What’s

Wrong?
Which things in this
picture are silly?
It’s up to you!

Visit our website!

FIND GAMES AND JOKES ON HIGHLIGHTSKIDS.COM!
AUGUST 2020
Highlights.com

IVE I
GIANT
Weird Trolls
History!
Page 36
Page 22
 ont h
Fu n T his M
Ice-Pop Puzzler Fantastical
Figure out which ice pop should go in place of each question mark
so that each column and row contains all four ice pops. Fun
Would you
rather
ride a . . .

Unicorn

63%

Dragon

Answer on page 38.

37%
Head to

to take this
month’s poll.

Tongue Twister
Will’s Find the
whale Pictures
wears
wool.
Can you find each
of these 11 pictures August 1
at another place in
this magazine? is National
My
ster y Pho
to Mustard Day!
A
The National Mustard
ns
we

Museum in Middleton,
r on

Wisconsin, has more

than 6,090 mustards
page 38.

from all 50 states and

more than 70 countries.
 Dear Reader By Christine French Cully
AUGUST 2020 • VOLUME 75 • NUMBER 8 • ISSUE NO. 826 Editor in Chief
Founded in 1946 by Garry C. Myers, Ph.D.,
and Caroline Clark Myers
Editor in Chief, Chief Purpose Officer: Christine French Cully
EVP, Product Development: Mary-Alice Moore
VP, Magazine Group Editorial: Jamie Bryant
Creative Director: Marie O’Neill
Editor: Judy Burke
Design Director: Patrick Greenish, Jr.
What Do
You Love
Senior Editor: Joëlle Dujardin
Associate Editors: Allison Kane, Linda K. Rose
Assistant Editor: Patty Courtright
Copy Editor: Joan Prevete Hyman
Senior Production Artist: Dave Justice

to Do?
Production Assistant: Susan Shadle Erb
Contributing Science Editor: Andrew Boyles
Editorial Offices: 803 Church Street, Honesdale, PA 18431-1895.
E-mail: [email protected].
To submit manuscripts, go to Highlights.submittable.com.
(Writers younger than 16: please use the postal address above.)
Imagine taking a walk in the woods,
CEO: Kent S. Johnson turning a corner, and suddenly finding a giant
President: Lece Lohr
SVP, International and Global Content Licensing: Andy Shafran troll along the path! That’s an experience many kids around
Business Offices: 1800 Watermark Drive, the world can have, thanks to artist Thomas Dambo.
P.O. Box 269, Columbus, OH 43216-0269.
Copyright © 2020, Highlights for Children, Inc. You can read about him and see photos of his
All rights reserved. trolls in “The Troll Maker” (pages 22–27).
HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN is published monthly.
Cover price: $5.99 I can’t decide what I like best about this
ISSN 0018-165X (print); ISSN 2330-6920 (online) story. Is it the magnificent trolls themselves?
Printed by LSC Communications, Danville, KY.
Designed for home and classroom use. Is it that all the trolls are made from recycled
Periodical postage paid at Columbus, Ohio; materials? Or is it that the troll maker’s love
Toronto, Ontario; and at additional mailing offices.
U.S. Postmaster: Send address changes to Highlights for Children, of creating art from discarded items began
P.O. Box 6038, Harlan, IA 51593-1538. Canada Post: Publications
Mail Agreement No. 40065670. Return undeliverable Canadian when he was a kid? I am always drawn to
addresses to P.O. Box 99 Stn. Main, Milton, ON L9T 9Z9.
Sometimes we make our list of customer names and addresses
stories about adults who find happiness doing
available to carefully screened companies whose products and
services might be of interest to you. We never provide children’s
what they loved to do as kids. Maybe that’s
names. If you do not wish to receive these mailings, please contact because that’s my story too. As a kid I was always reading and
us and include your account number.
To order, make a payment, change your address, writing—and that’s what I get to do today at Highlights.
or for other customer-service needs, such as changing
your contact preference, please contact us:
Do you have a hobby or an interest that you love so much
• Online: Highlights.com you could do it forever? I hope you’ll write and tell me about it.
• Call: 1-800-255-9517
• Write: P.O. Box 5878, Harlan, IA 51593-1378 Who knows? It just might become something that gives you joy
As part of our mission to help make the world for the rest of your life—and helps you give joy to others.
a better place for the children of today and
tomorrow, Highlights is committed to T S: That’s how it worked for Thomas Dambo.
making responsible business decisions PARE Nchild is
r
that will protect our natural resources I f y o u e re a d y
t q u it
ca l l Your friend,
lights,
and reduce our environmental impact. no
H i g h
AWARDS Highlights has been
given awards by The Association
fo r tc h to
t o s w i e at
F iv
Write to me!
H ig h m e .
of Educational Publishers, The an iy t [email protected]
Education Center, LLC, Family Choice
Awards, Freedoms Foundation, Graphic Arts
Association, iParenting Media, Magazine Design and Production,
National Association for Gifted Children, National Conference of
Christians and Jews, National Parenting Center, National Safety
Council, Parents’ Choice, Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media
Awards, and Printing Industry Association. HighlightsKids.com
is a participant in the Kids Privacy Safe Harbor program of the
Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better
This magazine of wholesome fun
Business Bureaus.
is dedicated to helping children grow in basic skills and knowledge,
increativeness, in ability to think and reason, in
sensitivity to others, in high ideals and worthy ways of living—for
children are the world’s most important people.
HL0820_182736
August
VOLUME 75 • NUMBER 8 • ISSUE NO. 826

Dear Highlights,

SHINE ON!
—Amiyah, Virginia
August 7 is
National
Lighthouse
We hope these tips help, Amiyah. Good luck! Day.
1 Decide to 2 Tell yourself 3 Expand your
have the attitude that it’s not a big world! You may
that it can be fun deal if you don’t even discover
to try new things. like something. new favorites.

32

8 22
6 Up from a Nap 18 Crafts
Never fall asleep on Octopus bottle buddies.
a pile of jelly beans.
20 Our Gargantuan
7 The Timbertoes Galaxy
The Milky Way is huge!
A big fish story.

