text and art © 2022 by Sholto Walker
Front Cover by Robert Meganck
2 Pam’s Parrot by Sholto Walker
4 Doodlebug & Dandelion by Pamela Dell
9 Spooky, Spidery Soaps by Anne Renaud
10 Bubblegum Blues by Shanah Salter
12 Bubble-Blowing Beasts by Stacey Lane
13 The 19th Arrgh September
by McCourt S. Thomas
17 Bug Adventure by Michael Chesworth
18 Scooper-Upper by Neal Levin
19 Bird Pirates Strike Again! by Amber J. Keyser
23 Captain’s Caribbean Salad by Julienne Marlaire
24 The Tale of Captain Raisinfingers
by Christyne Morrell
31 No Swimming in the Pool
by Kathleen Kull Urban
32 Spider’s Corner and Spider’s Mailbox
34 Ophelia’s Last Word: Big Buggy Bubbles
35 Buggy Bulletin
The Fun Zone: Octopal
by Grant Steven
Mind-Buggler: Ahoy, “H” Hunters!
by Aaron Boyd
Spider and the Gang by Michael Chesworth
Welcome back from
summer break, gang.
!Hola, Senora
~ Mariposa!
September 2022
Volume 29 Number 7
James M. O’Connor, Director of Editorial
Stacey Lane Smith, Editor
Emily Cambias, Assistant Editor
Hayley Kim, Assistant Editor
Julie Peterson, Copyeditor
Suzanne Beck, Senior Art Director
Shavan Spears, Designer
Michael Chesworth, Artist, SPIDER bugs
Adrienne Matzen, Permissions Specialist
Grateful 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: Cover
art © 2015 by Robert Meganck; “Spooky, Spidery Soaps” art © 2004 by Michael
Chesworth; “Bird Pirates Strike Again!” text © 2008 by Amber J. Keyser; “Captain’s
Caribbean Salad” art © 2005 by Susan Swan; “No Swimming in the Pool” art ©
2014 by Dawn Beacon; “Ahoy, “H” Hunters!” art © 2004 by Aaron Boyd.
Photo acknowledgments: 9 (BG) Sylfida/Shutterstock.com; 12 (TC) Design Pics Inc/
Alamy Stock Photo; 12 (BG) Apostrophe/Shutterstock.com; 12 (spots) dariatroi/
Shutterstock.com; 12 (LT) blickwinkel/Alamy Stock Photo; 12 (LC) Avalon.red/
Alamy Stock Photo; 12 (LB) Tomasz Klejdysz/Shutterstock.com; 19 (LT) deymos/
Shutterstock.com; 19 (LC) Eric Isselee/Shutterstock.com; 19 (RC) Albert Beukhof/
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Shutterstock.com; 20 (TC) Vasya Kobelev/Shutterstock.com; 20 (LC) Jeremy
Richards/Shutterstock.com; 20 (CC) Don Mammoser/Shutterstock.com; 20 (RC)
iliuta goean/Shutterstock.com; 20 (LB) Henk Bogaard/Shutterstock.com; 20 (BC)
Kris Grabiec/Shutterstock.com; 20 (RB) ViktoriaIvanets/Shutterstock.com; 21 (LC)
Arterra Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo; 21 (BG) photonova/Shutterstock.com;
21 (RT) Greg Thompson/USFWS; 21 (TC) Ali Tellioglu/iStock; 21 (RC) Camillo
Cinelli/Shutterstock.com; 21 (CC) David Tipling Photo Library/Alamy Stock Photo;
21 (RB) Zhe Vasylieva/Shutterstock.com; 22 (LT) FLPA/Alamy Stock Photo; 22
(LB) Zhe Vasylieva/Shutterstock.com; 22 (RB) mistery/Shutterstock.com; 22
(spot) Sakurra/Shutterstock.com; 22 (spot) Babich A Aleksey/Shutterstock.com;
22 (spot) outsideclick/Shutterstock.com; 24-30 (BG) W. Phokin/Shutterstock.
com; 35 (BG) Kostenko Maxim/Shutterstock.com; 35 (CC) Texturis/Shutterstock.
com; 35 (spot) Gluiki/Shutterstock.com; 35 (border) yesvikos/Shutterstock.com;
35 (TC) MITstudio/Shutterstock.com; 35 (BC) Reenya/Shutterstock.com; 35 (RT)
Cool_photo/Shutterstock.com; 36-39 (FP) Magicleaf/Shutterstock.com; 38 (LC)
Homahoma/Shutterstock.com.
SPIDER magazine (ISSN 1070-2911) is published 9 times a year, monthly except
for combined May/June, July/August, and November/December issues, by Cricket
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September 2022, Volume 29, Number 7 © 2022, Cricket Media. All rights
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1st printing Quad Sussex, Wisconsin August 2022
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you a flower.
International Reading
Association
Educational Press Paul A. Witty
Association of America Short Story Award 2008
Golden Lamp Award
Distinguished Achievement Award
 Doodlebug & Dandelion
Bubble Awe
by Pamela Dell Art by Dom Mansell

