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IN THIS ISSUE
12 Home Alone!
Gary E. Knell
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Peter Rice At only two weeks old,harp seals learn how to survive in the Arctic.
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DEPARTMENTS
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20 Cool
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STRAWS! 4 Weird
But True!
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These awesome buildings World Records
International Magazine Publishing Yulia Petrossian Boyle, and smart gadgets could 6 Bet You Didn’t Know!
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Tammi Colleary-Loach, Senior Manager, Rights Clearance; 10 Amazing Animals
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24 Mixed-Up 28 Fun Stuff
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 Grab a parent to watch
Weirdest, Bestest, Truest
for even more crazy-fun

Check out these facts. youtube.com

/natgeokids

outrageous facts.
BY MARILYN TERRELL

It tak
kes he average
10-YEAR-OLD KID
3 GLASS
Americans spend can last for
2 4

1.5 times
more money on
MILLIONS
of years on
about 20 minutes PET FOOD than on EARTH.
to fall asleep. BABY FOOD.

4,000-year-old
Most

N S
SNOWFLAKES The fastest time for
ve
twisting
6 a b lloon into a
dog shape is
6.5 seconds.
The most COMMONLY
USED letters in the
ENGLISH LANGUAGE was found in a ca
ve
are E, T, A, and O. IN NEW MEXICO
.

Houseflies The odds that an average golfer will make a

HOLE IN ONE
during a game are

12,000
in the
th kkey off F.
F to 1.
4 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019
JONATHAN HALLING / NG STAFF (GLASS, POPCORN); SODAPIX / PHOTO-
LIBRARY (BALLOON DOG); ERIC ISSELEE / SHUTTERSTOCK (HOUSEFLY)
 GUINNESS
WORLD
RECORDS BY ELIZABETH HILFRANK

REALLY
E
IG
G IANT
GIN GERBREA
aircut ... what’s that? Actress Drew Barrymore
donned the widest wig ever made while appearing
on an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

T ry fitting this gingerbread village into your

next holiday party! Chef Jon Lovitch’s
1,251-building display holds the record for most
The wig—measuring over five feet long and seven feet
wide—required the help of four people to place on
Barrymore’s head. Curled at the ends and topped with
buildings in a gingerbread village. The best part? two big red bows, the giant wig completely covered
The tiny town, which took over a year to build, is Barrymore’s eyes. But the actress was still able to dance
100 percent edible. with it on!

BIG BITE
NATUREPL (WHALE). INFORMATION PROVIDED BY © 2018 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS LIMITED.
BILGIN S. SASMAZ / ANADOLU AGENCY / GETTY IMAGES (GINGERBREAD VILLAGE); ANDREW
LIPOVSKY / NBC / NBCU / NBCU PHOTO BANK VIA GETTY IMAGES (WIG); MARTHA HOLMES /

BLOWHOLE

the world’s largest animal,

but it doesn’t have the biggest
MOUTH
mouth. That honor belongs to
the bowhead whale, which has a
mouth measuring 16 feet long
and 8 feet wide. Its tongue
weighs approximately 2,200
pounds, about the size of a
EYE
dairy cow! But no need to fear
their big appetites: Whales
BOWHEAD WHALE snack on squid, not humans.

DECEMBER 2018 I JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 5

 cool facts
about castles
BY CRISPIN BOYER

2
Neuschwanstein
Castle in
The Germany was the 3 The first
castle barber inspiration for castles were
was also the Disneyland’s built about
DENTIST. SLEEPING BEAUTY A THOUSAND
CASTLE. YEARS AGO.

5 Ireland’s
4 Blarney Castle
England’s has a stone that
Windsor Castle VISITORS KISS
is about 200 for luck.
TIMES LARGER
than a typical
U.S. house.

6 The number 7 Supplies

NOPPASIN WONGCHUM / SHUTTERSTOCK

of people who were often

lived in some smuggled into F
castles could have castles through facts,
f t grab ba
parent to watch
FILLED a SECRET Things You
Wanna Know!
small village. TUNNELS. youtube.com
/natgeokids

6 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

 Grab a parent to watch
Destination World: Africa
for more cool facts.
youtube.com/natgeokids

BY AMANDA
SANDLIN AND
ALLI DICKEY

Totally
Wild
Hotel
GIRAFFE MANOR
WHERE Kenya, Africa
HOW MUCH From $565
a night
WHY IT’S COOL Ever have
the feeling you’re being
watched? That’s because
a giraffe might be at your
hotel window! Giraffe
Manor is home to about
10 Rothschild’s giraffes COOL
that roam the property. THINGS
And they’re definitely ABOUT
not shy: Some of the
giraffes may stick their
GEET UP CLOSE!
KENYA
heads into your second-
story bedroom window Kenya is about the
or eat right off the same size as the
breakfast table. When state of Texas.
they want a snack, the
giraffes have been known The bones of one of
to pluck flowers from the the earliest human
manor’s vases. Mpingo and ancestors ever found
Olerai, two of the youngest were discovered in
giraffes, are sometimes Kenya’s Turkana Basin.
seen playfully running
through the national park The elephants in Kenya’s
that borders the hotel. But Tsavo East National Park
no one thinks that these cover themselves in iron-
permanent residents are a oxide-rich soil, which
pain in the neck! turns them red.

Cheer on dozens Walk through Go on safari to Bird-watch on Swim in

THINGS of camels—some historic see lions, rhinos, the shores of glowing waters
TO DO IN running the Lamu Old Town, leopards, zebras, Lake Nakuru, at a beach in
KENYA wrong way—at
the International
a 700-year-old
Swahili settle-
and elephants in
Maasai Mara
where hundreds
of thousands of
Kilifi.(The secret
is the tiny
Camel Derby in ment made National Reserve bright pink bioluminescent
the town of partly of coral near the border flamingos flock animals living
Maralal. stone. with Tanzania. each year. there!)

THE SAFARI COLLECTION (ALL) DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 7
 o
awesome
Clever
CREATURES THESE ANIMALS ARE AT THE TOP OF THEIR CLASS IN SMARTS.
BY JULIE BEER AND MICHELLE HARRIS

An octopus’s
arms can think
independently
from its
brain.

1
SNEAKY SMARTS
Octopuses are curious creatures. They can open
the lids of jars, and some have even found escape
routes from their aquarium enclosures. They can
CHECK wriggle their boneless bodies through passages as
OUT small as a quarter! Octopuses learn quickly and
THE can recognize individual human faces.
BOOK!

© NORBERT WU / MINDEN PICTURES / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (1); NIELS VAN GIJN / GETTY IMAGES (2); © CHRISTIAN

8 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEM BER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

ZIEGLER / MINDEN PICTURES / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (3); TALSEN / SHUTTERSTOCK (4); AUSCAPE / GETTY IMAGES (5);
© HELEN E. GROSE / DREAMSTIME (6); © TOM MCHUGH / SCIENCE SOURCE (7); © AUGUSTO LEANDRO STANZANI / ARDEA (8)
 NO BIRDBRAIN
African gray parrots are known for being
chatterboxes. They’re excellent at mimicking
humans and can form simple sentences. They’re
2 also one of a few animals that are capable of
reasoning, or coming up with an answer based on 3
information they already have. They can figure
out puzzles and work together to solve problems.

