MAKE OUT! I ARRIVE, WE’LL WHERE IS HE, GAMES, CANDLES. PLENTY OF BROUGHT BE DONE. ANYWAY? IN CASE I BROUGHT LIGHT FOR BAND-AIDS, WE GET CRAFT PROJECTS. US. IN CASE OF BORED! SAME IDEA. ZOMBIE BITES.

ZOMBIE? HE’D BETTER W-W-W-WHOA! ZOMBIE! NOT MAKE DON’T LOOK NOW, BUT QUICK! EVERYBUGGY US MISS THERE’S A POSSIBLE INTO THE SHELTER! TRICK-OR- ZOMBIE TREATING! HEADED GRRRR! THIS WAY! WE HAVE NO FIRE TO DEFEND MEWY OURSELVES! EEEK! MEWY-EEK EEK!

4 Scarecrows by Justin Werfel

SIMON LAY IN the wheat field, hidden from the eyes of anyone who might happen to pass by. He was plucking stalks of wheat and linking the straws together to make a circular network of spokes and struts, trying to distract himself from worrying about the war. If this stem were attached here, and then he wrapped this long stem around one of the stones from his bag and knotted it. . . . He held the framework in one hand and released the stone, smiling as the falling weight made the straw pinwheel spin. The sound of hoofbeats made his eyes widen. He scrambled to his feet in time to see a figure on horseback galloping down the road toward his family’s farmhouse. The rider sagged to one side, barely able to keep in the saddle. Stuffing the pinwheel into his bag, Simon dashed after him, pushing through the stalks of wheat. He reached the yard as the rider slumped to the ground, clutching his side. Simon’s mother was outside with the chickens. She dropped the bowl of seed and ran to the injured visitor. “Adam!” she shouted for her husband. She turned and saw Simon. “Fetch water,” she ordered as she stooped to examine the wound. WE SHOULD MAKE UGLY WOULD PROBABLY A SCARECROW SCARE IT AWAY. FOR UGLY!

Illustrated by Pep Boatella text © 2016 by Justin Werfel, art © 2016 by Pep Boatella 5 Simon ran into the kitchen and returned with a bucket as his father stepped into the yard and hurried to the wounded man’s side. “News of the fighting?” he asked anxiously. The visitor struggled to sit up. “Hugh’s forces are a day away, two at most. Lord Henry must be warned,” he gasped. The farmer exchanged glances with his wife. “I’d begun to hope they’d pass us by,” she said in a low voice. “I’ll ride to the castle at once,” Adam told the man. “But with the harvest coming in . . . ,” his wife murmured. “I have to go, Beatrice.” “I’ll go!” Simon said. Three faces turned toward him. “I’m the easiest to spare from the harvest. And you know I can ride.” lay discarded in a covered space behind the “Simon, you—” his father began, then forge. turned to look at the field and hesitated. Simon followed the guard into the great “Take my horse,” said the visitor. “No hall, where Lord Henry sat at table. “Milord, time to lose.” urgent news from the war,” the guard said, Simon’s mother gripped his shoulder. and stepped back. “Hurry home,” she said. Simon gulped, feeling small and insignifi- cant as the great lord turned mild blue eyes A GUARDSMAN LED Simon through on him. the castle gate and across a courtyard “Speak up, boy,” said the aging nobleman, enclosed by massive stone walls. To one side not unkindly. Simon saw barracks and stables that seemed “My lord,” Simon squeaked. He swal- completely empty, as well as a blacksmith’s lowed and started again. “My lord, I carry the forge. The blacksmith paused in his ham- message of a rider from the north who was mering as Simon passed, staring at him wounded in the fighting. Hugh’s army has through a huge, bushy beard that hid most turned this way and will be upon us within of his face and chest. A great pile of armor two days, maybe sooner.”

6 they can. There will be no safety in sheltering within these walls.” “My lord,” quavered Simon. Lord Henry looked at him in surprise, but gestured for him to continue. “I don’t understand. This castle is so strong. Surely a small force could hold it against Hugh’s army?” “You speak rightly,” said Lord Henry. “But we have not even a small force. Our knights have gone with the king to challenge the usurper. Only a few men remain.” Simon remembered the deserted barracks. “The king’s plan was to drive the enemy hard to the west. This castle should have been cut off to him. But something has gone wrong. With so few to defend it, this fortress will be easily overrun. And then it will serve the enemy as a stronghold indeed.” Lord Henry looked grim and tired. Simon’s mind was racing. “My lord, does “It’s as we feared,” he said to the robed Hugh know how few men are here?” man standing at his side, a trusted advi- Henry glanced at his advisor. “He should sor. “We’d hoped Hugh would continue not,” the man said. along the river; but if he’s now moving in “Then, my lord, I may have an idea.” this direction, and with King William’s Both men looked at him sharply. “Say army pressing him from behind, he’s surely on,” said Henry. looking for a strong place of refuge. Is it Simon hesitated. “It’s harvest time at my possible he will pass us by?” farm,” he said. “The fields are full of grain, The other man’s hands were trembling. and of birds. We have too few people to drive “I have no hope of it,” he answered. “Only the birds away. So we set out scarecrows— a fool would overlook the security this dolls made to look like men. If the birds castle offers; and Hugh, for all his faults, attacked, they’d find they could eat their fill. is no fool. I fear we can do little more But they think we’re more than we are, and than pray.” so they stay away.” Lord Henry closed his eyes briefly. “Send “Scarecrows won’t fool an army,” Henry’s word to the people of the land to hide as best advisor said, frowning.

WHAT AN IDEA! ONE SCARECROW I COULD ENGINEER LET’S DO IT! MIGHT NOT SCARE UGLY, BUT AN THEM TO MOVE. ARMY OF THEM MIGHT! 7 “No,” said Simon. “But I saw a pile time, his army should move on,” the advisor of armor by the forge outside. How many answered. “They will not dare to settle in knights could that be made to look like?” for a siege with King William’s army chasing There was a pause. “Fetch Geoffrey,” Lord them. They will seek elsewhere for ground Henry ordered the guardsman, who set off at more easily fortified.” a run. Darkness brought no cease to the work. The advisor was shaking his head. “Even Fires and torches burned to light the labor if we set out a hundred armored shells, the through the night. The workers snatched enemy would realize the trick when they moments of sleep when they could, then rose watched and saw they never moved.” to go on with their preparations. “The birds do, too,” said Simon, nodding. The rising sun glinted on two dozen suits “That’s why we need bird shooers. That’s of armor spread out along the castle’s parapet. what I was doing when the messenger came. Partial suits, at least, propped on wooden I take a bag of stones and conceal myself in frames—none had metal below the waist or the wheat. When the birds draw near, I throw in the back, but that couldn’t be detected rocks and shout to convince the birds that the from below the castle walls. scarecrows and the threat are real. And—” He “Why is there so much discarded armor fumbled for the bag, still attached to his belt. at the castle?” Simon asked Geoffrey, the The framework of straws was mostly intact. blacksmith, lingering a moment to watch him He held it up, showing how the wheel spun work. as the counterweight fell. “I think we could “We set aside the damaged or broken build something to make the armor move.” pieces for scrap, or until I have time to mend and refit them,” grunted the black- THE NEXT TWO days passed in a smith, deftly shaping a metal plate into blur of frantic activity. Every able hand in the the semblance of a helmet. A spray of red- castle was at work, carrying materials, sewing hot sparks flew with every blow. “Useless fabric, setting up the dummy knights as they in battle, but I can make it look good from became ready, all to the unceasing rhythm a distance.” of hammer blows from the forge. The lord’s The day passed, and the phantom force advisor himself worked side by side with grew. By nightfall, the number of armored Simon on the mechanical frameworks that figures on the walls had passed fifty, and the would give the armor the appearance of life. supply of scrap parts was almost depleted. “Will this work?” Simon asked him as Lord Henry called a halt. Exhausted, but they tied together wooden laths. terrified of what the next day would bring, “If Hugh thinks that the castle would Simon joined the others of the castle in trying be too costly to take, or require too much to sleep.

I KNOW! CUTE? THEY’RE SUPPOSED AND...HERE HE THE STRAW TO SCARE UGLY! MINE HAS A COMES! RIGHT SCARE-BUGS LOOK ON CUE. REALLY GOOD! CUTE LITTLE 8 HAT. 9 EEK!

YOW! ACK! IT WAS LATE morning when the look- At last the lookout cried out joyfully. out on the highest tower called out. Simon “They’re moving to the south!” A cheer arose and the others sprang into action. Some from the defenders, and Simon imagined it moved wooden levers connected to three or echoing from fifty invisible throats. four knights at once, making them appear to fidget as they stood on watch. Others ran LORD HENRY MET Simon at the from one station to another, raising weights outer gate as he prepared to return to the that, as they settled, made the figure raise a farm. “Give my blessing to your parents. sword or turn its head. Pots dangling from They’re very lucky to have such a clever son. the frames made clanking noises. And give them this,” he said, handing Simon Word came that Hugh’s army had halted a small but heavy bag. It clinked. “I hope more than a bowshot away. An unbearable you’ll return,” he continued, “to be a page in hour passed. Then another. my household.” Simon’s jaw dropped. He struggled for words and looked at the others standing nearby. “My lord, that’s a great honor,” he said. “But . . . may I ask a different boon?” “Speak your mind,” said the nobleman. “Might I apprentice to Geoffrey?” said Simon breathlessly. “I want to make things. I want to learn more.” Lord Henry looked at the blacksmith, smiling. “Well?” he said. Geoffrey stepped forward. “And what shall I teach you?” Thought fled before joy, and Simon blurted out the first thing that came into his head. “How do you keep your beard from catching fire?” The blacksmith bellowed a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder. “That is the first great secret of our trade,” he said. “When you return, I’ll make a master smith of you.” Simon glowed, too happy to speak, and turned toward home.

NOT SURE... HE WENT BY DID UGLY SO FAST... BUT HE DIDN’T LOOK SCARED? EAT US! SO I GUESS IT WORKED, IN A WAY. Life of a Leaf by Buffy Silverman

A leaf is a map with roadways of sap, its food-making factories shipping out calories, feeding and ferrying, breathing and carrying, soaking up sunshine till fall’s final deadline, then changes its clothes for a colorful s h o w

SOME CHILDREN DREAM of becoming a hero when they grow up: conquering dragons, villains, and beasts. But not Alan Maxson. He didn’t want to vanquish monsters. He wanted to become one. “I’ve always loved monsters and nonhuman creatures,” Alan told me in a recent interview. “It was difficult to have a favorite monster growing up, because I loved so many.” As an adult, Alan has turned his love of monsters into a career as a Hollywood actor. He’s played about forty monsters—everything from an orc, to a creepy elf, to a Godzilla-sized gorilla. He follows in the large (and hairy) footsteps of some of Hollywood’s most legendary actors.

