Hoopla Issue 2: SECRETS AND SPIES

ISSN 3 049-52 96

Nature trail Crack a secret code

Make a mask

esome kids w a r o f e n i The happy magaz

S T E R SEC

nd SPIES!

HOOPLAMAG.COM issue 2

Secret ingredients!

Welcome to This month, we’re tiptoeing into the world of secrets, spies and codes!

Design a fantastic face mask to hide your identity, make your own cipher wheel, cook treats with hidden messages inside and solve some safe-cracking puzzles.

Head outside to look for nature clues as you make a beautiful wristband, plus there are riddles, jokes and a colouring page to enjoy.

Have fun!

Tara

Meet the Hoopla gang!

Tell us what you think of Hoopla! Email us at hello@hooplamag.com

Jem

Whirl

Callie

Tanj

Get in touch hello@hooplamag.com hooplamag.com facebook.com/hooplamag instagram.com/hooplamag x.com/@hooplamag

!

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Activities should be done under close adult supervision and are done at your own risk.

Launchpad Publishing Ltd cannot accept liability for damage done.

is made by: Editor-in-Chief: Jenny Inglis Editor: Tara Pardo Illustrator: Clive Goodyer Designer: Rachael Fisher Creative consultant: Tammy Osborne Page 28-31 © Storytime Magazine Ltd, 2024.

All rights reserved. Illustrator Daniela Martin Del Campo.

Unit 7, Global Business Park, 14 Wilkinson Road, Cirencester, GL7 1YZ Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company using only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers www.magprint.co.uk

© 2024 Launchpad Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents of HOOPLA without written permission is prohibited. Illustrations: © 2024 Clive Goodyer

CONTENTS 4 6 8 10 14

GOOD NEWS

A spacesuit that turns wee into drinking water, GPS art and more!

ART PROJECT

Draw, colour, cut and stick to create a magnificent mask!

OUTDOORS

Look for clues in nature and make an awesome wristband.

FOOD

Cook fortune cookies, the treat with a secret message inside!

THINK ABOUT...

We’re pondering the meaning of secrets and privacy.

18

AWESOME ANIMALS

20

COLOURING & SNAP HAPPY

22

Let’s track down some facts about secretive foxes.

A fun page to colour, plus see a caterpillar’s unusual camouflage!

DISCOVERY

Create your own cipher wheel to write messages in a secret code.

24

PUZZLES & RIDDLES

26

YOUR JOURNAL

28

Complete the quests to find out what lies inside the safe.

Write and draw about your thoughts and feelings.

STORY

Read a tale from the ancient Aztecs about delicious corn!

32

LETTERS & COMPETITION

33

QUIZ

34

ANSWERS

Share what you’ve been up to and find out how to win a prize.

Take a super close-up look with our fun photo quiz!

Find all the answers to our quizzes, puzzles and riddles.

Good NEWS ve set a record Two French cyclists ha awing by bicycle. dr S P G t es rg la e th r fo

Satellite art!

Guillaume Koudlansky de ond Lustrac and Vincent Brém les), cycled 2,196 km (1,354 mi drawing the Olympic rings ar’s logo, to celebrate this ye Olympic Games in Paris.

GPS (Global Positioning find System) uses satellites to exactly where you are on can Earth. As you move, you e on record your route as a lin a map, creating a picture! k.com

© Shutterstoc

Melon

Do you have a hobby? lebrating An art exhibition is ce s! the UK’s love of hobbie

People studying the whales now think they do this as a way of communicating with other belugas. They noticed that they make most of the shapes when other whales are looking at them.

Ba l

The bulge of fat on their heads is known as their melon. They use muscles and tissues to push the melon forward, lift it straight up like a hat or flatten it down against their skull. They can even jiggle it like jelly!

Come As You Really Are is at Artangel in London until October 20th and will then tour the country.

ry

Beluga whales can change the shape of their heads!

Work by Hetain includes a Spiderman suit he crafted over months and a rug-covered Ford Escort tufted by hand in the pattern of his grandmother’s living room carpet.