SMART LITTLE PIGGY 4

They might like to wallow in mud, but ALL FOR ONE
domestic pigs clean up in the intelligence Talk about teamwork! These army ants
department. Pigs can learn tasks, like are joining together to build a living
operating levers to get food, and are one ant tower so some individuals can
of a few animal species that understands climb to this plant stem and retrieve
how mirrors work. food for the community. Researchers
discovered that no single ant calls the
shots in the tower-building; they make
5 decisions as a colony.

CRAFTY CROW
If a New Caledonian crow can’t find a tool for
the job, it just makes one! The South Pacific bird
can bend twigs into hooks to retrieve insects
hidden in logs.

NUTS FOR LEARNING 6

When it comes to finding nuts, gray
squirrels are the experts. In one study,
8
researchers hid several hazelnuts to dis-
cover how squirrels solved a puzzle. The
squirrels were quick learners, and even
changed tactics to get their nut reward
more quickly.

BRIGHT AND BUBBLY

Being playful is considered a sign of
THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE intelligence—which puts dolphins
7 Chimpanzees, one of the closest relatives to
humans, use things in nature such as leaves and
near the top of the list of smartest
animals. Several species of dolphins
moss like sponges to soak up water for drinking. ride the waves of boats, and some
They pass on this trick to other family members, captive dolphins blow bubbles from
which is a type of social learning only the smart- their blowholes and then swim
est of animals achieve. through them!

s8me Grab a parent to check out the new show Awesome 8

awe for even more fun lists! youtube.com/natgeokids

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 9

AMAZING
ANIMALS
Sailing is so
much easier
than flying.
n Sails
e World!
Brittany, France
Why did the chicken cross Hen Who Sailed Around the
the sea? To keep the sailor World: A True Story.
company! Monique lives in her own
Guirec Soudée and cabin filled with straw, and she’s
Monique have been sailing been known to lay an egg on
buddies for about four years, board. Chicken behavior expert
visiting places such as K-lynn Smith says Monique
Antarctica, the Caribbean probably has a better life than
islands, and South Africa. The most chickens, with more space
hen stands beside Soudée and sunshine. The pair are now
while he hoists the sails, and in Brittany, France, planning
she catches fish that have their next adventure together.
flopped onto the deck. “I This chicken definitely isn’t
knew that this little chicken cooped up!
was as adventurous as I am,” —Kitson Jazynka
says Soudée, author of The
SOUDÉE SAYS
THAT MONIQUE
OFTEN “SINGS”
FOR HIM AS
THEY SAIL.

Let me steer
the boat.

MONIQUE
USUALLY STAYS
CLOSE TO HER
OWNER, GUIREC
SOUDÉE.

10 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

 Now that’s
an ending
with a twist!

A l l ig a to r
in the Desert?
Scottsdale, Arizona
You might expect to see snakes the shy alligator existed! Clem guys to carry him like a tele-
in a desert, but a water-loving found his own food for three phone pole into a trailer,”
alligator? Clem was brought to years until he was spotted herpetologist Russ
Arizona from Florida over 30 enough times for the new Johnson says. Now Clem
years ago and placed in a pond owner to believe that Clem was lives at a conservation
on a 222-acre desert property. real and call rescuers. The center, where he even
His owner often fed his “pet,” gator was lured into a trap has a girlfriend: a gator
but then sold his land—and the using sounds of baby gators named Fluffy!
new owner didn’t believe that and small animals. “It took four —Amanda Pressner
Cat
Survives
CLEM THE i’m working
Tornado
ALLIGATOR
NOW LIVES on my tan. Hallam, Nebraska
IN A GRASSY When Harley the cat
ENCLOSURE.
vanished during a tornado,
his family thought he was
gone forever. But they were
truly blown away when their
kitty returned a year and
a half later. “My daughter
said she’d seen him, but I
figured she’d confused him
with a stray cat,” owner Sue
Tighe says. “Then she called
his name, and Harley came
racing over.” Veterinarian
Jeremiah Vondra thinks
the savvy tabby survived by
CAT hunting rodents or sneaking
H ll
Hallam, food from other pets. “He
Nebraska was probably only five or
10 miles away, living in a
shed,” Vondra says. “It just
took a while for Harley to
ALLIGATOR find his way back.” The cat’s
Scottsdale, reappearance came just in
Arizona time: Tighe’s son was moving
the next day. “My son was
just tickled that Harley had
HEN returned before he left,”
Brittany, Tighe says.
France —Amanda Pressner

COURTESY OF LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS (HEN, ALL); COURTESY OF
THE PHOENIX HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY (ALLIGATOR); TIMOTHY KEEN (CAT) DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 11
HOME ALONE!
AT ONLY TWO WEEKS OLD, HARP SEALS
LEARN HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE ARCTIC. BY DAV
VID GEO
EORG
RGEE GO
GORD
RDON
RD O
ON

12
DANITA DELIMONT / GETTY IMAGES (MAIN); © MICHIO HOSHINO / MINDEN
NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 PICTURES (MOM AND BABY); © KEREN SU / CHINA SPAN / ALAMY (GRAY PUP)
 The
harp seal’s
scientific name,
Pagophilus groenlandicus,
means “the ice lover
from Greenland.” A MOTHER HARP
SEAL KNOWS
HER BABY BY ITS
UNIQUE SMELL.

I 
t’s hard to believe that a helpless-looking
two-week-old seal could survive on its
own, especially in the icy world of the
North Atlantic Ocean. But harp seal pups
do. How? With fur, fat, and instinct.
When a pregnant female is ready to give
birth, she comes out of the sea and onto the
ice. There, with tens of thousands of other
females, she gives birth to a 20-pound pup.
A newborn harp seal is skinny. Its warm
coat is all that keeps it from freezing.
Each hair of its coat is transparent, so the
sunlight can reach the pup’s skin. The
seal’s body absorbs the sun’s heat and the
fur traps that warmth, helping to keep
the pup cozy.
Newborn seals nurse on milk that’s 10
times richer in fat than cow’s milk. That THE FUR OF THIS PUP—
helps a pup gain as much as five pounds a WHICH IS BETWEEN 12
AND 21 DAYS OLD—HAS
day.(You might gain five pounds a year!) BEGUN TO DARKEN TO A
This extra weight is called blubber, a layer GRAYISH COLOR.
of fat that keeps the seals warm. By the
time the pup is 12 days old, it weighs about
GET MORE FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ARCTIC!
80 pounds. That’s when its mother knows natgeokids.com/december
it’s time to let the pup survive on its own.

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 13

 Where
harp seals
live
AS I A
E

U
RO
ARCTIC
C

Adult harp seals

hang out under
the ice mostly
between midnight
and 5 a.m.
Each year,
harp seals migrate
more than
6,000 miles.

QUICK-
CHANGE
ARTISTS
1 DAY OLD 3 DAYS OLD 12 DAYS OLD 21 DAYS OLD
The fast-growing YELLOWCOAT WHITECOAT GRAYCOAT » RAGGED JACKET
harp seal pup A newborn is Bleached by Spots and As the pup sheds
doesn’t look the pale yellow the sun, the fur darker fur its white coat, it
same for long. because its fur turns pure start to show takes on a tat-
These names was stained by white and stays through the tered appearance.
describe the the fluids in its that way for pup’s white fur, Some pups swim
seal’s stages of mother’s womb. nearly two giving it a and dive on their
growth. weeks. grayish look. own at this time.
DOUG ALLAN / GETTY IMAGES (SEAL UNDERWATER); © ARCO IMAGES GMBH /

14 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

ALAMY (MOMS WITH PUPS); TIER UND NATURFOTOGRAFIE J UND C SOHNS / GETTY
IMAGES (ADULT IN ICE HOLE); JEFF FOOTT / GETTY IMAGES (YELLOWCOAT)
 A GROUP OF
FEMALE HARP
SEALS RESTS ON
THE ICE WITH
THEIR PUPS.