How to Play a Monster Playing a monster is different from playing a regular role. Sure, you have to study a script, memorize lines, and create your character’s voice and movement. But you also have to deal with additional challenges, like wearing costumes that restrict your movement and heavy makeup that can take hours to put on. Actor Boris Karloff, famous for playing Not just another Frankenstein’s monster in 1930s movies, often pretty face! Alan spent five hours a day in the makeup chair. He Maxson made up as VANQUISH MEANS the Shibari, one of TO FIGHT AND his monster roles. DEFEAT. 12 text © 2016 by Shelley Walden reportd for makeup as early editing process. For example, when actress as 4:00 a.m. to be ready for Uma Thurman played the mythological The Man In The Monster Suitfilming at nine, and then Medusa in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: worked up to eleven hours on The Lightning Thief, she didn’t actually the set while wearing boots weighing thirteen wear snakes on her head. Instead, she was pounds each. Karloff scheduled an hour at the filmed—without snakes—in front of a blank end of each day just for removing his makeup! background called a green screen. Snakes In addition to ordinary makeup, monster were added later using computer-generated actors are frequently fitted with prosthetic, or imagery, or CGI. Thurman prepared for her artificial, body parts and masks to give them role by playing with real snakes during the unusual features, such as scaly, reptilian skin or rehearsal process so that she could imagine a werewolf’s snout. Prosthetics help transform how heavy they would be if her head was an ordinary human into a mythical creature, actually crawling with them. but they can also create problems for the actor. In one scene, Alan played a bogeyman that Alan playing the monster you had scratched its eyes out. With prosthetic always knew scars placed where his eyes should have been, was hiding under Alan had to crawl out from underneath a bed your bed without being able to see where he was going. In another film, he had to walk out of a closet on stilts while wearing a spooky mask with no eyeholes. “I have spent many long hours blind,” Alan recalls, “having to choreograph my movement with muscle memory so that Alan has worked with a green screen on I don’t break my neck while giving a great several occasions. For one project, almost every- performance.” Despite the challenges, Alan thing was green-screened in, including the loves wearing elaborate costumes and unique scenery, his opponents, and the weapon prosthetics. “Once you’re in full costume and in his hand. “I had to imagine robots makeup, everything comes to life! My move- attacking me and how to defend ment changes slightly, and so does my voice myself,” he said. “Playing the scene and the way I carry my character.” required a lot of visualization in Even in full costume and makeup, a my head and picturing myself monster actor may not look the same as in interacting with the other actor.” the final movie. That’s because elements of Monster actors sometimes the character are often added during the do motion capture work as well. This The smiling TO CHOREOGRAPH MEANS TO PLAN THE LET’S BE MONSTERS! man behind MOVEMENTS OF DANCERS, YAY! WE’LL HAVE A the mask ACTORS, OR IN THIS YEAH! CASE, MONSTERS! MONSTER SHOW! 13 PUTTING ON THIS ME NOW, NOW. LET’S NOT COSTUME MAKES ME ME, TOO! HUNGRY! GET CARRIED AWAY! FEEL... DIFFERENT! HEH-HEH-HEH RAHR! involves wearing a skintight body suit dot- to embrace something creative in life, and ted with reflective or electronic markers that impersonating creatures that don’t really enable an outline of the actor’s movements to exist is as creative as you can get.” He also be recorded. Those movements can then be likes how his unusual job fascinates nearly used to create animation for digital characters, everyone he meets. “You tell anybody you spe- often for video games. Alan said that wearing a cialize in being a monster and they get excited motion-capture suit is similar to acting in a cos- because it’s out of the normal and fun.” tume, except for one major difference. “When you wear a monster suit, you know the weight Who’s Afraid? and feel of it. When you wear a motion-capture Alan isn’t afraid of monsters, but he is afraid suit, you don’t physically see or feel what you of little things, like hornets and spiders, and look like at that moment, so you really need to big things, like losing a loved one. He says focus on the weight and size of your character.” that monsters are fun and people needn’t This may mean imagining having a heavier be afraid of them. But he thinks it’s OK to body or long, creepy fingernails. avoid scary movies if you don’t like them. “It Clearly, being a monster actor requires doesn’t make you chicken. It just means that skill and creativity. Alan believes “it’s good you would prefer to sleep soundly,” he says. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s realizing who you are and embracing everything about yourself.” Fear can also be a useful survival mecha- nism. Alan said that if he were ever to meet a real monster, “it might get me, because I would be as mesmerized and in awe as the paleontologist was in Jurassic Park when he saw a dinosaur for the first time. So I would probably be in big danger!”

The Journey to Becoming a Monster Like many classic horror actors, including Karloff and Lon Chaney—an early silent- movie actor who played Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Phantom Alan demon- in The Phantom of the Opera—Alan began strates how his movements are his career in the theater. He also wrote music, recorded when played in a band, and took acting, miming, he does motion caption work. and tae kwon do classes. “I try to dabble in story in your everything that I can,” he says. “I would never imagination that consider myself a pro at any of my other pur- motivates your suits, but I take away techniques from all of monster and them that help me as an actor.” helps bring the Growing up, Alan loved watching Roddy character to life.” McDowall in the original 1968 version of Planet Another tip of the Apes. “I distinctly remember watching is that aspir- him and studying how he moved as he played ing actors the apes Cornelius and Caesar. I would walk embrace what around the house channeling my inner ape. I makes them remember particularly McDowall’s performance unique. As Lon in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Behind his Chaney once prosthetics, he had so much emotion!” told a young After studying film in college, Alan Boris Karloff, moved to Los Angeles and started auditioning “The secret for projects. One day he was on the set of a of success in horror movie, and the director asked him to Hollywood lies fill in as the monster. He put on the suit, and in being differ- the rest is history. ent from everyone else. Find something no You don’t one else can or will do, and they’ll begin scare me! Alan Tips for Aspiring Monsters to take notice of you. Hollywood is full of takes a break while playing Trusting your intuition is a big part of being competent actors. What the screen needs is a monster in an actor, especially one that specializes in non- individuality.” a closet that human creatures. As Andy Serkis, the actor Alan recommends that aspiring monster haunts a little who played Gollum in The Lord of the Rings actors gain experience by performing in front boy at night. trilogy and Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the of people in school plays or by making short Yikes! Apes said, “I’ve always been really in touch with films. But just playing around and experi- my primal instincts. In my profession, you have menting with your monstrous ideas is also to be. You have to be open to going where your important, and fun. “Let yourself have zero emotions take you.” Alan agrees. “Sometimes restrictions,” he said. “You can’t be afraid to on the set, directors will want a monster to do run around your house acting like an ape. a certain behavior, but they don’t have a vision You have to get into that character all the of how the creature moves or what would cause way. From your toes and fingers to your head, it to act that way,” he said. “So you have to not a single part of you can seem human. Just be able to improvise, to come up with a back- be yourself, play and don’t hold back!”

RAHR! RAHR! (OOF, OW! HEY! BEWARE LOOKS LIKE SOMEBUGGIES MUMMIED OW, ’SCUSE ME!) MY WRATH! RIGHT OVER THEIR GLASSES... 15 Which MonSter Are You? by Ginger Garrett

HAVE YOU EVER wondered what life would be like as a monster? Well, you may be more monstrous than you know! Take the quiz below and see what you may have in common with four legendary beasts.

How What is your favorite workout? Your two best friends begin arguing. A. A quick swim would you stop them? B. A fast game of catch-me-if-you-can A. Drown and eat them C. A long, slow walk through the city at night B. Dismember and eat them D. Skydiving in a thunderstorm C. Stomp them with your giant boots D. Singe them with bolts of lightning

What is your favorite movie? Where A. Jaws That last question made you hungry! B. The Twilight Saga: New Moon will you look for a snack? C. Bride of Frankenstein A. In the vegetable bin D. The Birds B. The local butcher shop (lamb chops, yum!) C. Whatever you like, master. I’ll follow your lead. D. Your backyard birdfeeder

What’s your favorite color? A. Pond scum green If you could live anywhere in the world, which B. Blood red country would you choose? C. Clay gray A. Japan D. White lightning B. France C. Czech Republic D. United States

IF YOU SCORED mostly A you are: A KAppA Kappa are mischievous water monsters that are rumored to live in the rivers, murky ponds, and lakes of Japan. Kappa have been known to gob- ble up small children, so Japanese folklore recommends that new parents write the name of their child on a cucumber and toss the cucumber into the water before swimming. Kappa are said to absolutely love the taste of cucumbers and are more than happy to eat a cucumber in exchange for a child’s life. Today, if you visit Japan, you may still see signs near bodies of water, warning parents that kappa might be lurking nearby. Many people speculate that the legend of the kappa is based on sightings of the Japanese giant salamander, which lives in northern Japan’s cold, fast-flowing mountain rivers and streams. The largest Japanese giant salamander on record weighed 26.3 kilograms, which is nearly 58 pounds! The salamander is protected by law and is quite rare today, so you have to be pretty lucky to spot one of these strange and wonderful creatures.

' IF YOU SCORED mostly B you are: The BeASt of GEVAuDAn Robert Louis Stevenson described the Beast of Gévaudan as “the Napoleon Bonaparte of wolves.” This Beast was believed to be an unusually large wolf that roamed the French countryside in the late 1700s, looking for victims to devour. Its preferred menu included livestock such as sheep or cows, plus unwitting field hands and lonely shepherds. The first sighting of the Beast was recorded in an area of central France formerly known as Gévaudan. Dozens of eyewitnesses reported attacks by this fearsome creature, and soon people were living in mortal fear of it. Many believed the Beast to be supernatural, with the ability to transform into a human when the sun rose each morning. When attempts to catch and kill the murderous Beast failed, King Louis XV sent soldiers as well as professional hunters to kill it. One legend tells that the Beast was slain at last by a silver bullet. Others believe the Beast never really died at all, but is still stalking the countryside, trailing its next victim. The Beast became the source of many popular werewolf legends, and if you watch a werewolf movie today, you just might catch a sly reference to the Beast and his believed home, Gévaudan.

