Help Out!

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3 Check It Out! 4 From Bottle Caps to Benches 6 10 Ways to Help Others 7 Helping Hands 8 Aluk Pays a Debt 11 Help Brighten Someone’s Day 12 Mystery of the Missing Manners 14 Puzzles 16 Truck Trouble 20 Backpacks for New Beginnings 22 Stone Soup 24 Making the World a Better Place 26 Science: A Test for Your Cat 27 Science: Soldiers About Face!

28 Cowboy Clark & Larry 29 Kidz Corner 30 Puzzle Solutions 2

Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock.com

It’s fun to get toys and games out to play. It’s not fun to have to clean up and put the toys away. Cooking can be enjoyable, like making a special treat. Having to wash all the dishes and pans you used can seem like an overwhelming task. But when you clean up after yourself, you are lending a helping hand to your family. You are showing that you care for them.

Volunteering is caring for someone you don’t know by using your free time to help. Maybe you could join a group to collect trash in your neighborhood or help plant a tree in the park. In this issue, you will read about boys and girls helping others with their own special projects. When you help someone else it not only makes you feel good, but also makes the other person smile and feel happy. See how many different ways you can help others around you. Then send us your list of helpful things you did and a photo of you doing one. You will be a winner and receive a prize!

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by Anne Renaud When she was 8 years old, Samantha Vance wanted to get a Buddy Bench for her school. She had sometimes felt sad or lonely and would have liked a way to signal to others she needed a friend. But a Buddy Bench was expensive, and her school did not have the $900 to purchase a brand new one. Then, Samantha’s mother told her of a company called Green Tree Plastics that could make a bench from recycled plastic bottle caps – 400 pounds of plastic bottle caps – for a fraction of the cost.

Eureka! Samantha had found a solution.

But where to begin to collect that many caps?

First, Samantha called upon students and parents in her community of Fort Wayne, Indiana, to help her collect the caps. She then created a Facebook page named Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project.

She spoke with pharmacies and businesses to ask if they could save caps for her, as well. And after news outlets began reporting on Samantha’s mission, she began receiving bottle caps from all over the United States and as far away as Germany and Israel. Within a few months, Samantha had collected 1500 pounds of bottle caps, enough for THREE benches for her school, plus some left over to share!

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A Buddy Bench is a bench where children who feel sad or lonely can sit to indicate to other children that they would like someone to talk to or play with.

But that is not all. Samantha inspired other schools to start collecting caps so they could get a Buddy Bench of their own. So how many caps has Sammie’s Buddy Bench Project collected so far? In the last two years, over 20,000 pounds of caps have been taken in. That’s enough for over 100 benches for schools across the United States.

The power of one small person!

Now Sammie is making a difference beyond her hometown. In her first-ever book, entitled Inspire the World: A Kid’s Journey to Making a Difference, which she first drafted when she was only 9 years old, Sammie tells of her journey and walks readers through the steps on how they, too, can bring change to their communities in big and small ways.

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Twelve-year-old Stella and Maybree are best friends. And they want to make a difference in their corner of the world.

A couple of years ago, these Michigan girls had an idea.

“We decided to fundraise for our humane society because we both love animals,” Maybree says.

The girls got busy baking and selling dog treats. They earned $550, enough to also buy toys and supplies for animals waiting for their forever homes. That was only the beginning! Soon, the girls’ charitable organization was born. They named it Helping Hands.

Last year, Helping Hands raised money for Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. The girls wanted to help patients and healthcare workers in an area hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. They created art and auctioned it off online. They made and sold soap. They even sold their used toys and clothes. Altogether, Stella and Maybree raised over $2000 for the hospital.

This year, they are using their fundraising talents to help a homeless shelter. “We love planning fundraisers and making them the most fun we can for everyone, including ourselves!” says Maybree.

One of Stella’s favorite fundraising memories so far is from a front-yard bake sale. “I was dancing with a sign that said ‘donate,’ and it was on TV!” The girls bring their energy and enthusiasm to everything they do. They use social media to give updates about their fundraising activities. They post funny videos and photos and have a blast livestreaming.

“We have had many people help us,” Stella says.

“Our parents have helped a great ton, and our friends have given ideas and helped out in videos and fundraisers.”