A PUP ON ITS OWN

It can take a harp seal pup up to four weeks
to figure out that its mother isn’t coming
back. During that time, the pup calls for her
almost constantly. Most seals make it through
these weeks safely as they rest on the ice. The
fat each pup has built up from nursing nour-
ishes it for a while. The main threat pups face
at this time is the occasional polar bear that
passes by.
But after about a month, hunger com-
bined with instinct pushes the pup to take
the plunge into the icy sea. As the pup grows
and gains strength, it begins to swim well
enough to go after its first solid meal: krill,
which are small, shrimplike creatures that HARP SEALS’ FUTURE
live in the ocean. Later, as adults, the seals Harp seals face predators such as orcas and
will eat larger prey such as fish. sharks in the ocean. The seals are also prey to
humans, who hunt them for their pelts, meat,
and oil. Laws limit the number of seals that
can be hunted. Also, with few exceptions, hunt-
ing is limited to graycoats and older seals.(See
sidebar below.)
Today the harp seal population is healthy at
around eight million. But as the Earth’s tem-
perature rises, so does the temperature of
the ocean. Warmer seas threaten the forma-
tion of pack ice, which is crucial to harp seals
during breeding season. This global warming
leads to climate change, which causes rising
A RAGGED JACKET AN ADULT HARP seas, stronger storms, and shifting habitats
PUP(SEE SIDEBAR) SEAL TAKES A
DIVES UNDER THE BREAK FROM for wildlife and people. Finding ways to fight
HUNTING.
ICE TO HUNT. climate change will help ensure that harp seal
pups and adults stay totally chill in the Arctic
environment.

25 DAYS OLD 14 MONTHS OLD 4 YEARS OLD » 5-10 YEARS OLD

BEATER » BEDLAMER SPOTTED HARP ADULT HARP
The young seal is Another molt and The black harp Mature males
now silvery gray the seal gets a pattern begins to and many
with black spots. new name that appear as spots females
The name “beater” sounds like the disappear. Some develop black
refers to its clumsy French phrase females keep this markings on
early attempts to bête de la mer, or look for life. their faces
swim and dive. beast of the sea. and backs.
WERNER BOLLMANN / GETTY IMAGES (WHITECOAT); GARY CRALLE / GETTY IMAGES
(GRAYCOAT); JENNIFER HAYES / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (BEATER);
T. NAKAMURA VOLVOX INC. / GETTY IMAGES (ADULT HARP); MARTIN WALZ (MAP) DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 15
DRESSED
FOR THE
WEATHER
HOW CHANGING COLOR HELPS
SOME ARCTIC ANIMALS SURVIVE
WINTER

»
BY JOE LEVIT
Harp seals permanently ditch their white fur about
a month after they’re born. But other Arctic animals
mix things up, changing their fur color to blend in with »
SUMMER
winter snow or summer plants. Check out how these
critters survive in style.

WHERE’S ANIMAL: SNOWSHOE HARE

THAT HARE? HABITAT: Northern forests
An all-white look might work in the middle of
winter. But what about when the snow
starts to melt in spring, leaving large splotches
of mud everywhere? That’s when a patchy color
pattern helps. Snowshoe hares’ winter fur
grows in patches instead of showing up evenly.
This adaptation makes it difficult for predators
to tell them apart from a landscape that looks
both brown and white.

SUMMER
»

WINTER
»

ERNI / SHUTTERSTOCK (WINTER FOX); ONDREJ PROSICKY / SHUTTERSTOCK (SUMMER FOX); JIM CUMMING /
SHUTTERSTOCK (WINTER HARE); FOTOREQUEST / SHUTTERSTOCK (SUMMER HARE); TOM MCHUGH / GETTY
IMAGES (WINTER LEMMING); © ALL CANADA PHOTOS / ALAMY (SUMMER LEMMING); ANDREANITA / SHUT-

16 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 TERSTOCK (WINTER PTARMIGAN); NICK PECKER / SHUTTERSTOCK (SUMMER PTARMIGAN); JUKKA JANTUNEN /
SHUTTERSTOCK (WINTER ERMINE); MICHAEL MESHCHERYAKOV / SHUTTERSTOCK (SUMMER ERMINE)
 COAT SNOWSHOES—OR
OF MANY SNOW SHOVELS?
COLORS ANIMAL: COLLARD LEMMING
HABITAT: Sandy or gravelly areas
ANIMAL: ARCTIC FOX
HABITAT: Tundra on borders of Collared lemmings are the only rodents
forests, and on ice floes whose coat changes to white. And they
in winter have another wild adaptation to winter:
WINTER

»
When does camouflage pull double As snow starts to fall, lemmings grow
duty? When you’re both predator oversize claws on the third and fourth
and prey. An arctic fox’s fur changes toes of their front feet. This allows
from brown to white when the sea- them to dig tunnels in the snow all win-
son goes from fall to winter. Less ter. Staying below the surface helps
daylight triggers these animals’ bod- them avoid predators while they shovel
ies to stop making as much melanin. for food. By spring, their burrowing
SUMMER wears down their claws to a normal size.

»
Melanin is the substance inside hair
or feathers that gives them color.
Once a fox produces less melanin, its
coat turns white. Blending in with
the snowy background helps a fox
hide from polar bears and sneak up ERMINE
on lemmings, hares, and birds. Once ESCAPE
the snow melts in the spring, their ANIMAL: ERMINE
fur gets darker to match the grasses HABITAT: Marshes and rocky
and trees. areas near woodlands
and treeless plains
The ermine doesn’t turn completely
white in winter—it sports a black tip
WINTER on its tail year-round. Why? The black
»

blotch is a sneaky defense against fly-

ing predators like hawks. When the
bird swoops down to attack, the black
tip confuses them.
The hawk sees the
ermine moving one
way, and its tail flail-
ing behind it in other
directions. This blur
FLUFF-BALL of motion can cause
FEATHERS a hawk to miss the
ermine entirely.
ANIMAL: PTARMIGAN
HABITAT: Meadows and rocky area

The ptarmigan(TAR-mih-guhn) is a bird

that changes its feathers from brown to SUMMER
»

white. But the feathers don’t just provide

camouflage in the snow. Downy feathers
close to their skin trap body heat in the
cold temperatures. The birds also fly into
snowbanks, creating
WINTER
»

burrows that are

warmer than out-
side temperatures.
FIND MORE HIDDEN ANIMALS!
natgeokids.com/december
» SUMMER

17
 PARTNER CONTENT BY LEGO®

On September 29th, National Geographic Kids and LEGO®

City Arctic teamed up to excavate a frozen creature at
National Geographic Headquarters in Washington, DC!
National Geographic Explorer Mike Libecki
and 15-year-old climber Lilli Libecki helped
hundreds of adventurers uncover and build
a life-sized mammoth with the help of two
LEGO Master Builders.
Mike Libecki was named a 2013 National
Geographic Adventurer of the Year for his
commitment to exploring the world’s most
remote places, including Antarctica. His daughter
Lilli has been to 25 countries on all 7 continents!

