Innehållsförteckning för Issue 196 från The Week Junior US

NASA, the US space agency, announced on January 9 that it will postpone the second and third phases of its Artemis program, an ambitious plan to put astronauts on the Moon for the first time since 1972. What is Artemis? The NASA program involves three primary stages. On the Artemis I mission, which took place in 2022, a spacecraft without a crew flew 1.4 million miles around the Moon and back. The flight was a successful test of NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion space capsule, which astronauts will eventually travel in to and from the Moon. Orion safely reentered Earth’s atmosphere and landed in the ocean. Artemis II, originally scheduled for 2024, will carry a crew of four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth.…

Grindavik, Iceland Volcano erupts, again On January 14, a volcano close to the town of Grindavik erupted for the second time in two months. Lava (molten rock) flowed to the outskirts of town and set several houses on fire. Fortunately, Grindavik, which is home to 3,800 people, had already been evacuated following a series of earthquakes that occurred before the eruption. “No lives are in danger,” said Iceland’s president, Guoni Thorlacius Johannesson. Inuvik, Canada Welcoming the Sun’s return A special festival took place in Inuvik to celebrate the Sun rising for the first time in 30 days. The natural tilt of the Earth means that places such as Inuvik spend long periods facing toward or away from the Sun. In midsummer there is constant daylight, while in midwinter the Sun…

This protected area in the US Virgin Islands has one of the best coral reef systems in the Caribbean Sea. Coral reefs are underwater structures built by living things called corals. Snorkelers can view different types of corals, deep caves, and several reef fish. The islands also host 180 native plant species and many endangered and rare animals, including brown pelicans, least terns, and sea turtles. Buck Island has been identified as a site for reintroducing the St. Croix ground lizard, which likely lived there more than 100 years ago.…

This butterfly species is originally from the US, but some have flown or been blown across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Recently, a group of American painted ladies were found to have settled on the Isles of Scilly in the UK. ● LIFE SPAN: Up to 20 days ● HABITAT: Open areas like fields and clearings ● SIZE: Wingspan of up to 2 inches ● DIET: Nectar from flowers, tree sap, and fruit ● FUN FACT: Their feet can taste things, helping them decide whether to drink a plant’s nectar.…

The Gutenberg Bible Before the mid-15th century in Western Europe, books could only be written by hand. Then inventor Johann Gutenberg introduced the printing press, a machine that used movable metal type to print words onto pages. The Gutenberg Bible (left) was one of the first books produced by this press. George Gershwin’s piano American composer George Gershwin (1898–1937) became famous for creating popular songs and Broadway musicals—often along with his brother, Ira. The LOC has a collection of music manuscripts that belonged to the brothers, as well as George’s piano (left). The first Spider-Man comic In the 1962 comic book Amazing Fantasy #15, writer Stan Lee and illustrator Steve Ditko introduced a teen character, Peter Parker, who was bitten by a radioactive spider and became a superhero. These original…

Researchers have discovered underground glaciers on Mercury that are made of salt and may have the right conditions to support life. Mercury is the closest planet in our solar system to the Sun. It has no atmosphere, and its surface can hit temperatures up to 800° F. With conditions like that, it would seem impossible for anything to survive on the planet. But a team of researchers from a nonprofit organization called the Planetary Science Institute believe these salt formations could make it possible. They said the salt contains water and the gases nitrogen and carbon dioxide, which are necessary for any life-form to survive. That means the glaciers could support organisms (living things) that exist in extreme environments. The glaciers are different from glaciers on Earth that are made…

The first season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is underway. The action began on January 1, and each team has played at least two games so far. The PWHL was formed because several star players had been unhappy in a league called the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). They fought for higher salaries and more attention, which led the Professional Women’s Hockey Player Association, a union that fights for its players’ rights, to organize their own games. The PHF merged with the union to form the PWHL. Three PWHL teams are based in the US (Boston, Minnesota, New York), and the other three are in Canada (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto). Each team will play 24 regular season games, and the four best teams will advance to the playoffs. In the…

Coach’s Name: Susan Schreier Team: Lacey Middle School Field Hockey “You could not ask for a better coach. Coach Schreier helps our team get better at drives, pulls, and dribbling. She encourages us before games and gives us stickers to put on our sticks and food for bus rides to games. She also coaches girls’ basketball and boys’ track. She coached my brother before me, and when I came to the school, she gladly welcomed me. There are many more reasons why she is an awesome coach—I could go on and on!” Zoe, 11, New Jersey 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.…