“WHAT’S A BUBBLE fest, Dad?” Doodlebug asked as

the Pinkley family walked onto a wide-open field. The
sun was fading, and lots of people were milling about on
the grass blowing bubbles through little wands. Glistening
bubbles filled the dusky air.
Mr. Pinkley grinned. “It’s all kinds of bubble fun, kids!”
Thrilled, Doodlebug’s sister, Dandelion, grabbed two
bubble bottles. She and Doodlebug began blowing their
own bubbles.
“This blower stinks!” Doodlebug groused. “I want huge
bubbles—so big I could fit inside one!”
Mr. and Mrs. Pinkley’s eyes twinkled. “May wishes come
true, darlings,” Mrs. Pinkley said.
Hello, Ms. Mariposa. Thank you, everybuggy. OK, now let's stop
Me too, Ms. Mariposa.
This is for you. milling about — moving around without
Here's my flower.
order or purpose — and take our seats.
Drat. Musta missed
the flower memo.
4

“Let’s go!” said Mr. Pinkley. “The
main event is about to begin.”
Curious, Doodlebug and Dande-
lion followed their parents through
the crowd of bubble blowers. At the
center of the field sat a round, low
platform.
It was nearly dark when an
announcer called out, “Tonight
we have with us the brilliant bubble
artist Marcel, Master de Bulles!”
A small man appeared. He wore
a red woolly cap that curved forward
Fi rst thing, real quick, I
want to hear what each
of you did this summer.
Miro, you go fi rst.
at the top. On its end hung a plastic
bubble that crackled inside like
lightning. He held a long bubble
wand that ended in a gigantic circle.
A hush fell over the audience.
“I call for volunteers!” Marcel
boomed. “Young people—as many
as will fit on my Platform of Bubble
Awe!”
Not thinking twice, Doodlebug
and Dandelion rushed forward. So did
a heap of other kids. Soon a dozen of
them were squashed together on the
little round platform.
“Let the magic begin!” Marcel
called out, turning to the kids. “You
must remain completely still.”
Doodlebug, standing in front,
looked down. A shallow trough
encircled the platform. In it was
Marcel’s secret bubble-making
formula.
The Master de Bulles slowly
lowered the wand over the kids’
heads until the circular part lay in
the trough. Then, with a few flashy
moves, he enclosed the volunteers
in a giant-sized, globe-shaped bubble.
Moi, I made zee gigantic bulles — bubbles in
French — using my grandmother's secret recipe!
5
 It had glow-in-the-dark streaks going and beautiful. Doodlebug hoped
through it. it might last all night. Then he
“Voilà!” Marcel cried. wouldn’t have to go to bed.
“Ooooooooh!” the crowd replied. But all at once his nose began
“Nobody move!” commanded to tickle, like he might sneeze. He
Marcel. scrunched up his nose. The feeling
Inside the bubble, Doodlebug held passed, and he breathed a sigh of
his breath as long as possible. He relief. The bubble shook slightly.
was afraid he might burp and ruin Dandelion cast him a stern glance.
everything. Finally, trying not to Doodlebug went stone-still. A second
move, he exhaled deeply. He glanced later, his shin started itching. His
at Dandelion out of the corner of fingers felt numb, too. He twitched
his eye. She was stock-still, like the a pinky finger. The beautiful bubble
other kids. trembled, its colors wavering. If only
The bubble shimmered, perfect it would last forever!
Wonderful! Sonya,
I read twenty-two books! ME! ME! Pick me, Ms. Mariposa!
you're next. Go!
Cover to cover. PICK ME NEXT!

6
 Seconds later, Doodlebug felt a
creepy-crawly movement on the
back of his neck. It stopped, and he
decided he’d imagined it. Then it
began again. Doodlebug gritted his
teeth, trying not to think of creeping
bugs on his body. His nose was
tickling again, too. Plus, his shin
itched like the dickens. He scrunched
his shoulders, hoping the crawly
feeling would stop. It didn’t. But all
the kids’ eyes were on him now, and
none of them looked happy.
Goodness! OK, Spider. Briefly
tell us what you did.
As the crowd stood spellbound,
the glow-in-the-dark bubble quivered
and shivered in the night air.
Doodlebug looked out at all those
joyful faces. Something bad was
building inside him. He couldn’t
stop itching. He wanted to sneeze.
The monstrous neck-bug kept
crawling and crawling.
And then . . .
With a sudden, awful motion,
Doodlebug snapped. He twisted and
hunched his shoulders. His arm flew
Tranquilo, Spider.
Take it easy.
7
 up, and his fingers clawed wildly
at his neck, flicking the bug away.
Then, to his horror, his elbow
punctured the bubble. With a tiny
popping sound, the magical creation
dissolved into the air. Every single
person there—except Doodlebug
and Marcel—moaned like it was
the worst thing that had ever
happened.
Doodlebug hung his head.
Dandelion put her arm around him.
“Bravo!” Marcel exclaimed,
Spider, what could you possi bly have done
this summer that could be that exciting?
8
stepping up to the platform.
“But I broke the bubble.”
Doodlebug was sad and sorry.
“No matter, my friend!” Marcel
replied. “Most every bubble must
burst at sometime or another. But
for me it is a record—forty-nine
seconds! Longer than any I have
ever created!”
Doodlebug sighed. He’d burst
the bubble. But at least he had
helped the Master de Bulles break
his bubble record.
I was captured by pirates!
Spooky, Spidery Soaps
THESE FREAKY FOAMERS have a secret: built-in buggies!

What You’ll Need:

3.5-ounce bar of transparent pure glycerin soap
small foil cupcake liners
plastic spiders or other creepy buggies
microwaveable cup
knife (for adult use only)
plate

What to Do:
1. Place 2 or 3 foil cupcake liners on
a plate.
2. Ask an adult to cut the bar of soap in
half. Place one half into the cup. Microwave on high
for 10 to 15 seconds or until completely liquefied.
(The soap should melt clear.)
3. Put a spider (or other buggy) facedown in the bottom of
a cupcake liner. Ask an adult to fill with liquefied soap.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the remaining soap.
5. Place the plate of soaps in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the refrigerator. Peel the cupcake liners
away from the soaps.