Maybree (left) and Stella (right)

Stella and Maybree say it feels so great to have an impact on people’s lives. They hope Helping Hands can be an inspiration to other kids. They plan to continue fundraising and can’t wait for what’s to come!

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by Robert H. Redding • illustrated by Joan Waites • colored by Gaurakisora Tucker

Aluk was five months old. Five months is not a great age, even for a caribou, but he was already able to swim in the deepest lakes. His long legs carried him swiftly across the snowy forests of Alaska. Even so, he didn’t stray far from his mother. In a world where wolves stalked the herd, and bears lurked, he felt safe with her. He would snuggle up next to her and peer at the world with wide eyes as she gently smoothed his ears with a rough, moist tongue.

But one day, while exploring, Aluk strayed from the herd. To his long ears, sounds of the herd were plain. There was the dash of other young caribou as they played at running and tossing about. Aluk felt safe.

He was about to wander a bit more when a strange movement caught his eye. He stiffened into silence. Again, there was the movement. Then he caught sight of the wolves. They were running toward him, sunk low to the ground. They were of the timber clan, great hunters in the hostile environment.

Their ears were pointed forward, and their long muzzles were partly opened, revealing rows of brilliant white teeth.

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Aluk froze in place because he was so frightened. It’s very likely he would have become the wolves’ next meal, except for a coincidence. Not far off, Toklat the grizzly also hunted.

He, too, was a meat eater, but this time he was deep into a blueberry patch. He heard the wolves approaching. The hair along the back of his thick neck stood up. Toklat did not like wolves. They were competition in the business of finding food. They often tried to chase him from meals rightfully his.

On sight of the rushing pack, Toklat let out a huge hissing bawl and charged at them. He swung with his strong forearms. Surprised, the wolves stopped and circled. In that instant, Aluk ran for the herd. He knew he would be all right. The herd, seeing the wolves, raced off.

A few days later, Aluk was again on the move.

He was curious about some sand bars on a nearby river. He had never been to a river alone. This was the time for it. He trotted toward the rippling water. As he walked the sand bar, he turned and sniffed at his tracks, which were filling with water. Such a wonder!

Continued . . .

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Not far off was a creature that Aluk had never seen before. He was a human being, a man. And the man was hunting for bears. The hunter had seen Toklat nearby, for Toklat had come near the herd once more in his quest for blueberries.

The hunter wanted him. Toklat would make a fine trophy.

Toklat, being upwind, didn’t know the hunter was near. His sensitive nose didn’t pick up the man’s scent. So he busily gobbled his blueberries. Aluk was not aware of the hunter, either. As the herd moved away, the young caribou started to join them. He climbed the riverbank, and there was the hunter. He was aiming his rifle at Toklat.

Aluk panicked. Then he gave a short bawl and ran wildly, right into the hunter, knocking him over. There was a great confusion of arms, legs, and hoofs flying in all directions. Toklat saw at once what was happening. He ran with all his might to a safe distance.

Recovering, Aluk raced to his herd. All the hunter could do was stomp back to his camp. There would be no bear for him that year. For Aluk, the matter was both simple and complicated. At his mother’s side, he watched once more with wide eyes while the world went about its business.

He felt safe again, but – there was so much to learn!

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Maybe you know someone in your neighborhood who lives alone. Or perhaps it is someone who is sad. You can brighten their day by giving them a plate of special cookies made by you. Be sure to get permission from your parents to make the cookies or have them help you. Then you and a parent can deliver them.

Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies You Will Need:

• 1 tsp. salt • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened • ¾ cup white sugar • ¾ cup packed brown sugar • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

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• 1 tsp. baking soda

.com ock rst tte u h /S es ag Im

• 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 large eggs • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips • 1 cup chopped nuts, like walnuts

Directions 1.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15" x 10" jelly roll pan or a 9" x 13" cake pan.

2.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

3.

In a large-sized bowl, beat together butter, white and brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

4.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing into the butter and sugar mixture.

5.

Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

6.

Spread into the greased pan.

7.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan. Then cut into bars.

