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33 32 31 30 2935 34Solution to Crossbird PuzzleAcknowledgments continued from inside front coverGrateful acknowledgment is given to the following publishers and copyright
owners for permission to reprint selections from their publications. All possible care has been taken to trace ownership and secure permission for
each selection. “Pond Water” text © 2003 by Teresa Bateman.
“In Search of...“ text © 2006 by Joan Lennon, art © 2006 by Renato Alarcão.Photo acknowledgments: 5-10 (BG) Ratana21/Shutterstock.com; 5-10
(BG) Sergey Mastepanov/Shutterstock.com; 17 (RB) Positive Snapshot/Shutterstock.com; 18 (BG) LUMIKK555/Shutterstock.com; 32-38 (BG) ilolab/
Shutterstock.com; 32, 38 (spot) comzeal images/Shutterstock.com; 39-43 (border) sunwart/Shutterstock.com.CRICKET magazine (ISSN 0090-6034) is published 9 times a year, monthly except for combined May/June, July/August, and November/December issues,
by Cricket Media, 70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601. Additional Editorial Off ice located at 1751 Pinnacle Drive, Suite 600, McLean, VA 22102.
Periodicals postage paid at McLean, VA, and at additional mailing off ices. For address changes, back issues, subscriptions, customer service, or to renew,
please visit shop.cricketmedia.com, email cricketmedia@cdsfulf illment.com, write to CRICKET, P.O. Box 6395, Harlan, IA 51593-1895, or call 1-800-821-0115.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to CRICKET, P.O. Box 6395, Harlan, IA 51593-1895.
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Printed in the United States of America.
1st Printing Quad/Graphics
Midland, Michigan January 2019NEW POETRY CONTEST: MAGIC SPELL
This is a magical Cricket. In “Clarity,” Liam must decide which magic spell to pick from a wiz-
ard’s book. And in “Pond Water,” a princess turns into a frog when she sniffs a magic potion
from her Aunt Matilda. All the bugs have been talking about the magic spells they would
like to cast. Zoot imagines playing his cello with an enchanted bow. Marty favors a pizza-
topping spell. And Sluggo wants to cast a home run spell on his baseball bat. So for this
month’s contest, everybuggy will be enchanted to read your best poem about a magic spell.
What magical spell will you choose for your poem? A Homework spell that does your
homework for you? A Flight spell that enables you to soar with the birds? A Friendship spell that
helps you make new friends? What magical words will you use in your enchantment? Maybe
you will write about a spell that helps people in need or protects endangered animals like a pan-
golin. Or perhaps you will write about a spell that goes wrong in a funny way. You might write
about somebuggy who can magically cast spells, like a wizard in his dark tower, or a strange
new kid at school, or even your pet goldf ish. Or you could write about somebuggy under a spell.
Whatever spell you choose from the wizard’s book, everybuggy in Cricket Country will
be held spellbound by your best poem—of 24 lines or less—about a magic spell. Shazaam!
Contest Rules- Your contest entry must be your very own original work.
Ideas and words should not be copied. - Your entry stating that it is your own work, that no help was given, must be signed by your parent or guardian,
and that Cricket has permission to publish it in the maga-
zine and on our website. - Be sure to include your name, age, and full address on
your entry.
4. Only one entry per person, please.
5. If you want your work returned, enclose a self-addressed,
6. Your entry must be stamped envelope for receivedeach entry. by February 25, 2019.
7. Send entries to Cricket League, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL
61354. (No faxes or email submissions, please!)
8. We will publish winning entries in the May/June 2019
issue and on the Cricket website.
To see more winning Cricket League
entries, visit our website:
cricketmagkids.com/contestsA ring of cats with tails all curled
All stare at me with glowing eyes
Surrounding the gate to their own world
Where humans don’t go, but cats rise
The portal stays throughout the night
And disappears when it is day
It glows brightly with an unreal light
The wonderful, legendary Cat’s Way.
Third prize 11 and up
Emma Grace Carroll, age 13
Rogersville, MO
With smell of salt and crashing waves,
Deep inside her midnight eyes,
She spins the stars into the place
Of gentle darkness, quiet night.
She sends the rivers through the land
Around the gnarled, ancient trees,
Which bend their branches to her hand,
As she rides the autumn breeze.
She dances with the morning light
And sings into the evening wind,
She lifts the birds into their f light
And shapes the rainbow’s bend.
She whispers to the small spring f lower
And in her hand it blooms,
The earth is born within her power,
You will feel her soon.
Third prize 11 and up
Isabel Tollenaere, age 13
Mount Pleasant, MI
The Detective
Sitting in his plush chair.
His feet warming by the f ire.
Every plan unfolding in his mind.
Royalty bows to his wit.
Locked in an eternal struggle with evil.
Only one man great enough.
Cleaning up the streets.
King of mystery.
Hero of his time.
Old tomes tell his tales.
Lies are unearthed.
Master of the violin.
Even as your read of him.
Secrets are unfolding.Honorable Mention
Ellie Evans, age 9, Bowling Green, KY
Ayat Jaffar, age 9, Avon, OH
Emma L. Jones, age 15, Foxboro, WI
Shivam Mahajan, age 9, Parma Heights, OH
Aidan Sadler, age 12, Gainesvile, VA
Shivani Yadavalli, age 12, Albany, GA47