Makes 2 to 3 soaps.
Nobuggy was harmed in the
making of this craft!

by Anne Renaud
Art by Michael Chesworth
9
 Bubblegum
Blues
Do you chomp and chew?
Pucker and pout?
But try as you might
no bubble comes out?

Tried all the brands?

Each flavor too?
Practiced so hard
your face became blue?

Listen up close.
Here’s what I know:
Work the gum in your mouth
like a glob of bread dough—

Roll it into a ball,

spread it thin, coat your tongue.
Make an ‘o’ with your mouth,
slowly . . . b l o w . . . and you’re done!

Or keep your mouth busy

with food, talk, or song.
And opt for bath bubbles—
they never go wrong!

by Shanah Salter
Art by Izzy B
10 text © 2022 by Shanah Salter, art © 2022 by Izzy B
11
Bubble-Blowing
Beasts by Stacey Lane

SOME CLEVER CREATURES use bubbles to help them breathe,

hunt, or stay safe. But which animal makes bubble rings just for fun?
In each fact, bubbles are covering up one letter. Figure out the hidden
letter. Cross out every bubble at the bottom that has that letter. The
remaining letters will reveal which animal believes bubbles are a blast.
1. The diving bell spider lives underwater but breathes air. At the
surfa○ e, it ○ ollects air bubbles in its hair. Then it arries
them down to its wet web.
2. G○ oups of hung ○y humpback whales su○○ ound fish and
blow bubbles. The bubbles wo○ k like a net to t○ ap the fish.
3. The water shrew sniffs underwater by blowing out bubbles. It
breathes the○ back in once the bubbles are full of s○ ells
that can lead the shrew to its next ○eal.
4. The spittlebug rele ○ses liquid from its re○ r end. It moves○
round in the liquid to m○ ke it bubbly. It hides in the bubbles
to keep from drying out and st○ y at the right temper ○ture.

Which playful animal r a d m o r

is king of the bubble
ring? c l a p a h

Answers on page 35 m i n a r m
12
 The 19th Arrgh September
by McCourt S. Thomas Art by John Nez

J ACK BONNY SWAGGERED into the classroom with

a smile. Today was September 19, his favorite day of the
year. Jack bellowed, “Ahoy, mateys. ’Tis a fine day for sailing.”
Twenty kids turned and stared.
“Yo ho ho!” yelled Jack. “All hands on deck.” Curious eyes
followed Jack as he stomped across the classroom. “Shiver me
timbers, mateys. Don’t be a bunch of scalawags.”
“Jack Bonny!” said Mr. Peterson. “Please take a seat.”
“But, Mr. Peterson,” said Jack, “I was trying to get these
old sea dogs to hop on the poop deck and—”
“Jack!” hollered Mr. Peterson. “We do not use those
words in my class! Go see Principal Vincent.”
There I was a board my sweet Gwendoline, Thought for a minute you became Hmm. Funny how it's the
my sailing ship, with twenty-two hands . . . a millipede or something. sa me number of books
That's sailor talk for crew members. Sonya read.
Oh, now I
understand.
text © 2022 by McCourt S. Thomas
art © 2022 by John Nez 13
 “Arrr . . . but Mr. Peterson . . .”
“Right now, Jack!”
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
Jack entered the principal’s office.
“Principal Vincent, ’tis a misunder-
standing. Mr. Peterson is being a
landlubber . . .”
“Jack Bonny, do not speak about
your teacher that way.”
“But, Ms. Vincent, I was trying to
get those no-good shipmates to set sail
or walk the plank.”
“Jack,” said Ms. Vincent, “please
Suddenly, I spied an approaching ship flying
a black flag with crossed white bones,
the sign of a buccaneer — somebuggy who
steals your cargo or your ship at sea.
14
go wait in my assistant’s office. He
has already called your parents
because of your sister’s behavior.
They are on the way.”
“Woe is me. I’m a castaway,”
grumbled Jack, as he crossed the hall.
Jack opened the door and found
his little sister waiting. She greeted
him. “Yo ho ho, me hearty! I saw the
head buccaneer of this thar ship.”
“Charlotte! Don’t tell me you were
given no quarter, too!” said Jack.
“My teacher sent me here for
trying to dig for treasure on the break the code, did they?”
alphabet rug. But you know that “Alas,” said Mrs. Bonny, “abandon
X marks the spot!” hope, all ye who enter here.”
“Blimey!” said Jack. “The parents “Well, Jack called his teacher a
will send us to Davy Jones’ Locker landlubber,” said Principal Vincent.
or maroon us in our rooms without “I had no idea he hadn’t gotten
even hardtack for dinner.” his sea legs yet,” said Mr. Bonny.
“We’ll be swabbing the deck for “Jack also said something about
sure,” said Charlotte. The two awaited a poop deck.”
their fate. “Thar seems no need to throw
Mr. and Mrs. Bonny arrived, and him to the sharks for that,” said
the family gathered in Principal Mrs. Bonny.
Vincent’s office. Principal Vincent stared at all
“Arrr,” growled Mr. Bonny. “What four members of the Bonny family.
have me lad and gal done to send them “Mr. and Mrs. Bonny, what is going
to the captain’s quarters? They didn’t on here?”
And then these sea crooks will maroon you. And maroon
means to leave someone trapped alone and helpless.