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by Gertrude Knabbe

Look forwards, backwards, up, down, and diagonally to find the following words in capital letters. After all the words are found, the letters remaining will spell something related to helping others.

ASSIST CARE COMPASSIONATE CONSIDERATE COOPERATION COUNSEL DON’T LITTER GOOD FRIEND HELP NEEDY HELPFUL KIND LISTEN LOVING

PEN PAL POSITIVE attitude REACH OUT RECYCLE RELIEVE RESCUER ROLE MODEL SERVE UNDERSTANDING USEFUL VOLUNTEER WORK together

U I H E T A R E D I S N O C

N R E A C H O U T R L H O O

D G L K R O W I S W A M M R

E O P I P L U L U F P L E H

R O N L S R O N T A N E V K

S D E T M T E V S I E V I R

T F E S L Y E S I E P E T O

A R D I K I I N C N L I I L

N I Y S I O T A U U G L S E

D E H S N S R T E S E E O M

I N E A D E V R E S E R P O

N D T E L C Y C E R T F E D

G E V O L U N T E E R H U E

C O O P E R A T I O N O W L

Answer:

by Steve E. Gordon

Find your way from Start to Finish.

by David Lindo

Find the letters described by the fraction given in each of the following statements. Print the letters you select, in the order provided, into the boxes found below the puzzle. What did you get? Were you surprised?

What is the name used to describe someone who helps others?

The first 2/5 of GOING The last 3/4 of PODS The last 1/2 of PAJAMA The middle 1/3 of STRICT The middle 1/5 of CONSTABLES The first 1/6 of NICELY

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©Liz Ball www.hiddenpicturepuzzles.com

bat match canoe band-aid hamburger pear crown peach flower pot 3 carrots bird candy pencil party hat eyeglasses worm tepee 4 hearts mushroom 2 envelopes

by Evelyn B. Christensen

Helping others can bring joy, not only to person being helped, but also to the helper. Being a secret helper can be the most fun of all. Try it, and see if you agree.

Fill in the squares so that each row, column, and 7-square section has the letters H-E-L-P-E-R-S (2 Es in each).

E

E P

L E R

E

P E

S P

H

L E

L E

R

H

E P

Need help with the Answers?

E

S S

H

E H

L

Page 30 13

by Cheryl Weibye Wilke • illustrated by Neal Levin There was trouble on the playground at Elm Street School. Something was missing. There was pushing, shouting, and squirming in line.

Mrs. Stoddard, the playground monitor, worked hard to keep peace. Much of the bad behavior, however, happened behind her back.

When she did see it, she even took a turn at shouting. It was getting so I got butterflies in my stomach each day before recess.

My best friend Katie scampered over to the monkey bars. She was nearly halfway across, when Wyatt flew from the other end, knocking her to the ground.

“Hey!” I shouted. “Wait your turn.”

“Turn . . . schmurn,” he said. He grinned and tore off for the slide while Katie stood up, brushing dirt from her hands.

“I’m going to tell Mrs. Stoddard,” I said.

“No! Don’t!” said Katie. “It won’t happen again. I just won’t go to recess anymore.”

But I’d rather play outside, I thought, before following Katie inside. A sparrow chirped as if in agreement. Skipping recess was not an option. Katie and I had to come up with a plan, and over two after-school triple-chocolate milkshakes, we did!

The next day on the playground, Katie and I rushed to the swings.

“Anamaya, will you please push me?

“Certainly,” I said.

“Thank you,” she answered.

We moved to the slide.

“Would you like to go down?”

I asked.

“Why, yes. After you.”

“Why, thank you,” I answered.

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From the slide, we ran to the teeter-totter, meeting at the same seat. “Oh, excuse me, Katie. Please take this one.” I skipped to the other side.

Katie and I continued to be polite to everyone on the playground throughout the week.

“Did you hear Grace say ‘thank you’ to Alex for helping her stop the merry-go-round?” I asked.

“Yes,” said Katie. “Did you hear Nathan say ‘excuse me’ to Julia for stepping on her foot?

I think our reminder plan is working. Our friends are beginning to find their good manners.”

“Manners . . . schmanners!” Wyatt had overheard. “Good manners are for the birds!”

