the magazine for young children

I Spy
Art by Uh-oh, Ricky is late for the big game!
Merrill Rainey
Can you help him find his baseball uniform,
cap, shoes, bat, and glove?

Answer on page 35.

art © 2017 by Merrill Rainey

e o ut for us!
Keep an ey We are go ing to roll
thro ugh this magazi
ne w ith yo u!
2
 Art by Brita Granström
Max and Kate Story by Mick Manning

Kate, Max, and Charlie are at a carnival.l

“You can each choose a ride,” says Max's daddy.
“We'll all go on them together!”
3
 Kate picks the green caterpillar roller coaster. She
waves Kiwi above her head as they go down the hill.
Everyone whoops and squeals!
4
 ys!
y gu

Max picks the beautiful old carousel. “Mo loves

it!” he shouts as they dip up and down.

5
 Next, Charlie chooses the pirate ride.
Kersplash! “Whee!” he says with a laugh.

6
 “This is more my speed,” says Max’s mommy
as they sit and dry off.
“I call it Mommy's Ice Cream Ride!” says Max.
7
 by Beverly McLoughland
Just Like Me Art by Martha Aviles

It must be like
A carnival ride
For a baby kangaroo
Sitting inside
A furry seat-pocket
Going
Bounce
Hop
Leap.

I bet he wishes
His ride would keep
Going on and on
And never stop.
I bet he asks his Mama
(Like I do)
For just
One
More
Hop.

8
text © 2017 by Beverly McLoughland, art © 2017 by Martha Aviles 9
 Off They Go Art by Peter Francis
All 10 of the carousel animals leaped off the platform.
Now they are having fun in the amusement park. How many
can you find?

10
art © 2017 by Peter Francis 11
 yo u do this?
C an

Morning Glory by Eileen R. Meyer

Art by John Joven

Twisting,
twining,
little vine,
climbing
up so high.

Wrapping,
winding,
as you grow,
reaching
for the sky.

Will you
sound your
trumpet when
a cloud goes
sailing by?

12 art © 2017 by John Joven

 by Angela B. Haight
Where’s the Rain? Art by Barbara Vagnozzi

“I’m hot,” said a bee, buzzing slowly by a tree.

“Where’s the rain when we need it? Where’s the rain?”
“I’m thirsty,” said a flower, drooping lower every hour.
“Where’s the rain when we need it? Where’s the rain?”

“Can’t fly, too dry,” cried a blue butterfly.

“Where’s the rain when we need it? Where’s the rain?”
“I’ve lost my trail,” wailed a curly little snail.
“Where’s the rain when we need it? Where’s the rain?”
art © 2017 by Barbara Vagnozzi

13
 Along came a girl with a silver water pail
And she shook the shiny spout all about.
She soaked the droopy flower with a quick, refreshing shower
And she sprayed and sprinkled every little sprout.

“Thanks,” buzzed the bee. “I’m as cool as can be.”

“Now,” said the flower, “I’ll bloom hour after hour.”
“I’m feeling very spry,” cried the blue butterfly.
“Whee!” squealed the snail, as he slithered down his trail.

14
“No rain today, so it’s good I came your way,”
Said the girl as she gave her pail a twirl.
“If it gets any hotter, I’ll be sure to bring more water
So there’s rain when you need it, lots of rain.”

15
 by Carol L. MacKay
Chick-a-dee-dee-dee Art by Katya Longhi

Cheerful little chickadee

Sitting in the lilac tree,
Won’t you spend some time with me
And sing your happy song?

