Kids Worldcumberlink.com/kidsworld

Copy Editor Sarah Smith • frontdoor@cumberlink.com

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 The Sentinel • D1

Kids Speak Out

Want to See Your name Here?Hey, kids! How would you like to get your story published

in Kids Speak Out? Just write a short story on one of our prompts and send it to The Sentinel. You can also draw a picture to go with your story. Each week, The Sentinel will publish some of the stories we receive in KidsWorld and on www.cumberlink.com. Only the top three essay writers, published on this page, will receive KidsWorld T-shirts. To claim T-shirts, visit The Sentinel during normal business hours.

You must be 5 to 13 years old to enter. Stories must be 150 words or less. Be sure to include your full name, age, address, school and grade. Mail your entry to “Kids Speak Out,” The Sentinel, 457 E. North St., Carlisle, PA 17013, drop it off at either Sentinel office or mail it to frontdoor@cumberlink.com with the subject “Kid-sWorld.”

How you can get involved with Kids Speak Out

Upcoming Topics

Due March 1I built a snowman when...

Due March 8I saw a leprechaun when...

Due March 15If I could go anywhere I...

Due March 22When I look in the mirror I...

BY AMY FrieDMAn Illustrated by MeredIth Johnson

One afternoon long, long ago, Anansi the Spider was sit-ting at home when Firefly happened to fly past. When An-ansi saw him, his eyes lit up. He had a fine idea.

“Firefly, stop in and visit,” he said.Firefly did, and after they had talked awhile, Anansi sug-

gested they go hunting together in the hen houses. “We can collect eggs!” Anansi said.“That sounds good,” Firefly said. “Come to my house

when the sun sets.”Anansi loved hunting, and he loved eggs. And Firefly was

the perfect hunting companion for anyone who liked to sneak around.

And so Anansi idled away the afternoon — as he did so often — and when the sun set and darkness rolled in, he hurried to Firefly’s house. Together they set off for the first farmer’s field, and there they sneaked into the warm hen house.

It was dark inside, but Firefly opened his wings, and when he did, he lit up like a lighthouse. In the flood of light, An-ansi could see all the eggs.

These were the farmer’s eggs, of course, but once Anansi saw anything, he considered it rightfully his. So he went to work, picking up every single egg and placing them care-fully in his basket.

When he had gathered every one, he and Firefly hurried to the next farm, and to the next hen house. Once again, they set to work.

“You’ll share the eggs, of course,” Firefly said. But as the night wore on and they visited one hen house

after another, Firefly began to grow tired, and he wondered if this wasn’t a mistake.

Anansi’s basket was overflowing, and as they moved on across the dark countryside, Firefly said, “Come, let’s go to the next hen house, and this time you’ll fill my basket.”

But Anansi shook his head. “I’m too tired to do any more hunting,” he said. “I think I’ll just take my eggs home.”

Now Firefly understood. Furious, he said, “Goodbye to you then,” and he flew away as fast as he could, leaving An-ansi stranded in the dark.

They had walked for a long, long time, and Anansi had no idea how to find his way home. He began to make his way along the dark road, feeling this way, feeling that way, hold-ing the basket of eggs so it did not spill, but he couldn’t see a thing. Suddenly, he bumped smack into a farmhouse.

“What’s this?” he said, rubbing his sore head. “Hello!” he called into the house. “Anyone home?”

A gruff voice called back, “Who’s that at my house?”“It’s Anansi, your good friend!” Anansi called. He recog-

nized that voice. It was Tiger’s.Tiger stuck his head out the window and glared at Anansi.

He recognized the fellow who had tricked him many times, the chap who had tried to make a fool of him. And nobody makes a fool of Tiger.

Tiger was a clever fellow, too. And so, although Anansi was no friend of his, he said, very sweetly, “Come in, my friend.”

Anansi was cold, he was tired, and he wasn’t fond of the dark, so he stepped inside, and the moment he did, Tiger shut the door behind him.

“Look at those eggs!” Tiger said. “Let’s boil them and have a feast.”

Before Anansi could say a word, Tiger put a big kettle on the fire and called out to his wife and many children: “Come see our midnight snack!”

Tiger’s wife and children traipsed into the room, and the moment those eggs were boiled, they began to gobble them down.