I’M GOOD AT PERSONALITY TESTS! MONSTROUS LOTS. BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH PERSONALITY. 17 IF YOU SCORED mostly C you are: The Golem Jewish folklore tells of a giant “helpless slave” that is made from clay and can be brought to life whenever the Jewish people need protection. Called the Golem, its legends may have inspired the classic horror story Frankenstein. References to golems appear throughout medieval Jewish literature, including in a set of directions for creating a golem that were written down in the twelfth century. The most well-known golem tale concerns the sixteenth-century rabbi of Prague. During a dreadful period of anti-Semitic persecution, the rabbi was said to have created a golem from the clay of the Vltava River. In one version of the story, the rabbi brought the Golem to life by writing the word emet, the Hebrew word for “truth,” on its forehead. By erasing the e to spell met, the Hebrew for “death,” the rabbi could deactivate the Golem. The Golem was a powerful force pro- tecting the Jews, but it was also stupid and clumsy. This perfect servant tended to cause problems by obeying commands too literally. In some stories the Golem is portrayed as a frightening, destructive brute that, once loosed on the world, grows out of control and causes chaos for the Jews; but in other stories it is tender and kind. It is said that the body of the Golem still lies hidden in the attic of the synagogue in Prague, waiting to be reawakened if the Jews are again threatened.

18 IF YOU SCORED mostly D you are: The ThunDERbirD Legends from around the world tell of a giant bird that rules the skies and is the cause of thunder and lightning. In North America, where it features in the mythology of many Native American peoples, this powerful creature is known as the Thunderbird. It waters the earth, enabling plants to grow. Thunder is the sound of its beating wings, and lightning flashes from its eyes. Today, sightings of a mysterious giant bird are sometimes still reported throughout the United States. What large bird of prey might be easily confused with the mythical Thunderbird? The California condor is one likely candidate. The largest bird in North America, the California condor has a wingspan of nearly ten feet. Imagine the shadow a bird of that size would cast! The California condor went extinct in the wild in the 1980s, but thanks to the amazing efforts of conservationists, birds bred in captivity have now been reintroduced into their natural habitats.

H’MMMMM. THIS SAYS I HAVE THE PERSONALITY A MONSTROUS OF A GOLEM-THUNDERBIRD-WEREWOLF-KAPPA. CREATURE KNOWN AS: THE LADYBUG OF CRICKET COUNTRY.

19 my family’s “Don’t trust me then!” he said, cursing shop, Crackling Candles, under a clear, starry under his breath. sky. It was the last day of the seventh lunar But I needed him, just in case there really month, and in Singapore the Hungry Ghost was . . . something in Crackling Candles. I Festival was winding down at last. Danger, had to make sure the jiang shi left tonight, so unfortunately, was not yet over for me. it couldn’t hurt us. We already had too many During the seventh month of our lunar troubles. Although Mother tried to keep it SINGAPORE calendar, hungry spirits are released from the from me, I knew our family business was fail- IS A COUNTRY netherworld to roam and feast every night. ing. Worse, it was making Father so depressed IN S.E. ASIA. Buddhists and Taoists set out food offer- that he had begun seeing doctors and stayed ings for the spirits and pray for protection. at home almost every day. Tonight, we would pray again; this time, to And now to our troubles add on one life- beseech the spirits to return before the gates sucking Chinese zombie. of Hell closed. But sometimes, not all spirits “Why are you helping us?” I asked Tong. or monsters left. It wasn’t as if we knew each other well. He According to Tong, the neighborhood was four years older. We didn’t hang out in the hooligan, there was one in our shop that was same circles. In fact, now that I came straight reluctant to leave. Tong said it was a Chinese to Crackling Candles to help out after school, I zombie, a jiang shi. Chinese zombies had gray- hardly hung out in any circle at all. ish green skin. Their whole bodies are stiff, so “Because I’m nosy.” He checked his watch. they hop instead of walk. They keep their arms Eleven o’clock. At midnight, the gates of Hell stretched out, hoping to corner people and would close. “You want to go in there or not?” suck the qi, or life energy, from them. I took a big gulp. Shadows darkened “You know where they linger?” Tong said. the signboard over our shop—Crackling “Dark places, like your family’s shop, Liang. Candles: We Burn to Give Light. Or sad places.” I could tell he wanted to add Rubbish! I thought. My family is proud of “like your family’s shop” again, but he didn’t. the light we give the world. Even my name, “How do you know?” I asked, my twelve- Liang, means “bright.” But if our shop gives year-old defiance wilting. My throat tightened, light, why then does gloom stalk us? Feeling and my heart pumped like festival drums. I a mix of frustration and terror, I whisked out wondered if Tong was pulling my leg. the keys and opened the door.

Illustrated by Stephanie Brown text © 2016 by Claudine Gueh, art © 2016 by Stephanie Brown 20 Tong grabbed a fistful of grains from a I unlocked the door with my key, and we small bag he was carrying and scattered them stepped inside Crackling Candles. Despite on the floor as we walked in. “Glutinous the cool, still air inside our empty shop, rice,” he explained. “It draws out evil. Jiang Tong and I broke into a light sweat. We shi are afraid of it. And of fire.” treaded past shelves of fat, scented candles Great! Good thing we have plenty of and a section of thin, red ones. Red candles unsold candles to light. My chest tightened at were used for prayers and festivities, sym- the thought of our ill-faring business. Twelve- bolizing good luck, and I grabbed one. We year-olds aren’t supposed to worry about sales stopped in front of the counter, where my and income, but Father’s bills weren’t cheap, mother usually sat waiting for customers. and Mother was barely hanging on to the store. Beyond that was the storage room, where

21 Tong said the Chinese zombie would most Use glutinous rice to draw out his evilness. Stick AN AMULET IS A SMALL likely be lurking. a talisman on his forehead to keep him from CHARM TO WARD OFF “Here,” he whispered, shoving a piece of moving. And set him on fire to exorcise him.” EVIL OR BRING GOOD yellow paper into my sweaty hands. It was “Can’t your master come help us?” LUCK. covered with Chinese characters written in “It’s the last day of Hungry Ghost Month. red ink with a brush. He’s busy guiding other spirits back.” Tong “I already have an amulet,” I said. offered a wry smile. “It’s just you and me, Following Taoist tradition, my mother had Liang.” gone to the temple when I was a baby and The back of my neck warmed. Maybe this gotten a charm to protect me as I grew up. I was how it felt to have an elder brother, some- always carried mine in my wallet, folded in one who had my back despite his sarcasm. the shape of a triangle. THUD! THUD! THUD! “That can ward off evil spirits but not The monster leapt from the shadows. He fight jiang shi. This talisman I have from my wore a dark Qing Dynasty robe with slits at master is stronger. It has the power to stop a the sides and a round hat with a blue-and- zombie from attacking.” green peacock feather in it. As he hopped, he “It does?” kept his arms out straight, stiff as steel rods. Tong nodded. “Stick it on his forehead, and A long pigtail swished behind his back. he won’t be able to move. Then we burn him.” A thick, rotten smell blew over us as he A loud gasp flew from my mouth. made a snarling, guttural sound, “Duuulll!” “B-Burn him?” He swerved left, then right, as if searching for Tong gagged me with a hand. “Careful! someone. Zombies can’t see us, but they can detect our We held our breaths and covered our breath.” His hissed warning sliced through mouths with our hands. Tong nudged me and the air. indicated with his thumb that he wanted me Too late! The zombie must have sensed to lure the zombie into the corner. I nodded us. From the storage room came the sounds and drew a big breath. of his thunderous hops. “Hey you, Zombie!” My small voice Thud. Thud! THUD! cracked. I cleared it and said louder, “Come Tong grabbed me by the collar and pulled here, Zombie. Over here.” I felt ridiculous me back like I was a kitten. His hand was calling him like a puppy. Tong gave me a look trembling. I glanced up at him, my heart to say he wasn’t that impressed either. pounding like it would burst out of my chest. The zombie swung toward me and The thuds crashed louder. hopped. His mouth opened wide, and fierce Tong tried to keep his voice steady. “Don’t growls emerged from deep within. “Duuulll! worry, my master gave me clear instructions. Duuulll! Duuuulll!” I stood frozen in the cor- Hold your breath when in danger of a zombie. ner as he clambered toward me. YOU WANT RUN! IT’S A ZOMBIE! (BUT TO WAIT AND THERE’S NO SUCH THING, GROAAAAN! FIND OUT? MOAAAAN! REALLY... RIGHT?!) ALL RIGHT! LET’S BEAT IT! 22 NO!!

Tong ducked low and ran behind the from the floor and hurling it at the monster. monster. “Get out!” he screamed. A roar erupted as the zombie twirled around. The zombie swung around, whacking My opportunity to flee! Tong with his rigid arms. The force was so “Hurry, Liang! Stick the talisman on his huge that Tong crashed onto the wall and fell forehead!” to the ground. Glutinous rice, talismans, and a I had no glue or tape. Only candles. I lighter scattered from his bag across the floor. picked up Tong’s lighter, torched the bottom “Tong!” I cried. of a candle to let wax drip onto the talis- The zombie turned back toward me, man, and with a swift jump, stuck the yellow hopping high and fast. “Duuulll! Duuulll! paper on the zombie’s forehead. He stopped Duuuulll!” abruptly, his arms still stretched and his I was trapped in the corner. Tears spilled mouth half-open. over my cheeks. I screamed, stabbing at him Crouching in pain, Tong staggered over with whatever was in my hand. The red and patted me on the shoulder. He glanced candle broke. There was no way out. at his watch. Five minutes till midnight. We The zombie gurgled when I opened my had to burn the zombie now. Tong lit another mouth to sob. He sucked in a deep breath, red candle and handed it to me. “You do it,” and a cool stream of air escaped from my he said. “He’s here because he detected your mouth. My body weakened. My eyes closed. family’s darkness, your poor luck and gloom. “Don’t! Don’t let him steal your life It’s only right that you get rid of this monster energy!” Tong cried out weakly from behind. yourself.” “Come on, Liang!” I knew what he was getting at. Not just “Duuuuull!” this zombie, but the other monsters, too— “Liang!” those troubles haunting Father and Mother. “I At the cry of my name, I roused. Liang. guess I can start with this one,” I said. Bright. My parents set up this shop to spread I leaned in with the candle. The flame brightness. I had to be bright enough, too! licked the hem of the Qing Dynasty robe, A small flame seemed to light within me. then the sleeves and the peacock feather on I muttered, “We burn to give light. I give the hat. Once again, Tong grabbed my collar light.” Strength returned as my inner flame and led me a few steps back. We stood and increased to a blaze. I snapped with full force, watched crackling flames gulp the zombie. “So stop calling me dull, you stupid monster!” Strangely, there wasn’t much smoke. Within The zombie drew back in shock. two minutes, the zombie had disintegrated Clamping my mouth shut, I wriggled out into ashes. Tong scooped them into a con- from under his arms. From the corner of tainer and slapped another talisman on the my eyes, I saw Tong grabbing glutinous rice lid, saying he’d bring it to his master.