I have some seeds in my hand,

Where a bird can safely land,
Where a bird can safely stand
And sing a happy song.

art © 2017 by Katya Longhi

16
text © 2017 by Kay Haugaard, art © 2017 by Susan Swan

The Watermelon Seed

Once there was a watermelon seed. It was
smooth and black and shiny. It lay under the moist,
soft brown earth.
Our watermelon’s
The water in the soil seemed to say, “Drink me, a whopper!
swell up, wake up!” and the seed did. It swelled up
and burst its shiny, black skin.
The pale white inside part of the seed push hed
Tasty, too!
up, up, out of the dark earth. As it rose, the see
divided into two sprouts that looked like armss
greeting the warm sun. The sun shone down
on the pale, curving sprouts, and they turned
into a strong, green watermelon vine.

by Kay Haugaard
Art by Susan Swan
17
 The seed’s lower part
reached down into the dark
earth and divided into roots,
seeking nourishment. The
roots carried the moisture
and minerals from the earth
up the stem into the vine.
The vine grew and reached
out over the sun-warmed
ground. Fine short hairs on
the vines glinted in the
sunshine. Green, lacey leaves
soon spread like fans, opened
flat to the sky, soaking up
the sun’s rays.
The warm sun poured
energy onto the vine, and
it bloomed with small yellow
flowers. The flowers opened
wide to welcome bees, who
drank their sweet liquid called
necta .

18
 While these small creatures fed, tiny grains of dusty
yellow pollen stuck to them. The bees carried pollen from one
golden cup to another, sending a message to the flowers: it is
now time to produce juicy, heavy fruit.

When the flower petals fell to the ground, a tiny green

bubble of a watermelon began to grow on the vine. It drank
and drank water from the rain brought up from the roots. It
swelled and swelled with the water and the heat from the sun.
Its pale yellow belly touched the warm earth. Its green and
yellow stripes stretched from end to end of its plump, rounded
shape. It grew large and heavy in the hot summer sun.

19
 One day the ripe melon was cut from its stem. It was
carefully loaded onto a truck and taken to a farmers
market. There, it was bought by a man for his family.

20
 Inside its smooth, striped skin was delicious, sweet
red juice in red, crunchy flesh. The family cut it into
large slices. They ate it with great pleasure, this special
gift from the sun, the rain, and the earth filled with
minerals.
The boy picked up a black shiny seed and smiled
at it. It seemed to say, “Plant me. I will make more
watermelons!”

21
 Listen
by Kurt Metzler P Art by Laura Huliska-Beith


4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 T 
Lis - ten to the mur - mur of the riv - er. Lis - ten to the wind tip - toe.

Lis - ten to the cat - er - pil - lar crawl - ing. Lis - ten to the can - dle glow.

 Ì
4 4 4 4 4 T Ì
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 
Lis - ten to the cric - ket in the mead - ow. Lis - ten to the green grass grow.

Lis - ten to the feath - er on your pil - low. Lis - ten to the green grass grow.

22
art © 2017 by Laura Huliska-Beith 23
 When the Moon Blows
And when the moon blows
his silver-long f lute,
you won’t hear a growl,
or a hiss, or a hoot,
for all the night critters
are listening, mute,
when the moon blows
his silver-long flute.

by Rolli
24 Art by Renata Gallio
 Excuse Me, Mr. Thunder!

by Stephen Cravak P Art by Michael Chesworth

“We need a good night’s sleep,” Ally told her baseball

bat as she closed her eyes. “Tomorrow is a big day.”
All was quiet, all was well. Ally slept, until . . .
Swoosh! Rushing wind rattled her windowpane. “That
noise has got to stop.” Ally hopped out of bed and opened
the window. “Excuse me, Mr. Wind!”
“Yes, little girl?” whooshed a gentle breeze.
“I’m sorry, but you’re keeping my bat and me awake.”
“But when will I whiz, wail, and whoo?” asked Mr. Wind.
“This is my job, you know.”
“Please, not tonight,” said Ally. “I have something
important to do tomorrow.” She whispered a secret to him.

text © 2017 by Stephen Cravak, art © 2017 by Michael Chesworth 25

 “Ah, I see,” said Mr. Wind, closing the window.
“Good luck!”
All was quiet, all was well. Ally slept, until . . .
Rat-a-tat-tat! Dripping drops dashed across the
roof. “Oh now what?” Ally stomped across the carpet.
“Excuse me, Miss Rain!”
“Yes, little girl?” pitter-pattered the petite pellets.
“You woke us up. We really need our sleep.”
“But I need to splish, splash, and splosh,” said
Miss Rain. “I’m on a strict schedule.”
“Do it some other time. Tomorrow is a big day.”
“What can possibly be so important?”
Ally pointed high in the sky, and then swiftly
swung her bat.