15
 Pirate Day,” said the Bonny family
in unison.
“Is it really?” Principal Vincent’s
eyes began to sparkle. “Why I haven’t
talked like a pirate in years. I don’t
even know if I can still do it.”
“Fear not, Captain Vincent. Just
give it a try,” said Jack.
“Aye,” said Charlotte. “You’ll be
squawking like a true pirate in no
time.”
“Let’s see . . . Arrr, I don’t want
to be a no-good wag-a-scally. So
what should we do to get this school
ready, I mean, shipshape for today?”
“I always be carrying some pirate
booty with me on September 19,”
said Mrs. Bonny. She held up a
giant bag of chocolate coins.
“A treasure hunt!” said Jack.
“Let’s make a map.”
“Arrgh, Captain Vincent, what do “Me thinks the playground be
they teach in this thar school? Don’t the perfect spot to bury that thar
ye be knowing what today is?” asked treasure,” said Charlotte.
Mr. Bonny. “We’ll pitch in and help, me
Ms. Vincent looked at her calendar. hearties,” said Mr. Bonny.
“It’s September 19.” Principal Vincent grabbed the
“It’s International Talk Like a school intercom. “Ahoy, mateys!
“Look out! Pi rates!” I shouted to my crew.
Or you made some very Let's all listen.
And in unison — at the sa me ti me — they all
Spider, you're poor hi ri ng dec isions.
jumped off the boat and swam for shore.
making this up.
W hoa!

16
This be Principal, I mean, Captain
Vincent speaking. Today be
International Talk Like a Pirate
Day. That means after lunch all
students and teachers should hop
off the poop deck, scurry up the
ratlines, and head to the playground.
Thar might be treasure out there!”
The Bonny family cheered.
“You’ve got it, Captain Vincent!”
said Jack. “Now let’s cast off and
get this adventure underway.”

I was left to face

those horrible pi rates alone.

17
 Scooper-Upper
by Neal Levin
Art by JP Roberts
The pelican’s a scooper-upper,
scooping up a super supper.
Fish he fetches, fresh and yummy,
fill his bill and then his tummy.

text © 2022 by Neal Levin

18 art © 2022 by JP Roberts


It is true that pi rates are
notorious — well known for
being really nasty.
Bird Pirates
Strike Again!
by Amber J. Keyser
P IRACY IS NOT just for hook-handed humans
who sail the seas. When one animal steals food
from another, biologists call it kleptoparasitism.
(The Greek root klepto means “to steal.”) Some
spiders, fish, reptiles, and mammals practice
piracy, but the most notorious thieves are birds.
Ducks, herons, and hawks are occasional buccaneers.
But seabirds are the
real professionals,
especially frigate-
birds, terns, gulls,
skuas, jaegers, and
sheathbills.
None of
these flyers are
full-time pirates.
With some species,
pirate activities supplement normal hunting. But
with others, stolen food is a big part of the diet.
Certain conditions make kleptoparasitism much
more likely. These include lots of potential victims
and large quantities of easy-to-steal food.
Like they supplement —
add to — their own snack
Really nasty? The horror!
supply by ta king yours!
Like how?
19
 for stealin g fish

sheathbill frigatebird tern

gull jaeger skua

Notorious Bird Pirates

Most bird pirates are seabirds because breeding colonies seem to be the
perfect place for a heist. Multiple species nest close together on small
islands, and they number in the thousands. Adult birds fly to sea and
return with fish to feed their young. Again and again, they catch fish
and return. All a smart pirate really has to do is wait and watch for the
perfect moment to pounce.
And my cargo was all the candy my
grandmother ever gave me, so this
would be a major heist — big robbery.

20
 A study by biologist Julie
Morand-Ferron at the University of
Quebec suggests that bird pirates
may be smarter than the average
pigeon. She examined 197 bird
species that steal food from other
birds. Were the brawniest birds
the most likely to bully? Nope!
This gutsy gull isn’t scared to steal fish from a much
bigger seal.
Dr. Morand-Ferron found that
pirates don’t have bigger bodies—
they have bigger brains!
Why would big brains matter?
Piracy involves strategy—finding
the right victim, planning an attack,
learning new techniques, and being
flexible enough to change the plan
if things don’t go quite right. For
example, gulls and jackdaws that
terrorize puffin colonies quickly
And let me tell you, these pi rates were
the biggest, baddest, brawniest —
strongest with the biggest muscles —
dudes you' ll ever lay eyes on.
Roseate and Common
Tern Breeding Colony
in Falkner Island, North Atlantic
Terns are everywhere —flying in and out, feeding chicks,
and fighting over space. A roseate tern perches above a
cluster of common tern nests. A common tern lands nearby
with fish for its chick. Suddenly—THWACK—the roseate
pounces! The pirate’s belly is full!
Masked Booby Roosting
Site in Pitcairn Islands,
Pacific
South Pacific
A great frigatebird hovers high above the beach. Its
wings cut a black zigzag against the blue sky. Far below,
a masked booby zooms just above the water.
Like an acrobat, the frigatebird
dive-bombs from above. It yanks the
booby’s tail feathers. The terrorized
bird vomits its last fish and darts away.
The frigatebird swoops to catch and
swallow the fish. Another successful
attack!
Good gravy! Bonne sauce!
Oh, brother.
21