IF THEY DON’T BELIEVE IN WHAT’S A POOR ZOMBIE SUPPOSED ZOMBIES, WHY DO THEY RUN? TO EAT? IT’S SO UNFAIR. 24 Tong cleared his throat after a moment of hesitation. “You are brighter than you think, Liang.” He patted me on the shoulder again. Then he took off. Breathing deeply in relief, I walked out of the shop. I’d have to buy a small can of paint to cover up the burn stain in the morning, tidy up the shop before Mother came in, and think of ways to make Crackling Candles alive again. Bit by bit, hopefully, I could be bright enough to contain Mother’s monster, and then maybe we’d be able to help Father with his monster. I squinted at the corner. Just to be sure no evil still lurked. Then I locked up and stepped into the quiet street, lit only by the stars, and free of hungry spirits.

Author’s Note Chinese zombie folklore can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). Tales of hopping zombies, or jiang shi, may have originated when migratory workers, who died far from home and were buried without the usual rites, were thought to be restless in their graves and would sometimes hop back to their home villages. (They could only hop because I glanced around our darkened shop, now of their stiffened bodies.) In modern Asian horror films, jiang strangely quiet. Besides the burned spot in the shi are usually dressed as Qing Dynasty officials. They hop with corner, everything else was safe. arms outstretched, grasping for victims from whom they can “Thank you, Tong,” I stammered. suck the life energy, which gives them more power. He shrugged. “Had to get my first assign- While jiang shi exist only in folklore, the Hungry Ghost ment anyway.” Festival is real and based on Buddhist and Taoist ancestor “What assignment?” worship. My family makes food offerings and burns paper “Assignment for my apprenticeship as a money and paper clothes so the spirits of our ancestors will . . . demon catcher.” He muffled the words be taken care of in their realm. The festival is much celebrated toward the end, embarrassed somehow. in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, where “You’ll make a good one.” many festive entertainments are held outdoors, with the first row of seats always left empty for the wandering spirits.

25 Join the Story!

Go to cricketmagkids.com/kyngdom to If join other Chatterboxers creating the I stumbled down the hallway. The Kyngdom adventure! you stop and chaos behind me faded into the listen, the animals will distance. I turned the last corner, The mourning, angry boy went relieved that I hadn’t run into too far in his thirst for revenge. talk to you. —motto of Everinne Windsong, anyone yet. I knew what I had He started an army and quested Human, spy against BIG to do to end it all, to make it so I for the end of the Powers. His didn’t have to run and hide any- heart turned black, and his mind more! My eyes widened as I looked turned evil. All out of grief for his I slowly drag myself onto the raft, black up at Cornelia Hornshaw. I was deceased mother. He also may have teardrops dripping from my scales. greeted with a smile and the words started the Brazen Inquiry Guild. Water. How I hate it sometimes. If only “Sweet little Vivian! When did you — Lucy/Xiǎolóng there was a bank of cool, dark earth go so rogue?” I felt a sudden stabbing somewhere. I’d dig a hole and curl up pain at the back of my neck, and I Gryphons don’t and forget everything. Forget the ball, fell to the ground as the world went cry. forget the Power, forget Catastrophe, black. forget BIG, and most of all, forget — Info chan —motto of Redwing, Avenger of Claaws. I’ll never forgive her. She the Gryphons had to attack Jaaws, even when death When was staring her in the face. life bites you, you — Arra (Ecio) Revenge is an evil that lurks after need to bite harder. every death and mishap. It plants BIG is going to build a new headquarters, —motto of Ebony, Black Dragon, itself into our possibly underwater. I think we should Spy innermost If organize a team of underwater ani- souls, you can’t reach mals to infiltrate the base and I stared at the small, smooth, black grip- it, climb for it. interfere with construction. stone in my hand. The night we rescued ping They are going to use some Zephyra, I found this planted in my —motto of Bitty “Bit” Quire, Squirrl our type of superstrong metal pocket and used it. The result had been (Sciuridae), independent spy life plating and have relatively small scary. As I sat there on my bed, I got and windows. So I think we will have to the urge to put the string the stone was enslaving it. It use the front entrance. attached to around my neck. No, I told turns our words bitter—and directs — Orchid myself. Last time you used it, our claws to the knife. It has no Silvertongue you seemed to almost . . . feelings but its unending thirst for Imagination control the others. The vengeance. And it won’t stop. is better than facts! urge grew stronger. —Windswift —motto of Tigeress, Princess of the Tribe — Ronan I of Falling Leaves, working for F.A.F.A. 26 Always Sprocket shuddered. The vast land- I lay curled in the corner of a do what you’re scape of sea below SailHaven began small cave, bound by a magi- afraid to do. to move away quickly. Soon they cal chain around my neck that —motto of Theo Waverider, Otter, would arrive at their new mooring: kept me from summoning the deckhand for the Sea Goblin Kyngdom. EndStone. Not that I would ever — Sprocket , age 13, SailHaven use it again, because each time I could feel myself slipping farther and Call me what you like, but the role of pup- Celesti teaches us that we should farther away. I wanted to leave the peteer has been given to me, and that always care. Instead of being angry caves that were filled with sadness, shall be what I expect. Don't worry, I'm or frustrated, we should only let three but I was scared of the power that not as soulless as you think. emotions show when confronting people: kept calling to me. — Puppeteer care, calm, and love. — Sasha Thornapple, Crying Cavern — Icy, age 11, The Forest The Her wings stretched like darkness over the animal is in the sky, trailing night behind them. Except it O forest and the forest is in B G& wasn’t night. It was the darkness flowing the animal. BURR off her in all directions. Darkness flew from iOW around her talons and wings in one large —motto of Moonlight Darkfur, Wolf nn MUSICAL GUESTS wave. The trees crumbled and flowers (canis lupis), animal spy in training wilted where the wave touched from miles This Week: We are an acappella band. Some of our greatest hits are “Vixens around. The Bookworms! — Claaws Just Want to Have Fun,” “True Blood,” “Tear It Up,” and “The Ballad of How the Bookworms Came To Be.” Normally, the last one is a duet, but can also be done as a solo. We would This thread is for anybody that like about ten minutes. If needed to be longer, we can stretch wants to be a pirate on the seas of Kyngdom. Everyone who wants to can make their own crew Nature Next Week: it to fi fteen. and boat, or you can join Ssassandra is speaking. Don’t miss everybody’s favorite ssinger an already created boat. SPECIALS THIS WEEK Ssassandra, who playss the flute like Starters: — Rae, The Dawn Sea Listen to it. no one else in Kyngdom while she Deep-Fried Grub Platter —motto of Mormeril, ssslithers sssinuously to the sssound of her Salad of New Grasses Entrees: Elf traveller Want to perform at the Bog & Burrow? Pine Needle Souffl é I see the land, a vague shape in Apply at cricketmagkids.com/kyngdom! Roasted Shrubbery the distance. The fog had burned off, & Dessert: OG Sugared Oak Leaves (served on a bed of hay) and the wind was in our favor. Torin runs The Bog & Burrow Inn has been serving B Kyngdom’s animal clientele for 750 yearsnot counting the 6 monthsW we had to shut down(drizzled during the Greatwith Grub a pond Shortage water of 1582and reduction) we plan on sticking around for another 750 more! We’re known for our deliciousR mulled elderberryO juice, a diversen selection of musical acts, and our seasonal menuall served with a heaping side of up to me. “News has come from the crow’s good old-fashioned hospitality. You’ll fi nd us located right beneathR the Jolly Rancher, a countryi musicn venue for humans. Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of noise-canceling moss fastened to our ceilings. Just take the underground tunnel nextU to the sign that says “Cowboy Parking Only” (we apologize in advance for all the huamn litter). Turn right at the underground nest, Captain. There is a person on the waterfall and then take a sharpB left at the root system that kind of looks like a sleeping porcupine. Then grab a tankard of mulled elderberry juice, pull up a tree stump, and stay awhile! shore, on the east side.” I sigh. Why do ran- MUSICAL GUESTS dom castaways always have to show up at This Week: the most inconvenient times? They always made things more difficult. The Tuck-and-Roll Trio! —Captain Natali Brook, WhiteCap With three tiny banjos and three tiny microphones, we will be singing some of our most loved hits, including: “Tuck and Roll,” “The Ballad of How Cousin Bob Went,” “It’s the 27 Mollusk Life forMore,” Us,” “Give and many, Me a manyTomato more! and I’ll Cry No

SPECIALS THIS WEEK

Starters: Next Week: Deep-Fried Grub Platter Ssassandra Salad of New Grasses Entrees: Don’t miss everybody’s favorite ssinger Pine Needle Soufﬂ é (served on a bed of hay) Ssassandra, who playss the flute like Roasted Shrubbery no one else in Kyngdom while she Dessert: ssslithers sssinuously to the sssound of her Sugared Oak Leaves (drizzled with a pond water reduction) Want to perform at the Bog & Burrow? Apply at cricketmagkids.com/kyngdom!