Th ier

Whale talk!

©

Let’s play!

Artist Hetain Patel asked people to share their hobbies and had thousands of responses. The exhibition has over 14,000 items that people have created or collected, including quilts, soap carvings, figures, models and costumes.

THIRSTY WORK

Cheers!

Scientists have developed a new spacesuit that can turn wee into clean drinking water!

©

Sh

utt ers t

oc k.c om

During spacewalks and expeditions, astronauts currently have to wear the equivalent of a nappy!

The new device collects and filters the wee, making it drinkable in just five minutes.

It should be ready in time for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which plans to land astronauts on the Moon in 2026.

pl n et e h t r o F E WS

Good N

From S mBentley @s mbentley

City beavers!

Trawler ban

Beavers have been reintroduced to London rivers.

Sweden has banned bottom trawler fishing in its coastal waters to protect marine life.

The project is part of a national drive to restore these important animals across the country. They lived all over England until around the 16th century, but were hunted to extinction for their meat and warm fur.

Beavers are really important additions to an ecosystem. The dams they build create pools which are a great habitat for young fish and also help insects, which are an important food source for many animals. The dams can also help prevent flooding during heavy rain! © Shutterstock.com

Trawler fishing scrapes huge nets across the sea floor, allowing fishing crews to catch a lot of fish very quickly.

Unfortunately, it also destroys seafloor habitats, disturbing plants, fish and shellfish, and making it hard for their numbers © Shutterstock to recover.

A trawler net This new law should encourage fishing boats to use smaller nets or fishing lines to avoid catching unwanted fish and reduce harm to ocean habitats!

HOOPLAMAG.com 5

Get cre tive!

Eye mask Make a mysterious mask that’s perfect for fancy dress parties!

You will need • One A4 sheet of card and one sheet of paper

• Pencil • Black felt-tip pen • Coloured pencils or pens • Scissors • Glue • Elastic or a paper straw or

a bamboo or wooden stick

1 © Wikipedia Commons

Draw a mask shape onto card, with holes for the eyes and a ridge for the nose. (You could cut out or trace over the example, right.) Cut it out with scissors. You may need an adult to help with the eye holes.

6 HOOPLAMAG.com

2

3

Ask a grown-up to take a photo and send it to us at hello@hooplamag.com

Using a pencil, design simple decorations on a piece of paper.

You could draw leaves and plants, animals, everyday objects, hands, eyes, or whatever you like. Have fun making your illustrations wacky and inventive!

Once you are happy with your designs, use a black felt-tip pen to go over the lines and add details, then colour with felt tips or coloured pencils.

4

5

Cut out your illustrations.

You could leave a few millimetres of paper around your drawings so you don’t lose any details.

Lay out your illustrations and then start arranging them on your mask. They could overlap the edges to create interesting shapes.

6

When you are happy with how it looks, carefully glue on your illustrations. Allow the glue to dry and your mask is finished!

Tape a long stick to one side so you can hold your mask in front of your eyes, or add elastic to hold it on your head.

HOOPLAMAG.com 7

N a t u re t ra i l

Great outdoors Be a nature investigator and make a cool wristband along the way!

Go on a walk in the countryside, at a local park or nature reserve, or even in your own garden. Just like a detective, use all your senses to observe what’s around you. Notice colours, textures, shapes, smells and sounds. Look out for some interesting items to collect and make a nature wristband.

You will need

• A sheet of card pler • Sticky tape or sta y tape • Double-sided stickve

Note: If you don’t ha double-sided sticky tape, you could use duct tape , wrapped around your wrist sticky side out.

MORE IDEAS Take a detective notebook with you and write down or sketch any interesting things you see.

You could also ask an adult to take a photo.

Once you have finished your walk, do some more detective work! Look in a book or online (with an adult) to find out the names of the things you collected or photographed and some facts about them.

1 2 3

Cut a strip of card about 4 cm wide and long enough to wrap around your wrist. Secure it with sticky tape or staples.

Apply double-sided tape to your wristband. It’s good to apply two strips if you can.