line
To participate on nd
in more games a fun
LEGO ® City Arctoicm/arctic
visit natgeokids.c
 RE
FOR MOIC FUN, ®
CT
CITY ARAD THE LEGO
O
DOWNLE APP NOW!
LIF

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a
service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc. LEGO, the LEGO logo and the Minifigure are
trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2018 The LEGO Group.
 COOL
SUPERSMART GADGETS AND BUILDINGS
THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE

THE STRAWSCRAPER
For some people, a windy day means a bad hair day.
»
But for the folks designing this odd-looking building, a
windy day is a good hair day. For them, windy days will
mean the hairy fibers on their building are capturing
loads of free energy. A Swedish architectural firm is
working on plans to transform an existing Stockholm
building into a futuristic, 40-floor skyscraper that
will create energy. The design for this project, known
as the Strawscraper, encloses the building in a casing
covered with long, flexible straws that turn wind
motion into electrical energy. From gentle breezes to
strong winds, the friction on the straws will produce
and store electricity much like a wind power plant
does. The Strawscraper will be much quieter than a
wind turbine, though, and will be bird-friendly too.

Plans
include a
restaurant and
a viewing platform
in the
Strawscraper.

WANT MORE EARTH-SAVING ACTION?

Go online to find out how you can protect our planet.
natgeokids.com/SaveTheEarth

20 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

UNDERWATER
WINGS
With the Subwing, you
can know what it’d feel
like to glide through
the ocean like a dolphin.
Made of lightweight,
flexible carbon fiber,
the Subwing acts like
a fin that allows you to
slice through the water.
The Subwing attaches
to a boat and pulls you
beneath the surface of
the water. Tip the wings
down to dive toward the
bottom. Tilt the wings
to one side and send
yourself spinning and
spiraling with the fish. The Subwing’s
Ready to come up for inventor first
air? Point the Subwing tested his idea by
toward the surface, and holding on to a piece
you’ll be above water of driftwood that
in seconds. Catch your was being towed
breath, tighten your by a boat.
grip, and dive back in An
again for more! attachable light
on the Subwing
lets you explore
at night.

WIRELESS TOOTH TATTOO

Going to the dentist twice a year is a must. But between checkups, you might one
day be able to keep tabs on your teeth with a wireless tooth tattoo. Made of
TINY TRANSMITTER gold wires skinnier than a spiderweb, this tiny sensor attaches to your tooth like
a temporary tattoo. There, it detects decay or harmful bacteria brewing among
your chompers. And if the tattoo senses something’s amiss in your mouth, you’ll get
an alert on a handheld digital device. While scientists have only tested the tattoo
on cows’ teeth, they’re hoping that one day the tattoo will help humans take a bite
out of tooth decay for good.

WIN THIS BOOK! GO ONLINE NOVEMBER 21-28.

W
natgeokids.com/december

SUPPLIED BY WENN.COM / NEWSCOM (STRAWSCRAPER);

SUBWING / WENN.COM / NEWSCOM (SUBWING); FRANK
WOJCIECHOWSKI / REX / SHUTTERSTOCK (TOOTH TATTOO) DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 21
 NAPKIN TABLE
Bring lunch to another level with the Napkin
Table. Designed with friendship in mind, the
Napkin Table elevates your meal by connect-
ing you and your pal as you picnic. Each of you
slips the napkin straps around your neck. Then
balance the portable, foldable picnic table
between you. While stitched pockets and cup
holders keep tableware in place, you still need
to stay in sync with your friend while you eat
so you don’t tip your table. Bonus: By keeping
your food off the ground, you don’t have to bug
out about ants crawling all over your meal.

PLASTIC STRAWS are one of the top 10 trash items found

during ocean cleanups. Protect the planet by using a metal
or paper straw instead. natgeokids.com/KidsVsPlastic

COOL NEWSHOW! SURROUND

SPLASH NEWS / NEWSCOM (NAPKIN TABLE); SPLASH NEWS / ST / NEWSCOM (AUDIOORB); NATIONAAL ARCHIEF /

SOUND
As the host of Nat Geo Kid’s newest
video series, How Things Work,
COLLECTION SPAARNESTAD (RADIO HAT, FACE PROTECTION, DOUGHNUT DUNKER, AMPHIBIOUS BIKE)

15-year-old YouTube star Kamri Noel

teams up with National Geographic experts to explain
lava lamps, gecko feet, and more. Nat Geo Kids caught up with Talk about tuning in. The AudioOrb truly lets you get
Kamri to get the behind-the-scenes scoop. into your favorite songs. Step into this soundproof
NAT GEO KIDS: Tell us a little biologist David Gruber. It was Plexiglass sphere and become immersed in music,
about why you decided to work so funny, but I’m not sure that thanks to 18 speakers that send sound waves around
with Nat Geo Kids on this show. scene made it into the episode. the orb. Just don’t plan on having a dance party in
there—the AudioOrb is equipped with a soft bench
KAMRI NOEL: I’ve always NGK: What was the weirdest and comfy pillows, so you’re meant to sit back and
been interested in photography, thing you learned hosting relax as you enjoy your time in this bubble of music.
plus math and science are my How Things Work?
favorite subjects. So working KN: How to pronounce weird
with Nat Geo Kids was perfect. science words! I couldn’t
NGK: What was the funniest pronounce a bunch of them,
thing that happened on the set so the experts had to keep cor-
of How Things Work? recting me. I don’t think I’ll
KN: Somehow I ended up doing ever be able to correctly say SIT IN HERE!
cheer stunts with marine “ballast.”

GRAB A PARENT TO CHECK OUT HOW THINGS WORK—

and find out how to pronounce “ballast!” youtube.com/natgeokids

22 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

 RADIOHAT
IDEAS
It wasn’t long after the
invention of radio broadcasts
that people like this guy
tried to take their clunky
radios with them. This

FROM HISTORY
particular portable radio was
built into a straw hat, picking
up radio signals right above
your head. It came complete
with a horn that worked
like a speaker to deliver the
sounds to the listener.

FACE
PROTECTION
FROM
SNOWSTORMS
In 1939, somewhere in Montréal, Canada, these fashionable
ladies hit the streets showing off a short-lived idea for keeping
your face warm during snowstorms: a plastic cone! You’d strap it
around your head to keep your face dry as the snow swirled around DOUGHNUTDUNKER
you. It’s hard to tell what happened to the cones, but one thing’s Times sure were different in the
for sure: This snow-stopping invention was a bit of a flake. 1940s. This wacky invention, dis-
played at the Congress of American
Inventors in Los Angeles, California,
was designed so that commuters
could dunk their doughnuts and
keep their hands free to read the
daily news. As an added bonus, this

AMPHIBIOUS gadget also made sure that no hot

coffee touched your fingers as you

BIKE
dipped your doughnut.

This “bubble bike” made waves when it debuted in Paris,

France, in 1932. The amphibious contraption was at home on
both land and water. Called the Cyclomer, the bike’s two large,
hollow wheels doubled as floats for water cycling. The smaller,
movable floats on top (shown here in the “land” position)
could be lowered to water level to give the bike some extra
stability. This rider wouldn’t have even needed to change out
of his suit and tie and into a swimsuit before he hit the lake.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE COOL INVENTION!

natgeokids.com/december

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 23

MIXED-
MARSUPIAL
FIND OUT WHY QUOKKAS ACT LIKE
GIRAFFES, KOALAS, AND BATS. 
BY ALLYSON SHAW
When explorers in the late 1600s first
spotted this fuzzy, friendly-looking
animal in Australia, they figured they’d
stumbled on a house-cat-size rat. Not
even close. Quokkas might be related
to kangaroos and wallabies, but they’re
way weirder. This marsupial has traits
more often associated with other
animals—and that makes it one
wacky critter.