“Perhaps Anansi wants some, too,” Tiger said.Anansi was nervous surrounded by all these tigers. “No,

no, that’s fine,” he said. He didn’t want to upset the tigers, and when all the eggs were gone, Tiger waited until Anansi was looking the other way, and he dropped a lobster into the kettle.

He covered the lobster with all the eggshells.“You’ll stay the night, won’t you?” Tiger grinned, and

Anansi nodded when he saw those gleaming teeth, sharp as knives. He didn’t like to disagree with Tiger.

Before long, everyone was fast asleep -- everyone but An-ansi, who pinched himself over and over again so he would stay awake. And when he heard everyone snoring, he tip-toed to the kettle, reached inside to grab an egg, but the lob-ster pinched him hard.

Anansi shrieked.“Are you all right?” Tiger called from the far side of the

room. “Fine, just fine,” Anansi answered, “please forgive me for

waking you.”A few minutes later, he tried again. Once again, the lobster

pinched him hard. Once again, he shrieked.“Are you sure you’re all right?” Tiger called.“There are terrible fleas in this house!” Anansi cried.“Fleas!” Tiger said. “How dare you insult us,” and roaring,

he leaped toward Anansi.Anansi raced to the door as fast as he could, and Tiger

stopped and grinned as he watched that spider hurrying home.

“That’ll teach him a lesson!” Tiger said, and true enough, Anansi never returned to Tiger’s house.

And he never went hunting with Firefly again.

A West African tale

Anansi and Firefly go huntingMy best

party ever would

be ...

“My best party ever would be a fairy party. I like fairies because they can fly. I watch fairy movies at my house.

I wish I could be a fairy because they have beautiful dresses.”

Ella Kammerer, 6 (WINNER)First grade

Newville Elementary

“My best party ever was in 2010 when I went to a wed-ding at the Senator’s field.”

Brayden Laird, 9 (WINNER)Fourth grade

Fishing Creek Elementary

“My best party ever would be my 10th birthday party. I had a bunch of friends come over, we ate cake, we drank

juice. Then we opened presents. After that, we went in an awesome limo and it took us to Chucky Cheese and every-

thing was free. Then, the limo took us back to my house and we had a dance party. That was my best party ever.”

Selma B., 10 (WINNER)Fourth grade

Crestview Elementary

“My best party would be a birthday party. Because your friends come over and you get gifts.”

Emily BurnhiselSecond grade

Newville Elementary

“My best party ever would be when I had my birthday.”Ethan MullinsSecond grade

Newville Elementary

“My best party ever would be at Ski Round Top and Snowboard Resort and invite all of my friends and snow-

board and ski. We would have lunch at the lodge and that’s all.”

Frank Petre, 7Grade 2B

St. Patrick School

“My best party ever would be to meet Michael Jackson and make him sing Beat It to me. I would be his backup dancer. We might be on camera. It would be cool when

everyone sees me on national television. I hope that hap-pens.”

Casey Huss, 8Grade 2B

St. Patrick School

“My best party ever was at my Grandma’s. It was so fun.”Elizabeth WertSecond grade

Newville Elementary

“My best party ever would be my birthday. I ate ice cream cake.”

Gabby HoyauxSecond grade

Newville Elementary

“My best party ever would be my Halloween one because I got pumpkins and got fake spider webs and

got scary costumes. And I got candy. And I got to scare people.”

Ajla Mehmedovic, 7Second grade

Bellaire Elementary

“My best party I ever had was my ninth party because I had a piñata. It had music and soccer. The gifts were won-derful and the cake was fantastic. That was the best party

I ever had!”Mila Elash, 9Third grade

W.G. Rice Elementary

“My best party ever would be with my friends and it will have a rock star band. It

will be a rocking party.”AJ, 7

Second gradeBellaire Elementary

“My best party ever would be going to Hershey Park. I would see if I could go there

for two days. Then go home, invite my friends over and have a disco party at the skating rink. that would be my best party

ever.”A.J. Cranga, 8

Third gradeW.G. Rice Elementary

Kids Worldcumberlink.com/kidsworld

Copy Editor Sarah Smith • frontdoor@cumberlink.com

Tuesday, February 26, 2013D2 • The Sentinel

© 2013 Universal Uclick

release dates: February 23-March 1 8-1 (13)

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Please include all of the appropriate registered trademark symbols and copyright lines in any publication of The Mini Page®.

