Innehållsförteckning för Issue 144 från The Week Junior US

Beginning on December 26, nine back-to-back rainstorms devastated California. For three weeks, record rainfall and hurricane-force winds struck from Southern California through the Central Coast and some Northern cities. What happened? More than 26 million residents were under flood watch as the storms dumped trillions of gallons of water, bringing an average of more than nine inches of rainfall for the state. Sacramento, the capital, recorded 11.33 inches of rain—more than half of what the area typically gets in a year. Los Angeles set a single-day rainfall record on January 14, with nearly two inches. Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate, including more than 10,000 who live along the coast. Others were told to shelter in place. Rescue crews pulled people from flooded cars and homes. Some…

A FIRST-PLACE FINISH London has topped a list of the world’s best cities for the seventh straight year. The UK capital was praised for its pandemic response, economy, arts, and restaurants. “London is spectacular,” said Resonance, the group that created the list. UNVEILING A PORTRAIT A new portrait of Thurgood Marshall, a civil rights leader and the first Black US Supreme Court justice, was hung at the Maryland Senate building. It will be “a symbol of hope for all,” said Senator William Smith, who worked to have it created. A SNOW SCULPTURE Forget about building a snowman—a Minnesota man built a 25-foot-long “Snowasaurus” that has neighbors stopping in their tracks. Allan Papp, who created the creature for his grandson, used food coloring to make the snow dinosaur green. “I never…

United Kingdom Record number of baby seals arrive A total of 3,796 gray baby seal pups have been spotted in Norfolk county on the coast of England, nearly double the number born in 2019–2020. Every year between November and January, gray seals come ashore to breed. The pups spend about three weeks on the beach being fed by their mothers, then return to the ocean to hunt. Experts said the record numbers can be attributed to plentiful fish and are a sign of a healthy colony. Madrid, Spain Fighting for public healthcare About 30,000 healthcare workers have protested in Madrid, Spain’s capital, against the local government for reducing funding for public health services. The workers criticized the political party that rules Madrid for taking money away from the city’s public…

Sinks Canyon State Park in Wyoming is known for a peculiar phenomenon. The Popo Agie River disappears at a point called the “Sinks” and re-emerges at another spot called the “Rise.” Experts believe the water travels through tiny underground passages for over two hours to make the quarter-mile journey. Sinks Canyon, at the base of the Southern Wind River Mountains, has rock layers that date back millions of years. Many birds call it home, including turkey vultures and Cassin’s finches. Conservationists are also working to restore a local herd of bighorn sheep.…

Hiranmayi, 9, Georgia Darcy Garrenton Zookeeper, Virginia Zoo Chameleons can change the color and patterns of their skin with their iridophore cells, which are iridescent (change color in varying lights). They do this to regulate body temperature. They also do it to defend themselves. A scared chameleon can change color to blend into its surroundings. Do you have a question for a zookeeper? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Virginia Zoo at virginiazoo.org.…

Scientists in Taiwan have uncovered the most complete prehistoric whale skeleton ever found in the country. The fossil (impression or trace of ancient plants and animals preserved in rock) was found in a river valley deep in a jungle, in an area that was once underwater. The team believes the fossilized animal was a blue whale or humpback whale that lived more than 85,000 years ago, during the Late Pleistocene period. More than 70% of its skeleton was preserved. At nearly 50 feet long, it is the second largest mammal fossil ever found in Taiwan, after a rhinoceros was discovered in 1971. The team that unearthed it was led by Tzu-ruei Yang, a professor from Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and a researcher with the National Museum of Natural…

Award-winning and record-breaking singer-songwriter Taylor Swift now has another big achievement to add to her accomplishments. Thanks to her latest album, Midnights, which was released last fall, the pop star has become the first musical act to top Billboard’s Artist 100 chart in eight separate years. Billboard is a music industry magazine, and the Artist 100 ranks each week’s most popular artists across all genres based on sales, radio airplay, and streaming. Swift, who began as a country artist, was 16 years old when she released her first studio album, Taylor Swift, in 2006. Since then, she has released nine more studio albums. As of January 10, she was in her 60th week at Number 1 on the Artist 100. Billboard created the chart in 2014, and Swift has been…