26
 “Ah, I see,” said Miss Rain, evaporating into
the night. “Best of luck!”
All was quiet, all was well. Ally slept until . . .
Boom! A crackling crash cascaded through the
night. “Seriously? Excuse me, Mr. Thunder!”

“Yes, little girl?” rumbled a roar.

“Stop making noise. We need to sleep!”
“But I have to bim, bam, and boom,” said Mr. Thunder.
“I’m good at it, too.”
“Tomorrow is a really important day.”
“But you’re just a little girl, what on earth is so special?”
Ally grimaced, pointing to her uniform, cap, cleats, ball,
and of course, her bat.
“Ah, say no more.” He silently slipped away. “All the best!”

27
 All was quiet, all was well. Ally slept until morning.
Sunlight peaked through the curtains as she leaped
out of bed. “Today is a big day!”
Ally put on her uniform, adjusted her cap, laced
up her cleats, kissed the ball, and told her bat, “When
I grow up, I’m going to be a baseball player. But it all
starts today with my first tee-ball game.”
At the field, Ally ran the bases, stretched, listened
to the coach’s pep talk, and waved to her family in
the stands.
The game began, and Ally’s team was up to bat. The
first batter hit the ball into right field, the second batter
hit it into left field, and the third batter hit it into the
center. The bases were loaded, and Ally was up. Her
eyes fixed on the ball. She started to swing when . . .

28
 Swoosh! Rushing wind rattled the fence, and Ally missed.
Determined, she braced herself and started her second
swing when . . .
Rat-a-tat-tat! Dripping drops dashed across the dugout,
and Ally missed.
But now Ally was ready. She swung again and—
SMASH! The ball flew past the pitcher, over second base,
through the outfield, and past the fence. Ally and her
teammates circled the bases. They were giving each other
high-fives when . . .

29
 Boom! A crackling crash cascaded
over the field.
“Rain delay!” shouted the umpire.
The game was postponed.
“Excuse me!” yelled Ally.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“We came to see you play,”
said Mr. Wind, Miss Rain, and
Mr. Thunder. “You’re great!”
“Thank you,” said Ally. “But
storms and sports don’t mix.”

30
 Suddenly the storm stopped. Mr. Wind,
Miss Rain, and Mr. Thunder sulked sadly.
Ally realized she had hurt their feelings. Let's go! The
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I really do appreciate next game is
!
abo ut to start
you coming to watch me play.”
“We understand,” said Mr. Wind, Miss Rain, Who is playing?

and Mr. Thunder. It's the

“And please come over after the game Ho pscotche
rs
an d the
tomorrow for a movie and popcorn,” said Ally. Cornpo pper
s!
“We can’t wait!”
As Ally raced home, she told her bat,
“We must get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow
is a big day!”

31
 t he Cor npoppers and Hopsco
me d ay when tchers
i g ga com
e ou

, ,&
b
's a t to
n ow it pla
k y!
all
We
!
RUN!
RUN

YAAAA
Y !

e
Third Base

in
!

lL
! GO PigBug

u
GO

Fo
G O!