8 Looking Out 22 The Troll Maker

for Tilly Artist Thomas Dambo has
Violet isn’t thrilled made 59 giant trolls—so far.
that her little sister has joined
gymnastics. 14 Hidden Pictures 28 Who Loves the
Cholla Cactus?
10 Goofus and Gallant Competing kangaroos.
Quite a few
Now where did Goofus go? 15 Jokes creatures do.
11 What’s on Your Mind? Whoo’s a comedian?
Kids talk about COVID-19. 16 Monster Care
12 My Sci A handy guide to
help you keep your
How sand dollars live, breathe,
and eat. monster happy.

4 AUGUST 2020
 Beware
of Trolls!
Artist Thom
Dambo ma as
kes them
from recyc
lable
materials.

36 Weird History
Strange but true stories
from the past.

38 Riddles
What do you call
a fake noodle?

39 BrainPlay
Start thinking of your
favorite reptile.

31 Paws and Think 40 Ask Arizona

Scuba diving in a coral reef. When joking isn’t funny.

32 The Language
of Snakes
Josh feels shy—until he has 42 Dear Highlights
something exciting to share. Graham can’t wait
for exciting events.
34 Your Own Pages
See more creative work by 43 Picture Puzzler
talented kids like Lee. A little llama drama.
Lee Fregeau
Age 9 • Maryland
AUGUST 2020 5
 Up
from
a Nap By Kristin Walker
Art by Matt Kaufenberg

I’m feeling kind of blue right now,

My belly’s burning red.
My eyes have got a yellow tint,
There’s orange on my head.
My toes are growing purple nails,
My tongue is turning green.
Chameleons should never sleep
On rainbow jelly beans.
 The
SPLAS
H!
Timbertoes
By Rich Wallace • Art by Ron Zalme

Mabel dived deep.

Big fish!
W-o-o-o-w! This big?

Bigger! Like this?

I guess
he’s done
swimming for
the day!

AUGUST 2020 7
Looking Out for

Violet sat on the gym f loor, waiting for and straightened her arms. She spun
her turn to do cartwheels. She scowled around like a pinwheel. She did one,
at her little sister, Tilly, across the two, three cartwheels.
room. This was Tilly’s first week at Miss Taylor clapped. “Perfect!”
gymnastics. Violet had done gymnastics Violet noticed that Tilly had stepped
for the past two years. Why couldn’t away from the younger group to watch
Tilly find her own thing to do? Violet’s cartwheels.
“Matilda!” called Tilly’s instructor,
It was the same at home. Miss Brooke, from across the room.
Tilly followed Violet everywhere. Tilly’s full name was Matilda, but
everyone called her Tilly. Mom had
It was the same at home. Tilly told Miss Brooke about that, but
followed Violet everywhere. When Miss Brooke must have forgotten.
Violet practiced somersaults, Tilly Tilly didn’t move.
tumbled across the family room too. “Matilda!” called Miss Brooke again.
“Violet, you’re up!” called Violet’s Tilly didn’t seem to hear.
instructor, Miss Taylor. Violet jogged to “Matilda!” called Miss Brooke for
the mats. She pushed off with her legs the third time.
8 AUGUST 2020
Tilly By Erin Guendelsberger
Art by Maarten Lenoir
restroom. She found Tilly crying.
Seeing Violet, Tilly cried harder.
Violet put an arm around her sister.
Tilly sniffed. “I don’t want to do
gymnastics anymore.” She wiped away
tears with the back of her hand.
This was Violet’s chance. If she said
nothing to her sister, Tilly might decide
to quit for good. But Violet knew how
Thump!
excited Tilly had been about joining
gymnastics. So Violet said, “But you’re
better at somersaults than I am.”
“No, I’m not,” Tilly said. “I f lopped.”
“OK, so your first somersault on your
first day of gymnastics didn’t go right,”
Violet said. “On my first day, I put my
leotard on backward.”
Tilly smiled a little. “Really?”
“Really,” said Violet. “Maybe give it
another try?”
Tilly looked up suddenly. “Oh!” she Tilly smiled a little more. “OK.”
said. “That’s my name.” Violet and Tilly walked back into the
Kids laughed as she ran back to her gym together.
group. Tilly’s face turned bright red. And at the end of practice, Violet
Miss Brooke put an arm around her. reminded Miss Brooke, “My sister
“Your turn to do somersaults, Matilda.” goes by Tilly.”
Tilly walked to the mat, her face still
as red as a tomato. She crouched down “Maybe give it another try?”
to start a somersault. When she rolled,
though, she didn’t tuck her legs. She
f lopped f lat on the mat with a thump.
Kids laughed in surprise at the noise.
Tilly stood, said something to Miss
Brooke, and ran toward the restroom.
She was gone from the gym, as Violet
had wanted. But it didn’t feel right.
After telling Miss Taylor where
she was going, Violet hurried to the
 Goaondfus There’s some of Goofus and Gallant in us all.
When the Gallant shines through, we show our best self.

Gallant
“Thanks for letting me borrow
your art supplies,” says Gallant.
Idea by Tina Pyhtila, Age 10, Virginia

Goofus loses the baseball cap

his friend lent him.
Idea by Tina Pyhtila, Age 10, Virginia

“I’m going to buy a snack. I’ll

meet you back here, OK?”
says Gallant.

Goofus wanders off.

YOUR Goofus and Gallant Moments Tell us when you’ve felt like
Goofus or Gallant! Visit
“I felt like Goofus “I felt like Gallant when HighlightsKids.com or write to

when I didn’t get off my I cleaned up a mess of

tablet when my mom Legos even though I wasn’t Goofus and Gallant Moments
told me to.” playing with them.” 803 Church Street
Lucas, Age 8, California Daphne, Age 9, Washington Honesdale, PA 18431

10 AUGUST 2020 Art by Leslie Harrington.

 I used to be really
responsible. But whe
COV ID -19 rolled out,
n
I got
W ha t ’ s
really stressed and fo
hard to be kind.
und it
on Your
M i nd ?
Wyatt
Age 12 • Hawai‘i