The Bog & Burrow Inn has been serving Kyngdom’s animal clientele for 750 yearsnot counting the 6 months we had to shut down during the Great Grub Shortage of 1582and we plan on sticking around for another 750 more! We’re known for our delicious mulled elderberry juice, a diverse selection of musical acts, and our seasonal menuall served with a heaping side of good old-fashioned hospitality. You’ll ﬁ nd us located right beneath the Jolly Rancher, a country music venue for humans. Don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of noise-canceling moss fastened to our ceilings. Just take the underground tunnel next to the sign that says “Cowboy Parking Only” (we apologize in advance for all the huamn litter). Turn right at the underground waterfall and then take a sharp left at the root system that kind of looks like a sleeping porcupine. Then grab a tankard of mulled elderberry juice, pull up a tree stump, and stay awhile! Hope on High Part 2 by Lindsay Koch

with plaster and stone. She had hidden a lad- Abram and Sela Hayes have come to America, looking for hope der beneath a brush pile and hauled this out, in a new world. They settle on the western prairie and, after under cover of dusk and dawn, so that she years of yearning, are looking forward to the birth of their first could climb to the only window and carry child. Sela develops a craving for tomatoes, and right before goat milk to the baby. The old woman had the baby is born, she steals three ripe, juicy tomatoes from the determined that she would raise the child as witch woman Agatha Pride’s garden. her own and, as the girl grew, teach her to Seeking revenge, Agatha makes herself invisible and kidnaps spin and carry out the handiwork that her the newborn Hope from her cradle, bearing the child out through ancient and twisted hands could no longer do. the window into the summer night. The wicked old woman plans Leaves fell from the trees, and the snows to hide Hope away in a stone silo that stands straight and tall on came. During the darkest days of winter, poor an abandoned Swedish homestead behind her farm. Sela, sick with guilt and grief at the loss of her child, took the pneumonia and closed her eyes upon the world. Abram buried her in the pas- THE HAYESES WOKE to the ture under a pile of gray stones topped by a empty cradle, and the loss and ache for a small cross carved with her name. He packed little one who had come and gone so soon. up what little he had and moved farther Abram looked and looked for his daughter, west, all the way to California and the ocean. searching every barn, every well, every creek, Agatha could not have been happier had she every hollow. Sela sat with her head in her danced on Sela’s grave and driven Abram hands and suspected the truth, that the witch away herself. “Serves the thieves right!” woman had stolen their baby girl in payment Hope grew into a beautiful little girl, her for those tomatoes. She despaired, but held whole life held within the circle of the silo’s out hope that the child still lived. walls. She had long, waving, copper-colored And was the baby alive? Yes, indeed. hair and bright green eyes like the mother Agatha Pride was evil, but she was not care- she would never know. She was as loving and less. Little Hope was tucked away in the top kind as Agatha Pride was not, which was a of the stone silo. Agatha had torn down the blessing to no one but her own sweet self. stairs to the loft and sealed over the only door She could spin like an angel and weave like a

OHHHHH, WOE! I HARK! WHO GOES AM LOST. WHO THERE? MY HERO! WHUH, HUH? Illustrated by Bethanne Andersen WILL RESCUE ME? WHO, ME? 28 text © 2016 by Lindsay Koch, art © 2016 by Bethanne Andersen DUM-DI-DUM... Hope on High by Lindsay Koch spider in a spring-greened garden. She grew She was filled to the brim of her narrow, hard flowers and, wonder of wonders, tomatoes, soul with the pleasure of her lie. too, in crocks filled with soil and set under Eyeing Hope’s tangle of red hair, the the silo’s only window. Every day, Hope witch woman continued, “I believe I could looked out over the land below, watching make a rope from those confounded long the leaves turn on the trees and the deer pick tresses of yours. Sit here in front of me, and their way through the brambles and snow- we’ll see how it goes.” drifts. She gazed up into the sky and charted And so she set to braiding the locks of the geography of clouds. It was a small but Hope’s beautiful hair into a rope, strong and decent life for her in the silo, for she had thick with muttered magic. Trailing out from known no other. the silo window, it hung nearly to the ground, Over the years, the ladder grew too ram- giving the old woman a fine ladder for her shackle for the witch to climb. All of her poor horny feet to climb. carpentry and minor magic could no longer “Hopeless, Hopeless, away up there, toss repair it. “I’ve been thinking, Hopeless,” (yes, me down my magic stair!” And this was how the old witch called her this instead of using the witch came and went during those days her Christian name), “I need a new way to get when poor Hope was imprisoned and much up and down from this perch.” deceived as to the nature of her life. What the old witch didn’t say was that The years passed, and Hope grew to be she was also beginning to worry that her a young woman. The land next to the old smart little bird might grow tired of her stone Swedish homestead was sold to an Irishman cage and try to fly away. So she made up a who had come to America to make his for- wondrously wicked lie. “Have I ever told you, tune. He was young and strong, with hair as dearie, why you live up here above the earth, black as a raven’s wing, and more than any- while I come and go between?” thing, he was fearless. He broke the land with “Why, no, dear Auntie Aggie, I wonder at a plow and planted seeds. He hewed wood that sometimes. Why is it that I stay here?” with an ax and built a strong house against “It is simply this: should your young feet ever the wind and rain and snow. The farmer touch the ground, you would fall down dead!” noticed the silo in the distance and wondered “Truly?” Hope asked. at it. Was this something he could use when “Truly. My good magic and kindness his wheat came in? Surely no one would keep you here that you may live!” crowed mind, abandoned as it was. Agatha. Approaching the silo, he circled its base, “Then I owe you my life,” and Hope bowed knocking a stick against the stone, and yet he to the witch, as humble as you please. This could find no opening, no door. Ivy had grown delighted Agatha Pride beyond all measure. up and over the sealed space. He made the

YOO-HOO! CAN’T YOU SEE I GEE, IS THAT LET DOWN MY HAIR? WHAT GET UP HERE THE TIME? ARE YOU WAITING FOR? AND RESCUE ME! GOTTA GO! 30 circuit again, knocking all the while. As the young man looked up the long wall, he saw a dark shape pass across the window high above. “Hallo? Is someone there?” Hope heard the stranger’s call, so unlike the harsh and brittle sound of her mistress’s voice. As she leaned out the window to see the speaker, a coil of her long, red hair tum- bled out onto the sill and caught the sun. She gazed down, her eyes wide and awe- struck. Below her the man’s eyes mirrored equal astonishment. He believed himself to be in the presence of some fairy folk of the new land. “Are you real?” he asked. “Are you?” she countered. “I am indeed,” he called up to her. “My name is Chance, and I own the next farm over from you. Where is the door to this building? Come down and let me in.” “I can’t come down, but if you like, you may come up.” “How?” Hope rolled out her long braid, and the surprised young man began scaling the side of the tower. As he climbed, she nervously glanced out the window for signs of Agatha, for this was the old woman’s day to take her cart into town to buy the few things she needed every other month. At the top Chance climbed through the window and thus became the first kind soul from outside to set foot in her lonely tower. He looked around the simple room and gasped, “You live here!” “Of course I do.”

31 “But why?” Agatha Pride began to rage, cursing Hope “Because I will surely die if my feet ever and her parents, and her parents’ parents, touch the ground.” all the way back to Adam and Eve. The sun “Who told you such a falsehood?” dropped in the sky, and still the witch woman “My aunt Aggie. She takes care of me. I’m paced and raged around the circle of the silo. Hopeless.” Chance tried to reassure Hope that they “Yes, you are,” agreed Chance. could wait the old woman out. “Your prison “No, that’s my name!” is our safe fortress for the time being.” “No one, not even the worst woman in Hope covered her ears. “If only she the world, would ever call a child Hopeless,” would go away. This worries me . . . when Chance grumbled. “I would wager my whole night falls, she may try some of her dark farm that your true name is Hope and that magic on us.” awful woman is no relative of yours at all. The witch woman grew quiet as the sun And as for dying when your feet touch the set. Chance peered out cautiously. A stranger ground, why, that’s just poppycock.” sight he would never see again. A wooden lad- “Truly?” she asked. der scraped and bumped across the ground “Truly,” he replied. of its own accord. No one was carrying it! It At that, Hope broke down and cried for stood upright and leaned against the side of all she had lost and found since the young the silo, as if it had walked there by itself. man appeared. Lies, all lies, had kept her a The loose rungs creaked and cracked as if prisoner in the silo. someone were climbing up, though he could “I must escape! I must. Can you help me?” see nothing at all. Just then a call rang out from below, an “It is she, working the worst magic!” awful, anxious call. “Hopeless? Hopeless? Are Hope whispered. you there? Toss me down my magic stair!” Chance reached out and grasped the lad- Hope cast a frightened look at Chance. der, roughly pushing it away from the window. “Hopeless, you miserable child, obey me!” As his hands lay hold of it, there came a loud “Let me answer for you,” Chance offered. crack! from one of the rungs. The ladder “She is just an old woman.” shuddered, and Agatha Pride let out a wail of “Do I hear another voice? Is someone surprise and dismay as she fell to the ground. with you? Answer me, girl!” Before the young couple’s eyes, a shadowy fig- Hope laid her hand on Chance’s arm. ure materialized out of thin air on the earth “She is a dangerous woman, old as she is. below. The witch woman’s body and spell lay Don’t provoke her, I beg you.” broken on the stones at the foot of the silo. Hope and Chance sat quietly in the upper “Now it is time for us to escape this infer- room, listening for any sound from below. nal place!” Chance took a sharp knife from

THINK THAT’S FUNNY? WHEN I CATCH YOU GRRRRR! HEE HEE HEE. WE’LL SEE WHO NEEDS RESCUING! 32 his breeches and hacked at Hope’s braid. It The old silo that had been her prison was took some time, but the knife was iron and reduced to rubble by a cyclone that spring, as cut through the magic easily enough. was the homestead of Agatha Pride. Nothing They pushed her small bed to the win- ever grew on that hill again. The land stayed as dow, secured one end of her braid black and barren as the witch’s heart. to the bedpost, and dangled But Chance and Hope the length from the win- prospered together, as dow ledge. It swung often happens to those a few feet above who have strong hopes the ground. “I can and lucky chances handle that drop,” in life. Their land Chance assured her. bloomed, and their “I will go first and family flourished as the catch you below.” years passed. Hope made Hope climbed down from her sure that she always kept both silo tower and fell like a star into Chance’s feet planted firmly on the ground and never waiting arms. When he at last set her down yearned for anything she did not already and her feet touched the earth, the young have, which is as good advice as any for living woman did not die. Instead, she began to live. happily ever after.

Autumn by Allison Stevick

Step out into the early morning world And take a bite of the crisp air A juicy apple Ripened by summer sun

Illustrated by Bethanne Andersen text © 2016 by Allison Stevick, art © 2016 by Bethanne Andersen 33 THEY WERE TWO boys named Jacob and Jakob, and they lived next door to each other. They’d built snow forts together and leapt off backyard sheds together, and one summer they’d even broken their left wrists together in a freak trampoline accident. At the end of fifth grade they’d also developed crushes on the same girl together— Bethany Miller, who could pitch a baseball so fast that not even the eighth-grade boys could hit it. Neither of the boys did anything about his crush, though, because neither wanted to risk ending their friendship. Jacob with a C. Jakob with a K. That’s what people called them. Since they even looked alike—each had the same shaggy haircut, the same lanky walk, the same light freckles—if you wanted one of them, you just “Blapo,” Jakob replied. Good. “Except I called out, “Hey, Jacob with a C,” and waited have to write a story for Ms. Jenkins’s class to see which boy looked up. tonight. A whole story with characters and a “You need more friends,” their mothers plot and everything.” sometimes told them. “This is getting weird.” They settled into a slow walk, matching But why, Jacob thought, should he make each other stride for stride. The wind picked up, more friends when he had Jakob? And why, and they zipped their jackets against the chill. Jakob thought, should he make more friends “You hate writing,” Jacob said. “If you with Jacob around? want, I’ll help you.” One late October day, when the last bell “Skolototh!” Awesome! rang and another day of sixth grade was At the end of the schoolyard, they pressed finally over, they met by the large pine tree the button to cross Hanover Street, and a to begin the lazy, drifting walk home. Above streak of lightening flashed in the distance. A them clouds whirled slowly, and a light wind storm was coming. blew. “Well,” Jacob said. “What does your story “Balotobob?” Jacob said when they were have to be about?” close enough to talk. They had their own lan- “It can be about anything. But it has to guage, and balotobob meant How are you? be at least three full pages.”