S
A
I

ROTTNEST ISLAND
IN
DIAN OC

AUSTRALIA
EA
N

Where
quokkas
live

24 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

 THEY REACH FOR LEAVES LIKE KOALAS
Ground-dwelling quokkas
sometimes climb five feet up a
tree trunk to reach a tasty-looking
leaf or berry. That might not sound impressive,
but it’s something its closest relatives—
kangaroos and wallabies—can’t do. Tree-
loving koalas have strong, large paws made for
gripping branches all day. But the quokka can
hold on only for a few minutes. Just enough
time to swipe a snack!

THEY HOP LIKE RABBITS SAY

If you spot a brown fuzz ball bouncing “LEAVES!”
through the brush, it’s not a rabbit—it’s a
leaping quokka! Although they usually crawl Quokkas have smiley faces and
on all fours, quokkas also use their strong are sometimes friendly around
back legs to jump. These animals also create people, so tourists to
passageways in the bushes and grass as they Australia’s Rottnest Island
move through the brush, similar to the often get too close. The extra
underground tunnels bunnies create. Furry, attention could put quokkas in
cute, and hoppy? Yes, please! danger—or it might help the
species survive.
Authorities on Rottnest
Island protect the critters with
THEY CATCH Z’S LIKE BATS rules against touching or feed-
ing the quokkas. Human food
OK, quokkas don’t sleep while can make them sick, plus giving
hanging from a cave or tree, but them snacks(and even water)
they do sometimes nap with their heads can make the quokkas too
upside down. Quokkas often sleep in a sitting dependent on people. But by
position with their head resting on their feet. following the rules, island tour-
“It’s very cute,” says Cassyanna Gray, a conser- ists help give authorities more
vation officer on Australia’s Rottnest Island, power to support the quokka’s
one place quokkas live. Also, like most bats, habitat. For instance, conser-
quokkas are mostly nocturnal, snoozing vationists can use the money
when the hot sun is out. generated from tourism to
protect the island and monitor
the quokka population.
So if you want to protect the
THEY CHEW LIKE GIRAFFES quokkas and get an epic pic-
ture, just use a selfie stick!
Quokkas eat their food in a way that is simi--
lar to giraffes. Both animals use their large,,
flat molars tto grind
g tough
g treats like leavess Rottnest
to release moisture and nutrients. The dif- Island, one of the
ference? Giraffes later regurgitate the food places quokkas live, got
(meaning they basically throw it back up its name after explorers
into their mouths—yuck!) and chew it some thought quokkas were
more. When a quokka swallows food, the rats.(Get it? Rat nest?
meal enters its first stomach (yep, quokkas Rottnest?)
have two tummies!), where the food is
broken down more before entering the
second stomach.
TEST YOUR MARSUPIAL SMARTS WITH THIS FUN QUIZ!
natgeokids.com/december

JAMES GOURLEY / SHUTTERSTOCK (BIG IMAGE); PURESTOCK / GETTY IMAGES (KOALA); PETER MURPHY (CLIMBING); KEVIN SCHAFER / GETTY IMAGES (JUMPING);
TOM REICHNER / SHUTTERSTOCK (RABBIT); LIMDQ / SHUTTERSTOCK (SLEEPING); MADMONKEY0328 / SHUTTERSTOCK (BAT); AL-TRAVELPICTURE / ISTOCK /
GETTY IMAGES (EATING); ALEX SNYDER (GIRAFFE); MIN-SOO AHN / EYEEM / GETTY IMAGES (QUOKKA ON STREET); MARTIN WALZ (MAP)
NAT GEO KIDS 25
 DARE TO
ZOLTAN TAKACS
XPLORE
Three Nat Geo explorers share the adventure behind the science.
HOLDS A YELLOW-
BY C.M. TOMLIN
LIPPED SEA KRAIT
IN THE SOUTH
PACIFIC OCEAN.
THE HERPETOLOGIST
Zoltan Takacs tracks dangerous reptiles all over the globe. Below, he describes an encounter
in the Amazon rain forest—and shares how studying deadly venom could create new medicines.

“One night in the forests of Peru, I “You have to be

encountered an eight-foot-long bush- a little crazy to
master snake, the longest venomous want to be a
snake in the Western Hemisphere. I herpetologist.
had managed to wrangle it into my Normal people
bag when suddenly it shot out toward wouldn’t spend
me! I was surprised, but I managed to their vacations
dodge out of its way. catching deadly
“Since I was a kid, my dream has snakes!”
been to track dangerous creatures.
Venomous animals kill their prey with
toxins, but many of those toxins could WANT TO BE A HERPETOLOGIST?
be used to create new medicines.
That’s why I chase them. I help study STUDY Biology
TAKACS HOLDS A VENOMOUS their toxins, which can hopefully be WATCH Movies that you make. Use cameras
RHINOCEROS VIPER IN A used one day to save lives.” to observe and document nature.
TUBE TO EXTRACT ITS BLOOD.
READ Snakes: The Evolution of Mystery in
Nature by Harry W. Greene
GRAB A PARENT TO SEE MORE COOL JOBS ON THE SHOW BEST JOB EVER.
youtube.com/natgeokids
MATTIAS KLUM / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (TAKACS MAIN; TAKACS WITH SNAKE IN TUBE);
ZOLTAN TAKACS / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (TAKACS HEADSHOT); RANDALL SCOTT /

26 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (OMPUSUNGGU); JEEP2499 / SHUTTERSTOCK (ORANGUTAN); HARVARD
MICROROBOTICS LAB (ROBOT ON FINGER); KAT KEENE HOGUE / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (WOOD)
THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONIST
Hotlin Ompusunggu works to protect the forests of Indonesia in Southeast Asia.
She talks about saving orangutans and educating illegal loggers.

“I’ll occasionally see orangutans “People may

frolicking in the trees above me. not always
We’ve placed cameras in the forests agree with
to monitor their movements, and you, but don’t
sometimes it looks like they might be let that stop
posing for a picture—sort of like an you from
orangutan selfie! Their population in sharing your
Indonesia is decreasing, mostly ideas.”
because of logging, so when I see one
of these photos I’m very happy. It
means orangutans are still there and
it’s like they’re saying ‘thank you for WANT TO BE A CONSERVATIONIST?
protecting our home.’
STUDY Biology and ecology
“The forests of Indonesia provide
WATCH Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
natural resources like fruit, meat,
READ My Life With the Chimpanzees
and wood. Often loggers will try to
by Jane Goodall
gain these resources illegally, which
is dangerous for animals and people.
By educating loggers on the impact
of their actions, we can begin to
create new forest guardians.”

AN ORANGUTAN
HANGS OUT IN
THE FORESTS OF
ONE OF ROBERT WOOD’S INDONESIA.
ROBOTS RESTS ON A
FINGER; BELOW, HE
WORKS ON A ROBOT’S
WINGS IN HIS LAB.