Go for a walk in nature or explore your garden and see what items you can find to stick onto your wristband.

Look at our list for ideas.

You could co llect…

WILDLIFE SECRETS While you’re collecting items for your wristband, don’t forget to look out for other nature clues! You might see animal or bird footprints, holes dug by animals, spider webs, insects hiding under leaves, bird nests, mole hills, slug or snail trails or animal droppings! You might hear birds singing or animals calling.

If you’re super lucky, you might even see some animals. Look out for birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, mice, frogs, toads, insects, spiders, and cats and dogs.

Mallard duc k

Squirrel

Something g

reen

Something sm

ooth

Something ro

Something sc

ugh

ented

Front

Something tw

isted

Something h airy (like a seed p od or catkin ) A flower A tickly feath er Spongy moss

Wo o d pigeon

A seed

A petal A twig

Fox

Hind

B ad ge r

Tick off any that you find!

Hind

Front

Rabbit

Front

Tip:

You could draw pictures, write a story or poem about your walk, or if you have collected extra items, make a collage or scrapbook.

Try to collect things that have fallen onto the ground, rather than picking them. Only take small items and don’t take more than you need, so you’re not disturbing the environment too much.

Hind

Fallow deer

Wo o d m o us e

Front

Hind

HOOPLAMAG.com 9

FORTUNE COOKIES

NO M

NO M !

de Bake some sweet treats and hi a message inside!

You will need • 100 g plain flour • 100 g caster sugar • 2 tsp cornflour • 2 egg whites • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp almond extract (optional)

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil • 2 tsp cold water

!

• Sieve • Whisk (an electric hand whisk works best)

• Baking tray • Baking parchment or silicon baking sheet

• Cup • Muffin tin

ADULT HELP NEEDED

1

Line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking sheet. Now write your messages to put inside your fortune cookies.

n or e of ten a fun predictio ar s ge sa es m ie ok co Fortune e, even n be whatever you lik ca ey th t bu , se ra ph a wise own. e ideas or write your es th of e on de clu In ! a joke Your future’s so bright, you’d better wear sunglasses!

ke a y to ma a w t s e ne.

The b to be o is d n ie r f

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single ste p. u from A to B. Logic will get yo re. ke you everywhe ta ill w n io at in Imag (1879-1955) Albert Einstein

10 HOOPLAMAG.com

What is a fortune cookie’s favourite exercise? Crunches!

2

Mix together the flour, cornflour and sugar. In a separate bowl, put the egg whites, vanilla extract, almond extract, oil and water and whisk until frothy.

4

3

Put a tablespoon of the mixture onto the baking sheet. Use the back of a metal spoon to swirl the mixture out into a circle about 8 cm wide.

Repeat so that you have two cookies with a little space between them.

Sift the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture and whisk to a smooth batter. Chill the mixture for one hour. Preheat the oven to 180 oC/ 160 oC fan/gas mark 4 while you’re waiting.

5

Bake for 5-10 mins until they just start to turn golden. The cookies will need to be shaped while they are still hot. Ask an adult to remove them from the baking sheet and place a fortune into the middle of each cookie. Ask your adult to fold the circle in half and pinch the edges together to seal the fortune inside.

Count the cookies!

How many fortune cookies are there?

Check your answer on page 34.

Answer

We’d love to see a photo of your fortune cookies! Send it to hello@hooplamag.com

6

Quickly put the cookies on the rim of a cup with the joins facing up and gently pull the two corners down. Hold in place for 10 seconds, then put the cookies into muffin tins while they cool – this will help them to hold their shape.

7

Repeat with the rest of the cookie mixture.

...tips from TV chefs

cks of the trade up their tri or s ipe rec ret sec ve ha efs All ch me famous chefs! sleeves. Here are a few from so

Paul Holl y wood The judge of TV cooking competition The Great British Bake Off has a ‘handy’ tip for when you’re kneading bread dough.

Instead of flour on the work surface, use oil and then the dough won’t stick to your hands!

Gordon Ramsa y The world-famous chef has this kitchen secret to give away – if you want to know if a pineapple is ripe, check the leaves at the top. If they pull out really easily, then it’s ripe!