Third
Base
t
ou
Dug

Batter

Umpire Infield

Take me out to
the ball game!
Home a
Catcher Plate ayug rs
C e
Foul Line he pp
There's s of t rnpo
the first Fan e Co
it! Rid
g
pitch! ah
It's

by John Sandford
32
 GE
C E
B R
OPS OTCHE S

Outfield Wall

Left
Fly Ball!
Fielder Center
Fielder

Outfield

Shortstop

Second
BaseBug

Second
Base
Pitcher

Right
Fielder

Pitcher's First Base

Mound RooBug

Peanut!
PEANUT!
ORN Nothing like a
POPC re! beautiful day
he
right Cold First at the old
so die-po p s!
! Base ballpark, folk

ry
a i rbu
eF rs Announcer
o f th otche
s c
Fan Hops

33
 Grasshopper Green Anonymous
Art by John Sandford

Grasshopper Green is a comical chap;

He lives on the best of fare.
Bright little trousers, jacket, and cap,
These are his summer wear.
Out in the meadow he loves to go,
Playing away in the sun;
It’s hopperty, skipperty, high and low,
Summer’s the time for fun.

ictu r e is g reen?
p
in this
t else
a
Wh
34
 A
Answer to puzzle on page 2.
Did you find everything Ricky
D June, July/August, and November/December issues, by Cricket Media, 70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601.
will need for the big game?
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James M. O’Connor, Director of Editorial; Kathleen Andersen, Associate Editor; Jestine Ware, Assistant Editor; Suzanne Beck,
Senior Art Director; Anna Lender, Designer; Kristen Scribner, Digital Art Director; John Sandford, Artist, LADYBUG bugs; David
Stockdale, Permissions Specialist. May/June 2017, Volume 27, Number 8, Copyright © 2017, Carus Publishing dba Cricket
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Grateful acknowledgment is given to the following publishers and copyright owners for permission to reprint selections from
their publications. All possible care has been taken to trace ownership and secure permission for each selection. “When the Moon
Blows,” art © 2011 by Renata Gallio; “Molly and Emmett,” text and art © 2005 by Marylin Hafner.
Printed in the United States of America.
1st printing Quad/Graphics Midland, Michigan
April 2017

The moon’s a WHOPPING LOLLIPOP

that’s caught in Midnight’s hair.
Some rotten little mischief-maker,
maybe, tossed it there.
But if we tug it nice and hard,
we might just get it out.
Be ready, though,
to plug your ears,
cuz Midnight’s
text © 2016 by Charles Anderson, art © 2016 by Bats Langley
gonna
SHOUT!

the magazine for children

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35
 LADYBUG TAKEOUT PAGES Please remove carefully at fold. LADYBUG TAKEOUT PAGES Please remove carefully at fold. LADYBUG TAKEOUT PAGES Please remove carefully at fold.
Carousel Mobile What You’ll Need:
scissors
glue
tape
string
Art by Shirley Beckes
What to Do:
1. With a grownup, cut out all the pieces.
2. Cut flaps in the colorful carousel top,
following the black dotted lines. Be careful
fold not to cut too far!
3. Fold down the flaps on the carousel top.
4. The carousel top has a triangle cut out
of it. Bring the edges of the triangle together
fold to make a little tent and glue in place.
glue
5. Glue the colored circles to the outside
of the carousel top.
6. Fold each pole away from you at the
dotted line.
tape 7. Glue an animal to each pole.
8. Tape the folded part of each pole to the
inside of the carousel top, spacing the poles
evenly around the top.
glue
9. String a thread through the carousel top
and hang.
art © 2017 by Shirley Beckes
 e
glu
May/June 2017 Volume 27 Number 8 cricketmedia.com $4.95

Dad’s This batter looks too thin.

favorite Maybe another
cake? egg . . . or two. And
There’s a little more of this
Yes, the phone. white stuff . . .
Em. Stir this till
I get back,
OK?

Thanks, Em. We’d better

This looks get the
funny! Milk cake in
might help. the oven,
Molly.

Mom says to stay

here till she gets back What a wonderful
from the bakery! Father’s
Day!
Doesn’t
Cover art © 2017 by Doug Roy

seem fair.