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Love our comic? Check out Morning Praise with Kids Alive! on Salvationist Radio every Saturday and Monday at 7.30–8am and every Sunday at 9–9.30am
Go to salvationist.org.uk/radio to get your morning started with half an hour of music, prayer, a thought and lots of giggles
£4.33 a
Hey there, readers! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this issue of Kids Alive! If you would like to get your own copy of Kids Alive! delivered to your home every week, why not ask your parents or carers to take out a subscription* for you? Every week, Kids Alive! includes a cartoon Bible story, a competition, puzzles, jokes, comic strips and topical activities and articles for you to enjoy. Ask your parents or carers to go to sps-shop.com/kids-alive, call 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email subscriptions@satcol.org to set up a subscription.
*A subscription costs just £4.33 a month (or a one-off payment of £52). This subscription offer applies in the UK and Republic of Ireland, with 51 copies delivered over 12 months. Please note that different prices apply to Europe and international orders.
EDITOR Cara Mott
DEPUTY EDITOR AND KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jacob Adams
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Philippa Martin
PROOFREADER Chris Horne
CONTACT US
Phone Of!ce – 020 7367 4910
Territorial Headquarters Switchboard – 0845 634 0101
Email kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
Post 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ
FOUNDERS William and Catherine Booth
INTERNATIONAL LEADERS General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham
TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Julian Watchorn
Published weekly by The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. ISSN 1363-5662.
If you like reading, what does your favourite book look like? Is it a thick book with a hardcover and lots of words? Or maybe it’s a skinny, !oppy book with plenty of pictures. There are so many different books that are worth reading. In fact, around 2.2 million books are published every year around the world!
World Book Day is on Thursday (6 March) and this is the perfect day for celebrating reading books! The aim of World Book Day is that kids all around the world won’t just read books because they feel like they have to, but because they also really enjoy doing it. Reading a fab story can help to make you feel really happy, but it can also help you to do better in some of your lessons at school – so it’s de nitely worth getting stuck into books!
For World Book Day, you might be asked to dress up for school as your favourite character from a book. You also might be given a £1 token to spend on a book. There are lots of amazing £1 books that you could spend your token on this year. If you’re a football fan, you could get The Soccer Diaries: Rocky Takes the Lead by Tom Palmer. Or if you love playing with Lego, you could check out Lego: Our Amazing Universe! You can also use your £1 token to get money off any other book–so whatever you’re into, there’s a book for you!
To check out a list of books that have been released to celebrate World Book Day, head to worldbookday.com/books-and-tokens/books
Reading books is one of my favourite things to do! You might love reading books like me, but I know for some people reading books isn’t the easiest or the most fun thing to do. Thankfully there are so many different ways that you can enjoy stories. If reading books isn’t your thing, why not try listening to an audiobook or check out MC Grammar’s book raps on YouTube?
Some people fnd reading the Bible diffcult and not very fun too. However, just like other books there are so many different ways we can enjoy Bible stories. Check out Saddleback Kids on YouTube to watch some brilliant Bible videos. Or fick over to page fve of this week’s issue to discover a cartoon based on a super story from the Bible. However you choose to do it, I hope you spend some time this week reading, watching or listening to some brilliant Bible stories!
When I was 21 years old I was quite poorly. I couldn’t work and I couldn’t see my friends much. It was a dif !cult time. Now, many years later, my illness is much better, I have two kids and I’m working for Kids Alive! It didn’t seem like it when I was poorly, but the tough time didn’t last and things got better.
In this week’s Bible cartoon, Paul and Silas !nd themselves in one of the most dif !cult situations I can imagine – being in prison! They didn’t even deserve to be in prison, because all they’d been doing was following Jesus’ instructions.
It would have been easy for Paul and Silas to think that God had given up on them. However, despite being beaten and locked up, they prayed
Read the comment below about how God is always with us
by Cara Mott
all night and sang songs of praise to God. Paul and Silas had such a strong faith – they knew God was with them and looking after them.
Even when an earthquake hit, Paul and Silas remained calm, trusted God and didn’t escape. They knew God was in control and they were right! Because they didn’t escape, they were able to talk to the jailer about Jesus – the jailer and his family even started believing in God. What a turnaround!
