Innehållsförteckning för Issue 175 från The Week Junior US

August 15 marked the launch of the Darwin200 project, an exploration of the natural world that includes 200 young conservationists. The centerpiece of the two-year adventure is a ship called the Oosterschelde. It departed from England and will retrace a historic voyage taken nearly 200 years ago by renowned scientist Charles Darwin. Who was Charles Darwin? Darwin (1809–1882) was a British biologist and naturalist who changed the way people understand the natural world. In 1831, he set sail on a ship called the HMS Beagle. He traveled from England to South America, then across the Pacific Ocean to Australia before heading home via Africa’s west coast. Darwin took notes and collected plants, animals, and fossils. On the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, he noticed that birds called finches…

Chris Harris was an accomplished writer for magazines and television before he began writing children’s books a few years ago. His new book My Head Has a Bellyache is a collection of humorous poems about life as a child and is illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi. Harris is 52 years old or, as he told The Week Junior, “I’d be in the 46th grade if I were still in school.” Growing up in a small town in Connecticut, he discovered his love of writing while reading poetry by Shel Silverstein and favorite novels like The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Harris’s first collection of children’s poems was the New York Times best seller I’m Just No Good at Rhyming, published in 2017. He wrote it shortly after becoming a parent. “It…

Dutch researchers have discovered that birds living in cities are using metal spikes to construct their nests. People put these spikes on buildings in order to keep birds off their balconies, benches, and chimneys, but birds seem to be stealing them and using them to keep predators away from their eggs. The research began when, in the courtyard of a hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, biologist Auke-Florian Hiemstra found an enormous nest that had been built by a magpie. The nest was made from about 1,500 metal spikes. They were pointing outward to create a protective system around the nest. “I just stared at it, this strange, beautiful, weird nest,” Hiemstra told BBC News. When he investigated further, he found that magpies had stripped away nearly 165 feet of metal spikes…

Octopuses A research team discovered an octopus nursery (a site where mothers lay and care for eggs) deep in the Pacific Ocean, near Costa Rica. This is the fourth octopus nursery ever found, and it may be home to a previously unknown species. Cats in Cyprus Thousands of cats have died in Cyprus from a disease caused by a feline coronavirus, which is different from the coronavirus that affects humans. Officials are working to supply medicine to veterinarians in the island nation who can treat sick cats.…

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, better known as J.R.R. Tolkien, who died 50 years ago this September, may be the most famous and influential fantasy writer of all time. The author’s early life Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892 and moved to England with his mother and brother at age 4, following the death of his father. In 1904, when Tolkien was 12, his mother died and a Catholic priest became his guardian. After graduating from college with honors in 1915, Tolkien enlisted in the British Army and served during World War I (1914–1918). He married Edith Bratt in 1916, and they had four children. Tolkien started working at the University of Leeds in 1920, then became a professor at the University of Oxford in 1925, teaching English languages…

University students in Switzerland designed a smart cane to help people with visual impairments. The NextGuide cane is lightweight, durable, and equipped with a 160-degree forward-facing camera that scans its surroundings for obstacles. Once the cane detects an obstacle, its handle vibrates to steer the user around it. A pointer under the user’s thumb tells them which way to go. Different vibrations represent doors, crosswalks, and stairs. The students created NextGuide to help a classmate.…

On August 9, Da’vian Kimbrough, age 13, signed a contract with Sacramento Republic FC, a soccer team in California. He is now the youngest professional athlete in US team sports history. The Republic are part of the USL (United Soccer League), the second-highest division of professional soccer in the country. Kimbrough had been a member of the club’s youth development academy for two years. In his first season playing there at age 11, he competed in an under-13 division and showed tremendous potential, scoring 27 goals in 31 matches. He helped the team achieve a 30–1 record, the best record of any team in their age group in the US. In his second season, his team finished first in MLS NEXT, a youth soccer league run by Major League Soccer.…