BLAPPO! UHHHHH, EXCUSE ME? Illustrated by Sara Corbett BALOTOBOB! 34 text © 2016 by Josh Allen, art © 2016 by Sara Corbett by Josh Allen VANISHERS “You could make it a creepy story.” As he but they’re all romantic and stuff now. said this, clouds thickened and swirled and Besides, you should make up a new kind of the world’s colors faded. Even the boys’ faces monster.” paled in the changing light, taking on the “A new kind of monster? Like what?” faint yellow tint of old newspapers. Jacob stroked his chin, the way people “A creepy story?” Jakob said. “You mean, did in movies when they were thinking. They like, with a monster?” rounded the corner and passed Nielsen’s drug- “Chellitarb,” Jacob said. Totally. store. Lightning flashed again, and a faded “That could work.” Jakob nodded. sign in the window showed a smiling woman “That could be cool.” Cars waited as the holding a yellow bottle of laundry detergent. boys crossed the street and stepped onto a Across the top the sign said, “Spot-B-Gone leaf-covered sidewalk. Dried leaves crunched Makes Stains Vanish!” below their feet. “I watched a TV show “Makes stains vanish,” Jacob said and about vampires last night. I could write pointed. “You could call your monsters the about vampires.” Vanishers.” Jacob let out a little puff of air. “No “The Vanishers?” The wind picked up way!” he said. “Anything but vampires. even more, and dried leaves skittered along They used to be creepy a long time ago, the sidewalk. “What are Vanishers?”

SO SECRET I DON’T IT’S OUR SECRET LANGUAGE, EVEN KNOW IT... BECAUSE WE’RE SO CLOSE. 35 “I’m not sure yet,” said Jacob. The first drops of rain fell. The boys The boys turned off the main road and paused to put their hoods up and cinched the into their neighborhood. They walked for a strings tight around their faces. minute quietly. “So, you just disappear one day? And “These Vanishers are creepy though, your parents and everyone have to won- right?” Jakob said. The wind hissed through der what happened to you?” Jakob said. the trees, and the boys shoved their hands “Like they do when someone goes missing into their pockets. on TV?” Jakob’s voice came out muffled “Oh, they’re plenty creepy. They’re klot- through his hood and the wind and the rain. man creepy.” Klotman meant something so “That’s a little scary, I guess, but it’s not that creepy and weird as to be almost unreal. “Just scary. It’s just mostly sad.” you wait.” “Well, it’s worse than that,” said Jacob. They rounded a corner and walked in The boys walked with their heads down, silence for a few minutes more. braced against the weather. They turned onto “I’ve got it,” Jacob said. “I know what their street. “Because when the Vanishers get Vanishers do.” you, you don’t just disappear from starting “Let me guess,” Jakob said. “They kill right now. You disappear from forever. Your you. Because that’s what all monsters do. birthdays. Your learning to walk. Everything. Kill you.” It’s like none of it ever happened. No one “Not Vanishers,” said Jacob. “Vanishers remembers any of it. No one remembers are different. They aren’t murderers. Not you. You’re vanished. You get erased. From really. They don’t kill you. Instead, what they everywhere.” do is, they vanish you.” A gust of wind bent the trees along the The clouds grew darker and thicker still, sidewalk. making the boys’ faces appear faint and The boys’ homes came into view. Jacob’s ghostly. mother was out front, in a long, black coat, “Vanishers wipe you out,” Jacob said. dragging a gray garbage bin from the curb “They erase you, like chalk off a chalk to the garage despite the wind and rain. board. If the Vanishers want you, they just “Can you fight the Vanishers?” Jakob get you, and there’s nothing you can do asked. “Can you outrun them?” about it. You’ll be walking down the road “No way!” Jacob hunched his shoulders one day, and all at once they’ll zero in on and came to his driveway, where he’d peel you, and you’ll get all strange and milky, off and Jakob would keep going for one more like a crystal ball. And then, little by little, house. “Vanishers don’t even have bodies. you just fade away.” They just exist, like, everywhere at once. In

36 the light and the air and everywhere.” He He stopped. He’d been telling a story, waved one hand in the damp air around him. hadn’t he? To someone? Talking about the “When they decide to get you, you’re just Vanishers? He turned in a full circle. gone. There’s nothing you can do.” No one was there. His mother pulled the garbage bin into He looked to the gray brick house next the open garage. The bin rattled and slid. She door. There was a name he tried to call to paused, looked up, and with rainwater drip- mind. It had something to do with a letter K. ping down her face, she called out. Kevin? Kacey? Kyle? “Who are you talking to?” she said. He shook his head. Jacob pointed to his side. “I’m talking “No one,” he said. “I guess I was just talk- to . . .” ing to myself.”

T-T-TAIL?! DO YOU THINK I COULD EVER COULD I JUST HAVE IMAGINED JUST VANISH, GEORGE? HIM ALL THESE YEARS? THAT’S SO KLOTMAN! 37 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Across 10 11 12 13 1. Final resting place 5. Snake 14 15 16 10. Short hello 17 18 11. Frozen water 19 20 21

13. Tick-tack- 22

14. The of the Opera 23 16. Short for post meridiem 24 18. Short for extended play 19. Weaving frame 25 26 27 20. A time before 28 29 30 31 22. Plenty 32 33 34 35

23. Sorceress 36 37 38 39

24. Ghost 40 41 25. Belfry occupant 26. To loan Solution on page 47 28. Short for district attorney 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 32. Illinois (abbreviation) 9.G ChildR actressA V ShirleyE E S E R P E N T

10 11 12 13 33. Shrieks 12.H EachI (abbreviation)I I C E E E O O T O E 36. America 15. Frightening14 dream 15 16 O O O P H A N T O M M P M

38. Opposite of live 17. Frankenstein17 and Dracula are in movies18 39. Let’s trick-or-treating 21. U Eight-leggedU H H webO OspinnerI I M M M E P 19 20 21 40. Scary creature 22.L ExpressionO O M of MsurpriseA G O O O S S L 22 41. Mark wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 23.H WeekH R(abbreviation)R R R H H A M P L E 23 24. Salt R R W I T C H H I I I 24 Down 27.S EvilP spiritO O K K M M M M D D D 1. Ghosts and s 29. As well 25 26 27 O O R R R B A T T L E N D 2. Rhode Island (abbreviation) 30. 28 29 , cat! 30 31 ME, TOO! D A A A S S R R O O R R E 3. Short for Very Important Person 31. Leave out BUT IS IT 32 33 34 35 THE EVIL 4. Repeated sound 34. I CommercialL L S C R E A M S S SLAUGHM OR 36 37 38 39 U S A A A A A D I E E GTHE OEVIL 6. Dining or living 35. To stitch a costume SMELL? 40 41 7. Short for extraterrestrial 37.M O N apparitionS T E floatedR E throughT W theA air I N 8. Informal no 39. An enlisted soldier SOMETHING ON THE WIND IS 38 GIVING ME SHIVERS! All for a Lizard Part 2 by Nell Wright

It’s annoying, Statius thinks, how people always have to mention that he and his brother, Caeso, are twins—as if the boys hadn’t noticed. It’s a sweltering school day, and their teacher has just given them a passage to memorize about a pair of famous twins in Roman history. At least it’s in Latin and not Greek, Statius thinks. He and Caeso are sitting on the hard bench, struggling to memorize the passage when, suddenly, wail- ing breaks out in the street. School breaks up in disarray, and Statius and his twin learn that Augustus, the emperor of Rome, has died while visiting the town of Nola. The new emperor, Tiberius Claudius Nero, is even now praying in Rome’s temple of Jupiter. Statius and Caeso race home to tell their mother what is happening. As the three of them sit talking, Mother reminds them of the time the boys, who were just toddlers then, met the emperor on the feast day of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. The emperor saw them and came over to pat them on the head. Statius, however, began shrieking when he saw a guard about to kill a lizard. The emperor told the guard to pick up the lizard and hand it to Statius, who kept the creature as a pet until a cat got it. At this moment, Father arrives, puffing and out of breath. He tells everyone to stay inside as the streets will be dangerous. He has hired a soldier to guard the family while he accompanies his patron, Fabius Primus, to escort the emper- CAESO AND I wake before dawn. or’s body back to Rome for the funeral. I hold my twin back, and we listen to the When the boys are alone, Caeso whispers, “I guard pacing. When he passes the front gate, think we ought to attend the funeral.” He then we wait another minute before we bolt. In leaves Statius to figure out how to slip past the moments we’re past the school, and no one armed guard. has stopped us.

Somehow, too simple. As if someone more Tiberius, just rebuilt their temple, you know.” powerful than Father wants us to be out on He points to the tallest building along the this beautiful cool morning to see the emper- main street of the Forum. or’s funeral. We know. I wonder a little about the gods, how they “The funeral will be held in two places,” feel about adding Augustus to their big party he tells us. “First Tiberius will address the up in the heavens. They’ll have less time to crowd from Caesar’s temple there.” He points watch what’s happening to us simple folk, a little east of the Forum. “His son Drusus which is probably good. will speak from the old rostra.” He points “Do you have any money?” I ask my toward the decorated platform at right angles brother. to the new temple of Castor and Pollux. “Just a few coins.” The rostra’s a platform for speaking, easy “Let’s use them up right away on food. to see, decorated with the spiky bronze beaks Father said thieves will be out today.” from captured enemy ships. But I can’t actu- The street’s still quiet, but as we descend ally see Caesar’s temple. It’s too far out of the toward the Forum, most people seem to be Forum, beyond a lesser temple. out and about. Tables and shops are already “Sounds badly organized,” I say. “People spread with food. Stews steam on the coun- will have to cross the Forum in the narrowest ters as if for a festival. Imperial slaves are busy place to hear Drusus speak.” decorating the buildings with laurel, standing Caeso asks, “Why don’t they use the same on tilted, narrow ladders or on each other’s platform?” shoulders. The man shrugs. “Augustus’s plan prob- Caeso puts a small coin on the counter ably. Directing everyone’s moves on paper, next to a pot of fragrant stew and says, “Two.” even in death.” The cook looks weary, but he brightens Caeso agrees. “He liked symbols. Two to banter with us, his first customers. “Of eulogies in two places is symbolic of some- course, you always do things in twos, don’t thing, I’m sure.” you? Like Castor and Pollux.” “When does it start?” I ask the cook as Caeso Not again. Twins, twins, twins. pours the last of the stew down his throat. We try to move away from the talkative The cook holds out his hand for the cook, but it’s not polite to eat too far away or bowl. “Soon. The emperor’s body arrived by he’ll suspect we’re stealing his bowls. ship at the port of Ostia this morning. Look, The cook follows us as we back away. Castor and Pollux, be careful in the crowd “Reminds me also of how Castor and Pollux today.” He mimes someone patting Caeso on appeared in the city after battles. Always with the back and pulling off his money pouch. their horses. Always those twins in times “Vagabonds are in town.” of trouble for the city. Our new emperor, “Can do,” we say in unison.