Ra y mond Blanc The renowned French chef has a tip that could save you some tears while chopping onions. Chop the onions near hot running water – the steam dissolves the chemical vapours that irritate your eyes and nose.

Nadi y a Hussain The TV chef and previous winner of The Great British Bake Off has a tip to soften hard butter from the fridge. Ask an adult to boil some water and pour it into a drinking glass, then pour out the water and place the glass over the butter. The heat from the glass will gently soften the butter.

Jamie Oliver The chef and food campaigner has this tip to keep your chopping board from moving while chopping. Fold a tea towel to the size of your board, then pour half a glass of water on it. Place the chopping board on top and it will be as steady as a rock!

Shutterstock.com

Secret ingredients to try at home Surprise your friends and family with these delicious flavour combinations!

Secret stuffing

nion stuffing o d n a e g a s Dried asty s an extra-t a d e s u e b n ca eadcrumbs r b o t e iv t a altern fish g homemade in k a m n e h w n nuggets. e k ic h c r o s r finge

Spice it up!

Mixed spice isn’t just for ginger biscuits – it’s delicious sprinkled on your porridge in the morning!

It sweetens things up without adding sugar.

Berry boost

Balsamic vinegar can be used in the most unlikely places! Drizzle so me over berries and ice cr eam or add a splash when yo u’re making chocolate brownie s.

W h at d o y o u say to a slo w chef ?

Chop chop!

Melt dark chocolate into chilli con carne or spaghetti bolognese to give it more depth and richness.

Lovely lemon!

A squeeze of lemon will help to stop fruits and vegetables from going brown – and it enhances the flavour too!

chef s o d H ow o k in g o c r i th e ? ta k e ti o n s c u r t ins p in c h a h t Wi lt! of s a

Soy sauce and a little balsamic vinegar is a great combination to use on a salad. Try it with tomato and onion.

W h at d o you c all someb o dy e l s e ’s cheese?

N ac h o cheese!

HOOPLAMAG.com 13

P O T About

k n i h T

S E CR ET

Secrets can be fun, like wrapping a present so no one can see inside or planning a surprise party!

But other secrets might make you feel unsure.

Let’s think about secrets…

How do we know if something is a secret?

Is it because it’s hidden and hasn’t been revealed?

Or is it because only a certain number of people know?

These words might help you think about secrets.

Not known Hidden In darkness Closed Private

Known Revealed In the light Open Public

Is there a simple answer, or are there blurry parts in the middle?

Knowing yourself Let’s start

your thoughts. with YOU! Draw or write

What is it that people generally know about you?

14 HOOPLAMAG.com

What is it that people generally don’t know about you?

Are the things that people don’t know about you all secrets just because you haven’t told them?

What do you think?

What are secrets about?

Tick any pictures that help to explain what you think secrets are about.

Secret ingredien t

Secrecy or privacy?

We don’t tell everyone everything all the time! We choose to reveal certain things about ourselves to different people, often without even thinking about it or purposely trying to keep something secret.

Colour quest!

Colour in the numbered sections using these colours to reveal the secret picture.

1

2

3

4

5

6

There are some conversations that we only have with our family and friends. This version of ourselves can be different to when we are at school, or with people that we aren’t so close to.

Perhaps the stuff we don’t reveal about ourselves is a choice we make about our privacy.

Privacy is about not sharing things about your life with everyone, just a chosen few.

Secrecy is about hiding information on purpose.

HOOPLAMAG.com 15

Keeping secrets FUN secret fact about you:

What if you could have a secret name?

My secret name would be:

This secret is not harmful or purposefully hidden – you just haven’t told people… and it’s YOUR secret.

However, what if a friend came up to you and asked, Can you keep a secret?

How would you feel? Tick how you might feel if you were asked to keep a secret…

Curious

Pleased your friend trusts you

Worried that you feel like you should tell a trusted adult

Maybe it depends on what the secret is or how many people know?