Reese Haskell
I just tur
ned six. I We’ve all been feeling a jumble Age 9 • Massachusetts
going to h was
ave an A m
erica’s
of emotions because of the
Got Talen
par ty wa
t par ty, b
ut my effects COVID-19 has had on
s cancele our lives. However you are
d because
of the cor
ona shutd m is s my
own. feeling, you are not alone! ys ,
I alwa n weekends
I m i ss ev
eryone.
Here are a few ways some of so n
Evelyn
you have expressed yourselves. friend is is like a .
and th g weekend
Age 6 • Flo
rida
Keep sharing, talking with
e xtra - lon
loved ones, and taking good Abby
ado
I hope you care of yourselves. Co lo r
are safe and
healthy during this
pandemic period.
Hope
James ld is shut down,
Even though the wor
ery town,
in every city and ev
pe.
we will hold on to ho
mope.
There is no time to
Together as we can,
We must be as strong
Times can be rough. r child, woman,
just like every othe
We just gotta be tough.
and man.
But we can’t be tough alone. , things will
A nd, hopefully soon
At least call someone on the phone.
get better,
Wear a smile. find some
and we might even
It might take a while,
toilet paper.
But we’ll do it together. Sophie Tanner
Corona Times ota
Addie Pence Age 13 • South Dak
Rubi
Age 10 • Wisconsin
Age 11 • Virginia

Stuck at Home
For You and
Out of school—
Your Family
That’s so cool! You and your parents can find
Or so I thought, tips, ideas, and things to do on
But now Mom rule , on our
s.
I hear her tone YouTube channels, and in the
A nd give a moan . segments
..
I’m so bored being on . Don’t miss
Stuck at home! “Arizona’s Amazingly Awesome
Truman Cooper Stuck-at-Home Survival Guide.”
My Sign to Thank Helpers Age 6 • California And write to us anytime you’d like!
Sanvi
Age 9 • Rhode Island AUGUST 2020 11
MY SC In the mouth, powerful
jaws crunched grains of
sand to eat the algae
and microscopic animals
on them. In the skeleton,
pieces of the jaws may

A Skeleton’s rattle around.

Story Grooves on its underside

moved food to the mouth
By Sara Matson
on a string of mucus.
On the beach or in a
souvenir shop, you might
see fragile, bleached
sand dollars like the
ones shown here.
They’re skeletons!
The sand dollar is
an animal—a kind of
sea urchin that lives on
the ocean floor. When it’s
alive, it’s covered in skin
and short spines that
hat
make it look fuzzy
and gray, brown,
z y - l o oking
or purple. After A fuz l la r is
d o
it dies, its sand living.
skeleton tells s ti l l
likely a l o ne , o
r
us something it
Leave it to its
about its life. turn
re me .
sea ho

By Dougal Dixon • Art by Robert Squier Likely ate tough

plants others in the
Matheronodon
MATH-er-ON-oh-don
area couldn’t chew

“Matheron tooth” (named after 19th-century

French paleontologist Philippe Matheron)
Matheronodon was identified from fossil bones of
just an upper jaw and teeth. They show scientists
that Matheronodon was a plant-eating ornithopod
that looked something like Iguanodon except for its
short face. Its jaws were big and strong, with a small
number of huge teeth. It would have been able to
slice through very tough plants with the sharpness of
a chisel and the shearing action of scissors.

12 AUGUST 2020
 Holes in the Why and how
body allowed
water to
does hair grow?
pass through Micah Hillman
Age 8 • Alabama
it so that
Hair grows because tiny, tube-like
strong
organs in the skin’s deepest layer keep
currents making more of it. There are about
didn’t flip 100,000 of these organs, or
it or carry follicles, on your head alone.
it away. At the base of each tube,
cells keep dividing and making
new cells. Newer cells push
up older ones, which fill
with flexible proteins
called keratins and with
a pigment called
melanin (which gives
hair its color).
The cells bind
together, hardening
into fiber strands.
By the time a
strand reaches
above your scalp,
its cells have been
Tiny holes in a flower-like dead for weeks.
pattern show where the Every few years,
sand dollar breathed. It took a follicle takes a
break. It withers.
in oxygen from the water
Weeks or months later,
through “tube feet.” it wakes up, and the cycle
starts again.

HOW LONG:
Likely 16 feet

WHAT IT ATE: WHERE:

Tough plants, France
possibly palm leaves
Huge, blade-
like teeth

WHEN:
Strong, 73 million years ago
deep jaws 252 201 145 66 Present
Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous Cenozoic
 Want ae?
challeng 5
k page 1
Fold bac the
to hide
clues.
picture
Long-Jump Leapers
By Pat Lewis

In this big picture, find the book, umbrella, party hat, comb, slice of cake, canoe, broccoli,
boomerang, cupcake, pickax, saucepan, domino, musical note, fish, banana, and fishhook.

14 AUGUST 2020 Visit HiddenPictures.com for more puzzling fun!

 Picture Clues
K
JO ES
“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?” Sierra: Why did the owl become
umbrella
book
“Cows.” a comedian?
Ronan: I don’t know. Why?
“Cows who?” Sierra: Because he wanted to be
a hoot.
“No they don’t—
canoe Sierra Oglesby, Texas

they moo!” Construction Worker #1: Do

comb Roman Troyer, Indiana you want to hear a joke about
construction?
Milly: My brother must have
Construction Worker #2: Yeah.
a lot of phones.
party slice of What is it?
Billy: Why do you say that?
hat cake Construction Worker #1: I can’t
Milly: He lives in Cali-phone-ia!
tell you yet. I’m still working
Zhao Zitong, China
on it.
Canvas: Hey, did you hear the Caelan Simon, Illinois
broccoli joke about the artist?
Paint: No. Tell me. Make us laugh!
Canvas: It was very a-muse-ing. Send a joke or riddle, along with your
cupcake boomerang Ruthie Silvinson, California name, age, and address, to

A book never written: Classical

Instruments by P. Anno. 803 Church Street
pickax Klara Rhudy, Texas
Honesdale, PA 18431

saucepan

musical domino
Fruit Figures
By Matthew Ochrym
note
Each type of fruit represents a certain number. Look at the
equations to figure out which number each fruit represents.
fish

B O N US
banana fishhook 1+4= !
+
+ +
BONUS + =
= ?
Can you also
find the pencil,
toothbrush, heart,
and snake? – =2 + =

Answers on page 38. AUGUST 2020 15

Answers on HighlightsKids.com.
Monster Care
A Guide for New Owners
These han
tips will h dy
keep your elp you
By Bradford H. Robie mon
Art by Karl West happy an ster
d
healthy.

Regular
grooming
will make
your
monster
look and
smell
great.

