The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 287

LOS ANGELES TIMES SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2001 E5 The Kids' Reading page is part of the Reading by 9 literacy project. The Kids' Reading Room I IS to I i Seeking Sammi's QUESTION CORNER What Should You Do to Be a Good Friend? ids, here are some of the things you told us about being a good By MARJORIE FLATHERS TT can't find my blue scrunchy," Sammi wailed, holding up her Scrunchy 1 ponytail with her left hand. "Samantha!" Mom said. "Stop friend: When friends come to play, I let them choose what they Kara, 7, Butterfield Ranch Elementary, Chino Hills want to do first. whining.

You just haven't looked hard enough." "I have!" Sammi insisted. She'd looked under the bed, behind the TV, in back of the sofa cushions and every place else she could think of. "Why don't you just use the green one, or the lavender one?" Mom asked. "Those colors are in the shirt you're wearing, too." "Because I want the blue one! I don't want to go to Cindi's birthday party looking like a dork." Sammi slammed the back door and stomped into the yard. She flopped down on the grass, but she couldn't stop thinking about the scrunchy.

It was a special shade of blue, not like any of I share table toys and clothes. Audrey, 6, Hollywood Beach Elementary, Oxnard My friend doesn't make fun of me because I'm a little afraid of her dog. She calms the dog down so I can pet her. A good friend protects you. Rachel, Cornerstone Elementary, Rancho Palos Verdes My friend cheers me up when I am sad.

He gives me ideas when we are bored. Sometimes we play hide-and-go-seek. Adam, 7, Bassett Street Elementary, Van Nuys I help my friends with their problems. Joleigh, 8, Lightfoot Elementary, Alta Loma To be a good friend you should play games, be kind and don't cheat. Magnet, Canoga Park Don't kick a ball near someone's face or say a bad word.

Play nice and be gende. Riley, 5, Canoga Park Multicultural Learning Center, Canoga Park Compiled by MARY ELLEN WALKER There are many ways to be a good friend. What are some of them? Do you share secrets? Do you help with a problem? Do you show support? Tell us what things you need to do to be a friend. her crayons or the wallpaper in her room, but something different. Where could she have put it, anyway? Sammi turned over and looked at the clouds floating in the blue sky.

That was the color, she thought. The scrunchy was like the sky on a beautiful day. A bird a-blue jay, she thought it might be was flying from tree to tree. As she watched it, something else caught her eye. It was the scrunchy, dangling from a tree branch, and blending right in with the sky.

She remembered now. She'd been playing catch with it out here yesterday. Sammi watched as the bird pulled loose threads out of the scrunchy and carried them to the nest she was building, weaving blue strands in between the brown twigs. "I guess you need that scrunchy even more than I do," Sammi said to the jay. She ran inside and put the green scrunchy around her ponytail.

sj --m L-em JOKES RIDDLES Marjorie Flathers is a freelance writer who sometimes misplaces things. And they can turn up in the most unusual places! This story will be on The Times' Web site at www. latimes.comkids. REUBEN MUNOZ Los Angeles Times How did the story about the apple end? "Apple-y ever after." (Scott, 7, Stanton Elementary, Glendora) Where do mermaids go to 313 7 Book Reviews by Kids Pictures and Fun Facts About a Four-Legged Friend the movies? The dive-in. (Brandon, 6, Eshelman Elementary, Lomita) What kind of cats like to go bowling? Alley cats.

(Conor, 4, Good Shepherd Preschool, Torrance) What does a movie marquee cause when it falls into the ocean? A tide wave. (Oliver, 7, Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, Century City) What three words have the most letters in them? The post office! (Charity, 7, Culver City Adventist School, Culver City) Silly book title and author: "Strong Winds" by Gail Force. (Jake, 7, Mercury Bay Area School, Whitianga, New Zealand) Twist on a saying: A "fly by the seat of your pants." (Robert, 7, the Odyssey Program Elementary, Malibu) Kids, send us your funny jokes and puzzling riddles. (No knock-knock jokes, please.) If you don't see your joke here, it's probably because someone else sent it in already. See "How to Write to Us" for more information.

"Crazy for Horses" by Karen Briggs Do you love beautiful horses like I do? This book is filled with pictures of horses and ponies. You can find out all about quarter horses and Shetland ponies and fun facts about their color and breed. It is also full of color pictures you will love! 1 Elementary, Alia Loma "The Monster at the End of This Book" by Jon Stone Grover does not want us to turn the pages of the book. But he does not know he is the monster at the end of this book! He tied the pages together, but I turned the page! I love it. Teagan, 7, Top of the World Elementary, Laguna Beach "What Happens When Flowers Grow?" by Daphne Butler This book tells about all different kinds of beautiful flowers.

I will tell you about the summer flowers. These flowers grow rapidly. Wow, if you go in your garden, you will smell them. The flowers keep blooming. Everything is brought back to life.

It comes back because of ing to Barbie.com on Michelle's computer. It takes them to Barbie's house. "Don't worry, girls," says Barbie. "I know a lot about animals." She tells them there is nothing to worry about. Marshmallow is going to have kittens! Michelle, 8, Walnut Elementary, Walnut "Happy Birthday, Little Witch" by Deborah Hautzig This book is about a little witch trying to find her friends, astronaut, pirate and devil, so they can come to her birthday party.

But it's not Halloween. Then, her broomstick goes to the wrong places! People who see her say, "That's OK!" I recommend this book because there's a surprise at the end. Ashley, 7, Helmers Elementary, Valencia Compiled by MARY ELLEN WALKER Kids, please send us a short book review. Include an original color illustration of the story if you like to draw. Try to tell us about a book that has not been reviewed in this column yet.

Tell us the title and author of the book. (Be sure to keep the ending a surprise.) See "How to Write to Us" on this page for more information. How to Write to Us Kids, to take part in a feature on this page, write to Kids' Reading Room, Southern California Living, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st Los Angeles, CA 90012; or fax to (213) 237-0732; or e-mail socallivinglatimes.com. Include your full name, age, school and city.

Because of the large volume of mail received for this page, we are unable to acknowledge or publish all of your submissions. "Crazy for Horses," drawn by Caitlin, 7, Aha Loma. the gentle rain and the sun. Laura, 8, Lunada Bay Elementary, Palos Verdes Estates "Barbie.com: Kitty's Surprise" by Barbara Richards Michelle and Amy want to find out what is wrong with Marshmallow the cat. The cat is getting fatter and fatter.

They ask Barbie by go Number 59 in a Series Tips for Reading Have your children help you shop for groceries. Give each child two or three labels from canned or packaged items, and ask them to match the words and pictures on their labels to items on the store shelves. Lillian Konlover, Redondo Beach For a copy of all the Tips for Reading call I-877-READBY9 or check the Web site bdmes.comreadingby9. I'A.