American Girl: Corinne Tan (Netflix) Corinne Tan was American Girl’s 2022 Girl of the Year and its first Asian American character. On January 24, a movie about Corinne’s backstory will be available for streaming. As the 13-year-old adapts to changes in her life, she finds joy and courage by learning how to ski. Sonic Prime (Netflix) The animated series about beloved video game character Sonic the Hedgehog is back for a third season. It picks up after Sonic was betrayed by his friend Nine, who stole the powerful Paradox Prism. Now Sonic must travel the Shatterverse to team up with unlikely allies to save the world. Extended Family (NBC) Tuesdays at 8:30 pm ET In this new comedy series, a married couple break up but remain friends. They keep their…

What do you hope readers take away from this book? I hope they realize that family, friendship, and community are so important. Asian representation is also important to me, so I want kids, especially Chinese kids, to see that it’s awesome to be Chinese. Did you have a rival growing up like Lily did? No. I was competitive, but not openly so. That’s why I love Lily. She is unapologetic about how competitive she is! What made you write a middle-grade book? I have a 9-year-old who is a little too young for my young adult books, so I wanted to write a story he could read. Writing for middle graders is so much fun. Did you read growing up? Yes! I read at recess, lunchtime, math class, after bedtime…

Karaoke is an entertaining hobby in which people take turns singing along to popular songs. Planning a karaoke night with family or friends can be a fun option for showing off your vocal skills, spending time together, and enjoying some of your favorite songs in a new way. Here’s how to get started. Get set up To sing karaoke, you need a way to play the background music to songs and view the lyrics to sing. If you have a karaoke machine, or can borrow one from a friend, it will include a microphone, speakers, and access to a catalog of songs. Another easy, free option: Use YouTube. With an adult’s permission and help, go to YouTube on either your smart TV or a tablet connected to speakers. Search the…

From remote controls to toys and flashlights, batteries produce the power we need to keep devices going. It’s important to make the most of batteries and dispose of them properly to save energy and avoid pollution. To help with this in your home, talk to an adult in your family about buying and using rechargeable batteries. These can be used again and again. You’ll buy fewer batteries and won’t need to throw as many away. When batteries do run out, recycle them. Each state has different rules about recycling batteries. To learn more about the rules in your area, go to tinyurl.com/TWJUS-Batteries.…

Every issue of The Week Junior celebrates reading, but this week’s edition includes a few extra reasons to celebrate. In our Big News section, we report on the selection of Judy Blume as the recipient of the first-ever Eleanor Roosevelt Lifetime Achievement Award for Bravery in Literature (p3). The prize, named for the longest-serving first lady in US history, honors intellectual freedom—an important cause for both Roosevelt and Blume. We also showcase reading with an explainer about the Library of Congress (p12) and a profile of California librarian Mychal Threets (p9). On our Book Club page, we highlight The Unbeatable Lily Hong by Diana Ma (p23). One way for you to celebrate reading is by sending us a suggestion for our Reader Recommends box. Your review of a book (or…

Send us your reviews! Do you have a favorite book, movie, or TV series you want other kids to know about? If so, your opinion could be featured in The Week Junior. We are always looking for reviews to publish in our Reader Recommends boxes in Arts and Entertainment (p21) and Book Club (p23). Tell us what you most enjoyed about the book, film, TV show, or documentary and why you think others would like it. Write a few sentences about the plot and subject matter, and give a description of the main character. Reviews should be sent to hello@theweekjunior.com, and be sure to include your first name, age, and the US state where you live. We know you’ll have great suggestions!…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Thomas School: Mettawee Community School “Mrs. Thomas is my favorite teacher of all time. She taught us in fifth grade, and she was always nice. She let us do puzzles during lunch, and she helped us when we needed it. She had us do fun projects and got us little animal erasers so we could have ‘desk pets.’ Mrs. Thomas may think she’s short, but I think her care for her students stretches high to the sky.” Eleanor, 12, Vermont 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.…

On January 11, the US launched strikes on more than 60 military facilities in Yemen that are controlled by the Houthis, a rebel group in the Middle Eastern nation. The US military was supported by the UK and several other allies, including the Netherlands and Canada. The US strikes were in response to recent attacks by the Houthis. Since November, the group has fired on dozens of cargo ships in and near the Red Sea, which is a global trade route, and disrupted the auto and steel industries, among others. The Houthis, who support Hamas in its ongoing war with Israel, said they targeted ships belonging to Israel and its allies, including the US. When The Week Junior went to press on January 16, five people had died in the…