To Baby
prevent monsters
yucky need four
monster meals a day.
breathh, But when
brushh your monster
your reaches
monster’s ’ its first
teeth at birthday, one
least three daily meal
times a is usually
week. enough.

Keep your monster’s habitat clean Choose appropriate

and change the water frequently. toys for your monster.

16 AUGUST 2020
Your monster needs a quiet Give your monster the room it needs to play.
place to sleep, away from
drafts and off the floor.

Set rules for where your Have your monster’s Your monster will feel
monster can, and cannot, sit. vision checked regularly. useful if you give it a job.

Your monster may need a Now that you know how to take care of
helping hand from time to time. your monster, have a howling-good time!
Crafts
Beachy Creature Feet
1. From craft foam, 2. Before gluing the 3. Use tacky glue to
draw and cut out shapes in place, try attach the shapes
creature-foot shapes on the flip-flops. If to the insoles of the
for a pair of flip- necessary, trim the flip-flops. Add foam
flops. Make a slit shapes. (If they’re decorations. Let
in each shape to go too long in front, it’s them dry. (Don’t
around the toe strap. hard to walk.) run in them!)

Octopus
Bottle
Buddies
18 AUGUST 2020 Crafts by Lisa Glover. Art by Mike Lowery.
Photos by Jim Filipski, Guy Cali Associates, Inc.
 Shark
Ball
Toss
A Game for 2 or
More Players
1. For each “shark,”
ask an adult to
cut the bottom 2
inches off a two-
liter plastic bottle.
Use sandpaper to
smooth the edge, or
cover it with tape.
2. Paint the bottle
with acrylic paint.
Let it dry.
3. From craft foam,
cut out fins, eyes,
and teeth. Use
tacky glue to
attach them.

TO PLAY: Each player

holds a “shark” by
the cap end. Standing
1. Draw an octopus details, such as a hat a few steps apart,
shape on craft foam. or a surfboard. Use players toss a tennis
Include two arms tacky glue to attach ball from shark to
that connect in a them. Add wiggle eyes. shark. How many
loop above the head. 3. Slide the connected times can you catch
Cut out the shape. “arm loop” over the it in a row?
2. Draw and cut out foam top of a bottle.

AUGUST 2020 19
Our Gargantuan
The Milky Way is bigger and That
brighter than most other galaxies. means
really
We live in a spectacular big!
group of stars called the Milky
Way galaxy. Every star you see
belongs to the Milky Way. But You
our galaxy is so big that you are
can’t even see most of it.
How many stars does
here
our galaxy have? More than
a hundred. More than a
thousand. More than a million!
In fact, the Milky Way has
more than 100 billion
(100,000,000,000) stars. If you
counted one star every second
for the rest of your life, you still
couldn’t count them all.
The Sun is one star in the
Milky Way. It is the star that
Earth goes around. The Sun
and everything that goes
around it are called the solar
system. The solar system is big.
But the galaxy is gargantuan.

How Big Is Our Galaxy?

If you were making a map of
the Milky Way, you’d mark the
Giant
Gi
Sun with a dot. Then you’d put black hole
Earth one inch from the Sun.
Galaxy (not visible)
On this map, Pluto would be
40 inches from the Sun. spins this
But to show the whole Milky way
Way, you would need a sheet of
paper bigger than the United
States. In fact, your paper
would have to stretch far
beyond the Moon.
The Milky Way is a beautiful Stars
galaxy. By measuring how far and star
different stars are, astronomers cluster
ters
discovered that our galaxy has
a spiral shape. If we could see

20 AUGUST 2020
Galaxy By Ken Croswell, Ph.D.

it from the outside, it would satellites, going around

look like a glowing pinwheel in a planet. So we call them
space. The spiral arms convert satellite galaxies. The Milky
Glowing gas and dust into new stars Way holds on to its satellite
gas
g clouds and planets. galaxies through its gravity,
Most of the Milky Way’s many a force that makes one mass
stars belong to its disk, which attract another.
has the shape of a pancake.
This pancake is 120,000 light- Elements of Life
years across. One light-year is The Milky Way’s great
how far light travels in a year. gravity has made life possible.
The Sun and Earth are in Life needs certain chemical
this disk, 27,000 light-years elements. For example, we
from the center of the galaxy. breathe oxygen. Our bones
We’re about halfway from the need calcium. Our blood
center to the edge of the disk. needs iron.
Stars created these elements
and many others. Then the
The galaxy has stars exploded, shooting the
made life possible. elements into space.
Because the Milky Way is so
mighty, its gravity held on to
Just as Earth goes around much of this material. These
the Sun, so the Sun and the elements became part of new
whole solar system go around stars and planets when they
the center of the galaxy. In the formed. And here we are, living
next hour, we will all travel on a planet with lots of oxygen,
half a million miles through calcium, and iron.
space as the solar system But when a star explodes in
speeds around the galaxy. But a small galaxy, nearly all of the
we don’t feel this high speed oxygen, calcium, and iron shoot
Arms because our movement through out of the galaxy. So a small
(mostly space is so smooth and steady. galaxy might not have life, but
new tars) And the galaxy is so big that a giant galaxy like ours can.
the Sun takes a long time to go The Milky Way is not the
around it. The last time Earth only giant galaxy in the
was at our current position in universe. Andromeda is even
the galaxy, the planet had no bigger and brighter. At 2.5
people at all. Instead, strange million (2,500,000) light-years
new creatures called dinosaurs away, it is our closest giant
had just appeared. galaxy. It too might have life.
Dozens of smaller galaxies Maybe someone there is
also go around the Milky Way. looking at the Milky Way,
They’re like moons, or wondering if we exist.

Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESO/R. Hurt. AUGUST 2020 21

 Thomas Dambo combines his love of
roll
exploring, recycling, building—and magic.

Thomas Dambo, an environmental and broken sheds. It’s important

artist in Denmark, thinks big. In 2010, to him that he doesn’t add to
he started his first large-scale project: the growing landfills on our
building birdhouses. He and his crew planet. He thinks of discarded
ended up creating 4,000 of them. Now items as art supplies and a
he makes giant trolls. So far, 59 trolls source of inspiration.
can be found at locations all around Thomas recently took
the world. some time to talk about
His creations are made entirely from how his childhood set him
items people have thrown away, such as on a path toward the work
discarded wooden pallets, old fencing, he does now.