Other

Worried in case you can’t actually keep a secret

Wondering if you are the only other person who knows

Concerned you might have to lie to someone to keep the secret

Talk with a friend or family member and see what they think.

Would they feel the same way?

Do you agree or disagree – can you explain why you think and feel the way you do?

Can we keep secrets from ourselves? Circle the one you

SURPRISE!

think and give a reason.

Yes

No

Maybe

Because…

Some secrets can be fun, like sending a secret message using invisible ink or writing in code, but some secrets could be unsafe and you might feel it is something an adult should know.

Always remember to talk to an adult that you trust if you are unsure, as sometimes there are secrets you should share with others.

Aristotle, who was an ancient Greek philosopher, said...

Look back and reflect Now we’ve thought a lot more about it, what do you think a secret is and what are your final thoughts about them?

Share or not share? Fun or not fun?

Safe or not safe?

…perhaps our biggest secret or mystery that we need to discover is ourselves!

HOOPLAMAG.com 17

ecretive S S L A M foxes ANI e m o s Awe

Cunning Mr Fox! Foxes have a reputation for being cunning – just think of the way Fantastic Mr Fox outwits the farmers in Roald Dahl’s story.

Foxes are certainly smart animals, able to solve problems and survive in all sorts of tough places.

A group of foxes is known as a skulk!

Maybe it’s because they’re good at skulking in the undergrowth.

ar you coming, With their big ears to he esome sense of excellent eyesight and aw ox a fox! smell, you just can’t outf

In the family...

Foxes are mammals known as canines, which means they are closely related to dogs, wolves and jackals. Most foxes live alone or in small family groups.

Baby foxes are called cubs, pups or kits

City living Foxes can often be spotted in city streets, parks and gardens. They are amazing scavengers and thrive on food thrown away by humans.

18 HOOPLAMAG.com

All photos © Shutterstock

Baby names!

Match the names for baby animals to their adults. Draw a line to connect them and check your answers on page 34.

Why do foxes chase rabbits?

They like fast food!

BABY ANIMALS

ADULT ANIMALS

Joey

Horse

Cub

Pig

Gosling

Cow

Foal

Bear

Calf

Kangaroo

Kitten

Platypus

Piglet

Cat

Platypup

Goose

Foxes’ big ears help them pick up the tiniest of sounds – they can hear a mouse squeaking from 100 metres away!

On the menu Foxes aren’t fussy eaters! They hunt rabbits, rodents, birds, eggs, reptiles, frogs and earthworms, as well as eating carrion (already dead animals). They will also eat some plants, fruits and berries.

Colouring calm!

Pens, pencils or crayons at the ready! Colour in this picture of a peaceful secret hideaway!

20 HOOPLAMAG.com

P A N S Y P P HA

Hiding in plain sight!

© Shutterstock.com

One day this caterpillar will become a beautiful swallowtail butterfly with huge black and yellow wings.

This juicy caterpillar would make a tasty meal for hungry predators. But it has developed a clever way of hiding – it looks just like a bird poo! Its black, brown and white markings are a type of camouflage called ‘masquerade’, which is when animals look like inedible objects like twigs, stones or bird droppings.

HOOPLAMAG.com 21

Discovery

DEN

Create a cipher wheel and write your own secret messages.

1 3

SECRcEoTde

s

People have been trying to keep messages secret for centuries. Julius Caesar, the ancient Roman emperor, is believed to have encrypted (put into secret code) messages over 2,000 years ago! Since then, encryption has kept government secrets, hidden military plans and kept our information secure online.

On your cardboard, draw around two circles, with about 3 cm difference in diameter (e.g. 15 cm and 12 cm).

On the bigger circle, write the letters A-Z in order, followed by four punctuation marks (, . ! ?).

You will need

• Stiff card • Scissors • Drawing pin • Split pin • Protractor e, e.g.

• Two circles toatrac bowl •

2

Use the protractor to carefully mark 30 sections on both circles, each 12° apart.

4 22 HOOPLAMAG.com

a saucer and Pen and paper

On the smaller circle, write the same characters in a random order.

