Cricket Magazine: Cricket ages 9-14
Cricket Magazine: Cricket ages 9-14 Friday 10/2/26
Oct 2, 2026 · 26 min · 8 segments
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Cricket Magazine: Cricket ages 9-14
Oct 2, 2026 · 26 min · 8 segments
I've got to hold a what? A short story by Catherine Weeks Folks, illustrated by Mark Brewer.
The illustration on page 27 shows a light-skinned man balding on the top of his head, with a hedgehog sitting on his head as he looks up at it.
He's holding an armadillo in one hand and a clear enclosure with a snake poking out smelling with its tongue.
Two girls are shaking as they look at the snake.
One is a light-skinned girl with blonde hair in a ponytail on her head and her teeth are chattering with braces on.
The second girl is holding a clipboard against her chest leaning back away from the snake.
and she has black hair and darker skin.
Today, my nightmare came true.
It was Bo.
I first met Bo when I volunteered to be a junior docent at the zoo.
It was a program our school participated in.
Biology students earned extra credit by teaching little kids about some of the animals.
I needed to bring my biology grade up, so I asked my friend Sue Wang to be my partner.
Melanie, I'll do this with you, she said.
But I'll do the talking.
No way will I handle the animals.
That was okay with me.
I like animals.
During the training course, our instructor, Mr. Lindsay, talked to each pair of docents about the animals we would take to recreation programs and younger science classes.
When he came to sue at me, he said, Okay, girls, your three animals are a hedgehog, a three-banded armadillo, and a boa constrictor.
I felt myself go cold.
I have to handle a boa constrictor? He smiled.
Snakes are a big hit with the kids.
If they learn about snakes through you girls, little kids will be less likely to fear them and more likely to respect them.
They're not a big hit with me, I mumbled.
I've got to hold a what? A short story by Catherine Weeks Folks, illustrated by Mark Brewer.
The illustration on page 27 shows a light-skinned man balding on the top of his head, with a hedgehog sitting on his head as he looks up at it.
He's holding an armadillo in one hand and a clear enclosure with a snake poking out smelling with its tongue.
Two girls are shaking as they look at the snake.
One is a light-skinned girl with blonde hair in a ponytail on her head and her teeth are chattering with braces on.
The second girl is holding a clipboard against her chest leaning back away from the snake.
and she has black hair and darker skin.
Today, my nightmare came true.
It was Bo.
I first met Bo when I volunteered to be a junior docent at the zoo.
It was a program our school participated in.
Biology students earned extra credit by teaching little kids about some of the animals.
I needed to bring my biology grade up, so I asked my friend Sue Wang to be my partner.
Melanie, I'll do this with you, she said.
But I'll do the talking.
No way will I handle the animals.
That was okay with me.
I like animals.
During the training course, our instructor, Mr. Lindsay, talked to each pair of docents about the animals we would take to recreation programs and younger science classes.
When he came to sue at me, he said, Okay, girls, your three animals are a hedgehog, a three-banded armadillo, and a boa constrictor.
I felt myself go cold.
I have to handle a boa constrictor? He smiled.
Snakes are a big hit with the kids.
If they learn about snakes through you girls, little kids will be less likely to fear them and more likely to respect them.
They're not a big hit with me, I mumbled.
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