This poor puffin loses its hard-earned sand eel snack.
learn which burrows contain active
nests. Then they hide in the grass and
wait for the adults to return with
beaks full of sand eels.
One unanswered question is: How
do birds become kleptoparasites? Dr.
David Shealer, a biologist and bird
researcher at Loras College in Dubuque,
Iowa, would like to figure that out. At
his study site on Falkner Island, some
female roseate terns are pirates, but
most are not. Year after year, the same
birds were always pirates and successful
ones, too! Their chicks grew faster and
survived better than those of non-pirate
mothers. If there are genes for stealing
behavior, one would expect those
chicks to grow up to be pirates. As far
as Dr. Shealer knows, they don’t. But
more DNA work is underway.
Pirate terns might have used their
big brains to learn how to steal. If so,
why would they choose to be pirates?
Energy is the key. Total energy avail-
able to an animal is equal to the
amount of energy it gets from food
minus the amount of energy it spends
to catch that food. If a bird can get
more total energy from stealing than
from hunting, it should try the pirate
life!

Stealing fish
Brains and Booty
takes smarts
and skills. But pirate stolen
some feathered booty
thieves find
it easier than
catching their
own fish. victim empty
sto

sto

sto
sto

len

len

len
len

belly

Then, the brawniest pi rate “No! Never!”

yelled, “YAR! SURRENDER I shouted back.
THE CANDY OR YER SHIP!”

22
Captain’s Caribbean Salad
AHOY, MATEYS! When ye be shipwrecked on a deserted
Caribbean island, there isn’t much food to be found except
fruit, so ye need to get creative. . . .

What Ye’ll Need:

3 cantaloupes
3 bananas
freshly squeezed juice
of 1 lime
2 tangerines, peeled and
cut into segments
1 small can pineapple chunks
in juice or light syrup
1 papaya or mango, diced
11/2 cups strawberries, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut
small bowl
large mixing bowl
sharp knife (for adult use only)
strainer

What to Do:
1. Ask an adult to slice the cantaloupes into halves. Scoop
out the seeds. Pour any cantaloupe juice into the small
bowl. Chill the cantaloupe halves until needed.
2. Peel the bananas. Ask an adult to slice them. Dip the slices
into the lime juice.
3. Strain the pineapple, saving the juice.
4. Mix the cantaloupe juice, half of the pineapple juice,
and the sugar in the large bowl. Add all of the fruit to
the bowl. Stir well.
5. Chill the fruit for half an hour.
6. Just before serving, fill the cantaloupe halves
with the fruit salad. Top each fruit bowl with
a sprinkling of coconut.

Makes 6 fruit bowls.

by Julienne Marlaire
Art by Susan Swan

23
 The Tale of
Captain Raisinfingers

C APTAIN RAISINFINGERS STOOD on the prow of his ship,

looking at the endless sea. He’d been sailing for so long. He wasn’t
sure he’d ever touch dry land again. He loved the seafaring life but
had one problem: Glug. Glug was the sea monster at the bottom
of the ocean who could swallow a ship in a single gulp. Captain
Raisinfingers had never seen Glug, but the tales about him were
legendary.
Captain Raisinfingers spotted something in the distance. He
lifted his binoculars and gasped at the sight of a giant purple blob
moving toward his boat. It swam at an alarming speed, with so many
slimy arms that Raisinfingers lost count of them. He dropped his
binoculars and shouted, “We’ve got company, Admiral Wrinkletoes.”
Wrinkletoes was a trusty first mate, even though he was as sharp as a
marble.
Desperate, I ran from the prow — front
of the ship — to the ster n, the back,
fra ntic for some way to stop them.

by Christyne Morrell
Art by Dorota Rewerenda
24 text © 2022 by Christyne Morrell, art © 2022 by Dorota Rewerenda-Mlynarczyk
 “Gah?” muttered Wrinkletoes.
“Never mind,” said Raisinfingers. As the beast barreled
toward them, Raisinfingers called out, “Identify yourself,
intruder!”
The creature raised his round head and fixed his bulging
yellow eyes on the captain. “I mean you no harm,” said
the octopus. “I’m fleeing from a one-eyed monster who
tried to swallow me whole!”
“Glug!” said Raisinfingers. “He must be nearby. Slimy
friend, come take shelter on our boat.” Using his tentacles to
cling to the slippery hull of the boat, the octopus heaved
himself onto the deck. Wrinkletoes laughed at the octopus’s
wobbly arms.

But pi rates were already climbing Spider, so what did you do?
up the hull — the body of the
ship. It was too late to escape. Pi ckles!

25
 The ship bobbed along merrily. The octopus entertained the
sailors with his exceptional juggling. But soon Raisinfingers saw a
splash and a blur of movement in the water. “Someone is in distress!”
he cried. He waved and screamed, “Hello! Do you need help?”
The splashing stopped, and a bird’s head emerged from the
water. “Help?” chuckled the penguin, sliding her goggles onto her
forehead. “Why, I’m the fastest swimmer in the sea. If anyone can
escape from Glug, it’s me!”
“You’ve seen Glug?” asked Raisinfingers with a shudder.
“Yes,” said the penguin. “He tried to suck me into an undertow,
but I was too quick.”
“You must be tired,” said Raisinfingers. “Why don’t you climb
aboard and rest?”
The octopus dipped one of his long arms into the water, curled it
around the penguin, and scooped her up.
The ship once again sailed through calm seas. The penguin told
Did you tal k your Wait! I know! You rai sed an upsi de-down flag, the signal of
way out of eet with distress — danger. And another ship ca me to the rescue.
zee clever ba nter?