Aka is a new open-world adventure simulation game. It was recently released for the Nintendo Switch and PC. The game’s developer, who is known as Namra, said it was inspired by films made by the famous Studio Ghibli, which “touch on serious subjects in a charming way.” You play the game as Aka (the Japanese word for “red”), a red panda who just returned from fighting in a war. He wants a peaceful life now, so he jumps at the chance to visit his friend Thom on Pine Island. Thom prepares a house for him, which has a relaxing bathtub that Aka loves. There isn’t much happening on Pine Island, and Aka is free to choose his own activities, which could be napping on a capybara, a giant rodent. The…

The Wee Free Men “Tiffany Aching wants to be a witch and learns that it’s a lot harder than it looks. When her brother gets kidnapped by the queen of fairies, she has to rescue him armed only with a frying pan and some help from some little blue men. Tiffany is clever, strong, and resourceful, and she’s not afraid to stand up for herself. I really like this book and think everyone should read it.” Ruth, 14, Texas Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Newspapers have helped people learn about the world for centuries. Check out these important historical dates. 1440: The first printing press The invention of the printing press in Europe allowed for the news to be printed faster and easier, and therefore distributed to more people, than ever before. 1690: The first US newspaper The first US newspaper was published in 1690, when America was under British rule. But it included controversial topics and was forced to close after one issue. Soon after that, other newspaper companies launched and became successful. 1846: The first news association The Associated Press, which is a top new source today, was formed in 1846. It began when a few large newspapers across the country decided to share information. 1896: The first comic strip As more…

When I read about the baby chimpanzee born recently at the Chester Zoo in the UK, I knew we had to put him on our cover. Isn’t he adorable? Not only that, but he’s also providing hope for the Western chimpanzee subspecies. About 80% of their population has been lost in the past 25 years—due to hunting, forest destruction, and other causes—and now there are thought to be as few as 18,000 living in the wild. The baby’s mother (also shown on the cover) is named ZeeZee, and he will be named after a famous musician, as was his sister Stevie (for Steve Nicks, a singer in the famous rock band Fleetwood Mac). You can see a video of the baby chimp at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-Chimps. What did you find most interesting…

1 True or false? The first drawing of Seattle’s Space Needle was a doodle on a tablecloth. True ☐ False ☐ 2 In the book Trashed, the main character, Arthur, is trying to solve a mystery behind what object? a) A chipped teacup b) A silver spoon c) A serving platter a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 3 What is the name of the dog in the new movie Dog Gone? ______________________ 4 Dr. Claudine Gay has been named the first Black president of what university? a) Harvard b) Princeton c) Yale a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 5 True or false? Red foxes have brown or gray fur when they are born. True ☐ False ☐ 6 In which city was a statue honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther…

A report released on January 9 said that damage to the ozone layer in Earth’s atmosphere is slowly healing. The ozone layer, made up of ozone gas, protects the planet from a type of strong sunlight called ultraviolet rays. In the 1980s, scientists discovered a massive hole in it. The report, issued by the United Nations (UN, a group of 193 nations working for peace and cooperation), stated that decades of international climate action have helped repair it. Exposure to ultraviolet rays is harmful to humans and living things, causing issues such as skin cancer, eye problems, and damage to food crops. When the hole in the ozone layer was discovered, scientists determined that it was being caused by a group of man-made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs were used…

Lawyers for President Joe Biden, a Democrat, announced on January 9 and January 12 that they had found classified (secret) government documents in Biden’s private office and home. How were the discoveries made? The White House said that Biden’s personal lawyers had located “a small number of documents with classified markings” on November 2 while emptying out his office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, an organization that studies policy. Lawyers then searched Biden’s other properties. On December 20, they found a “small number” of documents in the garage of his home in Wilmington, Delaware. Two days later, five more classified pages were found at the residence. The documents, which are from several years ago when Biden was Vice President and Barack Obama was President, were…