Robert Wood is an expert in robots: robots you wear, squishy robots,

THE ROBOTICIST tiny robots. He recalls when he figured out how to make a flying robot.

“Once I was in the lab trying to part was simply how the wing was could be useful for things like
design an insect-size robot structured. Knowing that, we built search and rescue. Each time my
with wings. But I was stuck; I the wing designs for the robot. team tries to use a robot to solve
needed to understand how a And guess what? The bot could fly! a problem and it doesn’t work, we
real-life insect moved. “I think of robots as problem rebuild. Eventually we’ll build a bot
“After my team observed a solvers; for example, a flying robot that will solve the problem.”
common housefly up close, we
discovered that its wing move-
ments weren’t completely con-
trolled by muscles. A major
EXPLORER ACADEMY:
“Almost nothing works WANT TO BE A THE NEBULA SECRET
perfectly the first time. ROBOTICIST? is packed with action inspired by CHECK
If we build something some of the real-life technology OUT
STUDY Math and technology THIS
right from the start, WATCH Big Hero 6 and people on these pages. BOOK!
we wouldn’t learn READ National Geographic
anything.” Kids’ How Things Work
ExplorerAcademy.com

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 27

 STUFF
GAMES, LAUGHS, AND LOTS TO DO!

A Wintry Mix-Up

PLAY
»

This snowy park

seems picture-
perfect. But look
again! Find and circle
at least 12 things
wrong in this scene.
JAMES YAMASAKI

ANSWERS ON PAGE 35

28 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

 CHECK OUT

WHAT IN THE LIGHT SHOW

THE BOOK!

WORLD
These photographs show close-up and
faraway views of objects that light up.
Unscramble the letters to identify each
picture. Blinded by the light?
ANSWERS ON PAGE 35

R I B Y H D TA LIEPRAAN OENP GISN

NEADCSL
TOP ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): © JOINGATE / DREAMSTIME; ERIC MEOLA / GETTY IMAGES; CREATAS / PUNCHSTOCK. MIDDLE ROW
(LEFT TO RIGHT): FOOTTOO / SHUTTERSTOCK; ERIC FRANCIS / SHUTTERSTOCK; © ISTOCK / PAPABEAR. BOTTOM ROW (LEFT TO

RSREIF LHEWE YO D H I L A G H I S T L KWIOEFRSR

RIGHT): GIANNI TRIGGIANI / SHUTTERSTOCK; TESTING / SHUTTERSTOCK; © ROYALTY-FREE / CORBIS.

TRONNRHE
F E L F E I RT O E W FA F I RC T A M J HSGLIT

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 29

 In the new book Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret,
12-year-old Cruz Coronado breaks secret codes in order to
fight dangerous villains and solve mysteries. Test your own
skills by cracking the code on this page, then check out
more about the book at ExplorerAcademy.com .
TEXT AND PUZZLE BY GARETH MOORE

THE CODE:
MORSE CODE Letters in Morse code are represented by a combination of dots and
dashes. Check out the written Morse code alphabet below.

A B C D E F G H I J

K L M N O P Q R S T

The Morse cod

for emergencie e
U V W X Y Z doesn’t stand fo s, SOS,
r “S
Ship.” Sailors pic ave Our
letters because ked the
th
easy to rememb e code is
er: th
CRACK dots, three dash ree
es,
three dots!
THIS
CODE! Decode this Morse code message. ANSWER ON PAGE 35

TRY
THIS! Morse code was originally created to send messages using sound
(like from a telegraph) or light(like from a flashlight). Grab a friend
and a flashlight and try to send secret messages with light. For a dot,
use a quick flash; for a dash, use a longer one. Be sure to pause between CHECK
each letter so your friend knows when a new coded letter starts. OUT
THE
BOOK!

BREAK MORE CODES!

ExplorerAcademy.com

30 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 RYAN ETTER / IKON IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES (HEADER BACKGROUND)
C RITTER
i
look
“snow”
cute.

C HAT
If animals used social media,
what would they say? Follow this
Japanese macaque’s day as it
updates its feed. BY ALLYSON SHAW
JAPANESE MACAQUE

Japanese Macaque 6 p.m.

LIVES: Near Nagano, Japan Finally warming up
SCREEN NAME: SnowMonkey in my favorite spot!
FRIENDS: #HotSpringsSelfie
»

SIKA JAPANESE GIANT MOUNTAIN

DEER FLYING SQUIRREL HAWK-EAGLE SnowMonkey

Make room for me! I’m a great swimmer

... at least in lakes and the sea.
DearDeer

DearDeer FlySquirrel RaptorPower But you usually swim when you’re

PRODUCTION / MINDEN PICTURES (FLYING SQUIRREL PROFILE, ALL); © DAVID HOSKING / ALAMY (HAWK-EAGLE PROFILE, ALL); FEATHERCOLLECTOR / SHUTTERSTOCK (FLYING HAWK-
ROY TOFT / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE (JAPANESE MACAQUE PROFILE, ALL); MICHEL GODIMUS / SHUTTERSTOCK (SIKA DEER PROFILE, ALL); © NISHIMURA YUTAKA / NATURE
hiding from predators. I fear nothing.

JOESBOY / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES (STANDING SIKA DEER); © AFLO / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY (FLYING SQUIRREL IN TREE); PINGEBAT / SHUTTERSTOCK (CARTOON FACES, ALL)
EAGLE); © GOUICHI WADA / NATURE PRODUCTION / MINDEN PICTURES (GLIDING FLYING SQUIRREL); © ANUP SHAH / MINDEN PICTURES (JAPANESE MACAQUE IN HOT SPRING);
RaptorPower

110 a.m. Easy for you to say—

START

you have talons! My

Br! If it gets any colder I’m coming down best defense is to
from these trees and getting into the stay ALERT. DearDeer
hot tub.
SnowMonkey
6:15 p.m.
Nooo!!! Then I have to forage for
my own food—and it’s so much
easier to stand underneath you Speaking of predators: PREDATOR
and just wait for you to knock ALERT. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
down tasty leaves. SnowMonkey
DearDeer

Chill out—I’m nowhere near the

Meh, good riddance. I’m trying to hot springs!
sleep over here! RaptorPower
FlySquirrel

Wake up, FlySquirrel! SnowMonkey, what did you see? I’ve

Let’s race ... in the air! been on the lookout all day.
DearDeer
RaptorPower

LOL, it was just my

Uh, if the prize is that shadow. But I ʔ
I get eaten, then no being mistaken for
thanks. I’m going to a predator.
glide away from you. FlySquirrel FlySquirrel

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 31

ARE
Take this superfun quiz to find your range of strange.
BY MARK SHULMAN
“
Answer these questions to see how “normal” you really Some
responses
are. Check off your answer to each question, then add up to more
or less than 100
see how other kids responded. Add all your points percent because
together, find your final number in the score box at the numbers are
estimates.
the bottom, and read what your score says about you.