26
dramatic tales of her epic swim from Antarctica to Bermuda and back
again. She was in the middle of one such story when a great gush
of water shot straight into the sky. Had their little boat been a few
feet to the right, the spout would have sent them flying.
“What was that?” asked the octopus.
“Is it Glug?” asked the penguin.
“Oooh,” said Wrinkletoes.
The boat began to rock violently, sending everyone on board
toppling this way and that. Captain Raisinfingers managed to
grab the side of the boat and peer over the edge. A massive eye
peered back at him. “Glug!” he yelped.
The creature laughed, and the shaking threatened to break the
ship into pieces. “I’m not a sea monster,” he said. “I’m swimming
away from a sea monster!” Captain Raisinfingers realized that he
was peering into the eye of a giant whale.
“In that case, would you mind backing away from my ship?”
No. I know! You cut all the You sca red them off with
ropes and dropped those nasty your expert swordplay,
pi rates i nto the water. li ke i n the movies! I know what I'd do! I'd eat
up all my ca ndy, so the
pi rates couldn't get any.

27
 asked Raisinfingers. “You’re going to wreck us!”
The whale sank into the water and reemerged at a safe distance
from the boat. “Sorry,” he said, with a frown on his giant mouth.
“Sometimes I forget how big I am.”
“That’s all right,” said Raisinfingers. “You seem quite gentle.
Do you want to join us in our escape from Glug? You’re too big
to board, but you can swim beside us.”
The whale brightened. “That would be wonderful!” The unlikely
crew traveled the seas with their new companion by their side.
Wrinkletoes spat water on the deck, trying
to imitate the whale. The others took
turns riding the whale’s spout, which was
more thrilling than a carnival ride. Their
hoots were so loud that they almost
didn’t hear the gurgling sound coming
from deep below them.
“Could it be . . . ?” whispered the
octopus, slithering over to the penguin
for protection.
“Is it him?” gulped the whale. He
shivered, creating waves in the ocean.
“Gluuuugggg!” cried Wrinkletoes.
“The moment has finally arrived,”
said Raisinfingers, stomping to the prow
of the ship. He spoke to the depths of
the sea, where Glug was hiding. “I’m not
afraid of you! I’ve got a crew now, and
together we will defeat you!”

I gave up my candy.
WHAT!!! Why?

28
 “Yeah!” said the octopus.
“Yeah!” said the penguin.
“Yeah!” said the whale.
“Yaaaaaaah!” howled Wrinkletoes, releasing a loud battle cry.
The daring crew did not scare Glug. From his lair on the seafloor,
he began to churn the ocean until it spun wildly. The vortex pulled
down anything in its path. It tipped the little boat forward. From
that angle, Raisinfingers finally caught a glimpse of the mysterious
Glug. The monster was covered in silver scales, with one steely,
unblinking eye in the center of its face. It opened its jaw and a
gaping black hole appeared. Captain Raisinfingers panicked. His
ship was falling into that deep dark place! The others looked to their
captain for help. He had to save them! But what could he do?
To save Gwendoline, S ma rt move. Candy comes
And who wa nts to
my beautiful ship. and candy goes. YOU . . .
get marooned?
GAVE UP . . .
THE CANDY!!!

29
 There was only one way to rescue his crew from the clutches
of Glug. He would have to face something even more powerful
than a sea monster.
“Mom!” he cried. “Five more minutes. Pleeeease!” He flashed
his sweetest smile and batted his eyelashes.
“Fine,” said his mother. “You can have five more minutes in
the tub. Then it’s straight to bed, with no story.”
“It’s a sacrifice I have to make,” said Captain Raisinfingers,
climbing back onto the prow of his ship. His mother plugged the
drain of the tub and put an end to Glug’s reign of terror . . . for
now. His baby brother, Admiral Wrinkletoes, gurgled happily
and sucked on one arm of the plastic purple octopus.
“Ahoy!” shouted Captain Raisinfingers as they sailed on. “To
your post, Wrinkletoes. I spy mermaids up ahead!”

There, there, Bill.

There come times i n our lives when
It's only a pi rate story. And a made-up
one must make a sacrifice — the act
pi rate story, too.
of giving up something usually for the No . . . no . . . no . . . no . . .
good of someone else. not the candy.

30
No Swimming in the Pool
My dog likes to swim
In my backyard pool,
But mom tells him “No!”
And I shrug, “Her rule.”
He gives me sad eyes,
A lick and a rub,
So we sneak upstairs
And swim in the tub!

