Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 146 i The Week Junior US

On January 27, the world observed Holocaust Remembrance Day. People attended ceremonies, laid flowers on monuments, and listened to speeches and recollections delivered by survivors and world leaders. What is the Holocaust? The Holocaust was the mass killing of 6 million Jewish men, women, and children, as well as millions of others, by the German Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler. It is one of the most terrible events in human history. Starting in the late 1930s and throughout World War II (1939–1945), the Nazis stormed across Europe, taking over countries and forcing Jewish people to live in ghettos (neighborhoods surrounded by walls, barbed wire, or fences). Jews were also sent to concentration camps (prisons where people lived in very bad conditions), where millions were killed. The Holocaust ended with…

A RECORD NOMINATION Legendary film composer John Williams received his 53rd Academy Award nomination, setting a record as the living person with the most nominations. Williams, age 90, has won five times before. “I’m enormously grateful,” he said. A HUGE DISCOVERY A team of scientists in Antarctica found five meteorites—including one of the largest ever discovered. The supersize space rock weighed in at 16.7 pounds. About 45,000 meteorites have been found in the frozen, remote land, but only about 100 of them have weighed this much or more. A PERFECT MATCH A 63-pound puppy named Ronald is settled in his furr-ever home. After 14 adoptions fell through, the North Carolina shelter where he lived posted on social media about the “100% sweet” boy and his “unlucky streak.” Thousands of people…

Since Disney’s hit animated series The Proud Family first aired in 2001, actress Kyla Pratt has voiced its main character, a spirited14-year-old girl named Penny Proud. The show ended in 2005, but Pratt is back as Penny in a continuation of the series, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Season two recently became available for streaming on Disney+. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder follows Penny, now age 16, as she navigates life at home and school in the suburbs of California. The Proud Family was groundbreaking when it premiered in the 2000s, as it was one of the first animated shows on TV to center on a Black family, particularly with a Black girl as the lead. Like Penny, Pratt, age 36, grew up in California. She was young…

After massive wildfires, a North American forest has made a strong recovery. In 2016, fires destroyed more than 140,000 acres of land in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Since then, much of the forest has begun to regrow. And now, to researchers’ surprise, birds are thriving in the burned places. A new study looked at three burned areas and three unburned areas of the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. Researchers counted the number and types of birds in each area during spring and early summer, when the birds typically breed. They tracked the numbers over time and saw that bird populations were growing especially quickly in the parts of the forest that were recovering from wildfires. Five years after the fires, there were twice as many birds in the burned…

Leopard cats Conservationists discovered a group of nine leopard cats (small wildcats with a coat similar to a leopard’s) in the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Hong Kong. They say this is a large number of the cats for such a small area. Japanese giant salamanders Japanese giant salamanders are now listed as “vulnerable” to dying out. Barriers created by humans in rivers where they live have made it harder for the salamanders to reach breeding sites and have destroyed areas where they hatch their eggs.…

Around the world, sledding is a favorite way to have fun in the snow. But when it first started, there was no snow involved at all. The history of sledding Sleds have roots in ancient Egypt, where they played an important role in building the pyramids from 2600–2200 BCE. Workers used sleds (or “sledges,” as they were called) to haul stones across sand to construction sites. In Italy, during a war in 103 BCE, soldiers used their shields as sleds to cross the snowy Alps mountains. Sleds in medieval Europe (400–1500 CE) transported cargo and people, and Native Americans in North America likewise used sleds to move goods. By the 1650s, Russian aristocrats constructed wooden tracks and rode down them for enjoyment in sleds carved from big blocks of ice.…

Researchers at Stanford University are creating wearable electronic skins (e-skins) that could change healthcare. Made of a material called a polymer, e-skins are thin and flexible and can perform some functions of human skin, such as a sense of touch. E-skins could also be used as a wearable device that measures blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels in real time, making care easier for patients such as babies. The technology could also be used to make an implantable device that would work inside the human body.…