DO YOU BITE No: 1

IF YOU COULD MEET Somebody fictional? YOUR TOENAILS? Yes: 4
ANYONE, REAL OR FAKE, 1 in 4 kids want to meet a
WHO WOULD IT BE? fictional character. Absolutely not.
9 out of 10 say no, and then,“Could I even do that?”
Fictional character, singer, Star of the stage?
actor, or someone else: 2 1 in 5 want to get in tune with a Absolutely … well … maybe.
Sports star: 3 famous singer. 1 in 10 kids have a spine as flexible as their sense of taste.
Political figure: 4
Ready for your close-up?
Another 1 in 5 would rather act WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO SLEEEPO
OVER SNACK?
naturally with an actor or
actress. Pizza or ice cream: 2
Something else: 3
Kick it with an athlete?
1 in 10 kids hope to come off the Pizza, please!
sidelines and hang with a sports More than 25 percent of kkidss ask for
star. a slice at a sleepover.
Vote for me? I scream for ice cream!
Just 1 in 33 kids voted for a About 16 percent of kids get
g
political figure. the scoop.
None of the above? Something else?
Nearly 1 in 4 kids desire to meet About 54 percent of kids pre
p efer
a mystery person. something else entirely. W
Whatt else is there?

SCORES 13-16: NORMAL AS LIVING IN A HOUSE

You mostly prefer to keep things comfortable. But that
doesn’t make you boring! With a solid home base, you’re
DWAYNE JOHNSON free to get weird in other ways.

32
 DO YOU READ YOUR HOROSCOPE?

Yes: 2
WHAT DO YOU LIKE Sometimes: 2
TO WRITE WITH? No way: 2

Pencil, computer, or pen: 2 The signs say … yes!

Something else: 3 You and 30 percent of your friends
have stars in your eyes and eyes on
Did you pencil in your answer? your horoscope.
Pencils are the sharpest choice
with 33 percent. Sometimes peek into the future?
The rest of the time you use your
Type it out? crystal ball with the other 35 per-
Computers are the right type cent of kids.
for 25 percent.
Are you kidding?
No eraser here? You and the other 35 percent think
A pen clicks with 23 percent of the stars are just balls of gas.
kids.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVE Can’t get enough of koalas?
Made for markers? WILD ANIMAL? 5 percent of kids like this
5 percent make markers their marsupial most.
permanent choice. Tiger, wolf, dolphin, or panda: 2
Penguin, snake, elephant, Just giraffes?
Paint it up? koala, or giraffe: 3 4 percent of kids stuck their
4 percent bristle if they can’t Crocodile, spider, or seal: 4 necks out for giraffes.
have a paintbrush. DID YOUR SCHOOL CLOSE None of the above: 2
IN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE Love that crocodile smile?
Feeling crafty? OF WEATHER? Want to dive with dolphins? 3 percent of kids cheer for
3 percent pointed to finger 17 percent of kids love this crocs.
paints and other handy tools. A few days: 2 ocean mammal best.
One day: 3 Got the spider-sense?
Something else? Lots of days: 4 Love a lone wolf? 1 percent of kids definitely
7 percent prefer other stuff No days: 2 16 percent of kids want to aren’t afraid of spiders.
like quills, lasers, nails, and cake howl at the moon.
frosting tubes. Go yyour sled on?
Got Think seals are spectacular?
Almo
moost 3 in 10 kids got a few Think tigers are terrific? 1 percent of kids give their
ddays
y off. 12 percent of kids want to seal of approval.
earn their stripes.
One ay of fun? None of these?
Almo
moost 1 in 7 kids had just one Think pandas are perfect? 13 percent of kids love an
dayy ooff for rotten weather. 11 percent of kids feel the animal not listed.
panda-monium.
Bestt winter ever?
Be
1 inn 9 kids said, “Yeah! Lots of Think snakes are super?
d ! It’s all fun and … um …
days 6 percent of kids say
shovovveling?” these reptiles rock.
CHECK
OUT
Warm m winter? All about those elephants? THE
A bitt less than half got no 5 percent of kids never forget BOOK!
ys for snow days.
days their favorite animal.

21-24: NORMAL AS LIVING IN

N A BLIMP
MP
P If these
17-20: NORMAL AS LIVING ON A BOAT descriptions
You don’t always go with the flow, but sometimes you’re happy You’re way out there, living at the extremes. You don’t match you,
to bob on the waves. You’ve probably got a pretty bizarre might be super messy or incredibly neat, but either that’s OK.
These are just
pet—and also a perfectly made bed. Hey, it’d be weird not to. way, you’re an original. Keep flying high! for fun!
SAMIR HUSSEIN / WIREIMAGE / GETTY IMAGES (DWAYNE JOHNSON); NITIKORN POONSIRI / SHUTTERSTOCK
(TOENAILS); STEPHANIE FREY / SHUTTERSTOCK (ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES); NIENORA / SHUTTERSTOCK
(STARS); VOLODYMYR TVERDOKHLIB / SHUTTERSTOCK (SNOWMAN); © ISTOCK / ESTIMA (TIGER) DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 33
 DECORATION DISASTER
Ask a friend to give you words to fill in the
nks in this story without showing it to PLAY MORE FUNNY FILL-IN!
or her. Then read out loud for a laugh. natgeokids.com/ffi
BY BIANCA BOWMAN

year my family and I decided to decorate our with lights.

noun holiday
s arted with the tree in the yard, but the string of lights caught on a(n) .
adjective noun
I and pulled until it broke free with a(n) . I fell backward, got
past-tense verb weird noise
tangled in the , and started to down the hill. My younger brother tried to
noun, plural verb
help but tripped over our . As I rolled down the , the lights wrapped
animal noun
around me. “ !” I yelled. Finally I into a compost bin,
adverb ending in -ly funny expression past-tense verb
which tipped over and spilled all over my . Maybe we should’ve stuck to decorating
type of food, plural body part
just the inside of the .
DAN SIPPLE

34 NAT GEO KIDS • DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019

BACK
TALK
1. Fill in the thought balloon.
2. Cut out the entire picture (or make a photocopy of it).
3. Mail it along with your name, address, phone number, and date of birth
to Nat Geo Kids, Back Talk, P.O. Box 96000, Washington, DC 20090-6000.
Selection for publication in a future issue will be at the discretion of Nat Geo Kids.

FROM THE
NOVEMBER 2017
ISSUE

When you’re blue, it

helps to smile!
Seamus T., 11
What do his Asheville, North Carolina
t
YOU thinak is Cheese! Or should I say,
impal ? Seas!
thinking Gabriella A., 10
Grovetown, Georgia
What? Do I have algae
stuck in my teeth?
Charis H., 12
Eagle River, Wisconsin
Squawk! Parrotfish want
a cracker!
Statement of ownership, management, and monthly circulation of
National Geographic Kids Claire T., 11
OWNER AND PUBLISHER: National Geographic Partners, LLC
Gary E. Knell, CEO
Redmond, Washington
Geoff Daniels, Executive Vice President and General Manager,
Nat Geo WILD & Nat Geo Kids Media
Jennifer Emmett, Senior Vice President, Kids Media, Content
Rachel Buchholz, Editor in Chief and Vice President
Sorry I told those bad fish
HEADQUARTERS OF PUBLISHER AND PUBLICATION: puns. I feel gill-ty. If you
1145 Seventeenth Street N.W., Washington, DC 20036
STOCKHOLDERS; BONDHOLDERS; MORTGAGE; can think of a better fish
OTHER SECURITY HOLDERS: National Geographic Society
and 21st Century Fox
(page 30): Explore pun let minnow.
Braeden B., 12
Academy”
Average no. copies Single issue
“Explorer
each issue during
preceding 12 mos.
nearest to
filing date Sunnyvale, California
A. TOTAL COPIES PRINTED Oct, 2017-Sept. 2018 Sept. 2018 northern lights.
(Net Press Run) 851,478 814,493
I find that finny.
© HEINI WEHRLE / BIA / MINDEN PICTURES (IMPALA); WILD