Flapping his arms, he bolted backwards, knocking Mrs. Stoddard to the ground. She sat there like an octopus in a tangle of limbs. A circle of children gathered. Miguel reached out to help her.

“No,” said Wyatt. “Don’t.” Everyone stood still. “Let me,” he continued. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Stoddard. May I help you?”

She held her breath to the count of ten. Then she smiled. “Please. Thank you, Wyatt.”

He pulled her up as if he’d practiced for years. “You’re welcome,” he said.

Katie and I started to cheer. Wyatt, Mrs. Stoddard, and the children chimed in. This was the day the missing good manners were found! Hmmm . . . maybe they were there all along and just needed a little push.

Errr . . . I mean a helping hand!

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by Chris Sabatino

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A mountain of colorful backpacks surrounds brothers Jackson and Tristan Kelley.

Pencils, markers, rulers, and notebooks are nearby. But these things aren’t for the boys. They have their own. The brothers will give these school supplies to kids who don’t have any.

Jackson was 10 and Tristan was 8 when they decided to help kids in their area who didn’t have basic school supplies. Using their own money, they bought 25 new backpacks, crayons, pencils, and lunch bags. Neighbors, friends, and family got involved. The boys ended up with 170 filled backpacks. That was the start of the boys’ charity, Backpacks for New Beginnings. It’s called BP4NB for short.

Jackson and Tristan’s charity doesn’t just provide school supplies.

There are also food backpacks filled with applesauce, soup, and other items. These are for kids facing hunger. Then there are comfort backpacks stuffed with blankets, teddy bears, and hygiene products.

Children in homeless shelters might get these. BP4NB also gives away new clothes, hats, gloves, socks, toys, and other things to those in need.

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How can Jackson and Tristan afford to buy everything they give away? They ask people they know for donations and do fundraising activities. And they send letters to area businesses asking for their help. At first, asking for donations wasn’t always easy, but they kept at it. Their hard work paid off. Since beginning their charity in 2009, the brothers have donated over 10,000 backpacks to kids in need in the Greater Boston area!

BP4NB is a big operation. Even the boys’ little sister Violet is involved. Every summer, volunteers help out at a huge backpack stuffing event. Then the boys deliver the backpacks to organizations that help kids. Tristan and Jackson know that having school supplies like everyone else makes a big difference in an underprivileged child’s life. They see kids smile when they receive a backpack.

They get letters too. “Thank you,” one child writes. “I love the bag,” writes another.

“It definitely helps us understand how fortunate we are,” Jackson says.

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retold by Lillian A. Cringan • illustrated by Chris Sabatino A beggar was plodding along a road one day when he saw a farmhouse. He approached the door, tapped, and waited for someone to respond.

“What do you want?” inquired the housewife.

“I’m sorry to trouble you,” began the beggar, “but I haven’t eaten in two days!”

“I don’t give food to beggars,” replied the housewife. “If you want to work to earn a meal, I might find a job for you.”

“No, no, you don’t understand,” cried the beggar. From his pocket, he pulled out an ordinary stone. “Look, I have a stone. Now, if I might use one of your pots and some water, I will make a pot of stone soup, which I will gladly share with you.”

“Stone soup?” questioned the astonished woman. “In all my days, I’ve never heard of stone soup.”

“Ah, then you have missed a delicious meal,” the beggar replied.

The wary housewife eyed him with suspicion. What was this rascal up to? Was there such a thing as stone soup, or was she being tricked? However, the soup would provide the evening meal. After sorting out her thoughts, she opened the door.

“Well, all right. Step in and I’ll fetch some water.”

The beggar went directly into the kitchen and built a fire in the stove. When the woman came back from the well with a large pot of water, he plopped his stone into it. He then began to stir with a large wooden spoon.

A few minutes passed, and the woman asked, “Don’t you add a few spices to your soup?”

“I never do,” the beggar replied, “but some people like to. Please free to add some.”

“Oh, yes, I will,” replied the woman. “The soup will taste terribly flat without them.” She reached into the cupboard and brought out herbs and spices, which she added to the water.

The beggar continued his stirring for a time. “You know, some folks add an onion to their soup. I never do, but they say it’s quite delicious.”