One of the most famous characters in Chinese literature is the Monkey King, whose story was first told in the 16th-century novel Journey to the West. The new animated action-comedy The Monkey King delivers a fresh take on his origin story. It is now on Netflix. Many children from Asian backgrounds grow up hearing tales about the Monkey King. The film’s producer, Peilin Chou, was born in Taiwan, and she told The Week Junior that when she moved to the US as a child, she was shocked that kids didn’t know about the character. One reason she wanted to make the movie was so “children around the world would be like, ‘Yes, the Monkey King!’ ” she said. The film is set in ancient China, and Monkey is an arrogant…

Hidden Figures PG (Disney+, Hulu, ABC, or rent on demand) “This true story celebrates a trio of African American women in the space industry: Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan. In segregated Virginia in the 1960s, the mathematician friends worked at NASA as ‘computers,’ people who made calculations. These women did incredible work, yet they faced discrimination and harsh working conditions with little or no recognition. Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy’s story is truly inspiring. It’s about perseverance and determination, and I highly recommend watching it with the family.” Viviana, 11, New Mexico Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Sarah Sax (Alfred A. Knopf) Olivia Vivian Sullivan shares her first name with at least four other classmates. Tired of being asked which Olivia she is, the seventh grader does something drastic. On the day when students are getting their picture taken for the yearbook, Olivia asks a friend to record a video of her cutting off her braid and announcing that she’d like to be called Viv, a shortened version of her middle name. Her mom sees the video and gets very upset. She takes her to a hair salon for a new style they’re both happy with. But Viv still loses phone privileges. When she gets her phone back, she has many messages from classmates asking her to help them stand out from the crowd. Viv is…

The First Rule of Punk By Celia C. Pérez (Puffin Books) On the first day at her new middle school, Malú upsets a popular classmate and violates the dress code with her punk style. Her dad reminds her of the first rule of punk: Be yourself. Will keeping his advice in mind help Malú have a better rest of the school year? Ages 10 and up It’s the First Day of School…Forever! By R.L. Stine (Square Fish) This classic book from the author of the Goosebumps series is filled with suspense and humor. Every day, Artie wakes up and the same thing happens—he bumps his head and gets ready for the first day of fifth grade. A twist ending helps explain why nothing changes from day to day. Ages 8–12…

1. Get in position. Set your computer on a desk or table. Sit up straight in a chair with your screen about 15 to 25 inches away from your face. Let your hands rest on the keyboard, with your arms bent at the elbows. 2. Focus on your fingers. Start with your left pointer finger on the F key and your right pointer on the J key. Then let your other fingers fall on the D, S, and A for the left hand and K, L, and the semicolon for the right hand. Rest both thumbs on the space bar. This position will allow you to easily reach all the keys on the board. 3. Practice. Start by typing out things you know well, like lyrics to a favorite song…

Crisscross Each of these things associated with board games fits into this grid. Can you find where each one goes to complete the grid? 3 letters BOX 4 letters DICE PASS ROLL 5 letters CARDS RULES 6 letters FINISH SQUARE TOKENS 7 letters PLASTIC SPINNER 8 letters SCOREPAD STRATEGY YOUR MOVE 9 letters ADVANTAGE EXTRA TURN GAME BOARD PLAY MONEY ALL THE SAME Each answer contains the letters A-N-Y. Those letters have been placed for you. Can you figure out the words? (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) 1. European country whose capital is Berlin 2. Narrow gorge with steep cliff walls, like Arizona’s “Grand” one 3. Large business, like a corporation 4. Necklace-like cord for a whistle or an ID card 5. Current Israeli Prime Minister…

“This year I got an opportunity to volunteer at Shelter Associates (SA) in India. SA is a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of people in need in urban areas, many of whom lack sufficient food, clean water, and bathrooms. I was able to work directly with people, and the experience was life-changing. Among other programs, the group installs toilets in homes and provides workshops for girls on how to manage their periods. I hope SA can continue helping more people.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear about it at hello@theweekjunior.com.…

“I traveled to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon this summer, and The Week Junior issue couldn’t have come at a better time.”Elle, 10, Florida “We had so much fun making these bars on a rainy afternoon. Absolutely delicious!”Dylan, 9, Pennsylvania “I vote that beaches are better than pools from your recent Big Debate.”Vivian, 8, California…

