Innehållsförteckning för Issue 192 från The Week Junior US

On December 5, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced that it had added 46 new items to its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The list includes “world treasures” that have been determined to be significant and worthy of safeguarding. What is UNESCO? UNESCO was established in 1946 as a branch of the United Nations (UN, an organization of 193 nations working for peace and cooperation) and currently has 194 member nations. UNESCO contributes to the UN’s mission by promoting international cooperation, using science to protect the planet and help people, improving access to education worldwide, and advocating for gender equality. Over the past few decades, UNESCO has also played an important role in reshaping the idea of cultural heritage, which it calls “our legacy from the…

A RARE BIRTH A baby alligator that hatched at a facility in Orlando, Florida, is the first known all-white alligator born in 36 years. The female hatchling is one of seven of her kind in the world. “It is absolutely extraordinary,” the park said. A BIG HONOR Taylor Swift was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year, a recognition given since 1927 to “the individual who most shaped the headlines” in the previous year. Swift, age 33, is the first artist to receive the title, which has gone to 14 US Presidents in the past. Time praised her for being “a source of light.” DELIVERING HOLIDAY CHEER The Christmas Spirit Foundation and FedEx have given nearly 16,000 free Christmas trees to members of the military through this year’s Trees for…

As the temperature starts to drop, cold-weather fans are pulling out their boots, jackets, and gloves, preparing for chilly outdoor fun. For many people, cooler temperatures mean crisp days spent playing in the snow, while for others it’s taking a winter nature hike. Luckily for them, experts are predicting a drop in degrees throughout the US this winter, with wetter and snowier weather than last year. But that’s not great news for people who prefer spending time outdoors in warmer weather, at the beach, pool, or park. They don’t want to worry about cold noses and hands or layering on clothes. What do you think? Is winter better for being outside? Yes—frosty fun is good for you What’s more fun than building a snowman with friends, having a snowball fight…

Sabine Mann Professor, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine All that chewing helps cows digest grass. Cows can eat a lot of grass quickly, and then they lie down and ruminate. Rumination is the repeated chewing and swallowing of feed in their big stomach (the rumen). At the end, all the feed is in small pieces and the cow repeats this cycle. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the College of Veterinary Medicine at vet.cornell.edu.…

Natural forces may have played a part in the formation of one of Egypt’s most famous human-made landmarks, a new study found. The research provided insights into the creation of the Great Sphinx of Giza and how wind, sand, and dust can affect rock formations over time. The Great Sphinx, which dates back to about 2575 BCE, is one of the largest sculptures in the world, measuring about 240 feet long and 66 feet high. Featuring a lion’s body and a human head covered with a royal headdress, the statue was created out of a single massive piece of limestone. Archaeologists have estimated that it would have taken about three years for 100 workers to complete it with hammers and chisels. But a study by a team of scientists from…

On December 9, the Columbus Crew became this year’s MLS (Major League Soccer) champions. In the MLS Cup final, which was played at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, the Crew beat LAFC (Los Angeles Football Club), 2–1. It was the third title for Columbus, who most recently won in 2020. In the postseason playoffs, Columbus was seeded (ranked) third in the Eastern Conference. During the regular season, they led the league with 67 goals. LAFC was the third seed in the Western Conference and also the defending MLS champions. In the final, Columbus was the first team to score. A little more than 30 minutes into the match, an LAFC defender touched the ball with his hand in the penalty box, which led to a penalty kick for Columbus. Cucho…

Coach’s Name: Bob Casey Team: Princeton Tigers Ice Hockey “Coach Bob is great because he gives me rides to the rink. My dad died two months ago and used to be my coach. Coach Bob has been there for me on the ice and off. He is also my best friend’s dad. He is a great hockey coach and helps me to be a better player. He encourages me to work hard and be smart on the ice by being in a good position to make plays and lead breakouts. I play the center position, so it’s important to be a good leader.” Callum, 10, Pennsylvania 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…

Inspiration Author Rick Riordan created the Percy Jackson series to spark his son’s interest in learning. Both Percy and Riordan’s son have a learning disability and ADHD. Stage adaptation The first book in the series was turned into a stage show. The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (below) opened on Broadway in October 2019. That production closed in early 2020, but a national tour followed. Summer fun Riordan’s series inspired a New York City bookstore owner to create Camp Half-Blood. It is a summer program where campers are known as Demigods and they go on mythical quests.…

Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Hulu) (The CW) Fridays at 8 pm ET This popular show recently began its 10th season. Top magicians perform card tricks, escape acts, and other feats of amazement as they try to impress world-famous magic duo Penn & Teller. At the end of each show, the pair wow the audience with one of their own tricks. The Great Christmas Light Fight (Hulu) (ABC) Elaborate festive displays are the focus of this annual decorating competition. In each episode, four families face off and present their transformed holiday homes to a panel of experts who will decide which family wins the $50,000 cash prize and a coveted trophy. Migration (In theaters) December 22 The animation team behind the Despicable Me films made this new comedy about a…