All of us face situations that aren’t easy and sometimes it can feel as though God has forgotten about us. However, even when we’re in the most dif !cult situations, God is always with us. He was with Paul and Silas, he was with me and he’s with you too!
This prison wall has been damaged after an earthquake. Put the missing bricks into the right places to reveal a verse from the Bible that’s linked to this week’s cartoon. Clue – read Psalm 28:7!
Check out your Bible –Acts 16:16–40
Did you know the Bible isn’t one big book? It’s actually 66 books put together to tell one big story of God’s great love. Join us as we look at each Bible book and discover why God made the world, what went wrong and how in the end God saved the world through his son, Jesus.
When the Babylonians !rst invaded Jerusalem, they captured the best and the brightest of Judah’s nobles! This included a man called Daniel and three of his friends, who were sent to serve the king of Babylon –Nebuchadnezzar. Yet the king they really served with all of their hearts was God, even though following God sometimes put them in danger!
God made Daniel and his friends very powerful people in Babylonia. He even helped Daniel to understand dreams! Sometimes life would get very hard for Daniel and his friends, but God always looked after them. When Daniel’s friends were thrown into a !re, God saved them! When Daniel was thrown into a lions’ den, God protected him!
Daniel kept on being faithful to God and never stopped trusting in him. Through Daniel’s faith, even a couple of kings came to see how amazing God is!
KA! JAM is the coolest Bible activity club around. As a member you’ll go on amazing adventures through the Bible learning about Jesus. Each activity sheet is filled with lots of great stuff about being a Christian. You’ll also receive our mini-mag, Chatterbox which is filled with jokes, games and much more. And to top it off, there are loads of awesome prizes to be won!
To join KA! JAM and complete the Bible activity courses online, go to salvationist.org.uk/kajam.
Or if you would like to receive the postal version, simply fill in the coupon below.
To join KA! JAM just !ll in the application form and send it – along with two KA! JAM, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Applicants must be between 7 and 17 years old to join.
Name:
Address:
Date of birth:
Postcode:
Boy or girl: Do you attend a church, and if so, which one?
I, (signature)
apply for membership of Kids Alive! Jesus And Me. I understand that joining KA! JAM doesn’t mean I have joined The Salvation Army and that it is not a free subscription to Kids Alive!
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS.
There are 195 countries in the world. We’re going to explore 26 of them, using the alphabet to decide where to go to next!
India is a country in South Asia and it’s home to around 1.3 billion people! In fact, in 2023 India became the country with the most people living there. Not only is India full of people, but it’s also full of tigers – around 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population can be found there!
Stonehenge is an amazing display that is thousands of years old. If someone wanted to buy it, we imagine it would be impossible to say how much it’s worth. However, in 1915 Stonehenge was actually bought by a man called Cecil Chubb for just £6,600! He bought it at an auction where he’d been planning to only buy some dining room chairs.
Hello, readers, i’M PATCH AND I’VE GOT A PROBLEM I THINK YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP ME WITH. i’VE LOST A VERY IMPORTANT OBJECT SOMEWHERE IN THIS ISSUE. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO HELP ME FIND IT? i HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE HERE.
You might know the date that Valentine’s Day is on or the name of the current king of the United Kingdom. However, there are also plenty of strange facts we reckon you haven’t got stored in your noggin! So here are a couple of random facts that you de!nitely (and by de!nitely, we mean don’t really) need to know.
Looking for a quiet place to relax? You could go to a library or for a walk in the woods. Or if you’re feeling brave, you could go to space! We’re joking, obviously, but space is completely silent! That’s because sound doesn’t exist in space. Sound travels to our ears through air molecules, and there are no air molecules in space.
Why was the dinosaur afraid to go to the library? Its books were 65 million years overdue! Hoho,haha,hehe! Hehe,hehe!