22 AUGUST 2020
Maker
Hill Top Trine, one of
Thomas Dambo’s trolls in
Copenhagen, Denmark,
offers a beautiful view from
the palm of her hand. Thomas
has always been a climber, and
he builds all of his trolls strong
enough that visitors can enjoy
climbing on them too.

AUGUST 2020 23
 Little Tilde is one of six trolls created for a project called Forgotten Giants. (Hill Top Trine is another.)
These trolls, like hidden treasures, can be found in beautiful spots on the outskirts of Copenhagen,
Denmark. Thinking of the birds and squirrels seeking shelter in winter, Thomas built 28 birdhouses
inside the Little Tilde sculpture.

24 AUGUST 2020
 Thomas says
that the fun
part of art
for him is the
Treasure Hunting creation of it.
As a kid, I wanted to build
all sorts of things, from a
skateboard ramp to a castle
or tree house in my backyard.
I had lots of energy and
creativity. The problem was
that a kid doesn’t have the Green George is located in Christiania, Denmark. As
money to purchase supplies. with many of Dambo’s projects, this troll was created in
I started to bike around the collaboration with local volunteers, using trash from the
neighborhood looking for nearby landfill.
discarded wood, rope, and
other items that I could use
to create things.
In 7th grade, a girl in my
class gave me a good piece of
advice. She told me I should
take a different route each day
to experience something new.
I took her idea and learned all
about my city of Copenhagen,
Denmark.
Today, I still use this idea
of taking different routes as
I search for trash left out on
curbs. Items such as wire,
ropes, wooden pallets, metal,
old chair rollers, and plastic
containers are just waiting
for me to think of a way
to use them. If the
items are small, I use
“Tingfinder,” my
bicycle with a cart
attached, to take
home my “treasures.”
I use a truck for the
larger items.
 Endless Possibilities
When I was in school,
we had a milk break. The
containers had a plastic
top. I realized that, every
single week, 500 kids
used 2,500 plastic tops!
I started asking if I
could have the plastic
tops. What could I do
with them? Make a big
mosaic? A plastic snake?
A large necklace? The
possibilities were endless.
Look at something and
think not what it is but
what it could become.
You can build all sorts
of things from stuff that
would be discarded. Be
part of the solution by
playing with things that
don’t create more trash.

A Dream Life
Trolls play an
important role in Danish
folklore. I used to listen
to a lot of audiobooks
set in the Scandinavian
fairy-tale universe. I
like fairy tales because
you can dream yourself
into a world where
anything can happen.
I’ve always liked
magic, trolls, nature,
and travel. I’ve always Thomas’s trolls can be
liked to build big things found in Denmark, Germany,
with recycled objects. Australia, Belgium, Mexico,
All of these interests South Korea, China, Puerto
have combined into the Rico, and several states
perfect job for me. in the U.S. Joen and the
My advice is to think Giant Beetle, right, is
about what you really in Miami, Florida.
love to do and let that
guide you. Keep moving
in the direction you’d
like to go.

26 AUGUST 2020
 blocks
of wood

old
jeans

Mikil was created as

part of a big project in
Belgium called 7 Trolls
and the Magical Tower.
Make a sticks
Thomas, who used to
be a rapper, wrote
Mini Troll!
an original fairy tale Thomas Dambo made this mini troll just for
about the seven trolls. you, using tools in his workshop and items from
The story warns of the around his house—wood scraps, sticks, and old
damage human beings jeans. You can make a troll too!
are doing to the planet. “Remember that trolls are magical creatures
that can look a million different ways,” says
Thomas. “Some trolls have fur, some
have wings, some are brown, and some
Mama Lou-Mari are red. It’s all up to you and your
is in Kentucky. imagination. Maybe use an orange peel
Thomas plans to for a hat, soda caps for eyes, and old
add troll children shoelaces for hair, arms, or a little tail.
near her in the I would love to see what you make!”
future!
Send us a picture of your troll
and we’ll share it with Thomas!
Upload it at HighlightsKids.com
or mail to

Your Own Pages

803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Be sure to ask an adult for
help when using tools.
AUGUST 2020 27
Who Loves the Cholla
Animals use this prickly plant.
By Lois Bradley

Ants crawl
Bees visit the flowers
between the
to collect nectar and
spines and eat
pollen. They are not
bits of the plant.
the only animals who
use this cactus.

28 AUGUST 2020
Cactus? Many people think the big, brown deserts of
the American Southwest could use a splash of
color. They should see the cholla (CHOY-yah)
cactus in full bloom! People love its beautiful
flowers, and nectar-drinking insects visit them
too. Even its sharp spines attract some
animals because the barbs keep
other creatures away.

People use cholla cacti too.

They grow the plants in their
gardens for their beauty.
When a cholla dies, the wood The cactus wren builds its nest
inside makes a sturdy walking on the cactus. The sharp spines
stick for people exploring protect the bird and her young from
desert wonders. animals that might eat them.

AUGUST 2020 29
 Rock, Paper, Scissors
Each row and column has two extra objects. Use coins to cover the extra objects so that
every row and column contains just one rock, one paper item, and one pair of scissors.

Answer on page 38.

1. First ½ of YOGA
A Laugh and a Half 2. First ½ of UP
To solve the riddle, use the fractions of the words 3. Last ½ of TOUCAN
on the right. The first one has been done for you. 4. First ½ of COAT
What did the calculator say to the student? 5. Last ½ of AMOUNT
6. First ½ of ONCE
“Y
__O_ ___ _____ __ _ _ .” 7. Last ½ of NAME

Answer on page 38.

30 AUGUST 2020
 w s nd
Scuba Diving in a Coral Reef Pa a
T hink

What do you notice about the scuba

divers’ gear? What is its purpose?
What are some reasons people
go on dives?
What kinds of sea life do you see
here? Why is it important that
divers leave the reef unharmed?
How is exploring the ocean different
from exploring a desert? The moon? I’m a surface
How might it be similar? swimmer!
Would you like to go scuba
diving? Why or why not?

Art by David Coulson.

 The Language
of Snakes
By Susan Berk Koch • Art by Aleksandar Zolotic

“Why don’t
you join the
others?”