What inspired this series? My younger daughter was obsessed with Bigfoot when she was 6 years old. We started talking about what would happen if Bigfoots were real. How would they try to live in the world? Is there a character you relate to most? I think Alice is most like me when I was young. She is kind of clumsy with wild hair and doesn’t feel very comfortable in her own skin. What are three words you’d use to describe friendship? Comforting, affirming, and appreciated. Best advice for writers? Don’t sit there and think, “Oh, I have to find the perfect word to get started.” Getting words on the page every day is important. How do you spend your free time? I love riding my bike. I also started…

This year, winter officially begins on December 21, which is the winter solstice. That is the shortest day —and longest night—of the year for people living in the northern hemisphere (the half of the planet that is above the equator, an imaginary line that circles Earth). The winter solstice also means that the days that follow will begin to have more sunlight, which is a great reason to celebrate. Here are some activities to try. Learn some history Ancient civilizations likely celebrated the winter solstice to mark the return of longer days and more sunlight. Some monuments related to the solstice that were built thousands of years ago are still standing today. These include Stonehenge in England (a ring of giant rocks that align with the Sun’s rays on the…

An expensive scent for babies The fashion company Dior has created a perfume for babies—and although its wearers may be small, its price tag isn’t. At $230 a bottle, it costs more than some of Dior’s popular fragrances for adults. The company says the “scented water”—called Bonne Étoile, which means “lucky star” in French—contains whiffs of pear and wild rose and can be sprayed on a baby’s neck or in their bedroom. Dior’s creative director for perfumes said he wanted to make a product for little ones “that is as simple as they are.” However, its release sparked some strong reactions on social media. “Babies don’t need this,” many people wrote. The world’s first edible mascot At the end of many football games, the winning team showers their coach with…

Ava, who is 12 years old and in seventh grade, told us that her school is special because it is a small school for students in grades K–8 with a tight-knit community. Every year, students go on a river and backpacking trip to bond with their classmates and teachers. If you’d like to share 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. 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,…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Morgan School: Lutz Preparatory School “Mrs. Morgan has made me love civics! She is always so upbeat, funny, and awesome. Her class is always so fun! She would assign us creative projects and also made us enact court cases sometimes. But most of all, she always made sure everyone was treated fairly and kindly. She is an extraordinary teacher!” Ikshita, 13, Florida 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.…

As an actor, director, author, and literacy advocate, LeVar Burton has been telling stories all his life. In his latest project, a podcast titled Sound Detectives, he engages young people with the power of listening. Sound Detectives is Burton’s first podcast for children. In it, he voices the founder of a sound museum who has a problem: Sounds, from crashing waves to buzzing bees, have gone missing around the world. He hires a detective, who teams up with an ear to solve the mystery. Burton, age 66, embraced the art of listening as a child in Germany and, later, California. “I grew up with the idea that radio was a tremendous stimulator for imagination,” he told The Week Junior. He credits his mother, a voracious reader who had been an…

Have you ever looked at a cat’s face and wondered what it is thinking? According to a new study, cats have 276 unique facial expressions that show how they are feeling. The research began at a cat café in Los Angeles, California. Scientist Lauren Scott visited the café and recorded videos of cats interacting with one another over several months. She recorded 53 cats and gathered 194 minutes of video footage. Scott and researcher Brittany Florkiewicz then studied the videos and recorded muscle movements in the cats’ faces. In total, the cats made 26 different facial movements, which included blinking, licking their nose, opening their mouth, and widening or narrowing the pupils of their eyes. For comparison, dogs make 27 facial movements and humans use 44. These movements can be…

Experts in the southeastern US are working to capture Argentine black and white tegus. These dog-sized lizards are native to South America, but some were released in Florida and Georgia and are now threatening local wildlife. • LIFE SPAN: 10 to 15 years• HABITAT: Forests, swamps, and grasslands• SIZE: Up to 5 feet in length• DIET: Bird and reptile eggs, small animals, plants• FUN FACT: In Venezuela, tegus are nicknamed “chicken wolves” because they steal chickens’ eggs.…

Playing tabletop games is a cherished tradition among families and friends around the world. It started in ancient times. How the games began Evidence of board games dates back thousands of years. The Royal Game of Ur was played 4,600 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia and was said to predict players’ futures. Examples of people playing the strategy board game mancala also date back thousands of years. Backgammon can be traced to ancient Egypt, when Egyptian pharaohs (rulers) played a form of the game. Two iconic board games also appear to go back many hundreds of years—writers in ancient Greece mentioned games similar to checkers, while chess first appeared in Asia in about the 6th century CE and reached Europe by 1000 CE. Board games in America The first known…