After two weeks of exciting tennis matches, the Australian Open ended on January 29. Played in Melbourne, Australia, it was the first of the four most important international tennis tournaments of the year, known as the Grand Slams. The men’s singles final featured fourth seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia and third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. It was a close match that went to tie-breaks in two sets, but Djokovic won, 6–3, 7–6 (4), 7–6 (5). He earned his tenth Australian Open title and the 22nd Grand Slam victory of his career. He is now tied with Spain’s Rafael Nadal for most Grand Slam wins by a man. Djokovic said, “This probably is the…biggest victory of my life.” In a thrilling women’s singles final the day before, fifth seed Aryna…

In 2010, 16-year-old Australian Jessica Watson attempted to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, nonstop and unassisted. Her story inspired the new film True Spirit, which is now streaming on Netflix. The film depicts the challenges she faced as she pursued her dream, including overcoming her fears and navigating the ocean. True Spirit is based on Watson’s 2010 book of the same name. In it, she chronicled her ocean journey, which lasted 210 days and covered nearly 23,000 nautical miles (about 27,000 land miles). Although her parents, siblings, and sailing coach supported her quest, it was controversial. Many people thought it was too dangerous for someone her age to be sailing alone and that she shouldn’t have been allowed to go. The film’s director and co-writer…

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The LightningThief (Availableonstreamingplatforms) “This movie is based on the book by Rick Riordan, which I also highly recommend. In the story, the main character, Percy Jackson, realizes that the Greek gods are real and he is the son of the sea god, Poseidon. After Zeus, who is the king of all gods and the lightning god, accuses Percy of stealing his master bolt, Percy goes on a quest to prove his innocence. Along the way, Percy and his new demigod friends face many perils. I liked this movie because I love seeing Greek mythology come to life.” Avi, 11, Pennsylvania Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

(Aladdin) Marcus loves being a pitcher on his baseball team. His dad believes he has the potential to make it to the Major Leagues one day. But Marcus doesn’t believe in himself as much as his family does. A teammate frequently teases Marcus about being short for a pitcher. Marcus’s mom takes him to a mental health coach to help him work through his doubts and anxiety. Playing baseball with his friends for fun helps too. Will Marcus be able to get back on track before the most important game of his life so far? This story is semi-autobiographical, which means it’s loosely based on the childhood experiences of the author, Marcus Stroman, who is a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. The chapters with Marcus on the pitcher’s mound are…

Willy Wonka’s Everlasting Book of Fun By Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake (Grosset & Dunlap) Many characters in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have their own section in this activity book that’s packed with puzzles, jokes, experiments, and recipes, such as Wonkafavorite Fudgemallow Delight. Ages 7–10 This Book Is Not Good for You By Pseudonymous Bosch (Little, Brown for Young Readers) Cass, Max-Ernest, and their friends set off on a delicious adventure in the third book of the popular Secret Series. They’re looking for the Tuning Fork, a tool that would change a plain substance, like water, into a tasty one, like chocolate. Then an evil pastry chef kidnaps Cass’s mom. Ages 8–12 The Chocopocalypse By Chris Callaghan (Delacorte Press) While watching TV, Jelly and her family learn that…

What you need • Small, smooth rocks • Paint • Paintbrushes • Scissors • Colored paper • Recycled wrapping paper or newspaper • Craft punches in different shapes (optional) • Glue • Small plate or bowl • Acrylic matte or gloss medium (optional) Instructions 1. Wash your rocks with soap and water and allow them to dry completely. 2. To create painted paperweights, use a paintbrush to paint designs on the rocks such as hearts, rainbows, and initials. Let dry. 3. To decorate rocks with a paper collage, first use scissors to cut out a variety of small shapes, like hearts or rainbows, from colored or recycled paper. If you have a heart-shaped craft punch, you could also use that to make heart shapes. 4. Squeeze a little glue onto…

Cars can come in many different colors, but once you choose a color, you’re usually stuck with it. At least that’s how it used to be. The BMW i Vision Dee concept car (a vehicle that has been designed but not yet made for buyers) uses a special coating to transform into 32 different colors. If you don’t like a color one day, you can pick another one the next. Not only can the car change colors, it can also make facial expressions using its headlights.…