At 10:56 pm Eastern time on July 20, 1969, about 600 million people around the world watched on live TV as astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon. Today, many people who watched as children still remember the thrill—and that they stayed up past their bedtimes to watch. Kids are often allowed to stay up late for historic moments or exciting events, such as a big sports game, a family wedding, or a holiday celebration. They’ll probably be tired the next day, but many say it’s worth it. Others say it’s best for kids to stick to their bedtime and get their rest. What do you think? Should kids get to stay up late for special events? Yes—if you snooze you lose Sometimes there…

Just as people may look down at the sidewalk while they walk, fish look down while they are swimming, according to new research. Doing so helps fish determine where they are going and to stay steady as they swim. A research team led by Northwestern University studied zebrafish in their native (home) habitat in India. They visited seven sites at shallow rivers with a camera protected inside a waterproof diving case. They used a robotic arm to control the camera and to capture what zebrafish might see. They found that the fish followed the riverbed (bottom of the river) and ignored distractions, like other fish. The scientists also studied zebrafish inside a lab tank surrounded by LED lights. When patterns like stripes appeared on the bottom of the tank, the…

Since 1962, the city of Seattle, Washington, has featured a futuristic tower that points toward the stars. The Space Needle—an iconic landmark—started with a napkin. Born from a doodle Seattle was getting ready to host the 1962 World’s Fair, which would attract millions of visitors from around the world. The theme of the fair was “The Age of Space,” celebrating science and space exploration. Chief fair organizer Edward E. Carlson found inspiration in a broadcast tower he saw during a visit to Germany in 1959. Thinking a tower could serve as a central structure for the fair, he doodled an idea on a napkin. Three architects helped bring Carlson’s idea to life: Victor Steinbrueck designed a curving structure based on a small wood sculpture he owned, John Graham Jr. developed…

Scientists in the US and Israel have created a new hydrogel (a gel made mostly of water) that helps bones regrow. When there is a significant hole or defect in a bone, a bone transplant is often required. The gel serves as a bridge between two sections of bone, eliminating the need for a transplant. The physical and chemical makeup of the gel is similar to the material surrounding human cells. In animal testing, the gel attracted bone tissue from nearby bones, reproduced on its own, and filled in the hole.…

Fisk University, a school in Nashville, Tennessee, has made college sports history. They are the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a gymnastics team. Earlier this month, they competed in their first collegiate gymnastics meet. Fisk has not won a meet yet, but they have been up against colleges with bigger, more-established programs. At a competition on January 16, they faced the University of Georgia and The Ohio State University—two Top 20 teams—as well as Rutgers University. That day, Fisk gymnast Morgan Price, a freshman, placed first in the all-around. The Fisk team has been getting attention since August, when a video of its first practice went viral. They are coached by Corrinne Tarver. In 1989, she became the first Black gymnast to win the National Collegiate Athletic…

Back in 1998, a 6-year-old dog named Gonker went missing along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. He had a health issue that required medication and needed to be found within a certain number of days. A search led by the dog’s owner and his family drew national attention and help from countless strangers. A film based on the ordeal, Dog Gone, is now on Netflix. Gonker’s story was originally told in the 2016 nonfiction book Dog Gone: A Lost Pet’s Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home by Pauls Toutonghi. His brother-in-law, Fielding Marshall, was Gonker’s owner. “This was the Marshalls’ famous family story,” Toutonghi said. “When they told it to me, I was really captivated.” He thought about writing down the story and giving it to the…

The Parent Test (ABC, Thursdays at 9 pm ET; Hulu) “This reality show is one of my favorite new series. You get to learn about different parenting styles—such as helicopter, new age, high achieving, and free range—and how families handle problems and challenges in unique ways. We started watching the show as a family, and it sparked interesting conversations in our house about which parenting style is the best one. Some of the challenges the families are given include jumping off a high diving board and eating exotic food for the first time. It’s helped my family explore ways to work together and solve problems.” Xander, 11, Virginia Do you have a TV show or movie to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

