Cricket201903

IactuallyloveallanimalsandI’mvegetar-
ian.Ican’tstandpeoplelitteringandI’m
obsessed with the environment. In real
lifeI’mkindofshy,butIknowthaton
theChatterboxnoonewilljudgeme.
Coroline, 156 months
Calling All New CBers
Chirp at Cricket
I spend a lot of time outdoors rock
climbingandmountainbiking.Iliveona
mountain,so thereareatonofplacestodostuff
likethat.IalsohangoutwithmyfriendsClaireand
Gigi,watchingmoviesandeatingicecream.And
swimminginthepool.Alot.Istayupreallylate
reading,soIsleepin,whichIcandobecauseI’m
homeschooled.Iwenttoapublicschoolk–sixth
andI’mgoingbackineighthgrade,butI’mdoing
oneyearathometotakea”break.”Imissseeing
allmyfriendseveryday,butotherthanthat,Ilike
it. I’m also really into musical theater.
Moonlight, age 13
WhatDoYouDoinRealLife
Down to Earth
Swoosh...CRASH...Swoosh...CRASH.The
soundofwavesbeatingtheshoresinthedistance
is nearly drowned out by the chatter of the sur-
rounding crowds. TheThunderbirdcreaks as it
inches closer to the dock, one ship among many,
adorned in clean white sails and masts that tower
higher over the rest.
Merismerefeetawayfromus,andwiththe
marketduetobegininafewdays,thestreetsare
crowded—the port even more so.
Wedockwherethereisroom,andIgather
upmycrew.“Thefleamarket’sgoingtostartin
afewdays.Inevertoldyouwhatwetradedwith
the northern pirates,”—Darya smirks—“but, long
story short, we’ve got a booth here and we’re sell-
ing the Power of Hoof.”
Hazel C.
Kyngdom, Chatterbox
Actually,itbeganasatalentshow.Itbegan
as a fundraiser for the Theater, so that Peter
Caminski could put it back on the map. It began as
oneofthemanyideasofastrangebutendearing
fourteen-year-old. But it became a magnet that
pulled nine very special kids to-
gether and bound them forever,
for better or worse.
Theauditionsareinthe
past. The names are up. The
rehearsals have begun. Are
you ready?
Rose bud, age 15
Theater RPG 2: The
Talent Show
Inkwell, Chatterbox

Idoadoubletake.Talent show?

Why would someone host a talent

showhere,inthemiddleofnowhere?

Isnatchuptheposter.“Areyoua

talented kid looking for special op-

portunities? Sign up for the Mable-

tonTalentShowattheMableton

Theater. Winners receive two free ice

creamcouponsalongwithaspecial

surprise!Seeyouonstage!”

St.Owl

Theater RPG 2: The Talent Show

Inkwell

Ilivewayoutinthecountry,inaclassicrural

countryside:oldgravelroads,farms,blueskies

that stretch on forever, the smell of sweet hay

andgrassintheair.Therearepeoplearound.The

sense of community is amazing. Everyone knows

everyone. The houses are spaced out; there are

woods and fields and hills and farms, and the

Appalachian Mountains in the distance.

Thestarsareamazing.Youstepoutsideatnight

andfeellikeyoucanseeeveryoneofthem.There

arelotsofanimals,too,whichIlove.Peoplelet

their dogs and cats roam out here.

We live right next to a really big farm,

and the owners are really nice and let

us come whenever we want. There’s a

big,gorgeousoldgraybarnthatIlike

to visit and sheep and dogs and cats

and chickens and cows.

We have to drive about two hours

togettothenearestmall.We’resofar

outthatevenDomino’sPizzadoesn’t

deliver to us, but sometimes we order from

there and meet the delivery halfway in the park-

ing lot of a church. If you’re wondering, we don’t live

like hillbillies. We still have high-speed internet, Wi-

Fi,andalltheluxuriesofmodernlife.Iadoreithere.

Leeli

UrbanvsSuburbanvsRural,DowntoEarth

“Comeback!”youcrytearfullyasthedog

wrencheshisleashoutofyourhands.Thatwas

yourfriend’suncle’sfriend’sdaughter’sdog,and

she had entrusted you to care for him. You’d bet-

terstartlookingforhim.Asyoucallthroughthe

streets, you see a brown streak cross the road and

head right for you. What’s that in his mouth?

It’sanote.Grabbingit,youseethatitsays,

“Hello, person! You have been selected to come

to our private farm for a relaxing, looong getaway

fromhome.Justshowup!PackyourCAPTCHAs

andAEsandjustafewitems.Yourdogwillshow

youtheway!Signed,AbigailV.,VacationManager

of the Resort Farm”

Farmer’s Assistant

The Resort Farm

Pudding’s Place, Chatterbox

I enjoy reading books about the history of

really random things, such as graffiti and fast food

restaurants.TodayIwenttothisdinerthathada

sign on it that said “Hot Dogs, Onion Ring, Corn

Dogs,”butitwasformattedweirdly,soitlooked

like it said “Hot Onion Corn, Dogs Ring Dogs.”

S. Clockwork, aka Clockwork Sparrow

Oregon

I’m pretty obsessed with reading, writing,

drawing, talking, running cross-country, singing,

andplayingflute.Ialsolovemathandscience.I’m

teachingmyselfcalculusandI’msuperintospace.

Artisticbirdie, age 12

Massachusetts

IwroteapoemalmosteverydayinApril.I

learnedalotaboutwritingpoetryandhadaton

of fun!

Silverwaxwing

Poetry Challenge, Pudding’s Place

Leeli, I feel like after reading your

poemIcanfeelOKsometimes,

because there’s someone else who

goes through something like I do

every day. I can really relate to

your poem.

Leafpool

Poetry Challenge

Pudding’s Place

Theelephantistheonlymammal

that can’t jump. Duck quacks do not echo,

and no one knows why.Rhythmis the longest

word in the English language without a vowel.

LilyPad

Random Facts Thread, Chirp at Cricket

I have just one pet: an adorable dog. He’s

pretty medium-sized and white all over. The tips

of his ears and a faint stripe down his spine are

light brown, though. His name is Buddy, and he’s

a purebred mutt. We have a few guesses as to

what’s in him, but they’re just guesses.

Starseeker, age 154 moons

NightwingKingdom,DowntoEarth

Send letters toCricket’s Letterbox,

P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354

[email protected].

Letters may be edited for length.

Visit the Chatterbox at:

cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox

CHIRPS FROM CRICKET’S

LETTERBOX AND CHATTERBOX

POETRY!

THAT’S

MUSIC TO

MY EARS.

A TALENT

SHOW! I AM

SO READY.

YOU’RE NOT THE

ONLY ONE WHO’S

A LITTLE SHY.