Birds are a topic of great interest in my family. My father was a talented artist, and birds were the subject of many of his paintings. My brother Jon is also a fan of birds and enjoys discussing them with his 11-year-old son, Elijah. They are especially intrigued by the bar-tailed godwit, one of which broke a record last year by flying 8,435 miles from Alaska to Australia without stopping. (How does the godwit do it?) When they read this issue of The Week Junior, I hope they will be impressed by the resilience of the birds in Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina following massive wildfires there (p10). Despite the destruction to their home, the indigo bunting, eastern towhee, chestnut-sided warbler, and other species have rebounded and are now…

What book, TV series, or podcast makes you laugh the most? Do you have a favorite joke to share? Is there a cartoon (or something else) you find especially funny? For a chance to be included in our upcoming Humor Issue (Issue 153), send us what you think is funny and why, along with your first name, age, and the state you live in. Have an adult email what you write, along with your photo, to hello@theweekjunior.com. IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views, and photos to hello@theweekjunior.com. We want to hear from you! To have your letters, photos, nominations, recommendations, or ideas considered for inclusion in the magazine, please include your full name, age, and state with your submission. By emailing your submission to us, you give The Week…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Mileta School: Catawba Springs Elementary School “Mrs. Mileta is the best teacher ever because she is so kind and always helps us when we need it. She plans fun parties, like a poem café and a Narnia party after we finished reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She makes learning fun and enjoyable for everybody. I think she deserves to be the Teacher of the Week every week!”Poppy, 10, North Carolina Nominate your teacher for Teacher of the Week! Send your reason for the nomination, a photo of your teacher, and your school’s name and address to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

1 Jessica Watson sailed around the world in a sailboat with what name? 2 Which unseeded American tennis player made the semifinals of the Australian Open? a) Ben Shelton b) Tommy Paul c) Rafael Nadal a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 3 True or false? The Newbery Medal was the world’s first award for children’s books. True ☐ False ☐ 4 In the video game SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, SpongeBob and Patrick Star receive a vial of what kind of tears? a) Fairy b) Dragon c) Mermaid a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 5 True or false? Glass frogs make themselves transparent by hiding their red blood cells. True ☐ False ☐ 6 Ronnie Gajownik is the first female manager of what minor league baseball team? a) Brooklyn Cyclones…

On January 24, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for urgent action to provide access to nutritious food in Africa and worldwide. Yellen, who serves as the top economic adviser to President Joe Biden, made the comments in Zambia, where more than 1.35 million people face food insecurity (do not have regular access to healthy food). According to a recent study, 1 in 5 Africans go to bed hungry, and 140 million people across the continent face food insecurity. Access to food has become more challenging due to drought (a long period without rain), rising unemployment because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has affected the food supply. Yellen is on a three-country tour of Africa to help strengthen the relationship between the US and African…

The 2023 awards for the best books and digital media for children and young adults were announced on January 30. The American Library Association (ALA), the world’s oldest and largest library association, named the winners. What happened? Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson, won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Author Award. It is a historical novel about two enslaved children who escape from a plantation and reach a community called Freewater, which was created by formerly enslaved people. It is Luqman-Dawson’s first novel. “Hooray! Excellent choice,” author Erin Entrada Kelly, the 2018 Newbery winner, posted on social media when Freewater was named the Newbery winner. Why are these awards significant? The Newbery Medal is given to the best children’s book each year. It was first awarded in 1922 and…

Paris, France Giant sculpture of artist appears A large, inflatable sculpture of the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama appeared above a designer clothing shop in Paris during that city’s Fashion Week. Kusama is known as the “Princess of Polka Dots” because her artwork features colorful dots. The sculpture depicts Kusama adding polka dots to the facade of a Louis Vuitton store. The fashion brand is working with Kusama, age 93, on a clothing collection. Mexico City, Mexico Museum spotlights salamander The axolotl salamander, a critically endangered amphibian native to Mexico, has a new museum and conservation center dedicated to it at Mexico City’s Chapultepec Zoo. The salamander can regrow body parts when hurt. However, its capacity to absorb oxygen through its skin has put the axolotl in danger, since it lives…

