Cricket Magazine Fiction and Non-Fiction Stories for Children and Young Teens

cover and border

(SELF-PORTRAIT) “Be My Valentine?” Acrylic paint and digital Heidi is a left-handed illustrator who has always loved to draw and to tell stories with her drawings. One of her earliest commercial-art memories is being asked to draw by other kids in elementary school. “Put a tree here, or put a dog here.” She gladly drew away with her crayons. Her only memory of fifth grade is drawing with her best friend. There was no question what she wanted to do when she grew up.Now in her third decade as an illustrator, Heidi is still as happy as ever telling stories with her drawings. She also teaches illustration at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art). Heidi loves animals: cats, parrots, and in particular, dachshund dogs. As for frogs, she likes…

the letterbox

Dear Cricket,I ask for Cricket magazine every year for one of my birthday presents. I have been getting them for two years and I think they are awesome. Cricket has all sorts of stories I like! Thank you! It’s way better than the little stories I have to read at school.My mom got Cricket when she was little. Now I get them!Eliza Heaberlin, age 10 Pleasant Hill, IowaP.S. How did Pussywillow become magic? Dear Eliza, Magic just happens. We don’t really know how it came to Pussywillow, but we’re sure glad that it did! Love, Cricket Dear Cricket,I have gotten your mag for over two years now. I have one dog named Pip and two cats named Trinka and Jasper. My favorite books are the Divergent series…

the fog test

“I FAILED THE fog test?” I sputtered in disbelief. How? It was the simplest part of the weather exam—the “fog” wasn’t even real. All I’d needed to do was complete an easy obstacle course wearing virtual reality goggles, which I did . . . just not in the time allowed. I shook my head.The weather examiner sighed. “Kris, the Colonization Service doesn’t like the word fail. Only twenty percent of those taking the weather exam pass. Few humans qualify to leave our planet after growing up with Earth’s weather control.” He jerked his chin toward the window, at an ever blue and sunny sky. (Rain was always scheduled after nightfall.) “Not to mention living indoors nearly all the time.“I’m sure you’re disappointed, but it’s probably for the best. Survival’s…

rahim's pangolin

“TONIGHT,” DADU CLAPS me on the back, “we work, Rahim. We work like men.”Outside the first few stars are beginning to appear. Dadu climbs on his bicycle and chuckles as my friend Aslam and I jog along beside him. “Come on, boys, can’t you keep up with an old man?”The air feels as heavy as a blanket. The monsoon is late this year, and the earth is dry and cracked underfoot. A sweet smell wafts from Mr. Ahmed’s prized mango trees as we pass. Aslam slows his jog, reaches to pick a few mangoes, and crams them into his pockets—just like that, as if Mr. Ahmed couldn’t run out the door at any minute, waving his massive arms. I wish I were as lucky as Aslam with his…

author’s note

Pangolins, sometimes called scaly anteaters, are one of the most illegally trafficked animals in the world. In the past ten years, poaching pangolins for their scales—which are thought to have medicinal, even magical powers—has greatly increased, and pangolins are now relatively scarce in Bangladesh. I can certainly understand why hunters in one of the world’s poorest countries would be tempted to export these animals (it is against the law), but it is terribly sad—akin to the trafficking of rhino horn or elephant tusks in East Africa, since in all cases, the animal is killed in the process.This story is set near where I was born and spent the first years of my life. Pangolins are incredibly fascinating animals, but I have not seen a pangolin since I was a…

the possum bus

Come hop aboard the possum bus! This omnibus takes all of us Mom-possum navigates the trail With whiskered nose and long pink tail All of us children clamber on We cling to her, a possum throng No fights aboard this crowded bus ‘Cause momma is the boss of us Our possum momma is so strong To ferry all her kids along And seat belts are superfluous We’re safe aboard our possum bus When we were smaller, we’d all crouch On lower decks, inside her pouch But as we grew, we made the swap And now we ride in style on top The possum is the only marsupial (or animal with a pouch) native to North America. A mother possum carries her children in her pouch until they are…