1 What was the name of the ship that Charles Darwin sailed on in 1831? _____________________ 2 The Chinese novel Journey to the West inspired what new movie on Netflix? a) The Dragon King b) The Panda King c) The Monkey King a ◻ b ◻ c ◻ 3 True or false? A house in Indonesia was built using recycled diapers. True ◻ False ◻ 4 A team from which state won the Little League Softball World Series? a) North Carolina b) New Mexico c) New York a ◻ b ◻ c ◻ 5 Candidates hoping to be the Republican nominee for US President recently visited which state fair? a) Illinois b) Indiana c) Iowa a ◻ b ◻ c ◻ 6 In the book Picture Day, what name does…

Devils Tower, Wyoming This national monument in Wyoming formed underground as molten rock about 50 million years ago. From the base, it stands 867 feet high. The top of the tower is about the size of a football field. This shape is what makes Devils Tower a butte (pronounced byoot), which is a hill with steep, vertical sides and a small, flat top. Originally named Bad God’s Tower by Native Americans, it is still considered a sacred site. Popular activities include hiking and looking for mammals, reptiles, and birds. Visitors ages 5 to 12 can also earn a Junior Ranger badge.…

A group of rangers is working to help golden bandicoots survive. The all-female team, from an Aboriginal community that has lived in Australia for more than 50,000 years, plans to reintroduce the threatened species to Central Australia. • LIFE SPAN: 2 to 3 years in the wild • HABITAT: Wooded grasslands in Australia • SIZE: 10 to 16 inches long and up to 1.4 pounds • DIET: Insects, roots, seeds, and plants • FUN FACT: Baby bandicoots, called joeys, spend their first month in their mother’s pouch.…

The Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (left) is a hobbit enjoying a quiet, comfortable life when a wizard named Gandalf draws him into a quest with a group of dwarves to recover stolen treasure from a dragon named Smaug. Bilbo’s journey will take him past trolls and goblins and across the path of a magic ring. The Lord of the Rings Years after the events of The Hobbit, the wizard Gandalf (left) sends Bilbo’s nephew, Frodo, on a quest to destroy his uncle’s magic ring, which the Dark Lord Sauron hopes to find and use to conquer Middle-earth. Frodo meets several heroes, such as the ranger Aragorn, on the way. The Silmarillion A prequel to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, this book tells of the creation of Middle-earth and…

From August 6–13, girls from the US and other countries gathered in Greenville, North Carolina, to compete in the Little League Softball World Series (LLSWS), the largest youth softball tournament in the world. In the championship game on August 13, Massapequa International Little League from New York beat Pitt County Girls Softball Little League from North Carolina, 5–2. It was the first time a team from New York has won the LLSWS championship. Throughout the summer, Little League softball teams from around the country competed in district, section, state, and regional tournaments to secure one of eight spots for US teams in the LLSWS tournament. The North Carolina team represented the Southeast Region, and the New York team represented the Mid-Atlantic Region. Meanwhile, teams from Canada, Latin America, Europe-Africa, and…

Coach’s Name: Seungki Lee Team: Maywood Sparks Swim Team “Our favorite thing about Coach Lee is that he always cares about our strokes more than our speed. He encourages us to do our best at every competition. If we had a hard time with a stroke, he would help us individually and fix every detail. He can be strict sometimes, but he has some humor, too. He helps us achieve our goals when we feel like giving up. He is very nice to have around. Our team motto is ‘No pain, no gain.’ ” Lacy, 10, and Jayden, 9, California 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…

Marcel On the hit 1990s sitcom Friends, Marcel was a capuchin owned by one of the main characters, Ross. He was in eight episodes and was played by female monkeys named Katie and Monkey. H’Angus the Monkey In the UK in 2002, the mascot for Hartlepool United Football Club was elected mayor. Stuart Drummond, the man who wore the costume, had campaigned as H’Angus as a joke. He ended up being re-elected twice. Miss Baker Before American astronauts went into space, this squirrel monkey was a monkeynaut test subject. She survived a short trip into space on a Jupiter missile in 1959 and later became known as “America’s First Lady of Space.”…