In northwestern Alaska, above the Arctic Circle, this national park is part of two magnificent animal migrations. Every spring and fall, about 250,000 caribou cross the Kobuk River while traveling between their summer and winter homes. In spring, the arctic tern makes the longest migration of any bird in the world, flying all the way from Antarctica. The park is home to the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, the largest active sand dunes in the Arctic. The dunes, which can be up to 100 feet high, shelter the Kobuk locoweed, a plant found nowhere else on Earth.…

Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit The population of Columbia Basin pygmy rabbits, a sub-group of the pygmy rabbit species, has started to recover after it dropped to 16 animals in 2002. Wildlife officials bred them with Idaho pygmy rabbits to increase their numbers. • LIFE SPAN: About two years • HABITAT: In shrubby plants called sagebrush • SIZE: Up to 12 inches long, 16 ounces in weight • DIET: Grasses, especially big sagebrush • FUN FACT: The pygmy rabbit is the smallest rabbit species in North America.…

Athletes from dozens of nations across the globe compete in these three daring winter sports, which take sledding to the next level. Bobsled Seating two or four people, bobsleds have four runners, a hand brake, and a steering mechanism for racing down a steep, twisting track of ice. Bobsledding has been a sport in the Winter Olympics since 1923. Luge The luge is an open flat sled that fits one or two riders. They position themselves faceup and feetfirst, using their leg muscles to control the direction and speed of the sled. Luge became an Olympic sport in 1964. Skeleton In skeleton, a person rides a small flat sled facedown and headfirst on a frozen track. There is no brake. Skeleton was banned from the Olympics for decades because it…

Scientists have created a 3D facial reconstruction of Ramesses II, one of the most famous pharaohs (kings) in Egyptian history. It shows what he may have looked like when he was about 45 years old and “at the peak of his power,” Caroline Wilkinson, of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, told Live Science. Her team worked on it with scientists at Cairo University, in Egypt. Ramesses II, also known as Ramses the Great, ruled Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BCE. Many temples and monuments were built during his reign, which was one of the longest in Egyptian history. His mummy was found in southern Egypt in 1881 and is now at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo. To create the new image, Sahar Saleem, from Cairo…

From January 23 to January 29, the 2023 US Figure Skating Championships took place in San Jose, California. Medals were awarded in men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, and ice dance at the junior and senior levels. Since last year’s Olympics, some top American skaters have retired, including Alysa Liu and Mariah Bell. Others, such as Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen, are taking a break from competing. As a result, ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates were the only national champions defending a title this year. The changes in the competitive field made it possible for other top skaters to shine. One of them was 15-year-old Isabeau Levito, the reigning world junior champion. She competed at the senior level at the national championship and won the women’s singles title. After…

Coach’s Name: Melinda Fenyvesi Team: Maximum Athletics Girls Gymnastics “Coach Melinda is kind, caring, and encourages us to work hard toward our goals. She gets so excited when we make our skills. With her help I was able to get my back handspring. She is strict about playing around but always makes practice fun. When we master a new skill, we get to pick a prize from the prize box. Coach Melinda also designs our beautiful leotards. She is very passionate about gymnastics and helping us. I’m so lucky to have her as my coach!”Camille, 8, Texas To nominate a Coach of the Week, send your coach’s name, photo, sport, and team to hello@theweekjunior.com. Include your name, age, state, and a few reasons why your coach is great.…

Young sailor Dutch teen Laura Dekker holds the current record as the youngest person to sail around the world without any help. She was 14 when she began her trip and 16 when she finished in 2012. Major speed In 2017, French sailor François Gabart set the speed record for a solo trip around the world. He completed his journey in 42 days, 14 hours, 40 minutes, and 15 seconds. He beat the old record by more than six days. Ageless ambition Japan’s Kenichi Horie, age 83, is the oldest person to sail solo across the Pacific Ocean, the world’s largest body of water. He set the record in June 2022, and his journey lasted 70 days.…

Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong (ABC) (Hulu) This special celebrates a classic series that taught kids about government, grammar, and other subjects through animated videos with catchy songs. Celebrity guests will sing tunes such as “Conjunction Junction” and “Figure 8.” Woman in Motion (Peacock) (YouTube) In honor of Black History Month, watch this documentary about Nichelle Nichols, the first Black American woman to have a lead role on TV. She played Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek and later helped NASA (the US space agency) recruit more women and people of color. Meet the Family: Dogs in the Wild (PBS) February 8 (PBS.org) In this three-part Nature series, you can learn all about canids, the family of dog-like mammals that includes wolves and foxes. Other less well-known canids, such as the…

“This book is set in the time of the Revolutionary War, where Isabel, a free African American, is trying to find a safe place where war hasn’t come and also search for her long-lost little sister. She will have to navigate through a British camp, a bustling Williamsburg, and a battlefield to stay safe and, most important, stay strong. I would recommend this book for ages 9 and up.” Meher, 10, Virginia Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Valentine’s Day offers a great opportunity to show special people in your life—whether friends, siblings, parents, or other relatives—that you care about them. One way to mark the occasion is to give Valentine’s Day cards. Homemade cards can be especially fun to share because you can personalize them to make your friends and family feel extra loved. Here’s how to get started. Gather supplies Instead of buying new supplies for your cards, start with what you already have at home. Look in your craft area for colorful paper, stickers, markers, ribbons, and glitter. You can also use upcycled or recycled supplies, such as flyers you’ve gotten in the mail or colorful packaging from items you’ve purchased. This is a good time to think about how many cards you want to…

Ingredients • ½ cup creamy peanut butter• 1 cup white chocolate chips• 4 tablespoons butter• 1 teaspoon vanilla• 8 cups rice or corn Chex cereal• 1¾ cups powdered sugar• ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed into powder• 1 cup assorted red/pink sprinkles and/or other pink and red candies Instructions 1. Combine the peanut butter, white chocolate chips, and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla. 2. Add the Chex cereal to mixture and toss gently to coat. Set aside and let cool for 10 minutes. Spoon half of the Chex mixture into a large zip-top bag and add 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Seal the bag and toss to coat. Let…

“We love playing in the snow on a snow day! Here’s the snowman and snow dog we built!”David, 9, and Nora, 7, New Hampshire “I love reading The Week Junior! My favorite part is the back cover and the voting polls. I used the back covers to make a collage on my wall!”Caroline, 11, Arizona “We made the broccoli cheddar soup from the December 9 issue.”Jose, 10, and, Mariana, 6, Pennsylvania…

We asked: What has already been great about 2023 for you? “I’m excited to start fresh.” “I am ready to move forward in my life.” “I’m excited for a new year, for new things to come.” In the big debate, we asked: Should we stop eating Maine lobster? “I think we can find another big source, so yes.” “No way! It’s delicious.” “Yes” “No” “Maybe?” “No, because a lot of people like lobsters, and Maine is where most lobsters are.” Now tell us: Who is your favorite book author and why? Which book did they write that you would recommend to other kids your age?…

Crystalyne Curley was elected the first female Speaker of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American tribal government in North America. In her two-year term, she will lead the 25th Navajo Nation Council, the legislative branch of the government. Curley, who attended her first council meeting in third grade, said she looks forward to working with her colleagues “to make progress for our people and communities across the Nation.”…

A siren sounds at 7 pm every night in Mohityache Vadgaon village, in India, informing its 3,000 residents that it’s time to turn off their digital devices. At 8:30 pm, a second siren lets them know screen-free time is over. Village leaders put this digital detox system in place so young people could focus on their homework and not be distracted by funny videos or text messages, and families and friends could spend time talking face-to-face. However, some say that people shouldn’t have to be told when to put down their devices—they should be able to decide for themselves. What do you think? Should screen time be restricted? Yes—people need help unplugging Smartphones, computers, tablets, and gaming consoles are great, but they’re also designed by tech companies to be super…