(Simon & Schuster) Arthur works at Universal Trash, a secondhand store that his family owns. People bring in clothing, jewelry, and other items they don’t need. The store displays the items and gives the owner some of the profit if they sell. One day, Arthur finds a chipped teacup on the shelf. Arthur’s grandfather is surprised to see it because it went missing long ago. Arthur decides to try to solve what happened to the teacup. He gets help from his best friend and the ghost of his sister’s pet mouse. When an important file and his grandma’s pearl necklace go missing, he wonders if those disappearances are connected to the teacup. There are many clues and possible suspects for Arthur to investigate. This edge-of-your-seat mystery also has interesting information…

Operation Do-Over By Gordon Korman (Balzer + Bray) Mason, 17, is magically transported back to 7th grade. He is glad to get a second chance to avoid an unfortunate fight he had with his former best friend. He also tries to fix other things. Will it make a difference? The chapters alternate between Mason at ages 12 and 17. Ages 8–12 Fast Pitch By Nic Stone (Yearling) Shenice wants to lead her softball team of all Black players to a championship game. After a setback, her dad tells her about her great-grandfather. He nearly played Major League Baseball and was likely punished for a crime he didn’t commit. In this fast-paced story, Shenice works to clear his name and inspire her team. Ages 8–12 The Double Life of Danny Day…

Winter is an ideal time to look at stars because the cooler temperatures make the sky clearer. Follow these steps. 1. Make a plan. The best time to stargaze is on a clear (not cloudy) night during the new Moon phase. In this phase, the Moon isn’t visible, making the sky extra dark. Check the calendar at stardate.org for the next new Moon, which happens about once a month. 2. Head outside. Have an adult help you find a spot to stargaze that’s away from light pollution, such as streetlights and neon signs. Bring along a telescope or binoculars if you have them. 3. Look up. The brightest objects to look for first are other planets. Venus is especially vibrant and will look like an extra large star in the…

Word search Can you find all these winter weather clothes in the grid? They are hidden horizontally, vertically, or diagonally and can be forward or backward. When you’re done, read the remaining letters to get a bonus message. BEANIE BOOTS CAPE CLOAK COAT EARMUFFS FLANNEL SHIRT GLOVES HEADBAND JACKET JEANS LONG JOHNS PARKA PONCHO SCARF SHAWL SKI PANTS SOCKS SWEATER TIGHTS TURTLENECK WOOL HAT FILL IN THE BLANKS Fill in the blanks in each sentence with two words so the second word is the same as the first word with a single letter changed, like DECODE and DECIDE. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) FOUR IN A ROW Place four of the letters below to complete the first pair of words, in the same order in both…

“I was inspired to learn more about the dropping of the world’s first atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan, by a US aircraft during World War II (1939–1945) after reading the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. It is a book based on the life of Sadako Sasaki, who survived the bombings but was diagnosed with cancer, due to radiation exposure from the atomic bomb. There is a Japanese legend that folding 1,000 paper cranes would grant you a wish. Sadako made paper cranes, but she died at age 12. My family and I decided to fold 1,000 origami cranes. We worked during dinner, in front of the television, and at swim meets to get them done. On Thanksgiving Day, we visited Hiroshima and hung our cranes at the Children’s…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Holmer School: Maple Middle School “Mrs. Holmer is the best librarian! I love going to the library before and after school. She is also the school musical director of the play I’m currently in. Mrs. Holmer is so helpful and friendly. I know she is always there for me when I need her. She plays music all day. Whenever I come into the library, I just start singing. I was really nervous coming into middle school, and she made the switch much easier.”Dylan, 11, Illinois 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.…