WE NEED AN EMPEROR TO AND WHO DID YOU HAVE IN MIND? 40 WORSHIP AND OBEY! (AS IF I DIDN’T KNOW!) We amble around the Forum, watching “Get away, boys, while we build the people stream in from all directions. The sun podium,” a guard shouts. rises, but we’re in the shadow of the build- “Let’s go to Caesar’s temple,” Caeso sug- ings. We approach the new temple of Castor gests, “so we can see Tiberius first.” and Pollux. The crowd, noisy, growling, packs the “Wish we had nice horses like those,” Forum. We fight our way against the traf- Caeso says, admiring the statue of the twin fic until someone shouts, “Tiberius already gods and their steeds. speaks from the temple of Caesar!” I look at Castor and Pollux. “Glad we Suddenly the crowd turns and moves with don’t have to wear silly hats,” I counter, us. It’s suffocating. The heat is overpowering, pointing at the twins’ cone-shaped headwear. and I gag from the stench of unwashed bod- “Look, people leave copies of the hats and ies. People shout in my ears. I pull Caeso into laurel branches as offerings. There’s a pile here an alley. under their feet.” I pick up a long branch and Two soldiers on horses wait there in the hand it to Caeso. shade of the portico, their swords raised. “No thanks,” he says. “Are you two supposed to control this “You could pretend it’s a horse.” I mime crowd?” Caeso laughs at them, glancing back galloping. to the mayhem. “Don’t be ridiculous.” “Not much chance,” the soldier on the We start up the temple steps. brown mare agrees. He turns to his mate.

A PORTICO IS A PORCH WITH A OOOO, FANCY. ROOF SUPPORTED BY COLUMNS. 41 “Lucius,” he says, “here’s what we were hop- Together we shout, “Clear the way for the ing for. Let’s leave the horses with these emperor!” two boys and run to the temple so we can Surprised, people look up at us as if they march Tiberius and the royal family back hadn’t seen us before, but they back up. here to safety.” “It’s them!” someone shouts. Dismounting quickly, Lucius says to me, “The twins!” “It’s your duty as Romans to sit here for us. “Castor and Pollux are here.” Augustus would be pleased.” He thrusts the Strangely silent, our crowd scoots into the reins into my hands, and the two rush the main street in front of us. other way down the alley. “They think we’re the gods!” Caeso laughs. Mounting takes us a while, because we’ve When we are fully in the street, guiding the never ridden, but soon Caeso and I are look- crowd away from the alley, someone hands us ing at each other from the backs of tall horses. two of the Castor and Pollux hats. “Now what?” I ask. I feel as if I’m sliding We look at each other. Might as well com- off already. plete our disguise. Caeso and I pull on the “What? Astride two fine steeds and not funny cone-shaped headgear. The emperor, go anywhere?” Caeso says with a grin. his son Drusus, and family members I don’t People are so squeezed on the main street know slip single-file between me and Caeso. that they’re beginning to spill into the alley. One of the soldiers signals us to keep We’re blocking the way, so they turn around moving. We escort the emperor and his fam- and shout at the people behind them. I’m glad ily across the street to the temple, keeping to be above the jam, but I’m afraid they’ll them safely between the horses. At the steps startle the horses. to the temple of Castor and Pollux, the royal Caeso yells as he moves forward, “Seal off party bows to us! the entrance.” I look at Caeso, he at me. Did the new We fiddle with the reins and kick until emperor just bow to us? Surely he doesn’t the horses move slowly forward, pushing the think we’re the gods? crowd back into the street. I turn in my seat, Tiberius, his family, and guards ascend worried that another crowd will seethe in the temple steps. They arrange themselves on from the other end, but only a few figures are the little platform. The emperor’s son steps coming from that direction. The same two forward to speak. I assume we’re to remain soldiers lead them. The new emperor! until they are ready to depart. The first speech must be over, and the The crowd shouts and cheers. It’s impos- royal family is making its way to this side sible to hear the speech. where Drusus will speak. Someone touches my foot. “The emperor is coming,” I shout to Good gods! It’s Father. He’s shouting at Caeso. “We have to keep the entrance clear.” us, but I can’t hear. People suddenly lurch

FRIENDS! ROMANS! COUNTRY-BUGS! LEND ME I WOULD, BUT YOUR ANTENNAE! THEY DON’T 42 COME OFF...

HAIL, CEASAR! I MEAN, LADYBUG! AN ARMY YIKES! EEK! UMMMM... (TOSS) OF UGLY BIRDS HAS CROSSED THE RHINE AND YOUR TURN TO BE ADVANCES ON CRICKET COUNTRY! EMPEROR, CRICKET! ET TU, LADYBUG?! backward when the armed guard surges “That’s an ominous so,” he says to me forward to give the emperor space. Father dis- under his breath. appears from view. “Our father isn’t pleased with us,” I agree. Caeso and I shrug, understanding it’s “I was so ashamed,” says Father. “You’re foolish now to worry that Father has caught terrible riders, both of you! Everyone, even us sneaking out. At least we know to go home Fabius Primus, noticed.” right after our adventure. I relax inside. If that’s the worst! After the speech we didn’t hear, we con- “So he says no more school for you. You’ll duct the new emperor to his litter. The soldiers go down to his track and learn how to ride, help us off the horses, and we head home. starting tomorrow.” The armed guard is waiting at the gate. “How should we react to this news?” He greets us with an evil smile. Caeso asks me. “You’re going to get it from your father,” “Cheers, I think,” I say. he says, “for fooling me.” “Yes, horses and no more Greek. Cheers it is.” But then we hear, “Where are the boys?” We start yelling our heads off. Mother’s crying in the garden. “The boys? Don’t worry about the boys,” Father is saying. “They decked themselves out Historical Note Castor and Pollux originated in as Castor and Pollux and prevented a stam- Greek mythology as the twin brothers of Helen of pede when Tiberius came through the crowd. Troy. They were also called the Dioskouri (sons of My patron, Fabius Primus—” Zeus). “I’m tired of hearing about your patron,” The Romans later worshiped the same twins snaps Mother. “Where are my boys?” after they supposedly appeared at the Battle of Caeso and I look at each other, one eye- Lake Regillus in 495 B.C. Soon after this victory, the brow raised. temple bearing their names was erected in Rome’s “Maybe no punishment this time?” I guess. Forum. Soldiers who fought on horseback consid- We push open the gate and suffer ered Castor and Pollux to be their special patrons. Mother’s joyful weeping. Historians record that the two appeared fighting “We’re all right,” Caeso repeats as Mother from their horses at many other Roman victories. hugs him. According to the scholar Suetonius, while Father pats my shoulder and touches the Julius Caesar lay in state on an ivory bier, people hat in my hand. argued whether to cremate him in the Temple “Quaint hats. You snuck out past the gate of Jupiter or the Hall of Pompey. “Suddenly,” guard when I told you not to, but you did Suetonius writes, “two guys armed with swords something necessary and brave, so . . .” and spears lit the pyre with burning tapers.” In “All Caeso extricates himself from Mother. for a Lizard,” therefore, no one is surprised when Statius and Caeso appear as Castor and Pollux at the funeral of the emperor Augustus. 44 WHAT DRAMA!

WHAT TALENT!

WAIT FOR ME!

WINNERS MAY 2016 POETRY CONTEST Music

First prize 10 and under First prize 11 and up Second prize 10 and under Holly Simon, age 9 Emmy Udry, age 12 Hudson Guzman, age 7 Port Washington, NY Upper Nyack, NY Norwood, NJ

An Exaggeration of Actual Events Colors swirl in circles around me What’s My Name? “Okay, class,” says Miss B. “Let’s go.” They create a symphony of their own This is a very fun game. And so begins the dreadful row. The sharp turquoise of the second violin It is called “Who Knows What’s My Name?” Emily lost her rosin last week. The soft, mellow yellow of the trombone Johnny’s off key and only can squeak. I am played with a bow, Caroline can’t get the fingerings right, A saxophone lets out a wail And my sound is low. And her twin Bob seems to be having a fight It creates a bold, silver streak I am very tall. With his alto sax. That thing’s way too loud. A pungent, purple cymbal crashes You might see me in Carnegie Hall. Andi’s cello seems to have meowed. The buzz is a fuchsia-hued faucet leak Tim, our best player, is at the beach. I usually play the harmony Hannah’s trombone is heard to screech. The golden wave of a French horn In many, many songs. Peter is missing all of his notes; The lime green of a clarinet G I am in the wood string family; Meg’s telling Joe about the book she just wrote. The thumping tan of a bass drum Yes, that is where I belong! Lena, our singer, just dropped her mic. Creates both music and art for me Teddy, her partner, is awful—YIKES. I have a scroll; Kathleen’s dropping her flute. Lance’s A string is mute. Written from the point of view of a synesthete It looks like a whirly whirl! I don’t think Anne’s drum is supposed to go “toot.” I have four strings to play; Sam’s clarinet is on full blast. They are named C, G, D, and A. The days of good music are in the past. To get out of here, ten diamonds I’d trade. Do you know what I am? Yes or no? But if you think we’re bad, you should hear If you guessed a cello, then you’re a smart fellow! the fifth grade.