A new drone can head out to deliver emergency medical supplies within 15 seconds of being called. The Everdrone E2, which can operate in all weather conditions, carries items like EpiPens to stop allergic reactions and defibrillators (devices to restore normal heartbeats). The E2 travels at 51 miles per hour, which is faster than an ambulance on the ground, and can cover a distance of five miles. It’s equipped with cameras that can broadcast live videos to remote medical professionals, who can instruct people on-site with the patient.…

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a magical life simulation game set in an enchanted world inhabited by Disney and Pixar characters. It was released in an “early access” version last year for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation platforms, Xbox systems, and PC, and the game officially launched on December 5. That day it also became available for Apple Arcade and got a major expansion for all platforms. Dreamlight Valley’s main character is a young adult who has quit their job and moved back home with their parents. While asleep in the backyard, the site of their childhood make-believe games, the character is transported to Dreamlight Valley. Soon after arriving, they meet Merlin, the magician from The Sword in the Stone. Dreamlight Valley has been hit by a curse called The Forgetting, and…

By Luke Sharpe and illustrated by Graham Ross “This book is about Billy Sure who owns the company Sure Things Inc. He works with his friend, Manny, to invent the All Ball, which can turn into any kind of ball. But there’s someone else who helped invent the All Ball, but who? Who has been making blueprints for it? When they find out who the mystery person is they are shocked!” Callan, 9, Virginia Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

CLEAN OUT A CLUTTERED ROOM You might have more stuff than you actually use in a bedroom, basement, or play area. You can declutter your space and help the environment by recycling or donating items. You’ll keep them out of landfills and could help someone in need. With your family’s assistance, pick a room to clean out, then divide the room into zones to tackle. These could include a closet, a dresser, shelves, or under a bed. Working on one area at a time, sort items into boxes labeled “trash/recycle,” “donate,” and “keep.” After you’ve thrown away or recycled what can’t be saved, bring the donation items to a local collection center. Neatly place any “keep” items in drawers or closets.…

It is our privilege to announce the winner, runners-up, and finalists of this year’s Winter Cover Contest (p16–17). We received more than 950 amazing entries, and narrowing them down was not easy! In the end, Nora’s clever drawing of snowmen took the grand prize and appears on this week’s front cover, while Hadleigh’s floating marshmallow friend and Anya’s polar bear were named runners-up. Congratulations to them, along with finalists Juliet, Josephine, Aaratrika, Kenley, Cassidy, Raghav, and Annarose. Thank you, in addition, to every child who entered and to our talented and thoughtful judges who helped us make a big decision: author/illustrators Jeff Kinney, Sarah Sax, and Betty C. Tang. I am also fortunate to have Dean, Mindy, and Paul beside me on the editorial team as we carry out this…

December 22, 1937 Lincoln Tunnel opens to vehicles On December 22, 1937, the Lincoln Tunnel—located nearly 100 feet below the Hudson River—opened, allowing vehicles to travel between New York City and New Jersey. Its construction took nearly three years. Once completed, it became the world’s longest underwater vehicular tunnel at 1½ miles. Today, more than 20 million cars pass through the Lincoln Tunnel every year.…

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is easily accessible from Gatlinburg, which is located within the Appalachian Mountains. Soaring hawks, white-tailed deer, 30 species of salamanders, and hundreds of protected species, including the American black bear, live in the park. It has more than 700 miles of streams, including Roaring Fork, one of the largest and fastest streams in the park. A nature trail follows the stream and provides views of several waterfalls. Companies in Gatlinburg offer river rafting, skiing, and other outdoor adventures.…

California The state has been declared drought-free for the first time in more than three years, due to abundant rain and snow this year. The past three years were California’s driest. Now the state’s major water reservoirs are above average levels. Europe Out of the 14,669 varieties of European plants and animals on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, about 20% face the risk of extinction, according to a new analysis. One of them is the Crau Plain grasshopper (above).…

Chess An intricate game of strategy, chess involves moving pieces like pawns, knights, and the queen across a board as a player attempts to checkmate an opponent’s king to win. Monopoly In this game, players try to acquire wealth by buying property. Elizabeth Magie created its predecessor, The Landlord’s Game, in 1904, to criticize wealth inequality. In 1933, Charles Darrow created his version and called it Monopoly. Checkers Like chess, checkers is played on a board divided into squares. The game’s 24 pieces are simple disks that move diagonally to “jump” the other pieces, with the goal of taking all of an opponent’s pieces. Clue Was it Professor Plum with the rope in the study? Or Miss Scarlet with the candlestick in the hall? Clue, in which players try to…