5

Cut out your circles. Push a drawing pin through the centre of each circle to make a hole.

6 8

7

Fix the small wheel on top of the large wheel with the split pin.

Write a message on your paper.

9

Find your second letter on the outer wheel and write down its encoded letter. Keep repeating the process to encode your whole message.

Choose a secret letter key for your code, e.g. letter A. Line up this letter on each wheel.

Find the first letter of your message on the outer wheel, then write down its encoded letter from the inner wheel.

10

Why did the spy take a shower?

Because she wanted to make a clean getaway!

If you give an accomplice your secret letter key (e.g. A), they can decode your message by lining up both As, then finding each letter of your coded message on the inner wheel and writing down the letter next to it from the outer wheel.

! e l z z u p n e p g i P Like this!

The letter E =

You’ll be snorting at this joke!

Decode the secret message to reveal the answer to the joke. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a symbol from the pig pen grid that surrounds it...

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

The letter W =

J. K . .L M. N . .O . . .

P Q R

S T

U V

W . .

X . .Y Z

How do pigs write secret messages?

– – – –

– – – – – – – – –

Ha Ha!

– – – –

!

HOOPLAMAG.com 23

Crack the safe!

s to open the safe Can you use the clue hidden inside?! and discover what’s k your answers. ec ch to 34 ge pa to Turn

Code quest The safe has a combination lock and a key. To open the safe, complete the combination and then find the correct key.

Fill in the spaces.

2

8

The key that opens the safe is the only one without a matching pair. Circle it if you find it!

1

Key search W h at a nim a l ca op e n a n ny lock?

A mon -key!

A

C

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F

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Agent Camera Code Detect Evidence

File Fingerprint Footprint Hidden Investigate

Riddles!

1) How do

you make th e number one disappear?

Notebook Peek Secret Snoop Spy

t u can yo d in s fin alway dle of id the m ere? nowh a 2) W h

What ’s hi d d e n inside?

Find the words listed below hidden in the grid. They might be written forwards, backwards, horizontally or vertically. Circle the words and then write down the leftover letters to reveal what is hidden in the safe.

Torch Track Undercover Write the leftover letters in the spaces.

3) Im a

you a gine r room e in a t filling hat is water with . you g How do et ou t?

HOOPLAMAG.com 25

BEING me My name is

My mood journal The date is

Here’s a drawing of something that’s my favourite colour!

ur because I love the colo because...

Orange is awesome!

Things that most people don’t know about me...

26 HOOPLAMAG.com

Today I:

Tick as many as you like!

did something creative spent time outside did my best helped someone

Take a look at the list and think about what you’d like to achieve tomorrow!

learnt something new mile today! s e m e d a m t a h Things t or m Write about the draw a pic ture .

HOOPLAMAG.com 27

Story corner

Myths and Legends

The gift of corn T

he Aztec people lived in what is now Mexico. According to their legends, the world had been destroyed and remade many times!

They say that after the Fourth World was drowned in a great flood, the gods remade it as the Fifth World. The new world was fertile and beautiful, with mountains and rivers and seas and animals of all kinds – but no people!

“This world needs humans who will worship us!” declared Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent-god. He decided to create them using the bones of the people who had lived before, in the Fourth World.

The only problem was that the bones were in Mictlan, the Aztec underworld! It was a dark and scary place – but Quetzalcoatl was brave and determined.

28 HOOPLAMAG.com

He summoned his dog-headed brother Xolotl, and they ventured into the underworld together.

The two gods explored that gloomy realm, and after many adventures they outwitted the Lord of Mictlan and managed to escape with a chest full of bones.

Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl were relieved when they reached the surface and could see the Sun again! The brothers went to the sacred place of Tamoanchan.

While the rest of the gods looked on, Quetzalcoatl used his powers to turn the bones he had found into living, breathing human beings!

The people he created went out into the world and found places to live. However, they were pale and weak, for they had only roots and berries to eat.

They asked the feathered god for help. “We are hungry!” they cried. “Please give us tasty and nutritious food so we can grow strong and build great cities!”