Watch out, polar bears. According to a new study, sea stars are emerging as one of the top predators in the Arctic. Researchers studied 1,580 different animals in Arctic waters off the coast of Canada. They examined the area’s food webs, which are all the different food chains that interact in an ecosystem (group of plants and animals in a particular place that affect one another). They found that polar bears are at the top of the food chain in open water, while sea stars lead the food chain deep underwater. Scientists have usually focused more on open-water marine life when studying food webs, believing that the seafloor does not have top predators. But the researchers found that polar bears and sea stars both hunt at about the same level…

Allyson, 8, Pennsylvania Michelle Janota Animal keeper, Smithsonian’s National Zoo Camels live in deserts where there are few food or water sources. Their humps store extra fat to use as energy. When camels find food, they consume more than they need, filling their hump with fat. Think of it as always having a snack in your backpack for when you get hungry! Do you have a question for a zookeeper? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about Smithsonian’s National Zoo at nationalzoo.si.edu.…

Glass frogs are known for their ability to become transparent (see-through). New research has uncovered how the frogs are able to achieve this, and the discovery could lead to new medical treatments for humans. There are more than 150 known species of glass frogs, living in tropical climates in the Americas. When they sleep on leaves during the daytime, their skin and muscles become transparent, with just their bones, eyes, and the organs inside their bodies visible. This helps them blend in, making it harder for predators to find them. Transparency is common in creatures that live in water but rare in vertebrates (animals with a backbone) who live on land, like glass frogs. It’s difficult for land animals to conceal the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout their…

My Dad the Bounty Hunter is a new animated series premiering on Netflix on February 9. The action-comedy follows a pair of siblings, Lisa and Sean, who stow away in their father’s car when he goes on a work trip. They don’t know that their dad’s job is to capture alien creatures in space, so the trio end up on an unexpected adventure together. The show is breaking new ground in the entertainment world because it is a sci-fi story that centers around a Black family. It is part of a genre called Afrofuturism, which means it combines elements of science fiction, the culture and history of Africa and Africans, fantasy, and a vision of a better future. Everett Downing, one of the show’s co-creators and executive producers, is Black.…

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a new cartoon adventure platform game. It was recently released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. SpongeBob is a goofy sea sponge from the animated Nickelodeon series SpongeBob SquarePants. He has been appearing in video games since 2001 and has starred in several films. The game features the voice actors from the TV series and more than 100 songs from the show. The game’s story sounds like an extra-wacky episode of SpongeBob SquarePants: After a mysterious fortune teller gives SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick Star a vial of magical wish-granting mermaid tears, the pair get carried away and eventually rip a hole in the fabric of reality. A portal to a secret multiverse opens above Bikini Bottom, where they…

If you didn’t play baseball for the Chicago Cubs, what would you do? I would create and chase all of my passions, which include music, art, fashion, and helping others. What position would you play if you didn’t pitch? Shortstop. Did you have a baseball team you liked most? No. I would watch all the teams and players. What do you hope kids take away from The Grip? I hope kids develop a sense of calm and learn how to navigate adversity through life, while also focusing on their mental health. Any advice for those with big dreams? Chase your dreams aggressively, seek acceptance from no one, and give to those who feed your soul. Favorite pitch to throw? A sinker.…

So much chocolate The first heart-shaped candy boxes were produced for Valentine’s Day in 1861. Today, more than 36 million boxes containing more than 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold every year. Something to talk about Conversation hearts, another popular candy for the holiday, were originally produced in the 1800s on a machine that was intended to make throat lozenges. In 1866, the company started printing sayings on the candies. More than 8 billion conversation hearts are made each year. Favorite gift Although roses are a popular Valentine’s Day gift, one study found that 69% of Americans would prefer to be given chocolates instead of flowers. And when it comes to a box of chocolates, caramels are the most popular flavor. A kind gesture In Japan, only women hand…

Word ladder To change the word SNOW into the word FORT, use each clue to fill in a word that is only one letter different from the word before it. If you get stuck, try solving from the bottom up. STEPPING STONES Each figure hides the name of a seven-letter thing at school. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) Spot the difference These two pictures of Valentine’s Day candies appear to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you see them? DO NOT ENTER Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every…