Tower, traffic jam,

HORIZON / CONTRIBUTOR / GETTY IMAGES (PARROTFISH)

B. PAID CIRCULATION
1. Outside-County Mail Subscriptions
2. In-County Mail Subscriptions
717,445
-
695,585
-
Bottom row: Eiffel
Eliana B., 7
Melrose, New York
lights, fireworks.
3. Non USPS Distributed 72,526 68,569
4. Other Classes Mailed Through USPS - - wheel, holiday
C. TOTAL PAID CIRCULATION 789,971 764,154 Middle row: Ferris
D. FREE DISTRIBUTION BY MAIL
(includes samples, no news agents)
airplane, open sign. I’m off the hook!
1. Outside-County
2. In-County
15,041
-
10,674
-
birthday candles,
Xavier D., 9
Oak Hill, Virginia
(page 29): Top row:
3. Other Classes Mailed Through USPS - - World?”
TOTAL FREE DISTRIBUTION BY MAIL 15,041 10,674
(page 28):
E. FREE DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE THE MAIL - - “What in the “A Wintry Mix-Up”
F. TOTAL FREE DISTRIBUTION(Sum of D and E)
G. TOTAL DISTRIBUTION(Sum of C and F)
15,041
805,012
10,674
774,828
Selfie time!
H. OFFICE USE, LEFTOVER, ETC. 46,466 39,665 Answers Mikayla M., 9
I. TOTAL(Sum of G and H)
J. PERCENT PAID
851,478
98%
814,493
99% Bend, Oregon

DECEMBER 2018 | JANUARY 2019 • NAT GEO KIDS 35

 An mals!
Awesome

LEAST CHIPMUNK

TEXT BY RUTH A. MUSGRAVE COPYRIGHT © 2018 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PARTNERS, LLC

 LEAST CHIPMUNK
A least chipmunk is so heavy
A it scampers across only strong
branches.
FALSE. At no more than two ounces, the
chipmunk weighs less than this maga-
zine. Half of its eight-inch length is its tail.
To be called “busy as a chipmunk”
B can be considered a compliment.
TRUE. A chipmunk was seen storing 478
acorns. Another stored 2,000 cherry pits,
and one put away 3,700 blueberry seeds.
It uses its little paws to carry
C small loads of seeds to its den.
FALSE. It fills its cheek pouches with
seeds, stuffing in enough that the pouch-
es stretch to the same size as its head.
A chipmunk watches out for
D snakes.
TRUE. Depending on where it lives, other
predators include owls, hawks, weasels,
cats, foxes, coyotes, and martens.
E Chipmunks don’t hibernate.
TRUE. Although they sleep a lot during
winter, they do wake up to eat.

© PETE CAIRNS / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY

 Awesome
An mals!

ARCTIC FOX
 ARCTIC FOX
Arctic fox numbers can depend
A on lemming numbers.
TRUE. Many arctic foxes eat mainly small
rodents called lemmings. If there are
more lemmings, more fox pups are born.
Seal pups are sometimes on the
B arctic fox’s menu.
TRUE. A fox can smell a seal den a mile
away. It dives headfirst through the snow
or digs into a seal’s lair to catch a seal pup.
C These foxes suffer in the cold.
FALSE. They don’t even begin to shiver
until it’s minus 94°F. They’re built to stay
warm, with extra fat in the winter and
dense fur even between their foot pads.
D They’re always white.
FALSE. Arctic foxes can be white, brown,
or blueish-gray. Their color depends on
what time of year it is.
An arctic fox’s home is probably
E older than yours.
TRUE. Dens are used for generations.
Some are even 300 years old.

EASTCOTT MOMATIUK / THE IMAGE BANK / GETTY IMAGES

 Awesome
An mals!

MANDRILL
 MANDRILL
A Male mandrills make a scene in
front of unwanted guests.
TRUE. To scare away intruders, males
show their large canine teeth and jump
up and down in a frenzy.
Most adult humans weigh less
B than full-grown mandrills.
FALSE. Female mandrills weigh about 25
pounds. Males weigh around 50 pounds.
Mandrills have cheek pouches.
C TRUE. Their cheek pouches extend down
the sides of the neck and hold as much
food as their stomachs.
You might see them in the rain
D forests of South America.
FALSE. These monkeys are found in parts
of Africa.
These lazy primates eat food
only close to where they sleep.
False. They forage as far as five miles each
E day in search of fruits, nuts, mushrooms,
and small animals.

ART WOLFE / STONE / GETTY IMAGES

 Awesome
An mals!

ORCA
 ORCA
A These creatures wouldn’t hurt a fly.
FALSE. OK, they don’t eat flies, but they
kill and eat other whales, seals, sea lions,
penguins, walruses, and a variety of fish
and squid. Orcas are called killer whales.
Black-and-white coloration
B makes its presence obvious.
FALSE. Its coloration makes it hard for
prey to see the orca—until it’s too late.
The NFL could use a newborn
C calf’s size and strength.
TRUE. The 8-foot-long, 350-pound new-
born could add some muscle to a team,
but its mom probably wouldn’t let it play.
D If you’re spending the day with an
8,000-pound orca, you’ll need 50
cans of tuna to keep its tummy full.
FALSE. You’ll need to have more than 650
cans of tuna to keep your friend full!
Orcas dive the deepest of all
E whale species.
FALSE. Since their food is usually near
the surface, so are they.

© MICHAEL S. NOLAN / SEAPICS.COM

 Awesome
An mals!

SALTWATER CROCODILE
 SALTWATER CROCODILE
A healthy hu an adult can outrun
A a crocodile.
TRUE. Crocodiles’ success is in the speed
of a short-distance surprise attack, not a
long chase.
If you hear high-pitched barking
B sounds from underground, run!
TRUE. Female crocodiles bury their eggs
underground. As soon as the young begin
hatching, they call for mom, who’s wait-
ing nearby to carry them to the water.
C Most eggs hatch successfully.
FALSE. Only 20 percent hatch, due to
predators and flooding.
A croc would order the “surf and
D turf” plate at a fancy restaurant.
TRUE. This predator eats mammals and
fish, as well as birds.
Whether ales or females hatch
E is purely chance.
FALSE. Nest temperatures determine
gender. Most males are produced at
approximately 88°F.

© JURGEN FREUND / NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY

 Awesome
An mals!

AFRICAN ELEPHANT
 AFRICAN ELEPHANT
An elephant’s trunk is like the
A Swiss Army knife of the animal
kingdom.
TRUE. It’s a sniffer, snorkel, bucket, glass,
fingers, back-scratcher, shovel, and nose.
An elephant has more muscles in its
B trunk than you have in your body.
TRUE. You have up to 850 muscles; an
elephant’s trunk has 15,000.
As quiet as a cat on carpeting,
C elephants tiptoe through forests.
TRUE. Due to the structure of their feet,
they walk on their toes. Their specially
padded feet work like shock absorbers
and muffle the sound of each step.
D The tusks are just ornamental.
FALSE. Tusks are used for protection,
digging, and ripping apart trees.
You probably drink as much wa-
E ter as an elephant does each day.
FALSE. An elephant drinks more than 50
gallons of water a day, sometimes all at
once.

© DARYL BALFOUR / NHPA