The Incredible Dr. Pol (National Geographic) Jan Pol, a world-famous veterinarian, is the star of this long-running reality series. The show follows him on visits to animal clinics and farms in Michigan. In the new season, he also helps young vets and visits his home country, the Netherlands. Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie (Apple TV+) This special centers on Marcie from the Peanuts gang, who is shy. After coming up with good ideas for how to improve things at school, she is unexpectedly elected class president and has to figure out how to feel comfortable doing her job. Blue Beetle (In theaters) Blue Beetle is DC Comics’ first Latino superhero. His alter ego is Jaime Reyes, a teen who gets extraordinary and unpredictable powers from an ancient alien relic. When evil…

The Magician’s Elephant By Kate DiCamillo “Peter Augustus Duchene lost his mother and father, and he is being trained to become a soldier by his guardian, Vilna Lutz. One day he goes to a fortune teller and asks if his sister is alive. He had promised his mother he would take care of his sister. The fortune teller tells him to follow the elephant. He believes the elephant will lead him to his sister, but he doesn’t know if he can trust Vilna.” Alice, 11, New York Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

It’s a great feeling to begin the school year organized! Having what you need where you can easily find it can make it simpler for you to manage your time and your assignments. Here’s how to get started. Gather supplies Check your school’s website for a list of supplies you need for the year, then add anything else you’d like to have. Before going to a store to buy new items, look around your home to see what you still have from last year. (You may find you have enough pencils, for example, or you can simply remove used pages from a barely used notebook you already own.) After you gather what you have, ask your family for help getting what you still need. Also, be sure to talk to…

BUY PRODUCTS WITH LESS PACKAGING You may notice that most things you buy come in packaging that immediately gets thrown away. This can be harmful to the environment because packaging uses up natural resources and fills landfills. One way you can cut down on this waste is to choose products that have less or no packaging. At the grocery store, you and your family can bring reusable bags to collect fruits and vegetables instead of buying produce pre-wrapped in plastic. When shopping for other products, compare packaging. For example, you could buy bar soap that comes in a cardboard box, which is biodegradable (able to break down), instead of a plastic bottle of liquid soap.…

If you love swimming and Italian food, you can now enjoy both at the same time—by bobbing along on a giant piece of inflatable pasta. The Standard, a hotel company, is selling quirky pool floats in various tasty-looking pasta shapes, including ravioli, tortellini, and sheets of lasagna. The floats come in fake pasta boxes with silly “nutrition facts” on the side, such as the amount of fun, mischief, and chill, plus “zero grams” of regret. A float shaped like a tube of elbow macaroni will cost pool-based pasta lovers about $70.…

Kaleigh, who is 11 years old and in sixth grade, told us she likes the acting program at her school. It gives kids a fun way to get involved. She also said her school makes everyone feel included and has a variety of clubs, such as for chess and sign language. To tell us what’s great about your school, go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to print out a form. Fill it out, then have an adult email it to us at hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the submissions on this page in future issues of The Week Junior.…

Teacher’s Name: Mr. White School: Garrett Park Elementary School “Mr. White is the best teacher because he always makes us laugh and tells funny stories about himself. He makes learning very fun. He also turned his classroom into a castle and it looked very cool. Mr. White is the best third-grade teacher ever.” Connor, 9, Maryland 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.…

DOUBLE DIGITS It was a happy 10th birthday for Nhi Lin, an Asian elephant at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC. Keepers threw the “spunky, inquisitive” girl a party, with a birthday cake made of fruits and vegetables to stomp on. RIDING THE RAILS Upon arriving in Brunswick, Maine, Nat Read, age 84, reached his goal of riding all 21,000 miles of Amtrak’s train system. Read, from California, said trains have a “magic” that planes and cars don’t. “I see the railroad tracks across America as the lace that ties us together,” he said. CATCHING WAVES Tails were wagging and waves were crashing at this year’s World Dog Surfing Championship in Pacifica, California. Canine contestants in various categories were judged on technique, skill, and degree of difficulty. One top dog…