Why was the book about mountains so interesting? It had so many cliffhangers!
by Neil Locker
across:
1 First man in the Bible. 3 Cut with scissors.
7 Word of greeting. 8 Historical period.
9 Sport played in summer or an insect.
13 Tear. 14 Someone using oars. 16 List of items available in a restaurant. 17 Cease.
down:
1 Dull pain. 2 Everyone. 4 Female relation.
5 Take part in a game. 6 Musical show.
10 When fruit becomes ready to eat.
11 Percussion instrument. 12 Excursion or stumble. 15 Soaking or damp.
Answers on Page 2
Find the World Book Day-related words in the grid
non-fiction illustrators fairy tales poetry fantasy novels mystery authors fiction picture books comics classics characters adventure
When is a green book not green? When it’s read! Ho ho, ha ha, he he! He he, he he!
Identify the mystery items in the magnifying glass
Place the four words into the numbered rows so that four new words are formed in the columns
Why did the librarian fall down?
They were in the non-friction section!
I’m reading a book about anti-gravity... ...I just can’t put it down! Haha,haha,haha! Hoho,haha,hehe! Hehe,hehe!
by Neil Locker
What did the frog say when it went to the library? ‘Reddit, reddit, reddit!’
Match the images to their correct book genre
What do you think is the coolest hairstyle that somebody could have? Perhaps you think that long, curly hair looks spectacular. Or maybe you’re a big fan of hair that’s as spiky as a hedgehog. With this week’s prize, you can give your Airbrush Plush Hair’if Pal any hairstyle that you like!
Each Squish Pal comes with an airbrush and three coloured markers, which you can use to give your Squish Pal an awesome hairdo. Plus, you’ll get plenty of stylish hair accessories, such as beads, which you can use to make your Squish Pal stand out. As well as styling their hair, you can also give your Squish Pal’s fur a makeover! You’ll even get some super stick-on stencils, which you can use to add lots of designs to your Pal. Once you’ve !nished decorating your Squish Pal, you can give them a quick wash and start all over again!
For your opportunity to win your own Airbrush Plush Hair’if !c Squish Pal, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Remember to put ‘Airbrush Plush Hair’if !c Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 28 March when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by !lling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Airbrush Plush Hair’if !c Competition, Kids Alive! Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ.
Name:
Address:
Two Three Four How many coloured markers does a Squish Pal come with?
It’s Shrove Tuesday on 4 March and it’s traditional to eat pancakes on this day. So here’s a delicious recipe for you to make with your family or friends.
Pancakes (serves 4–6)
• 250g plain !our
• 600ml whole milk
• A pinch of salt
• 2 medium size eggs
• Non-stick frying pan
• Mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• A grown-up to help
Topping Suggestions
• Lemon juice and sugar
• Ice cream
• Banana and syrup
• Strawberries and cream
1 MIX, MIX!
• Chocolate buttons
• Cheese, spinach and mushrooms
• Fried chicken and vegetables
• Absolutely nothing! 3 5
1. Mix the !our and salt in a mixing bowl with the wooden spoon and make a pit in the middle.
2. Crack the eggs into the pit and add a little milk while slowly stirring the mixture. Continue to pour small amounts of milk while stirring until all the milk has been added and there are no lumps in the mixture.
3. With the help of a grown-up, heat the frying pan on the stove (if your pan isn’t non-stick then add a little oil). Pour enough of the pancake mixture into the pan to cover the bottom of the pan. Swirl the pan a little so the mixture is evenly distributed.
4. Use the wooden spoon to prod the edges of the pancake all the way round to stop the mixture sticking to the edges of the pan.
5. After about a minute the pancake is ready for !ipping. You can use a kitchen utensil for this or you can do it the fun way and literally pancake by !icking the pan in the air! (Beware: this takes a bit of practice and can result in accidents).
6. After about a minute of heating the your pancake is ready to enjoy. Top with your choice of topping!
6
Living a healthy and an active lifestyle and caring for your physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
If you’ve read page 11 you’ll know that 4 March is Shrove Tuesday. I’m sure you’re already dribbling as you think about those scrumptious pancakes! However, before you get stuck into a big stack of pancakes, do you know what Shrove Tuesday is all about?
Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent begins (if you’re not sure what that is either, don’t worry because we’ll explain it soon). Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day, because it’s traditional to eat pancakes on this day. The reason for this delicious tradition is that many people used to fast (not eat certain foods) during Lent, so on the day before their fast began they would eat up as much food as possible so that it wouldn’t be wasted.
