Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2024 i Spider Magazine Stories, Games, Activites and Puzzles for Children and Kids

October 27 Dear Journal, Mami said we’re celebrating Día de los Muertos this year. My Abuelito Víctor died two months ago, and I miss him a lot. We used to go to baseball games together and sneak in tamales. (Mmmmm!) He even gave me the baseball bat he had as a kid. I love it because the best player ever, El Toro Valenzuela, signed it. Mami said Abuelito’s spirit will visit us on Día de los Muertos, maybe in the shape of a butterfly. She said that we make something called la ofrenda so his spirit will come visit us at home. La ofrenda is like a table with Abuelito’s favorite food, some of his things, and a photo of him. Mami works a lot, so I’m going to make…

Adeline S., age 8 Fairlawn, Ohio Linda’s Ride Linda lived in a big city. She loved riding. Her parents took her to an amusement park whenever they could. But because they lived in such a big city, Linda never got to ride a horse. It was her dream to ride a horse. Then one day, she went to a sleepover with her cousin. He lived on a farm. Linda told him she liked riding. It turned out her cousin like riding, too. The only thing was he rode horses and wanted to ride something at an amusement park! Linda told him she wished she could ride a horse. He told her she could ride a horse, but when they told his dad, he said the only one not reserved was…

What You’ll Need: 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)1 medium onion, diced*1 medium tomato, diced*1 medium boiled potato, diced*2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped*2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice1/2 teaspoon cumin powder 1 teaspoon chat masala (optional, available in Indian groceries) 1 tablespoon tamarind chutney (optional, available in Indian groceries)1/2 teaspoon grated ginger salt and pepper to taste What to Do: 1. Drain the chickpeas.2. Add all other ingredients, and mix well.3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least two hours. *Knives are for adult use only!…

TESSA WOKE TO the sound of purring snowplows. She tossed aside her quilt and rushed to the window. “Snow!” Tessa squealed with delight at seeing the white lawn, the white birdbath, the white sidewalk, and the white car (which was actually red underneath the snow). It was the first snow Tessa could remember in a long, long time. She stuffed her feet into her slippers and dashed to the kitchen. Her nose caught a whiff of banana pancakes before she slid to a stop in front of the wall calendar. Her fingers danced across the days and weeks before finding the right date: December 21. “Oh,” Tessa gasped in awe as she read the words on the calendar. “The First Day of Winter. . . . Mom!” Tessa’s mother set…

Dear Bill, What type of bug are you? What’s your favorite color? Will you please adopt Tix? He eats fish, candy corn, or dog food. He’s a cat, but he thinks he’s a dog! He doesn’t need a litter box unless you can convince him that those are what dogs use. Don’t ever say he’s a cat, or he will flood the house with mint leaves! He also likes to drink distilled water. What do you like to drink? I heard that bugs like to eat plants, but you should try a hot dog sometime. They’re tasty! Here’s a joke to play on everybuggy: Fill a mayonnaise jar with vanilla pudding. Then eat it by the spoonful in front of your friends. They will think you’re eating mayo! Gross! John…

What You'll Need: 3 to 4 inches of string white or blue pipe cleaners pencil large glass jar 2 to 4 cups boiling water 6 to 12 tablespoons borax laundry powder What to Do: 1. Make a snowflake shape by twisting together the centers of three equal-sized pipe cleaners. 2. Tie the string to one of the snowflake arms and tie the other end to the pencil. 3. Ask an adult to fill the jar with boiling water. 4. For each cup of water, have the adult add three tablespoons borax. Stir to make sure the powder dissolves completely. 5. Hang your pipe-cleaner snowflake inside the jar with the pencil resting on top. The snowflake should be completely covered with liquid and not touch the sides or bottom of the…

Directions continued on the back. Want to hear a construction joke? Sorry, I’m still working on it. Sebastian B., age 8 in 2012, now 20 What do you get when you cross a pastry with a snake? A pie-thon! Samantha O., age 6 in 2016, now 14 What do you get if you cross a snowman with a tiger? Frostbite. Mariam, age 8 in 2006, now 26 Art by 1 Michael Chesworth2 Linda Silvestri4 Benton Mahan6 Sheila Bailey 8 Jennifer Black Reinhardt 10 Rowan Barnes-Murphy12 Santy Gutierrez14 Andy Snair16 Sarah Nettuno18 Ivica Stevanovic Reader Riots: Best Jokes of 30 Years of Spider by You! What are gray and squeaky and live in caves? Stalag-mice! Claire, age 7 in 2021, now 10 Knock, knock. Who’s there? Ada. Ada who? I Ada…