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new program that will provide eligible families with money during the summer months so they can buy food for their children. The agency, which oversees policies related to food and nutrition, expects that nearly 21 million children will benefit from the program this year. How will the program work?` The program, known as the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer, or Summer EBT, will be available to families with children who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches during the school year. The families will receive $40 per month per child for three months, and the money will go onto a card that can be used to purchase food at stores. Thirty-five states, all five US territories, and four Native American tribes…

Recent studies have shown that 81% of high school students multitask while doing their homework, which can be as quick as checking a text while doing a math problem. In daily life, many of us multitask without even realizing it. It can make us feel productive, but scientists say that when we multitask, we overburden the part of our brain that controls thinking and planning, called the prefrontal cortex. That makes us slower to process information and make decisions, which in turn slows down the time it takes to complete any single task. Others believe that multitasking is a way of life and an essential skill as you age. What do you think? Should we stop multitasking? Yes—it’s hard on our brains Just because we think we’re saving time doesn’t…

Mira, 9, California Rebecca Roland Public affairs specialist, National Park Service Bunnies have powerful rear legs with large feet that can push them forward or up. They usually land on their front legs to balance while their back legs spring over the front ones and push off again. It’s the way bunnies were born to move. Some rabbits can “hop” at 30 mph and jump 4 feet high. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the National Park Service at nps.gov.…

Female mosquitoes, with their sharp, needle-like mouth part capable of piercing skin, are the only mosquitoes that bite people. Males also have this part, called a proboscis (pronounced pro-BOSS-iss), but it isn’t as strong or sharp. However, a new study found that prehistoric male mosquitoes may have once had a proboscis that could bite. The research focused on two mosquito fossils preserved in amber (a substance created when tree resin hardens) that date back to the early Cretaceous period, about 125 million to 130 million years ago. They were found in Lebanon and are thought to be the oldest known fossils from the mosquito family. At first, study author Dany Azar, a paleontologist (scientist who studies the past through fossils), thought he was looking at female mosquitoes because they had…

In addition to being New Year’s Day, January 1 is also known as Public Domain Day. The day marks the expiration of certain copyrights, which are an original creator’s ownership of a work such as a book or film. In the US, many copyrights end after 95 years, and one famous character being affected in 2024 is a version of Mickey Mouse from the 1928 black-and-white short film Steamboat Willie. When something is copyrighted, a person or company must pay a fee to the owners of the original work if they want to use it. When the copyright expires, the work enters the public domain and anyone can freely adapt, share, or transform it without payment. Steamboat Willie was made by animator and Disney founder Walt Disney and featured Mickey…

Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom is a new open world game. It was recently released exclusively for Apple Arcade and can be played on the iPhone and iPad. It is similar to the popular game Animal Crossing. In the 1990s, Tamagotchis were little toys made by the Japanese campany Bandai. They were egg-shaped and had video screens showing a virtual pet. Owners would press buttons to care for their animal, which “lived” for 12 days on average. In 1997, more than 40 million were sold around the world. Since then, Bandai has released updated versions of the toy as well as Tamagotchi video games, movies, and an animé TV series. The mascot for the Tamagotchi franchise is Mametchi, a yellow alien with big black ears. He is the main character in Tamagotchi…

The Giver By Lois Lowry “This book is about a boy named Jonas who lives in a community where people can’t see color and are assigned jobs. When Jonas reaches the age to attend the ceremony to receive his job, he is so excited. But during the ceremony, he is skipped. He then finds out that he has been assigned the most important role as the new Giver. I highly recommend this novel!” Anna, 10, New Jersey Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Word search BATCH BATTER BOWL BROWN SUGAR BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIE CUTTER CREAM CUPCAKE DOUGH DOZEN EGGS FLOUR ICING MEASURE MIXER OVEN PIES PREHEAT RECIPE SALT SIFT SPATULA STIR TEASPOON VANILLA WHIP WHISK Can you find all these words associated with baking 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. 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 letter added at the start, like OWL and BOWL. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) 1. You need to ———— the expiration date before you buy that loaf of —————.…