The van lurched through out. He couldn’t understand “snake.” He’d done a research
another rut on the dirt road. what the other tourists in the report on snakes and knew there
“Oof!” Josh said. van, two families from Mexico were some big ones in Mexico.
The driver smiled at Josh City, were saying. Seeing a snake in its native
in the rearview mirror. “Cinco “El chango grande!” a boy habitat would be cool.
minutos, niño.” Josh’s age shouted. Soon everyone calmed down,
“Five minutes.” Josh’s mom The boy’s brother and dad so Josh knew he’d missed what
smiled too. “It’ll be worth the looked out the window. Another they’d seen.
bumpy ride to swim in a cenote.” young boy, sitting with his “We’ve arrived,” Pedro, their
Josh nodded. The Yucatán parents and grandparents, guide, said. “Hemos llegado.”
Peninsula in Mexico was the chatted excitedly in Spanish. The cenote resembled a large
best vacation place ever. And Josh shrugged at his mom. pond with a sheer rock face
now he’d get to swim in a cenote, “Grande means ‘big,’ but I’m bordering half of it. A jungle
where, thousands of years ago, not sure I know what chango surrounded the rest.
the Mayan people collected their means,” she said. Pedro led everyone down a
drinking water. Josh peered out the window path and handed out snorkels
But right now, Josh felt left too. Maybe chango meant and masks. “The Yucatán has

32 AUGUST 2020
more than 3,000 cenotes,” he several steps backward, then seen the snake. Staying behind
said. “They come in all shapes turned and ran. “Snake!” Pedro, they moved forward. The
and sizes and are interconnected Looking excited, the other snake was no longer in the patch
by an underground river system.” boys climbed out of the water of sun. Josh hoped the vibrations
As Pedro repeated the and raced toward Josh. from their footsteps hadn’t scared
information in Spanish, Josh The smallest boy reached him it away.
dipped a toe in. Brrr. It felt like first. He pointed at a green Pedro tiptoed ahead, then
the springtime lake water back lizard clinging to the bench. motioned. Pointing toward the
home in Wisconsin. “Snake?” he asked. snake on a rock, he said, “Boa.”
Josh shook his head. “Lizard.” The boys inched closer. Pedro
Josh heard The boy nodded. “Lagarto.” wouldn’t let anyone go past him,
How could he let them know but the boys crowded around,
a rustling in what he saw? Josh thought eyes wide. They watched until the
the brush. quickly. He wiggled in what he snake slid beneath some fallen
thought was a snaky motion and branches and disappeared.
Josh and his mom eased into said, “Snake.” The boys grinned at Josh.
the clear water. Fish of varying “Ohhh,” the boys said. Josh grinned back. Then he
sizes swam lazily among the “Serpiente.” remembered the word from
rocks, their fins barely moving. “Serpiente,” Josh repeated. earlier. “So what does chango
After a little while, Josh heard They all laughed when one of grande mean?”
a splash. The boys from the van the boys f licked his tongue to The littlest boy scratched
were jumping into an open area imitate a snake. under his arms and made noises
roped off by buoys. Pedro came over, and the boys like a monkey.
“Looks fun,” Josh’s mom said. spoke to him. The only word Laughing, Josh and the boys
“Why don’t you join them?” Josh made out was serpiente. ran toward the swimming area
“But I don’t speak Spanish,” Josh pointed to where he’d together.
said Josh.
“I don’t think you need to,”
his mom said.
“Maybe not.” Josh moved The boys
toward the edge and stepped out.
The sun was soon cooking his
crowded around,
back, so Josh sat on a bench in eyes wide.
the shade while trying to get
up the courage to join the boys.
Away from the water, it was
quiet. Then Josh heard a rustling
in the brush.
His heart beat faster. A
beautiful snake, about four feet
long with geometric patterns of
brown and tan, slithered into a
patch of sun several yards away.
Its head was tapered and oval,
not f lat and triangular. From his
report, Josh had learned that
this meant it probably wasn’t
venomous. Still, he knew to keep
his distance. He got up, took

AUGUST 2020 33
 Your Own
Pages

r
Sindhuja Nifadka
Age 8 • Georgia

Dinosaur Spinosaur
Joseph Ruffino V
Age 6 • Florida

Whittier, My Lego Cit Jim

y Esme Homenchuk
Oh W hittier, oh W hitt
ier, Age 11 • Michigan
such a grand little city
.
Oh W hittier, oh W hitt
ier,
it is so pretty!
Buildings, capitols,
and houses too.
Glass Frog
No matter where I am
, Looks like glass
such a great view.
With Legos and blocks Hard to grasp
I created you,
with a subway, an airp
or t,
Green legs
and even a zoo. Lays squishy eggs
There are parks to w
atch See-through
my favorite teams.
Camille Nguyen I will go there one da
y, Doesn’t have a clue
Age 10 • Oregon if only in my dreams!
He grew!
Caleb Weber
Devon Jameson
Age 6 • Texas
Age 8 • North Carolina
34 AUGUST 2020
 Roller-Coaster Ride The Earth
W hoosh! Waves crash
the track.
Gums are f lapping, on Potatoes mash
going back.
Feeling nauseated, no Rockets roar
,
Screaming, shouting People snore
Throat going hoarse, Butterf lies f lap
T wisting, f lipping, Fingers snap
Winding course. Jump ropes whack
in my throat,
Stomach clogged with Pools splatter
Flips and corkscrews,
knotted moat. Playing in the sun Rain patters
hands are in. Ocean on my feet
Cry ing, weeping, my Adam Gurule
At the end,
Pedaling my bike Age 6 • California
“Can we go again? ”
Ellie Stadler Swimming in the pool
Age 11 • Tennessee Ice cream, yum
Children laughing
Lazy days
End of school!
Lily Atchison
Age 7 • California

Anna Friel
Age 8 • Rhode Island

Bailey Przychodniecz Sleeping Sushi

Age 10 • Florida Nathan Kim Top View of a
Age 9 • New York
Whale Shark
Josiah Nelson
Age 8 • Minnesota

I Love Playing
Dance
cheerfully!
Share Your
Sing
gleefully!
Creative Work
We’d love to see it!
Play with toys
Art must be on unlined paper.
happily! Poems must have fewer than
Run outside 75 words. All submissions
play fully! must be created by you.
Oh, I love play ing! We cannot Include your name, age,
return your and address. Mail to
Noelle Sapp work, so you
Age 8 • New Jersey might want to
keep a copy. Your Own Pages
803 Church Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
 An Ancient Robo-Bird
You may think of robots as modern
inventions, but the first known automaton
may have been built around 350 B.C. The
Greek mathematician Archytas built a
wooden dove that appeared to f ly.
Historians think the bird was powered
by air or steam and a pulley system.