by Kathleen Kull Urban

Art by Dawn Beacon

31
 Sharing a Secret Recipe
Noelle E., age 9
San Diego, California
Chicken Noodle Soup
A long, long time ago, a pirate named
Captain Eyepatch sailed the seas with his mighty
crew. He and his crew had disco parties and
delicious meals.
One day, Captain Eyepatch found a map
leading to a secret recipe called chicken noodle
soup. He and his crew sailed day and night
searching for the recipe.
Soon they came to an island filled with
chickens. So Captain Eyepatch and his crew
gathered all of the chickens that they could get
and sailed to the next island. Soon they came
to a cave. When they got closer, they realized
that the cave was filled with noodles.
The crew was getting hungry. After all the
ingredients were mixed, it was ready to eat.
After they ate, they set off on another
adventure.
Benjamin Kwack, age 10
Lisle, Illinois
The Stranger’s Gift
’Twas a blasted day, with the nutmeg almost
gone. . . . The flour was depleted and the sugar,
too. There was nothing but dust in the pantry,
but we must have food to eat!
Then a stranger came, with just some goo.
A lick was so sweet and too good to swallow.
When we demanded more, he just left a recipe
that said, “Go to the maple trees.”
Everybody knew the maple trees, with wood
sturdy as an iron. Yet nobody knew what to do.
Another instruction said to put a funnel into
the tree, so that was what we did. A brownish-
colored goop piled onto our hands. It tasted
sweet but not like the stranger’s syrup.
Somebody left fires on, to keep warm. The
goo began melting away, into the delicacy.
What to call this amazing flavorful goo?
Maple syrup, of course!
Valerie Jones, age 10
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Choco-Cherry Muffins
My aunt helps me bake our very own recipe,
homemade choco-cherry muffins. First, you
add—wait! The recipe is a secret. Only my aunt
and I can know. Oops! My aunt Jane is still in
the basement getting the—oops again! Keeping
secrets is tough!
Well, my aunt is still down in the basement,
so maybe, just this once, if you don’t tell, I’ll
tell you the recipe. You’ll need baking powder,
vanilla, sugar, flour, milk, an egg, butter,
chocolate, and cherries.
Oops! Aunt Jane just came upstairs.
Lila Caputo, age 8
Ramsey, New Jersey
Secret Friendship Recipe
I have a recipe for friendship. I hope you like
it. First, you will need a cup of kindness, so they
know you care. Then, a big smile, so they know
you are nice. Next, you need a dash of silliness,
so they know you can have fun. Finally, treat
others the way you want to be treated.
This is not a secret, but not everyone knows
the recipe. Spread the word.
Emily S., age 7
Hopelawn, New Jersey
Sharing the Best Cake Recipe Ever
Once there was a girl named Lila, and Lila
had a secret recipe. She would never share it with
anyone in the world no matter what they did to
her. In fact, it was so secret that she did not want
anyone in the house to know she was making it.
But once she had to babysit her brother Joey.
She was also asked to make one of her secret
special cakes, too! Joey watched as she did
everything. She put the cake batter in the oven.
Then she took it out.
Now it was time for the secret. She put
whipped cream and strawberries on her cake. She
shared her secret, and everyone loved Lila’s cake
recipe!

Dear Spider, Dear Thistle,

I love amusement
park rides. Please,
please, please adopt my dragons, Flame
and Blaze. Don’t worry! They don’t eat
bugs. They just play with them. They only
eat vegetables—cauliflower, eggplant,
asparagus, anything. Thanks a lot.
Emery Parham, age 9
Ooltewah, Tennessee
P.S. Here is a drawing of Flame and Blaze
on a roller coaster.
Dear Everybuggy,
This is my first time writing to you, and I
am so excited! Even though my sister gets the
magazines, I still read them. (I absolutely love to
read.) My favorite books are Emily Windsnap,
Harry Potter, When You Trap a Tiger, and The
Girl Who Drank the Moon. They’re VERY good
books. Also, what type of bug are you, Thistle?
Sarina Younger, age 9
Bedford, Massachusetts
Dear Sarina,
I’m a Canadian thistle weevil who loves
to read.
32 Thistle
I’m homeschooled. I have two cats and
a dog named Purl. Do you mind adopting
Sectia the green shark? She is vegetarian.
Please feed her spinach and Brussels sprouts.
Please also adopt Sunny the blue
flamingo. She eats blue shrimp, likes yoga
and ballet, needs oatmeal baths once a
week, and plays the tuba and harmonica.
Maire C., age 10
Dayton, Ohio
Dear Everybuggy,
I love the small comics on the bottom of
the pages. They’re my favorite part. Also, I
love reading “Spider’s Corner and Spider’s
Mailbox,” and that is why I am writing this.
Can you guys adopt Kayla? She is a super-
cute baby fox. What are your favorite colors,
Araña and Sonya? Mine is lavender purple.
Elsie Dietrich, age 9
Baltimore, Maryland
Dear Elsie,
We both have lots of favorites—all
colors of the rainbow!
Love,
Araña and Sonya
 Leela Dower, age 10
Gardner, Massachusetts
Grandma’s Soup
Grandma was getting ready to make THE
soup.

C
“Grandma?”

Dra on
“Yes, Tia dearie?”

test
“What do you think my power will be?”
“Only the spirits know. It’s time for you to Her wa

n an Ru
learn the recipe.” 1. e are t pict
ure
You he o

l tak es
l
“You mean it?” I ask.
of a
Grandma and I are in the kitchen making gua r entry nly ru
r dia mu es: l ima
2. and/or n, aut st be
batch number fifteen. This batch is perfect.
Grandma tries it and smiles. “If the ingredients Be hor sign ing
s on a
in the cabinet run out, go to the Glistening ure line izing ed bath
Woods. When I have passed on the recipe, I 3. a n d ad to in and s its p by a .
can go.” You dre clud ayi
n ubl pare
We r entry s.
s e yo g it icat nt o
“Go where?” I ask. ur c ’s yo ion i r leg
Grandma hands me the bowl of soup. I eat issu will pu must a om
p ur o n pr al
it. I’m super-excited! I jump up and stay there. I Em e o f
blish rive r l e te n wn id int
a Spi ame ea.
can fly! Yay! I come back down. sen il you der our fa by Sep , ag
“Goodbye, dearie. I will now go to the spirit d it r e n . vo r tem e,
to S try ites i ber
world,” says Grandma. pid o sp t n th 2
“Grandma, wait!” er’s id e e Ja 5, 202
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ner @cric
Cor nua 2
“You know the recipe. You don’t need me ry 2 .
O. B ketm
anymore.” , P. 023
I blink back tears as I watch her fade away. ox 3 dia e
Now I cook the special powers soup. 00, .com
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135
4.