Architect Jeanne Gang is known around the world for her approach to design, which seeks to bring people closer to nature and one another. Now, with her firm, Studio Gang, she has applied that approach to a new expansion for the famous American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City. Growing up in Illinois, Gang loved the outdoors. “I was always the kid making the tree house or fort,” she once told The Wall Street Journal. That love later shifted to art and engineering, which led to a degree in architecture from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree from Harvard University. In 1997, Gang founded Studio Gang, an award-winning architecture and urban design firm based in Chicago, Illinois, with offices across the US and Europe. One…

Cats don’t often come when they are called. Indeed, many felines seem to ignore their owners completely unless there’s food involved. But French researchers have found that cats pay more attention to humans than we think. Because cats can often become stressed out in a lab environment, the researchers went to the animals’ homes. They played recordings of people saying common phrases, such as “See you later” or “Do you want to play?” Some of the recordings were of the cats’ owners, while others were of strangers. In some recordings, the people were using what is known as cat-directed speech—a high-pitched voice many humans use when speaking to their pets, which is similar to the “baby talk” used when adults speak to babies. At first, it didn’t seem like the…

Black rhinos For the first time in more than 30 years, there are more than 1,000 rhinoceroses living in Zimbabwe. This includes 614 black and 415 white rhinos. Efforts to prevent illegal hunting have helped the population recover. Caspian seals About 2,500 Caspian seals were found dead on the coast of the Caspian Sea, in southern Russia, in December. It is not clear why they died, although officials said it was likely due to natural causes. The species is considered endangered.…

The Space Needle has inspired more than one mascot in its 60 years of existence. In 1974, local author Stephen Cosgrove created the Wheedle, an orange character with a bright red nose that lived at the top of the tower. Wheedle on the Needle became a popular children’s book, and for several years the beloved character served as the mascot for both the Space Needle and the Seattle SuperSonics basketball team. Then, in 1997, the Space Needle introduced a brand-new mascot to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Sneedle had tufts of golden hair and wore an outfit meant to resemble the tower. But it was much less popular than Wheedle and was soon retired.…

On December 5, ground was broken on two sites that together will form the largest radio telescope in the world. Known as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), it will collect data from billions of light years away and could help to answer some of science’s biggest questions, such as how our universe evolved and whether there is alien life. SKA will detect very faint radio signals coming from faraway sources in outer space, including some that have been traveling toward us since just after the Big Bang, an explosion that formed the universe. These signals may be found at many different frequencies (a number that refers to how many times the radio waves repeat per second). The SKA sites are in South Africa and Western Australia. The South African site…

The first round of the National Football League (NFL) playoffs took place from January 14 to January 16, known as Super Wild Card Weekend. Twelve teams competed in exciting games that included a major comeback and a shocking tie-breaking turnover. In the first game on the 14th, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Seattle Seahawks, 41–23. The first half was a back-and-forth contest, with Seattle holding a one-point lead at halftime. The 49ers defense increased their intensity in the second half and held the Seahawks scoreless until late in the fourth quarter. Brock Purdy, rookie quarterback (QB) for the 49ers, threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns in the win. In the second game that day, the Jacksonville Jaguars came back from being down 27–0 to beat the Los Angeles…

Coach’s Name: Ron Restrepo Team: Chelsea Piers Soccer Club U9 (soccer) “Coach Ron believes in everyone and gives you chances to learn and evolve. He always makes you feel like you belong. Even after a tough game, he makes you feel like an MVP. He is genuine, kind, funny, smart, and encouraging. He believed in me and saw potential, and that’s how I got onto the team. Coach Ron’s high energy, enthusiasm, knowledge, and trust in players makes him the best. He is always ready to give 1,000% no matter what!” Nathan, 8, New York 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.…