The housewife answered quickly, “I just happen to have an onion. I’ll chop it up and put it in.” She peeled the onion then cut it into small pieces. She dropped these into the pot, and the beggar resumed his stirring.

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“I’ve even heard tell of carrots being added to stone soup,” said the beggar with a look of amazement. “I’ve never done it, but it would add nourishment to the soup.”

The woman nodded and replied, “I have a few carrots that need to be used.

Such a good idea!” She proceeded to scrub and chop the carrots, and into the pot they went.

The beggar was busy stirring when he suddenly remembered something.

“I once had stone soup with peas in it. They looked very nice with the carrots.”

“I have peas,” said the woman. “I’ll add them to the soup.” A few moments later, she returned with the peas, some green beans, and parsley.

The stirring continued until the beggar announced that the soup was ready. The housewife set two bowls on the kitchen table and ladled out the steaming soup. “So, this is stone soup?” she murmured between mouthfuls.

“It is quite delicious.” The beggar nodded in agreement as he reached for a second serving.

The two continued eating until the pot was empty. Then the beggar picked up his stone and started for the door.

“Thank you for sharing your stone soup with me,” said the woman.

“My pleasure, indeed!” replied the beggar.

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Making the World a Better Place

by Wendy Hobday Haugh

Working dogs come in all shapes and sizes. Sled dogs, sheep dogs, seeing-eye dogs, and police dogs all help people in important ways. But who would ever dream that a cartoon dog could be a working dog too? Artist Samantha (Sam) McCullough, that’s who!

“Ever since I was eight years old, I’ve wanted to spend my life helping others,” says Sam, now an adult.

A world traveler, Sam has lived in more than 50 homes in a dozen different countries. Growing up, her family moved constantly. Once they even lived on a boat! Sometimes they were well-off, but more often, they were poor. Seeing people all around her struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies made Sam even more determined to grow up and do something to fight poverty.

In college, she studied hard to become a medical doctor. But in her third year of school, tragedy struck. First, her father died. Then six weeks later, her only sibling, a younger sister, died. Sam was devastated. One night, she pulled out a box of art pastels and a big pad of drawing paper.

“I drew all night long, venting my emotions,” Sam recalls. “By morning, I’d filled every page!

That’s when I knew, deep down, I was meant to become an artist.”

A few years later, Sam created a bright-eyed, fun-loving, comical little dog named “Stinky.”

When she displayed her Stinky drawings at an outdoor market, every one of them sold. She was bombarded with requests for more Stinky artwork!

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Although thrilled, Sam’s heart was still set on helping struggling people. As an artist, she wondered how she could possibly fulfill her dream.

Suddenly, Sam had an idea. “At church, I’d learned about Samaritan’s Purse. It’s an organization that fights poverty around the world by providing food, shelter, clean drinking water, school and medical supplies, and even livestock and farming tools to people in need. I realized that by donating a portion of my Stinky sales to this wonderful organization, I could help people all over the world.”

Today, Sam still paints up a storm, sells her artwork, and makes the world a better place. “Stinky doesn’t breathe or bark,” Sam admits, grinning. “But he’s definitely a working dog.”

What is Sam’s advice to others?

“Believe in your dreams! No matter who you are or where you live, you can make a difference in the world. And the wonderful thing about giving,” Sam adds, “is that the more you give to others, the more you want to give.”

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Your cat will like helping you with this great science experiment. If you don’t have a cat, find a friend who does.

Cat Hands Cats have arms and legs just like us, but we usually just say cats have four feet. Of course, we call their feet and hands “paws.”

You are either right-handed or left-handed.

(Though a few people can use both hands equally well!) Many times, your cat will reach with its front feet. Some scientists think cats prefer one paw over another. Other scientists think cats use both front paws equally. This experiment will help you decide what YOU think!

You Will Need: • a small empty plastic bottle with an opening that your cat can just reach one paw through • a small amount of your cat’s favorite food • a spoon This experiment works best when it’s kitty’s dinnertime! Put a tiny bit of your cat’s favorite food in the bottle. Set the bottle down on its side in front of your cat, with the opening toward your cat’s nose. If your cat is hungry, it will race to the bottle and sniff the food. Naturally, it will want to remove the food from the bottle and eat it. Your cat will figure out how to reach into the bottle with one of its front paws.

