It's snowing periods, commas, and semicolons, and there are goats in the White House, in this wild, wintry issue of Cricket. February 12 is the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, and to mark the occasion, a new serial begins about how ten-year-old Tad Lincoln--as well as his goats--deals with a visit to the White House from his mother's Confederate relations. Cymbril pays a tearful good-bye to Urrt in "The Star Shard." In the African country of Lesotho, a young herdboy learns to read. Mongolian author writes to Old Cricket about how he takes books on horseback to the children of Mongolia. The Super Bowl may be over, but in Cricket Country the playoffs are only beginning!

Don't forget to send in your fan art for "The Star Shard"--Emily Fiegenschuh and Fred Durbin will be tuning in to see your work. And when you're done reading the issue, let the world know what you liked best by posting your comments at This Month on the Chatterbox.