It’s a summer splash party! So cannonball into this month’s Cricket!

Things really heat up down South “When Pete Bruce Came to Town.” He’s a slickster trickster that can really make you smile.

Connor’s not smiling about spending the summer on his cousin’s farm in eastern Colorado, but things get interesting when he goes on a “Barn Owl Rescue.”

What’s even cuter than baby barn owls? How about ... Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes? Maybe not cute exactly, but they’re still very fascinating creatures. Did you know even dead ones can bite? Don’t bother rooting for the mouse when you read “Waiting to Strike.”

It’s one of the most popular songs of all time, favored by homesick singers from Frank Sinatra to your summer camp counselor. Learn the surprising history, and see the original, “Home on the Range.”

And while you’re out West, you might as well learn to rope a steer. Explicit instructions are in this issue for this practical skill that will look great on your college applications.

Cricket judges a cookie contest with too many entrants (burp!), and there’s a photography contest for you, in this flashy, splashy Cricket.