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A Sign of Trouble

Giant Fish Disappearing Giant fish swim through the world’s rivers and lakes. But most of them are hidden and mysterious. Legends about creatures such as the Loch* Ness Monster could have sprung from sightings of giant fish. The Loch Ness Monster is a dinosaur-like, and probably imaginary, animal that many say they have spotted in a lake in Scotland.

Folks tell tales of Volkswagen-sized catfish at the bottom of dams in the Mississippi River. Some experts think mermaid sightings may have really been giant fish. To learn more about these gigantic creatures, The Mini Page talked with the curator of fishes at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, which recently opened an exhibit on “River Giants.” Shrinking giants

People have discovered huge fish weighing hundreds of pounds in rivers and lakes. Centuries ago, their ancestors were probably even bigger. Overfishing and habitat destruction may be preventing the fish from growing so large and may be killing whole species. Giant freshwater fish may be disappearing before we have had a chance to study them.

A sign of health Some freshwater fish weigh hundreds of pounds and can be at least 6 feet long. There are about 20 species of these giant fish left in the wild. In order for fish to grow this large, the rivers and lakes where they live must be healthy. It takes a lot of food to feed a fish that will grow to weigh hundreds of pounds. The fish also must have the time to grow so huge. If many fish manage to live long enough to reach that size, it is a sign that people are not overfishing the area. Unfortunately, giant fish are disappearing from our freshwater,or bodies of water other than the sea. This is a sign of more serious problems. Freshwater fish of all sizes are in trouble. More than one-fifth of all

known freshwater fish havebecome

extinct or severely threatened in recent

years. In North America, freshwater fish are becoming extinct at nearly 900 times the rate they did before the 1800s, according to fossil records.

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The blue catfish swims in Tennessee waters. It can weigh about 200 pounds now, but 100 years ago, it was probably much larger. Writer Mark Twain described an 800-pound catfish that many believe was a blue catfish.

*“Loch” (lok) means “lake.”

The 1,100-pound Chinese paddlefish may be the largest freshwater fish in the world, at 23 feet long. But scientists fear it is extinct. No one has seen one since 2003. Giant dams are separating populations, making it harder for them to breed.

photo courtesy Muséum d’histoire Naturelle

Words that remind us of giant fish are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: ARAPAIMA, CATFISH, DAM, ENDANGERED, EXTINCT, FISH, FRESHWATER, GAR, GIANT, GILL, HABITAT, HUGE, LAKES, POLLUTION, POUNDS, RAY, RIVERS, SIGN, STURGEON, SWIM, WEIGH, WILD.

Giant Fish try ’nfind

Do you have a big-fish

story?

F N O E G R U T S W G G G G RS I W T A T I B A H E A G I IL I S I Y A R S W I M I R L VA H G H L L S D N U O P G L EK D U N L D H S I F T A C H RE K A G N O I T U L L O P V SS V K M E D E R E G N A D N ET C N I T X E A M I A P A R AT N A I G R E T A W H S E R F

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

Basset Brown

the news

Hound’s

TM

ready resourcesfrom The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, books or other resources that will help you learn more about this week’s topics.On the Web:

At the library:

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

Protecting Our WaterHabitat health The existence of giant fish is a sign of how healthy their habitat is.

something is wrong in their habitat.There may be only one problem or a combination of troubles. People might be overfishing the area, wiping out smaller fish that are food for the giants. Pollution may be sickening or killing fish. People and businesses dump sewage and farm or factory pollutants in rivers.

of the rivers so much that there is not enough oxygen left in the rivers. Climate change may be affecting the makeup of rivers and lakes.

Changing our habits As the world’s population grows, there is more demand for fresh drinking water. The increased use has threatened fish living in the waters. By making good laws and stopping overfishing, we can protect our rivers and lakes and still make it possible for people to feed their families. Fish farms are one solution. In some areas, ecotourism is a growing industry. Sportspeople can fish and then release the fish back into the wild after they’ve caught them. Tourists pay local people to see the giant fish and their habitat.

Keeping water safe

backyards affects the whole environment. All water from our cities and farms ends up back in the rivers and then in the oceans. Recycling, handling waste safely, keeping chemicals off our lawns and gardens, conserving water and protecting our resources are all things everyone can do to help. Remember that rivers and lakes

get our drinking water from the same water system. River and lake ecosystems support millions of people and animals around the world.