Old Yeller The 1957 film is based on Fred Gipson’s 1956 novel about a stray dog adopted by a boy. At first his older brother doesn’t like the animal, but it becomes a trusted friend. Air Bud The main character in this 1997 comedy is a former circus dog that plays on a school’s basketball team. He was portrayed by Buddy the Wonder Dog, who could actually make baskets. Pick of the Litter This award-winning 2018 documentary follows a litter of five Labrador puppies. Cameras follow them for two years as they are taught skills that will hopefully earn them positions as guide dogs for blind people.…

Hilda and the Mountain King Netflix At the first-ever Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in December, this animated special won a big award. It follows a young girl named Hilda, who wakes up in the body of a troll. She must get back home and become human again so she can save the city of Trolberg. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Disney+) This sequel to Marvel’s 2018 blockbuster Black Panther was a major hit when it was released in 2022. It takes place a few years after the events in the first film, with the Wakandans fighting to protect their home following the death of King T’Challa. The film is rated PG-13. Soul of the Ocean (PBS) January 25 at 8 pm ET Underwater filmmaker Howard Hall gives viewers a never-before-seen…

We spoke to the author of Trashed! Do you shop secondhand? Yes, I have bought some wonderful books from used book stores, and I recently acquired a beautiful dollhouse from a Buy Nothing social media group. Were you a fan of history growing up? When I was in 4th grade, at the library I’d read every biography about a woman. In those days, there weren’t that many to choose from. I remember reading about Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Dolly Madison, and Martha Washington. Are you following a New Year’s resolution? I met someone who said that January is for reflection and February is for resolutions. So this year, I’m doing that. Best advice you’ve heard? When you’re in a hurry, slow down. Favorite winter treat? My family used…

Reading about people, events, and happenings in the news is a great way to learn about the world around you. As you read, it’s important to evaluate the content for accuracy. This is known as practicing news literacy, which is the ability to “think critically about the news so you can understand what information is fact and what is not,” Erin Olson of the News Literacy Project told The Week Junior. In honor of National News Literacy Week, taking place from January 23 to 27 this year, here are some steps to follow when deciphering information. Identify what you’re reading First, aim to identify what type of information you’re reading. A news article should present both sides of a story, with sources or quotes from people that back those statements…

BUY NOTHING FOR ONE MONTH Thinking carefully before you buy new items can help the planet. That’s because anything people purchase—from clothes to toys to decorations—requires natural resources and causes pollution when they’re produced. Extra purchases can also end up discarded in landfills. One way to help is for you and your family to try a “Buy Nothing Month.” This means that you challenge yourselves to avoid purchasing new items for a whole month. Groceries and food can be bought as usual. Or try it for a week if a month feels too difficult. Taking on this challenge will not only help the Earth, but it may also help you buy only what you truly need.…

If you’ve ever complained that your house is too cold, imagine how chilly it is inside a giant ice castle. Five incredible ice castles have been built in locations across the US, including Utah, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire. Teams of artists carefully pieced together thousands of chunks of ice in a process that took about 10,000 hours. The castles opened to visitors this month. Guests can explore the castles’ icy tunnels and chambers and take selfies on special ice thrones before sliding away on giant ice slides. That’s one cool day out.…

“The Week Junior is the best gift my little cousin could ever get me.”Meghan, 13, with Pritika, 11, Massachusetts “We made the sweet slushies and they were so good!”Nico, 8, Alex, 9, and Rhett, 9, Montana “This is my first magazine! My grandparents got me The Week Junior for Christmas, and I sent them this thank-you note.”Chloe, 8, Texas…

Sign up and follow @theweekjuniorus on PopJam, a social media platform for kids 7–12. Ask an adult to download the app from iTunes or Google Play. We asked: Who is your favorite Disney character? “I like Tiana because she was strong and independent.” “Minnie Mouse” “Jasmine all the way. She is not the perfect princess.” “Goofy. He is funny and is a classic character.” In the big debate, we asked: Is exploring space worth the money? “Yes, because it could improve our future.” “No. Although it is important, there are other things that are more important, like finding cures for things or paying teachers better.” “Yes, many people are interested in it.” “If you are the one doing it, it depends. What if you get hurt in the process? Would…