Quetzalcoatl looked everywhere for new food for them to eat.

He searched in the fields and the jungles but could not find the ideal ingredient. Then he saw a red ant crawling along the ground – and in its jaws was a golden kernel.

“Where did you get that?” asked Quetzalcoatl in amazement.

“Oh, I cannot tell you – it’s a secret!” said the red ant.

Quetzalcoatl was the god of the Sun, the wind and learning – and he was determined to get an answer!

“Don’t be like that!” he rumbled. “The humans that I have created need food, and that thing you are carrying looks very tasty. Tell me where I can get some more!”

“I’m sorry!” said the ant. “I didn’t know that the humans are hungry! This food is called ‘corn’. It comes from a plant that grows on a distant mountain called the Hill of Our Sustenance. I will take you there!”

Quetzalcoatl could take the form of any creature, and he transformed himself into a black ant. He followed the red insect through jungles and across rivers and hills until they reached a high mountain.

The two ants climbed all the way to the top, and there they found a beautiful garden. Beans and squashes and cocoa and tomatoes and peppers grew in plenty.

In the centre were tall plants with tasselled cobs and pointy flowers.

30 HOOPLAMAG.com

It was corn! Quetzalcoatl gathered many differentcoloured kernels from the plants before climbing back down the mountain.

When he returned to where the humans dwelled, they were so weak from hunger that they could hardly move!

Quetzalcoatl boiled some corn kernels to make a tasty porridge and fed it to the humans. This food was very nutritious, and the people soon regained their strength.

They were most grateful to the feathered god for saving them!

He gave them some of the kernels that he had gathered.

“Plant these in the earth!” he said. “Then you will never go hungry again!”

The people did as he told them, and soon corn plants sprouted in their fields. When cobs of corn grew, the humans took the kernels and ground them into flour.

The people used it to make dough. They shaped it into flatbreads and baked them over a fire. The humans called them ‘tortillas’, and they became their favourite food. Corn was soon planted all over the Americas, and the people prospered.

The Aztecs came up with many new recipes and delicious foods, but corn was always their most important crop. Whenever they enjoyed this tasty treat, they gave thanks to Quetzalcoatl for his wonderful gift!

Letters

Hi, I’m Tanj!

Write to me at hello@hooplamag.com

, Joseph, aged 7 art made splatter r wrapping pape e from issue 1. H d used a twig an o paintbrushes t splat the paint!

Emily enjoyed wild swimming with her family!

Nancy was excited to get star ted on her journal!

W i n!

When Annabelle and Harry’s pet dog Milly goes missing, they think the local pet thief has struck again.

The children become DNA detectives and go on an exciting adventure to try to solve the case.

When Annabelle and Harry’s pet dog Milly goes missing the children believe that the local pet thief has struck again. They have a list of suspects and evidence, but how can they identify the thief and get Milly back?

With their mum working as a DNA scientist from a laborator y in their garden, the children realise they can secretly use their mum’s laborator y to solve the crime.

Annabelle and Harry become “DNA Detective s” and, just like real-life forensic scientists , they go on an exciting adventure to try and solve the case.

Join them on their thrilling journey as they collect clues and learn about DNA – and see if they can find out the identity of the pet thief and bring their beloved Milly safely back home.

Email us a photo of your proudest makes or bakes, your artwork, a poem, story, a photo of yourself with your magazine or even a secret coded message to be in with a chance of winning To Catch A Thief, by Dr Mandy Hartley. iNSIGHT & PERSPECTIVE

The DNA Detectives_To

Catch A Thief_Cover.indd

iNSIGHT & PERSPECTIVE

02/04/2023 22:31

Send in your photo with ‘Secrets competition’ as the subject of your email to hello@hooplamag.com or post it to us at Hoopla magazine, Unit 7 Global Business Park, 14 Wilkinson Road, Cirencester GL7 1YZ. Don’t forget to include your name, age and address. Photos may appear in the magazine.

Deadline: October 6th 2024. The winner of our issue 1 competition will be announced next issue. iNSIGHT & PERSPECTIVE

32 HOOPLAMAG.com

1-3

Qu iz

Take a CLOSE look at these magnified photos!