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Alligator gar have broad snouts that look like those of alligators. They live in waters in the southeast United States, but have been found as far north as Ohio. They can grow to 12 feet long, weighing more than 300 pounds.

The giant pangasius catfish can grow to more than 9 feet long. It lives in rivers in the rainforests of southeast Asia.

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

Ricky:when he took a bath?Rose: Because it left a ring around

the river!

Rita:Ray: People-necked sweaters!

TM

All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category?

Randy:crocodile?

Rudy: In a croc-pot!

Mini Spy . . .Mini Spy and her friends are visiting an aquarium and looking

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

TM

Rookie Cookie’s RecipeVegetable Cheese Frittata*

You’ll need:

1 2 cup chopped green bell pepper

What to do:1. Heat olive oil and cook broccoli and green pepper for 4 to 5 minutes.2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk and salt.3. Coat a pie or quiche dish with cooking spray. Spread cooked

vegetables on bottom of dish.4. Cut cream cheese into 16 squares; place on top of vegetables.5. Pour egg mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until

done. Serves 6-8.*A frittata is an egg-based dish similar to a quiche or omelet.You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

TM

1 2 teaspoon salt

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

Meet Zeb Hoganof the Megafishes Project, which studies and tries to save the world’s giant fish.

he went on camping trips with his family to desert canyons with creeks. This made him

was in eighth grade, he got a summer volunteer

summers studying fish on the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand

catfish and was amazed at how huge freshwater fish could grow. He studied conservation biology in college. He is an assistant research professor at the University of Nevada-Reno. He enjoys hiking, camping, traveling and exploring.

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from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

Meet Some Giant Fish

The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

Lake sturgeon The lake sturgeon is a dinosaur-like fish swimming in rivers and lakes in many parts of North America. A few years ago, it was almost extinct in parts of the country, such as Tennessee. But the Tennessee Aquarium and conservation groups fought to stop the extinction. They worked to increase river flow to what it had been before dams. This caused the oxygen levels to rise in the rivers. Fishers had been catching sturgeon and throwing them on riverbanks to die. Now overfishing has been stopped. Tennessee has put about 125,000 sturgeon back into the rivers. Conservationists plan to double that number.

saving the sturgeon as an example of how we can turn things around and save other threatened fish.

Freshwater whipray

their heads so they can watch for threats as they hunt on the bottom of rivers and lakes. They often bury themselves in sand and mud, waiting for their prey and hiding from their enemies, with only their eyes above the mud. They also have a great sense of smell that helps them hunt. Rays can sting, but they would rather swim away than attack. They attack only if they feel threatened.

The arapaima The arapaima has primitive lungs as well as gills. It has to surface about every 20 minutes to breathe oxygen from the air or it will drown. In dry seasons, the Amazon River

the arapaima would not be able to get enough oxygen from the river. Its primitive lungs are so ancient that they are not found in any other modern fish.

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Lake sturgeon can grow up to 8 feet long and can live for 150 years in the wild. They feed on fish at the bottom of rivers and lakes.

The Mini Page thanks Thom Demas, curator of fishes, Tennessee Aquarium, for help with this issue.

Next week, The Mini Page is about Newspaper in Education Week.

The arapaima can be 15 feet long and weigh several hundred pounds. It is a fierce hunter, sometimes even grabbing small primates, such as tamarins, from the shore and gulping them down. It also eats birds and fish. It swims in South American rivers.

The freshwater whipray can weigh more than half a ton and stretch to 12 feet long. The two species, in Asia and Australia, are related to stingrays living in the sea.

Wallago catfish The wallago catfish has rows and rows of sharp teeth. Some of its teeth

point backward so they can better trap their prey. The sharp teeth grab onto prey like a fishhook.The wallago swims

in Asian rivers and can be 8 feet long.

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

Supersport: Elizabeth WilliamsHeight: 6-3 Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va. The ball is on a perfect flight toward the rim. Suddenly, a big hand swats it off course. That’s what many shooters have happen

The intimidating 6-3 sophomore is a shot-blocking artist who

(15.5 per game) and is second in rebounding (6.5).

of the Year honors last season. She blocked 54 in the first 17 games this

shots, knocking in 55.7 percent from the field.

record so far this season.

TM