No Snooze
eir
i tory ies
from the past
are strange
ane Gary Boller but true!
Button
In the 1800s
and early 1900s,
workers in England
hired human alarm
clocks. During the WAKE
Industrial Age,
many people
UP!
worked in mines or
factories and had
to wake up at
certain times for
their shifts.
Because alarm
clocks were a new Football Fusion
and expensive In 1943, the Philadelphia Eagles and the
invention, people Pittsburgh Steelers combined teams for
were paid to walk one season. At that time, many
through the streets professional football players had joined
and wake up their the armed forces for World War II. The
customers. They only players left were those who were
mostly used unable to fight in the war or who came
wooden rods to tap out of retirement to help fill out a team.
on bedroom Although the two teams’ coaches did not
windows, but some get along very well, the team that became
used peashooters. known as the “Steagles” finished the
season with a winning record.

36 AUGUST 2020
 Wacky White
Fancy House Stories
Feet
In the 14th and
15th centuries,
fashionable
European men
wore long-toed
shoes called crakows
or poulaines. The
shoes’ pointed tips
extended as long as James Madison and
five inches beyond First Lady Dolley Madison
the toe! King Edward loved ice cream. The
IV of England found Madisons served all kinds
the shoes so absurd of popular flavors—
that he eventually including oyster—to
outlawed shoe tips White House guests.
that were more than
two inches beyond
the toe.

Woodrow Wilson kept

Candy a flock of 48 sheep on the
White House lawns. He
Confusion raised money for the Red
In 1950, during the Cross by auctioning off
Korean War, thousands their wool.
of troops were
stationed in an area
now known as the
Chosin Reservoir.
Having run out of
ammunition, the troops
put in a call for more “Tootsie
Rolls,” which was the code name
they used for mortar shells. But
the radio operator didn’t have a
code sheet in front of him. Pallets of actual Tootsie Roll candies Susan Ford, daughter
were parachuted urgently to the troops. In addition to eating them, of President Gerald Ford,
they found good use for them. When warmed, the candies could be held her class’s senior
used like putty to plug bullet holes in vehicles and other equipment. prom in the White House.
They formed a seal once they froze in the cold weather.

AUGUST 2020 37
 What Is It?
Can you guess what each doodle puzzle shows?
By Joe Seidita
RIDDL ES
1. 2. 3.
What do you call a dinosaur
1 that snores?
Cayla Fronczek, Arizona

hat roo m do g hosts avoid? 2

W rnia
alifo
Nate Downey, C

Answers below. What is a star’s favorite

3 key on a keyboard?
Lily Cowart, Texas
Answers
page 2 page 38
Fun This Month What Is It?
Ice-Pop Puzzler 1. A worm doing
a somersault.
What did the 4
Mystery Photo — 2. A finished

fast tomato
Tent. lollipop.
3. A slug doing
a handstand.

page 43
say to the
page 15
Fruit Figures
Picture Puzzler
slow tomato? Stewart Carter, Pennsylvania
Pear = 5, Lemon = 10,
Apple = 3, Orange = 7.
Bonus! 25. What do you call a fake noodle?
Isla Hyjurick, Pennsylvania
5
page 30
Rock, Paper,
Scissors
What do you call a pile
A Laugh
and a Half
6 of kittens?
Aleah Vanallen, Tennessee
“YOU CAN
COUNT
ON ME.” What is black, whi
te, and
read all over?
Covers: Dive In! by Howard McWilliam; What’s Wrong? by Chuck Dillon
Illustration credits: Page 2: Kevin Zimmer; 13: Ana Duna; 15: Jokes by Rich Powell, Fruit Figures by Scott Soeder; 30: Rock, Albel Nowell, Miss
issippi
7
Paper, Scissors by Shaw Nielsen, A Laugh and a Half by Scott Soeder; 39: Erin Mauterer, except doodles by iStock/Getty
Images Plus/ikopylov. Photo credits: Page 2: (tent) E+/Getty Images/evemilla, (unicorn) iStock/Getty Images Plus/
CoreyFord, (dragon) iStock/Getty Images Plus/Vac1, (mustard) iStock/Getty Images Plus/Michael Burrell; 3: Gina Lenz;
4: (lighthouse) iStock/Getty Images Plus/koya79; 4–5: photo from Thomas Dambo; 11: (top left) Tony Gutierrez/AP/
Shutterstock, (top right) Ronald Wittek /EPA-EFE/Shutterstock, (bottom) dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photo;
12–13: iStock/Getty Images Plus/MMarieB and iStock/Getty Images Plus/EAGiven; 28–29: (background) Bill Gorum/Alamy
hat is a cat’s favorite color?
Stock Photo; 28: (insets) Lois Bradley; 29: (left inset) Ike Watts/Alamy Stock Photo, (center inset) Nature Photographers Ltd/ W
Alamy Stock Photo, (right inset) B Christopher/Alamy Stock Photo; 39: (iguana) iStock/Getty Images Plus/amwu, (coins)
iStock/Getty Images Plus/eldadcarin, (food) iStock/Getty Images Plus/nitrub, (piggy bank) iStock/Getty Images Plus/ 8 uri
Jane Welch, Mis
so
SergeyChayko, (family portrait) DigitalVision/Getty Images/Rebecca Handler, (frame) iStock/Getty Images Plus/thomaslenne,
(dog) iStock/Getty Images Plus/GlobalP.

6. A meow -tain. 7. A newspaper. 8. Purr-ple.

38 AUGUST 2020
3. The space bar. 4. “Ketchup!” 5. An im-pasta.
1. A Snore-a-saurus. 2. The living room.
 What is y
favorite r our
Can you eptile?
tell coins
apart by
W H Y? START
Take your brain on a hike!
how they
feel?