45 Second prize 11 and up Third prize 10 and under Third prize 11 and up Lily Nelson, age 11 Tania Hao, age 10 Caroline Solomon, age 15 San Diego, CA Ithaca, NY Marietta, GA

Music of the Earth What Is It? A Song for Every Soul Native music was from Mother Nature Sometimes I hate you, From the thrum, from the drum So their music creates her. When you don’t listen. At the Kenyan’s fingertips, Apache fiddles are the water, Sometimes I love you, Rolling out the heartbeat of a silent, early world. Flowing through the rocks When you bring me joy. Maracas are the merry fire, To the straining strings When it crackles and pops You make me angry sometimes, Of the silver-sounding violin, Big drums beat and boom, So angry I kick the walls. That flits and flies like birds in the night. Creating thunder of a storm No matter what I’m feeling, Small drums make the heartbeat Every day I must be with you To the sweetness of the mandolin; sweet as lemons— Of a bird, soft and warm (For thirty minutes, at the least). A watermelon blimp, a lozenge of marshmallow. Rain sticks make a drizzle, Light, cool, and thin Today you’re an enemy, To the tingle of wind chimes Flutes are the summer leaves, Tomorrow you’re a friend. Soaring up and down green hills Rustling in the wind When I’m with you I forget everything else, Like some long-forgotten laughter. Long ago our native people All my worries, fears, and doubts. Made sounds of water, trees, and hearths To the roundness of an oboe, Together all these sounds I love to hear your music, Round as a hot-air balloon, ready to lift, Create music of the Earth Though it’s mostly out of tune. A smooth bowling-ball wish. Although you’re not my closest friend, You’re still my violin. To the profound notes Underneath those black and white keys. Maybe, each soul has a song, And those are the keys to unlock it.

THE POUNDING’S WE COULD STOPPED. WE CAN’T HIDE STICK FOREVER WITH ARM WE COULD MAYBE THE BAND-AIDS POKE HIM ZOMBIE’S NO FOOD! TIME YOURSELVES! ON HIM AND WE CAN’T LIGHT IT WILL FOR ZOMBIE WITH THE CANDLES, BUT HAVE TO DO. GONE. WHICH PULL THEM KNITTING ATTACK IS...? OFF. YOUCH! WE COULD BOP LET’S GO! PHASE 2! NEEDLES! HIM WITH ONE...

OR IT COULD BE WAITING IN AMBUSH!

HEY! WAIT A SECOND... ZOOT! IS THAT YOU? CAREFUL, (URP) YOU LOCKED ME OUT! NOW I ZOOT. EVEN YAHHH! DON’T FEEL VERY GOOD... ZOMBIES DREAD I BROUGHT HALLOWEEN TREATS, SO WE (BLURP!) THE WALKING COULD HAVE A PARTY IN THE BUNKER. UH-OH! UNDEAD BUT YOU LOCKED ME OUT! I KNOCKED HUH? OH! DON’T METHINKS YOU LADYBUG! AND I YELLED... THEN I GOT HUNGRY. THOSE GORGED- DARE (URGH. BELCH.) BARF ON ME, UPON TREATS ZOOT! YOU ATE OUR MAY SOON TREATS!? ALL OF DIS-GORGE. MEWY THEM? EWY.

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Cricket Country mailbox, waiting for the ghostly apparition of your best scary poem—24 poem—24 scary best your of apparition ghostly the for waiting mailbox, Country Cricket for combined May/June, July/August, and November/December issues, by Cricket Cricket by issues, November/December and July/August, May/June, combined for

CRICKET magazine (ISSN 0090-6034) is published 9 times a year, monthly except except monthly year, a times 9 published is 0090-6034) (ISSN magazine CRICKET

Whatever scares your socks off, everybuggy will be hiding under the covers around the the around covers the under hiding be will everybuggy off, socks your scares Whatever

Volodymyr Krasyuk/Shutterstock.com. Volodymyr

sister dye her hair purple. Ah! purple. hair her dye sister

Preston Altree; 14 (LC) MotionWerx; 14 (LB) Alan Maxson; 26 (RT) (RT) 26 Maxson; Alan (LB) 14 MotionWerx; (LC) 14 Altree; Preston

Shutterstock.com; 12 (LC), 13 (RC) Augusto Barranco; 13 (RB), 15 (RT) (RT) 15 (RB), 13 Barranco; Augusto (RC) 13 (LC), 12 Shutterstock.com; science teacher, or a big math test, or performing before an audience, or seeing your older older your seeing or audience, an before performing or test, math big a or teacher, science

Photo acknowledgements: 12 (TC), 12-15 (BG) Dmitry Natashin/ Dmitry (BG) 12-15 (TC), 12 acknowledgements: Photo

gives you goosebumps and makes your hair stand on end isn’t a monster at all, it’s . . . your your . . . it’s all, at monster a isn’t end on stand hair your makes and goosebumps you gives

for each selection. each for

ite scary creature in a movie or play, like the monster actor Alan Maxson. Or maybe what what maybe Or Maxson. Alan actor monster the like play, or movie a in creature scary ite

possible care has been taken to trace ownership and secure permission permission secure and ownership trace to taken been has care possible

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

Gévaudan or the Golem. Perhaps you will imagine what it would be like to play your favor your play to like be would it what imagine will you Perhaps Golem. the or Gévaudan -

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

house? Maybe your scary verse will be inspired by a monster from folk lore, like the the like lore, folk from monster a by inspired be will verse scary your Maybe house? Acknowledgments continued from inside front cover front inside from continued Acknowledgments

Will your poem be filled with Halloween ghosts and witches, or visiting a haunted haunted a visiting or witches, and ghosts Halloween with filled be poem your Will

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 frightful. something about poem best your read to like George—would buggy—even

enjoy a good scare, especially as Halloween grows near. For this month’s contest, every contest, month’s this For near. grows Halloween as especially scare, good a enjoy 10 11 12 13 -

14 15 16 sent shivers down George’s spine (or would have, if he had one). Still, most of us us of most Still, one). had he if have, would (or spine George’s down shivers sent Cricket

17 18 Hungry ghosts? Zombies? Vanishers? Kappa? The frightening things in this monstrous monstrous this in things frightening The Kappa? Vanishers? Zombies? ghosts? Hungry

19 20 21 22 CONTEST POETRY NEW

25 26 27

28 29 30 31

32 33 34 35

36 37 38 39 Inside the forest. the Inside

40 41 Beyond the music, the Beyond

Closing my quivering eyelids, quivering my Closing “Listen,” uttered Chief Ogimaa-Nagamon, Chief uttered “Listen,”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

G R A V E E S E R P E N T 10 11 12 13 language. mellifluous with Intoning

H I I I C E E E O O T O E

14 15 16 maracas, bean dried Rattling

O O O P H A N T O M M P M Shivani Yadavalli Shivani Blowing into carved flutes, carved into Blowing

17 18 GA Albany, 9, age ,

Elizabeth Shvarts Elizabeth Beating on beaver skin drums, skin beaver on Beating U U H H O O I I M M M E P NY Island, Staten 11, age ,

19 20 21

Mira Lenart Mira L O O M M A G O O O S S L MI Ypsilanti, 11, age ,

22 Jordan Alexandra Davidson Alexandra Jordan Cross-legged men, women, and children. and women, men, Cross-legged H H R R R R H H A M P L E CO Denver, 12, age ,

23 Marianne Cowan Marianne Arrayed with feathers and beads, and feathers with Arrayed

R R W I T C H H I I I TX Houston, 11, age ,

Samvit Choudhary Samvit Around a raging fire, raging a Around 24 NJ Providence, New 9, age ,

S P O O K K M M M M D D D

25 26 27 circle, in side by Side O O R R R B A T T L E N D Mention Honorable

28 29 30 31

D A A A S S R R O O R R E Among a native tribe. native a Among

32 33 34 35 Forest. the of Song The

I L L S C R E A M S S S M

Along a still-watered lake, still-watered a Along

36 37 38 39 in enclosed Forever

U S A A A A A D I E E G O trees, swishing the Through

40 41 sit, I tribe native the Within

M O N S T E R E T W A I N brook, bubbling the Over “Come,” called Chief Ogimaa-Nagamon, Chief called “Come,”

Solution to Crossbird Puzzle Crossbird to Solution

Song of the Forest the of Song

The chattering of all forest animals. forest all of chattering The

Pittsford, MI Pittsford, cricketmagkids.com/contests Water rushing over smooth rocks, smooth over rushing Water

Amber Czeiszperger Amber , age 14 age , entries, visit our website: website: our visit entries,

Reeds whispering in the soft wind, soft the in whispering Reeds

To see more winning Cricket League League Cricket winning more see To Third prize 11 and up and 11 prize Third Heavy paws pounding on forest ground, forest on pounding paws Heavy ROBERT GIBBON JOHNSON, leading citizen of Salem, New Jersey, stood ready to perform his death-defying act. On the courthouse steps, under the anxious eyes of two thousand onlookers, Johnson reached into the basket at his feet. Cool as a cucumber (he was, after all, an expert gardener), he drew out a shiny red globe. Closer and closer he brought it to his lips until—awful moment!—he bit into it. Chewed it! Swallowed it! The crowd gasped in terror. Some turned away from the sight. Others screamed and fainted. Johnson’s doctor had warned him: This foolhardy venture would cause instant brain fever, convulsions—at the very least, galloping appendicitis. The bold gardener was undismayed. With a steady hand, he picked out another crimson sphere and ate it. Then another. Until the basket was empty. The town band, expecting the worst, struck up a funeral march to honor the newest resident of Salem cemetery. But no! Johnson was still on his feet! Smiling! Alive! The spectators burst into cheers. The year was 1830, when most people firmly believed that the juicy red objects Johnson had so bravely consumed were poisonous because they belonged to the same plant family as deadly nightshade. His spectacular demonstration proved them safe and delicious. From then on, farmers far and wide began growing and marketing Lycopersicon esculentum. We usually call them tomatoes. That New Jersey gardener went to a lot of risk and effort to prove a point. Then again, so did Columbus. And the moon explorers. I like to think of Robert Johnson as an astronaut of the tomato patch.

48 Uncover the beneath the myth “Yu the Great” by Patrick Wertmann. Image Courtesy of Pictures From History / Bridgeman Images Bridgeman / History From CourtesyPictures Image of Wertmann. Patrick by Great” the “Yu

Yu the Great was the eighth son of the Yellow Emperor and lived between 2200–2100 B.C. China was plagued by devastating floods that destroyed the lives of many people. Yu spent more than 13 years separating streams, clearing the courses of rivers, and leading them to the sea. After this, the people could cultivate the lands. Legend says Yu rode a dragon when he controlled the flood waters. What do you think?

Subscribe to DIG® and discover the mysteries of the ancient world: Shop.CricketMedia.com/Try-Dig

2016 3rd Annual Explore a tradition in your community and share it with the world.

GLOBAL CONTEST ENDS FOLKLORIST November 30th CHALLENGE No purchase necessary to enter or win.

TM For entry information and eligibility, go to challenges.epals.com/folklife2016. October 2016 Volume 44 Number 2 cricketmedia.com $4.95