1 What do you think this is?

4 What

could this be?

a) Owl feathers b) Wooden roof tiles c) Snake scales

a) A butterfly wing b) A parrot feather c) Silk fabric

2

Answer:

5

What are these?

What is this?

Answer:

a) Lemon seeds b) Pollen grains c) Flour granules a) A dog’s tongue b) Roof tiles c) Snake scales

3

Answer:

Answer:

Who does this feather belong to? a) A peacock b) A pigeon c) A robin

Answer:

6 Can you see what this is?!

a) It’s an iris (part of the eye) b) It’s a fingernail c) It’s cat fur

Answer:

Write your answers in the boxes and check them on page 34.

HOOPLAMAG.com 33

A ns we r s 2

Page 33 Quiz

1) Add a ‘g’ and it’s ‘gone’!

2) The letter ‘h’ – nowhere.

3) Stop imagining!

The safe code is 2398541, because the grid matches the keypad on the safe.

1 >

The picture is of a bird.

>3

7

5

6 >

4

1) a – b utterfly wings are covered in microscopic scales.

2) c – these tough scales help snakes to move around.

3) a – p eacock feathers have beautiful colours that seem to change as light is reflected at different angles.

4) b – also called shingles, these are a traditional roof covering.

5) b – the tiny spikes stick to insects to help the pollen move from plant to plant.

6) a – t he iris is a coloured ring of muscle around the pupil.

>

Page 15 Colour quest!

>

There are 30 fortune cookies in the picture.

Page 25 Riddles

8

9

>

cookies!

Page 24 Code quest

>

Page 11 Count the

Page 24 Key search

This is the key without a matching pair.

Page 19 Baby names!

These are the baby animal names matched to the adults.

BABY ANIMALS

ADULT ANIMALS

Joey

Horse

Cub

Pig

Gosling

Cow

Foal

Bear

Calf

Kangaroo

Kitten

Platypus

Piglet

Cat

A

C

H

F

O

O

T

P

R

I

N

T

Platypup

Goose

A

E

H

I

D

D

E

N

E

N

S

T

G

E

U

N

D

E

R

C

O

V

E

R

E

T

S

G

A

P

C

N

D

E

W

A

N O

T

E

B

O

O

K

I

S

A

C

T

R

C

R

H

O

D

A

S

T

R

K

C

C

S

P

Y

N

E

N

E

I

E

E

E

H

D

R

A

S

E

P

C

G

M

E

T

A

C

I

K

E

L

T

R

A

A

P

E

E

C

N

E

D

I

V

E

T

C

O

D

F

C

T

R

I

F

S

T

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P

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Page 23 Pig pen puzzle The answer to the joke ‘How do pigs write secret messages?’ is ‘With invisible oink!’

34 HOOPLAMAG.com

Page 25 What’s hidden inside?

The leftover letters in the grid spell: A cheese sandwich and a packet of crisps!

My friend swallowed a ball of wool! She had mittens!

Coming in next month’s

Discover the hidden secrets of the forest!

M ke m zing rt with utumn le ves

Cook up delicious pumpkin tre t!

Find out bout super squirrels!

Why can’t pigs be secre t ’ve been Finally, I agents? to th e d e t p e c c a lub...

They ’re S ecre t C ll you b o u n d to I can’t te ! squeal! te d I a m i c x e w o h

y Quirk s ble t o u Q

What kind of sho es do spies wear?

Sneakers!

Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.

© Wikimedia Commons

Pioneering scientist Marie Curie

Why do you need a pilot’s licence to be a secret agent?

Because you’ll often be in da skies!

s p ie s W h at d o dtime? d o at b e cover!

G o un de r

What did th e s c h o o l c a r e ta k e r s ay w h e n she jumpe d o ut o f th e c u p b o a r d?

Supplies!

Mindful mo ments Try saying these at the start of each day to help you find fun and happiness…

• The little things in life can bring the most joy.

• Today I will be kind to myself.

• A new day brings new possibilities.

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