Hello, Everybuggy! Dear Ophelia, Dear Thistle,

This is my very first time writing to you
guys! Sam is my favorite buggy. Sam, are
you ever going to turn into a butterfly?
I also would like to ask you to adopt
Ashwing. He is a shadow fire dragon. He
will eat fish, sausage pizza, and corn dogs
with American cheese sauce.
Thistle, is Ophelia your mom? Are Spider
and Araña brother and sister?
Camden, age 10
Reno, Nevada
Dear Camden,
I’m never going to turn into a butterfly
because I love being a caterpillar. Ophelia is
not Thistle’s mom. Spider and Araña are not
brother and sister. We’re all buggy buddies.
Your pal,
Sam
Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Dwayne.
Dwayne who?
Dwayne the bathtub!
Sebastian, age 7
Ventura, California
I like your recipes that you put in your
magazines! Could you put in some more
recipes? My sisters and I like your magazines!
Virginia Eastburn, age 8
Shoreview, Minnesota
Dear Virginia,
We hope you like the fruit-filled recipe
for “Captain’s Caribbean Salad” on page 23.
Bon appétit!
Ophelia and Miro
Dear Araña and Everybuggy Else,
I love my Spider mag collection! I tried
your apple pie recipe (October 2019) and
liked it. Araña does not usually get mail, so I
made this one for her.
Here is my iron golem. His name is Ironic.
He does not eat bugs.
Here is my cat, Amba. She is a Chinchilla
Persian. She adores bugs and will not eat them.
Solomon Howley-Paoletti, age 9
Mount Rainier, Maryland
You know that gold you said you found
in the February 2022 Mailbox? Well, I read
a letter from Spider to someone that said he
hid some fool’s gold under a log. So I think
that the gold you found is not real.
Winnie, age 7
Grass Valley, California
P.S. I drew this picture of you.
P.P.S. You are so cute!
Dear Winnie,
Thanks for the cute picture and for
letting me know about the gold. My gold
nugget may not be really real, but it is still
really shiny, and I still really love it!
Your friend,
Thistle
Send your letters to
Spider’s Mailbox
P.O. Box 300
Peru, IL 61354
Please write your complete name, age, and address
on your letter! You can also send us mail
at spider@cricketmedia.com.
33
 ,
OPHELI A S LAST WORD

Big Buggy Bubbles

SAM IS BURSTING with excitement to share his latest, greatest inventions:
Sam’s brilliant big-bubble wonder wand and special super-sudsy solution.
What You'll Need: 1 tablespoon large pan
6 cups water
1/2 cup liquid baking powder
dish soap
1 tablespoon 4 feet of
light corn syrup cotton twine

1/2 cup cornstarch plastic spoon

What to Do: drinking straw
plastic hanger

1. Pour the water, soap, syrup, cornstarch, and baking powder into
the pan. Gently mix together. Let settle until it is not foamy.
2. Slide the twine through the straw. Keep pulling the twine until the
straw is in the middle.
3. Tie the end of the twine tightly to one edge of the hanger. Repeat
with the twine’s other end on the hanger’s other edge.
4. Head outside with your supplies. Holding the hanger by the hook,
dip your bubble wand into the pan. Carefully pull up so shiny film
stretches across both parts. If the film breaks, dip again.
5. Slowly and steadily wave your wand and walk. Keep finetuning
your smooth moves until humongous bubbles fill the sky.
6. Store leftover solution in the fridge for another day of bubble play.

,
L ove lia
e
34 Oph
Buggy Bulletin Bubble-Blowing
Q. What kind of dog has
the cleanest fur?
A. A shampoodle.
Beasts Send your favorite jokes to
1. c spider@cricketmedia.com!
2. r
3. m
4. a

dolphin

Sticky Tricky
Tongue Twisters
Best pop that bubblegum out of your mouth
before trying to say these three times fast!

Chuck chomped cherry chewing gum

on the choo-choo to Chattanooga.
, harbor, harmonica,
hammer, hammock, hand Aye, aye, ye be left high and dry if ye try
lmet/hard hat, hen,
harp, hat, heart, hedges, he to pinch a pirate’s prized pie.
hook, horn, hose,
hexagon, hills, hippo, hog, Puddles of bubbles drippled
ap, hydrant
hot dog, house/home, hubc when the bad baby babbled.

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Learn more at CricketMedia.com/BackToSchool. 35

Octopal by Gran
OCEANS OF ADVENTURE abound when you
nt Steven
u make your own 3D octopus.

What You’ll Need:

scissors string glue stick

What to Do:
1. Cut out the four pieces of the octopus.
2. Fold each piece along its white dotted line so that the numbers are
on the outside.
3. Unfold the red piece. Glue both ends of the string along the crease
on the numbered side.
4. Glue each half circle to the one with its matching number, while
keeping the string loop sticking out of the top of the octopus’s head.
5. Hang up to show off!
 1 4
1
2
 3
2
4
3
 SONYa ’s
Mind-Buggler
Ahoy,“H”
Hunters! ff
Spot lots of stu
that starts with
the letter “H”?

September 2022 Volume 29 Number 7 cricketmedia.com $6.95

Hagenkord Harbor is a harmonious haven for a

hodgepodge of hidden doohickeys that happen
to have “H” as the head letter. Happy hunting!
Art by Aaron Boyd

Answers on page 35