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Which Paw Does It Use? Do this experiment over and over (this is the reason you use only a little bit of food each time), and keep track of which paw your cat uses. Does it use its right paw more? This would make it right-pawed. If it uses its left paw more, it’s left-pawed. Does it use different paws at different times?

No matter what the answer is, your cat will love doing this experiment as many times as it takes for you and your friend to decide!

Military people do much more than protect our country. They also help during natural disasters, rescue people, and deliver food and medicine to poor countries.

Here is a line of marching soldiers. Use science to make these cartoon soldiers obey your order to ABOUT FACE. They will immediately begin marching the other way!

What You Need: • this magazine • a tall clear drinking glass • a pitcher of water

What You Do: 1. Set the bottom edge of this magazine on a table, opened, so you can see the line of soldiers.

2. Place the drinking glass on the table in front of the soldiers so you can see some of the soldiers through the glass. You will see that all the soldiers are facing the same direction.

3. Pick up the pitcher of water and say, “ABOUT FACE!” while filling the glass with water. Instantly, all the soldiers you can see through the water-filled glass will be facing backward.

The other soldiers will still be facing forward. To make them face backward, just slide the waterfilled glass in front of them. By sliding the glass back and forth, you can make any of the soldiers face backward!

The Science Secret The water glass becomes a lens when you fill it with water. When rays of light pass through a lens, the rays bend. The curve of the drinking glass bends the light rays (coming from the picture of the soldiers) so much, they cross over. This means when you see the light rays from the other side of the glass, the pictures of the soldiers will be backward.

YOUR eyes have lenses too. But your eyes’ lenses work differently. They turn things UPSIDE-DOWN! Of course, you don’t see things upside-down. That is because your brain turns things right-side up!

The way your eyes and brain work together is amazing!

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“What in tarnation is that on your head?” Cowboy Clark asked Larry, who showed up looking like he was wearing a lampshade.

“It’s a cone. My two-legger said it’s to keep me from licking the wound on my back leg.” Larry turned around to show Cowboy Clark the cut on his leg.

“How’d you get hurt?” Cowboy Clark asked.

“Yesterday, after we left the park, Mrs. Whiskers came by my house to ask if I’d help boost her up onto the roof of the school. It’s too high for her to jump.”

Cowboy Clark scratched his ear. “Why in blazes did she want to get on the roof?”

When Larry looked away, Cowboy Clark could tell something was up. “Larry?!?!”

“She wanted a better view of the playground.” Larry pouted. “Unfortunately, when she bounced off my back to launch onto the roof, she was heavier than I expected, and I ended up falling. I scratched my leg on a stick that had sharp points on it.”

Still thinking Larry was hiding something, Cowboy Clark asked, “Why’d she need a better view of the playground, Larry?”

“I don’t know.” Larry looked away again.

“I think you do, but you’re keeping her secret. It hurts me to see that you’re being a good friend, and Mrs. Whiskers was only thinking about herself. Look where it got ya!”

“I was just trying to help out a friend,” Larry said, bowing his head.

“Now you have to walk around with that stupid thing on your head until your wound heals.”

“Yeah, but it’s a good ball and treat catcher. At least nothing falls on the ground anymore!” Larry said.

Cowboy Clark smiled. “I like how you always look at the bright side of things, partner!”

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Hey, Kids!

Send us your stories, poems, drawings, photos, and jokes & riddles for publication.

EMAIL TO: kidscorner@funforkidz.com

OR MAIL TO: Kids Corner, PO Box 227 Bluffton, OH 45817-0227

by Dante, age 12

Hunter helps his neighbors by mowing their lawn.

by Parker Edwards, age 9

Ivan helps his family gather leaves.

Phoebe cleans up all the dishes after she is finished cooking.

These three Fun For Kidz readers are being helpful. Tell us how YOU help out! Send in a list of things you do and a photo of you doing one of them. You’ll get a prize in the mail with your next issue! Write to Ziggy and let him know what you do too.

ATTENTION READERS!