How m Yay for

igh
tr today!
e
sta

What
can you
ura

celebrate
nts choose w

about this
day?
ed in
If families dress
might your
uniforms, what ?
family’s look like
How would
ha

tt
o school be t
fi
different i in
ser
ve?
were held ?
a museum

How do When you’ve What embarrassing

you help saved up some thing you once did can
out at money, how do you laugh about now?
home? you decide what
to do with it?
Do the
looks
of an
animal
Where
your is
favori
te
affect THE
place END
sticke
to put how people
rs? treat it?
Why?
AUGUST 2020 39
 Ask
izona
“Um, get eaten?”
I answered.
“Nope.” He smiled.
“Stop imagining!”
I giggled. “I have to say,
that one wasn’t terrible.”
Joking and laughing with
Chase was turning out to be
one of my favorite parts of
camp. But a couple of days
later, in arts and crafts,
his joking around got kind
of confusing.
“Hey,” he said, “did you
forget your eyeglasses today?”
I shook my head. “I don’t
wear glasses.”
“I just figured you couldn’t
see very well.” He snickered.
“The friendship bracelet

Just why the bread dough was sad?

It just wanted to be kneaded!”
you’re making looks so
ugly, you should call it an
enemy bracelet. Get it?”

Joking
Later on, when we were all
heading to the lake, Chase ran Joking with
up to me and said, “Hey! Imagine
you’re on the lake in a boat, OK?” Chase was one of
Around “OK,” I said.
“Now imagine a big wave
comes and tips your boat over,”
my favorite
parts of camp.
By Lissa Rovetch he went on.
Art by Amanda Morley “OK,” I said again. “Oh, ha! Yeah,” I said in a
“Now imagine a big, hungry confused, not-exactly-laughing
shark is coming to get you,” he kind of way. But before I had a
Dear Figuring It Out, said. “What do you do?” chance to stop and think about
I recently had that very same,
very confusing question at camp.
It began at lunch when this kid “You know why the
named Chase and I randomly bread dough was sad?”
started telling corny food jokes.
“You know what cows put
on their hot dogs?” Chase said.
“Mooooostard!”
“That was bad!” I laughed.
“You know what kind of fish you
put on a peanut-butter sandwich?
A jellyfish!”
“Wow, that was even worse.”
Chase laughed back. “You know

40 AUGUST 2020
how those words actually made
me feel, it was time to move on
to the next activity.

“Laughing with
people is way more
fun than laughing
at them.”
That night, when it was
lights-out time, I lay awake,
feeling grumpy and weird.
Half of my brain was thinking, “Can we talk for
Chase was just joking around; a second?”
don’t take it so hard. But
the other half of my brain
was thinking, Those bracelet
comments felt more mean than
fun. I knew that truly funny
things shouldn’t make my
stomach hurt.
The next day, Chase made
another one of his “jokes” on
the field. “Amelia must think
we’re playing golf instead of
softball.” He paused and smiled.
“Because every time she tries to “To be honest, I’ve been We ended up trading lots more
hit the ball, it just rolls on the thinking about this kind of a jokes over the next few days and
ground! Get it?” lot,” I said. “Can we talk for even decided to do our favorites in
“Um, I get it,” I said. “I just a second?” I glanced around the talent show. Then, believe it
don’t think it’s funny.” to make sure no one else was or not, we were voted the funniest
“What happened to your within earshot. skit overall!
sense of humor?” he asked. “Sure, I guess,” he said. So, dear Figuring It Out, it
“We might have different ideas might be worth telling your friend
of what’s funny,” I said. “I love how you feel. Maybe try explaining
our corny jokes, but I didn’t think that you think she’s talented
your ‘enemy bracelet’ comment and funny but the negative stuff
was funny, and I definitely don’t doesn’t make you feel great.
like joking about Amelia behind Hopefully, she’ll hear you and
her back. Basically, I think adjust her style. If not, remember
laughing with people is way more that there are plenty of fun,
fun than laughing at them. Does un-mean fish in the friendship sea.
that make sense?”
Luckily, Chase was cool about Ciao for now,
Arizona
the whole thing. “You know,” he
said, “I seriously never thought
about it like that.”

AUGUST 2020 41
 Dear
Highlights
I have a habit
of brushing
my teeth
too long. I’m going to Greece next
Sometimes it’s year. But I don’t know
how to speak Greek!
hard to stop. Cleo, Nebraska
A Highlights Reader (by e-mail)
What an exciting adventure
The American Dental Association recommends brushing you have ahead of you. Greece
your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time. Try setting is a beautiful country, with lots
a timer for two minutes. Keep an eye on it. Brush your upper of history, culture, and natural
teeth for one minute and your lower teeth for one minute, beauty to enjoy.
then stop and rinse. Eventually, as you learn what two In most big cities in Greece,
minutes of brushing feels like, you may not need the you’ll find that many people
timer anymore. speak at least some English.
Your parents and dentist may have ideas for you too. But this trip gives you a great
If you have more questions about keeping your teeth opportunity to learn a few
healthy, your dentist will be able to answer them. Greek phrases before you leave.
You can ask a librarian to help
you find Greek phrase books,
audio materials, and tour books.
They’ll help you learn about
I have a hard time being the language you’ll be hearing
patient for something that and the places you’ll be visiting.
I’m really looking forward to. Look up important words like
Graham (by e-mail) “please” and “thank you” and
useful questions like “How
It can be hard to be patient are you?” and “Do you speak
when you know that something English?” Being prepared with
good lies ahead. a few words and phrases may
It might be fun to make a help you feel more confident
countdown calendar. You can about your trip.
cross off days on a monthly
calendar. Or you can make
a calendar with a page for each Write to us!
day until your event. As each day passes, tear off the page. This Please include your name, age,
might make it feel as if the event is coming sooner. Decorate the and full address. Mail to
calendar by drawing whatever you’re looking forward to. Dear Highlights
Before the event, fill your days with activities with your family 803 Church Street
and friends. Keeping busy while you wait for something special Honesdale, PA 18431
Or e-mail us at [email protected].
may help the days seem to go by faster.

42 AUGUST 2020 Art by Keith Frawley.

 t ure Puz zler Art by Valen
tina Mendicino

Pic tical llamas

, fou r p airs o f id entical llam as, an d one llama

of iden
Find one trio
tch.
with no ma

Answers on

BONUS! page 38.

Say this tongue twister five times fast:

Mama Llama’s pajama drama.