Pancake eating isn’t the only Shrove Tuesday tradition in the United Kingdom! Lots of places also hold pancake races. One of the most famous ones happens in Olney, Buckinghamshire. Each year, women from the town race down the street while tossing pancakes in frying pans! Children from local schools take part in races too.
There’s also an epic football match every year in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. This isn’t an ordinary football match. It lasts for 16 hours and is split over two days! Also, the goals are three miles apart and the game is played through the entire town! Shops and other businesses board up their windows in preparation!
Shrove Tuesday is also carnival time for lots of places around the world.
Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday and it’s celebrated in many places, including New Orleans in America. During this big party, parade !oats ll the streets of the city.
The Carnival of Venice is held in Italy and it’s been happening for more than 800 years! During celebrations, people wear colourful masks and costumes.
Thousands of people attend the Rio Carnival in Brazil every year. There are plenty of colourful costumes and lots of samba music!
Now you know what celebrations can be like the day before Lent, but what is Lent itself? Lent is an important Christian celebration that begins on Ash Wednesday – this year that’s on 5 March. For some Christians Lent lasts until Good Friday, but for others the date is Easter Sunday.
18 March
Lent comes from a story about Jesus. Jesus went into the desert for 40 days and nights so that he could fast and pray. During this time, the Devil visited him and asked Jesus three times to turn away from God. Jesus resisted every temptation! You can read this story for yourself in the Bible – check out Luke 4:1–13.
Give or Take
To remember Jesus’ time in the desert and how he resisted temptation, many Christians give up something during Lent. Some Christians give up lots of foods, such as meat, eggs and other dairy items. Other people choose to give up things that they really love or that aren’t good for them. Some people like to take up things during Lent instead – things that they think will be good for them.
If Lent sounds like something you want to get involved in, here are some ideas for things that you can give up or take up…
Thomas, Age 6
Louise, Age 8
Did you enjoy watching The Masked Singer? We thought it was great, but these Masked Singer costume designs sent in by our readers are even better!
Mithiran, Age 8
Faith, Age 12
Theivamani, Age 5
Maisie, Age 6
To see your name and birthday printed in a future issue of KA! email your full name and date of birth to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
3 March
Bojen-Giles – age 10 4 March Maddie Dickinson – age 12 Tuppence King – age 9
5 March
Emmanuel Nivar Garcia – age 12
If you’d like to star in our reader pro!le section we’d love to hear from you! Get a grown-up to send us an email using the address in the pink box below. Then we’ll send you the forms to complete.
Lydia, Age 6
Age? 8.
Favourite colour? Lilac.
Favourite food? Chocolate cake.
Favourite sport? Golf.
Favourite bit of Kids Alive!? Giggle in the Middle!
Favourite Bible story and why?
Daniel in the lions’ den, because it tells me that God will always love and protect me. Favourite TV programme? Monster High.
What do you want to be when you’re older? An optometrist. Pets? None.
Hobbies? Dancing, swimming, tennis, golf and reading.
The Kids Alive! team loves to hear from its readers. And guess what –other readers love reading your news! So why not get in touch? You can email or post your own colourings, drawings and letters. Or you could ask your Sunday school, church or corps leaders to email us or write to us with any news about the fun stuff you’ve been doing at your church or corps. Email: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk
Post: Kids Alive! 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ G e t I n T o u c h !
Tell us a joke. Do you know the best way to hide a small horse is to cover it in cheese? It’s the best way to mascarpone! (Mask a pony!)
What special skill or talent do you have? I can hit a golf shot more than 120 yards!
Tell us something interesting about yourself. I love reading and I got awarded the Blue Peter Book Badge. The book I chose was Keisha Jones Takes on the World.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us? My best friends are Lola, Lois, Faye and Erin.
I don’t want to go to school today, patch. next day...
yay, it’s saturday! Time to wipe these fake spots off my face.
harrumph! mum won’t let me go out and play with my friends now, because she’ll think I’m still unwell.
perhaps you should have used a pen with washable ink and not permanent marker!
that’ll teach you for being naughty, norman!
when mum sees me, she’ll think i’ve got chicken pox and i’ll have to stay at home.
deary me. you’ve got chicken pox, norman. no school for you today.
oh, no! they’re not coming off!