Write to Ziggy, the Fun For Kidz dog. If you write to Ziggy, he will write back to you! Send letters to: Fun For Kidz, Attn. Ziggy PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227

Dear Ziggy, I’m looking forward to your winter issue. I sent in what my favorite winter activities were. I’ll try to send in a picture too. Winter is my favorite season.

Samuel Deitering Ironton, OH

Dear Ziggy, Hi! My name is Frances Ames. I have brown hair and brown eyes. I am 11 years old, and my birthday is in March. I have one brother, Xander. He is 9. We both love Fun For Kidz and read it all the way through. Keep up the excellent work!

Your fan, Frances Ames Green Bay, WI

Dear Ziggy, If I were a bird, I’d be an eagle because they fly up so high and can see everything when they fly. Do you like being a dog? I think it would be fun. You have a good magazine for kids.

Bye for now, Aiden Debusi Providence, RI

Dear Ziggy, I am 9 and in 4th grade. My favorite things are animals and sports. Yesterday at the YMCA, I ran two miles without stopping. My first time ever!

Your friend, Nicholas Nettles Amboy WA

Dear Ziggy, I am 12 years old and have brown hair and hazel eyes. I am a goalie on my soccer team. Sometimes it’s hard to stop a goal, but I mostly can. I have played soccer since I was 7, and I love it.

My favorite food is Chinese food. My favorite subject in school is all of them! Can you tell I like school?

Well, gotta go!

Your friend, Melissa Gaithers Elk Grove, CA

Hi Ziggy, I am 10. I like to draw, write, and read. I take my dog Trisha out for walks every morning and every night.

She sniffs everything! Sometimes my best friend Sara comes with us with her dog Brownie. They live next door.

Do you think you’ll do a dog issue soon? As you can tell, I love dogs!

Have a great day, Dayna Nettles Amboy, WA

Dear Ziggy, Please tell your editor that Fun For Kidz is my favorite magazine. I especially like the cartoons and the science. Cowboy Clark & Larry is my sister’s favorite because they are funny and best friends.

Your fan, Justina DiMartino Norfolk, VA

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Mystery Puzzle Picture on page 13

Love Maze on page 12

by E.C. Ball

Helping Others on page 12 U I H E T A R E D I S N O C

N R E A C H O U T R L H O O

D G L K R O W I S W A M M R

E O P I P L U L U F P L E H

R O N L S R O N T A N E V K

S D E T M T E V S I E V I R

T F E S L Y E S I E P E T O

A R D I K I I N C N L I I L

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D E H S N S R T E S E E O M

I N E A D E V R E S E R P O

N D T E L C Y C E R T F E D

Answer: I HELP MY SISTER WITH HOMEWORK.

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Fraction-nition on page 12 GOOD SAMARITAN

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Photo Credits: Images courtesy of Samantha McCullough 24-25.

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V i s i t U s O n l i n e ! F a c e b o o k . c o m / F u n F o r K i d z • w w w. F u n F o r K i d z . c o m Vol. 20 No. 6 • NOV/DEC 2021 Publisher: Thomas M. Edwards Editor: Marilyn Edwards Associate Editor: Diane Winebar Graphic Design: Gaurakisora Tucker Marketing Director: Jonathan Edwards Circulation Manager: Mark Studer Science Editor: Larry White Science Illustrator: Alan Wassilak Cowboy Clark & Larry Editor: Lisa Rehfuss Cover Artist: Geoff Hassing

FUN FOR KIDZ (ISSN 1536-898X) is published bi-monthly by the Bluffton News Publishing and Printing Company, P.O. Box 227, 190 Sunset Dr., Bluffton, OH 45817.

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FUN FOR KIDZ, INC. accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any Replacement Issues: We will replace one damaged or lost-ininjuries arising out of the use or misuse of ideas, materials, and the-mail issue per year. Your request must be made within 45 activities featured in its publications or products. days of the specific issue’s date: January 1, March 1, May 1, July Copyright © 2021 by the Bluffton News Publishing and Printing 1, September 1, or November 1.

Co. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. FUN Attention Readers: Send in your letters, short stories, FOR KIDZ™, and the FUN FOR KIDZ logo™, are trademarks of FUN poems, jokes & riddles, and drawings for publication. Send to: Kids Corner, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817.

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