HONORING A ROCK STAR A road in Paris, France, was named after British music icon David Bowie, who died in 2016. The tribute, which took place on what would have been his 77th birthday, included a concert and ceremony. A fan called it “really moving.” CANDY ART The candy company Haribo teamed up with a university in Wisconsin to create the world’s largest gummy mosaic. People laid out about 150,000 gummy bears by hand to make the design. Haribo said it hopes the artwork “brings smiles to our fans’ faces.” A SAFE RETURN A dog who was missing for four years has been reunited with her owner, thanks to Utah Jazz basketball player Kelly Olynyk and his wife, Jackie. They found the pup, Harley, in a parking lot and spent…

Growing up, Mychal Threets fell in love with reading at Fairfield Civic Center Library (FCCL) in California. Now, at age 33, he is the supervising librarian of FCCL and has gained a following of more than 650,000 people who enjoy watching the videos he posts about libraries on social media. Threets was mostly homeschooled by his mother. They spent hours at FCCL and it became a home to him, he said. But he didn’t see many people who looked like him employed there and didn’t consider becoming a librarian until age 23, when he was hired to shelve books at a different Fairfield library. That’s when “my librarian journey began,” he told The Week Junior. Threets took librarian education courses and worked his way up to the position he now…

Blue whales have made themselves at home in a part of the Indian Ocean where they hadn’t been seen for many years, according to a study published late last year. The blue whale, an endangered species, is the largest animal on Earth. These whales can grow to about 100 feet long, and the animal’s heart alone can be the size of a small car. Blue whales were filmed in the waters around the Seychelles in 2020 and 2021. The Seychelles are a group of islands that make up the smallest African country. Hunters almost completely wiped out blue whales in the area in the 1960s. During this recent expedition, however, scientists spotted several of the creatures. Research suggests that these whales are not just passing through—they are staying in the…

Canada lynx The US government has proposed a recovery plan to prevent Canada lynx from going extinct in the country. The plan involves protecting lynx habitat and introducing the big cats to safer areas, such as Yellowstone National Park. Australian birds The populations of threatened and near-threatened birds in Australia have dropped by 60% on average in the past 40 years, new research found. The study looked at 72 bird species, including the helmeted honeyeater (pictured above).…

The Library of Congress (LOC) in Washington, DC, started out as a small collection of books for lawmakers. Today it serves as the main research arm of Congress (the branch of US government that makes laws), but it is also much more. The library’s first chapter In the late 18th century, the Continental Congress governed the newly formed United States of America. James Madison, then a representative, proposed making a list of books for lawmakers to refer to while they worked. In 1800, under President John Adams, $5,000 was provided to buy books for congressional use. Two years later, President Thomas Jefferson appointed John Beckley the first Librarian of Congress. During the War of 1812, British forces burned down the Capitol building, destroying the books. Jefferson sold Congress his personal…

An engineering student in Australia is using sound to help people who are blind or have low vision play Ping-Pong. Phoebe Peng attached cameras and speakers to the sides of a traditional Ping-Pong table. As the cameras track the ball’s movement, a computer program converts that information into sound that’s played through the speakers. People with low or no vision can use the sound to estimate the ball’s location. Peng hopes to improve the technology so players can identify the ball’s position more accurately.…

Over the course of two days, three of the most accomplished coaches in football history—Nick Saban, Bill Belichick, and Pete Carroll—left their jobs. They have coached in nearly half of the 48 combined Super Bowls and college football championship games that have been played since 2000 and won about one third of them. On January 10, Saban, head coach at the University of Alabama, announced his retirement. He won six championships in 17 seasons at Alabama and another national championship at Louisiana State University. He has more titles than any other coach in college football history. The next day, two National Football League (NFL) teams delivered their own major news. After ending the season with a 4–13 record, the New England Patriots said goodbye to Belichick, while the Seattle Seahawks…

A new National Geographic series inspired by the 1998 animated comedy adventure A Bug’s Life will give viewers a funny, up-close look at the world of insects. A Real Bug’s Life premieres on Disney+ on January 24 with an initial batch of five episodes. The series is narrated by actress, rapper, and comedian Awkwafina (real name: Nora Lum) and was created to get people to “fall in love with bugs,” executive producer Tom Hugh-Jones told The Week Junior. The episodes take place in different locations, such as the city or the jungle, which were chosen to “tell a range of stories about bugs and the different stages in their life cycle,” he said. The film crew couldn’t always see their subjects well with the naked eye, so they relied on…