Driving through an American suburb, you’re likely to see blocks and blocks of lush green front yards. More than 80% of Americans have a grass lawn, and many say it’s an important factor in their decision to rent or buy a home. Grass lawns have been a symbol of success in the US since wealthy families adopted the idea from European royalty in the late 1700s. In the 1800s, lawns became popular across the US. As people become more aware of climate change, however, many are wondering whether this common practice still has a place in our neighborhoods. What do you think? Should we say goodbye to grass lawns? Yes—they’re just for show Grass is a water hog! Water is a precious resource that’s in short supply in the US…

Sienna, 13, California Dr. Sarah Carotenuto Professor, University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine Yes, dogs and other animals can absolutely be allergic to humans—especially to our dander (skin flakes) and the mites that live on our skin—as well as to other animals. Dogs that are allergic to humans may scratch their skin, have thinning hair, or lose their fur. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the UA College of Veterinary Medicine at vetmed.arizona.edu.…

For many years, scientists have believed that in ancient human societies, men hunted animals for food while women gathered plants to eat. Results of a new study challenge this belief. Researchers at two universities in Washington found that women in these societies, which existed before the widespread adoption of farming, hunted animals as well. The scientists studied 63 societies, including 25 groups from the Americas, 15 from Australia, and 12 from Africa. The team examined information about these societies that was gathered between 1888 and 2020. They found that in 50 out of the 63 groups (79% of those studied), there was evidence of women hunting. And in most of these groups, women were said to have hunted intentionally, meaning they actively went out and looked for animals for food,…

Two new art exhibits at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in Pennsylvania demonstrate how items meant for the trash can be turned into something beautiful. The exhibits are part of the garden’s ongoing efforts to emphasize conservation, and they also connect to the institution’s past. The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is in an area that was used for coal mining and logging in the 1920s. Those processes destroyed the land and polluted nearby water, and it took many years for the area to be restored. The 460-acre garden was founded in 1988. In the garden’s welcome center and outside, visitors can see pieces from artist Michelle Stitzlein’s Perennially Green: Sculptures Inspired by Nature and Created with Repurposed Materials. One piece, Spring Millet, looks like a grouping of plants, but they are made…

Madden NFL 24 is a new football video game. It is out now for the Xbox systems, PlayStation platforms, and the PC. It is part of the most famous and successful football video game franchise in the world. The Madden football series originated in 1988 with a game for the Apple II computer called John Madden Football. It was named after the famous NFL (National Football League) coach and TV announcer John Madden, who died in 2021. He used to appear on the cover of the game, but since 2001 almost every edition has featured a current NFL star. This year, the honor went to Josh Allen, the star quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. Madden NFL 24 has several big upgrades and updates. The bodies of the players have been…

What inspired this book? I was doing a daily creative writing prompt that involved writing a single sentence. One day I imagined a girl who had scissors poised next to her bangs, and there’s a flyer for school picture day next to her. Did you like picture day when you were young? Yes! I can look back at my school pictures and I remember why I chose each outfit. I was shy, but I loved getting dressed for activities like school spirit day. Have you ever reinvented yourself? I’m always continuing to figure out how to express myself. Do you write or draw a story first? Sometimes I can visually articulate what I want to happen before I can do it with words, so I’ll draw first. Favorite summer activity?…

Prep for school the night before Before you go to bed, set yourself up for success the next day. Pack your bag, lay out your clothes, and get your lunch ready. Consider a checklist Put a small whiteboard by the door and make a checklist of what you need every day—like your lunch and water bottle—then check them off before you leave the house. Have a go-to breakfast Taking the guesswork out of what to eat every morning can save time. On Sunday, prepare one breakfast, like muffins or a big batch of oatmeal, to eat every morning. Switch it up each week! Make mornings more fun Having a morning ritual—something you do every day—can help motivate you to get out of bed. For example, a ritual might be listening…

When this issue of The Week Junior went to press, Hawaii had experienced one of the worst wildfires in US history (p4). When a disaster like this happens, it can be difficult to comprehend the enormity of the destruction and the heartbreak it causes. It can also be comforting to focus on the many people who have stepped up to help. At The Week Junior, there is a quote from Mister Rogers that we focus on when we research stories about upsetting events: “Look for the helpers.” From international aid workers to local heroes, they are always there in times of crisis. If you’d like to help, talk to your family about what you might do. We have some suggestions in the box on page 4, and you may have…