A new study found that rats have an imagination, like humans do, and they can use it to think about going to places they’ve been to in the past. Researchers from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus in Virginia said it’s similar to when a person imagines the route they take to school each day. In the study, researchers placed rats in a virtual-reality (VR) arena with a 360-degree screen surrounding them. The rats walked on a treadmill ball, which moved them around within the VR environment, as if they were moving through a real space. Researchers projected “target” destinations on the screen and gave the rats a treat if they walked toward those spots. As the rats moved, the team tracked activity in their hippocampus, the part…

For The Week Junior’s annual Winter Cover Contest, we invited readers to create a cover for the magazine that celebrates the season. We received more than 950 submissions and were very impressed by the creativity that went into each one. The contest was judged by Editor-in-Chief Andrea Barbalich, Creative Director Dean Abatemarco, and award-winning children’s book creators Jeff Kinney, Sarah Sax, and Betty C. Tang. Kinney is the creator of the best-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Sax is an author whose graphic novel Picture Day was released this year. Tang is an illustrator of best-selling graphic novels and the author of the award-winning Parachute Kids. We thank our esteemed judges for sharing their time and expertise! Narrowing down the entries to the 10 finalists shown on these two…

One of the most popular fantasy book series is coming to TV. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on the series of the same name by best-selling author Rick Riordan, is set to premiere on Disney+ on December 20. The first season of the show has eight episodes and is based on 2005’s The Lighting Thief, which is the first book in Riordan’s series. The stories are set in modern times but rooted in Greek mythology. Percy (played by Walker Scobell) is a 12-year-old who learns he is a demigod (half god, half human with supernatural powers). After he is accused of stealing the master lightning bolt from Zeus, the sky god, he goes on a journey with his two best friends to retrieve it and stop a war. This…

The Greatest Showman PG (Disney+, Hulu, rent on demand) “This movie musical is inspired by P.T. Barnum, an American showman who lived in the 1800s and became famous for turning circuses into amazing spectacles. The story is action-filled and follows Barnum as he recruits people who are unique and gives them a chance to be looked at in a different way. It’s a serious movie, but I love the songs, the dancing, and how it’s about expressing yourself even if you look different. It’s a great movie. I highly recommend it.” Phoebe, 8, Massachusetts Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Jennifer Weiner (Aladdin) When Jessica shows her parents that she has grown a tail, they send her to a boarding school in upstate New York. There, she meets Alice and Millie, who have their own secrets. Millie’s dad is leader of the Yares, a tribe of Bigfoots, and Alice is half Bigfoot and half human. Jessica, Alice, and Millie go to New York City so Millie can audition for a TV talent show. They are almost kidnapped, and Jessica gets separated from Millie and Alice. Jessica fears that her grandfather, a wealthy scientist, is behind the kidnapping attempt. He’s upset that the Yares, who can live to be more than 200 years old, wouldn’t give him a blood sample so he could try to find a cure for his…

The Handbook of Forgotten Skills By Elaine Batiste and Natalie Crowley, illustrated by Chris Duriez (Magic Cat Publishing) By next year at this time, you could know how to sew a button, skip stones, perform a coin trick, and more if you follow this book’s instructions. Each skill contains step-by-step illustrations to help you learn. Ages 8 and up National Geographic Kids Almanac 2024 (National Geographic Kids) With fun graphics and 500 colorful photos, this book is packed with amazing stories and mindboggling statistics. Read about a new penguin colony and check out the section devoted to spiderwebs. It also contains fun games like “Stump Your Parents” and a collection of maps. Ages 8 and up A Whale of a Time By Lou Peacock, illustrated by Matt Hunt (Nosy Crow) This…

Word ladder To change the word COLD into the word FEET, 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 a seven-letter word that’s a type of neighborhood business. 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.) DO NOT ENTER Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every box except the ones containing obstacles. Your path may not cross itself, and there is only one solution. Crossmath Fill each empty box with a number or a…

“The Earth needs our help, and it can’t keep withstanding our destructiveness forever. So my friend Lilou and I started Save the Earth Army to help fight climate change. We have organized bake sales and donated the money we made from them to animal shelters. In our last sale, we raised $160. It’s true nothing lasts forever, but the Earth can last a long, long time if we help it.” 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.…

“My dog Kobe and I love to start each morning reading The Week Junior! I love the entire magazine, especially the Science and Technology section.”Max, 11, New Hampshire “I keep every single issue of The Week Junior and reread them sometimes!”Paige, 11, New Jersey “I made the veggie miso fried rice for my family, and everyone loved it. Even me!”Hudson, 10, North Dakota…