Hailey’s On It! (Disney Now, Disney+, Hulu, or available to buy on other apps) “This animated show came out last year. It is about a teen named Hailey Banks (voiced by Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho) who has a big list of things she wants to do one day. She learns she has to complete them all because if she doesn’t, climate change will continue to accelerate until the world is engulfed in flames. The show is all of Hailey’s adventures with her BFF Scott Denoga, who is also her crush. Number 143 on her list is something she just can’t do. I would definitely recommend this.” Maggie, 13, Ohio Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Diana Ma (Clarion Books) An aspiring filmmaker, Lily wants to win the Clarkston’s Got Talent video contest and beat her rival, Max, who is also planning to enter. Lily plans to film the scenes at the town’s community center, where her parents run a program that teaches kids how to speak Chinese. When Lily brings her best friends to the community center to discuss casting, she discovers that her mother has been keeping a secret. The center is in danger of closing, affecting both her film and her family’s livelihood. Lily’s mom wants to hold a fundraiser for the center and invites a famous Chinese dancer to choreograph the routine. Lily feels obligated to participate even though she’s not a good dancer and it would give her less time…

Basketball: Amazing but True Stories By Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Jez Tuya (Workman Publishing) Highlighting the greatest slam dunkers, record-breaking plays, and legendary teams, the second book in the Who Got Game? series covers college and professional basketball. The first book focused on baseball. Ages 8 and up Gymnastics Superstars By Janie Scheffer (Lerner Publications) This book spotlights the world’s top gymnasts. US star Simone Biles, who has won more than 30 world championship and Olympic medals, has her own section. It covers past champions, such as Romanian Nadia Comaneci—the first gymnast to earn a perfect score at the Olympics in 1976. Ages 7–10 Scholastic Year in Sports 2024 By James Buckley Jr. (Scholastic) Packed with photos, this book highlights the best sports moments of the year. They include basketball…

Ingredients Pizza dip ● 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature ● 1½ cups shredded mozzarella ● 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ● 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ● 1 cup pizza sauce (from a can or jar) ● Mini pepperoni (optional) ● Fresh basil (optional) Garlic knots ● One 13.8-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough (such as Pillsbury brand) ● 4 tablespoons butter ● 2 cloves garlic, minced Instructions 1. Pizza dip: Preheat oven to 425° F. Using a stand mixer if you have one (or a spoon), mix the cream cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, and the Italian seasoning until well combined. Spread the mixture into a small baking dish or an oven-safe skillet. 2. Spoon pizza sauce over the cheese mixture,…

Two French chefs have cooked up a world record for putting the most varieties of cheese on a pizza. Benoît Bruel and Fabien Montellanico first laid out 1,001 types of cheese on a table to earn the title for largest display of cheese varieties. Next, they chopped a small cube from each cheese. They placed all the cubes on top of a sturdy pre-baked pizza crust before returning the gooey monstrosity to the oven for a final bake. After 13 years of cooking, Bruel said, “My only dream is to make pizzas with the widest variety of cheeses.”…

“I truly love The Week Junior magazine and the various topics it covers. In a similar effort, I have created a podcast called Vik the Random to share information in a simple yet thorough and fun way. I have been producing one podcast a week since last summer, and I am truly passionate about it. I also make my own music and cover art for the podcast. I talk about things that are current and relevant, and I explain topics that are crucial to understanding the world around us, such as fast food and electricity. I also get ideas for the podcast from articles I read in the news and find interesting.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to,…

We’d love to see pictures you’ve taken or pictures with you in them! Have an adult email them to us at hello@theweekjunior.com, along with anything you would like us to know about what’s happening in the photo. “I love getting the magazine in the mail every week and reading it with my dog, Francie!”Eloise, 9, Tennessee “I cooked the creamy tomato soup for my family to celebrate the new year.”Eli, 8, New York “The Week Junior inspired me to love reading! I started reading the Warriors Cats series, and I love it! Thank you!”Trisha, 9, Alaska…

How much of this week’s news can you remember? 1 What is the name of the mascot for the Tamagotchi franchise? a) Mamagotchi b) Meteoritchi c) Mametchi a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 Blue whales were recently found near the Seychelles, in which ocean? a) Atlantic b) Indian c) Pacific a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 3 True or false? St. Paul, Minnesota, is the first large US city to have an all-female city council. True ☐ False ☐ 4 Willis Gibson caused the game Tetris to crash when he reached what level? _____________________ 5 True or false? Currently, female mosquitoes are the only ones that bite people. True ☐ False ☐ 6 Which US President sold Congress his personal collection of books to restart the Library of Congress?…