Innehållsförteckning för Issue 209 från The Week Junior US

After an attack on a convoy of vehicles carrying humanitarian aid, relief organizations have paused their operations in the Gaza Strip, where a war between Israel and Hamas has taken place since October. The aid groups had been providing food, water, and supplies to people in the territory. What happened? World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a global charity that feeds people facing conflict or natural disaster. Since the war began, WCK has distributed 1.75 million hot meals to people in Israel and 43 million meals in Gaza, which is the most provided by any non-government group. On April 1, vehicles bearing WCK’s logo were struck by Israeli missiles. Seven aid workers were killed. They were citizens of Australia, Gaza, Poland, the UK, the US, and Canada. WCK immediately ceased working…

WELCOMING A BABY ZooTampa in Florida welcomed a baby Malayan tapir, an endangered mammal native to Asia. The calf was born with spots and stripes, which will turn into a solid black-and-white coat as it grows into an adult. HONORING AN INNOVATOR Beyoncé received the iHeart Radio 2024 Innovator Award for her chart-topping work, which spans musical genres. The star, who is known for her pop and R&B albums, just released an album of country songs. “Innovation starts with a dream,” Beyoncé said at the ceremony. NAMING GOATS FOR THE GOAT Two baby goats born in Iowa were named Caitlin and Clark, in honor of basketball star Caitlin Clark. The athlete is often referred to as “the GOAT,” which stands for greatest of all time. Clark has set many records…

At age 13, Sky Brown became Great Britain’s youngest athlete to win an Olympic medal when she took bronze in skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Now, at age 15, as she prepares to compete at the Olympics this summer in Paris, France, she has published the graphic novel The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding. It shares fun facts about her life and explains basic skateboarding skills. The Week Junior spoke to Brown about the book. When did you get into skateboarding? My dad always had skateboards in the house, so since I could walk I was playing with them. I haven’t known life without them. How did you become a well-known athlete? I began skating and surfing at about age 2. My family posted short videos of me in action…

There are nearly 200 species of poison dart frogs, which are known for their bright colors and highly toxic skin. Not only are these frogs beautiful, but they can also do a kind of tap dance. Scientists have never fully understood why poison dart frogs have a habit of tapping the middle toes on their back feet, but a recent study may have solved the puzzle. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studied a species called the dyeing poison dart frog. The team filmed 22 frogs in enclosures with soil, leaves, and rocks on the ground, much like the frogs’ natural habitat. At feeding time, researchers placed one of the hungry frogs’ favorite foods—fruit flies—in front of them. The researchers found that the frogs tapped their toes an average…

Donna Stockton Amazonia zookeeper, Smithsonian’s National Zoo When jumping, grasshoppers pull the lower part of their hind legs closer to their bodies and push down to launch themselves forward or upward. Because their legs are long and their muscles are so strong, that single push can launch them very far—up to several times their body length. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Smithsonian’s National Zoo at nationalzoo.si.edu.…

A six-year effort to build a database of 3D scans of animals is complete. The collection, called open Vertebrate, or oVert, contains more than 13,000 images of vertebrates (animals with a backbone) and is now available for free online. The project began in 2017, led by scientists from the Florida Museum of Natural History and involving 18 research organizations. The digital models were created with CT scans, which use powerful x-rays to capture extremely detailed views of an animal’s skeleton. Some scans also include an animal’s skin, muscles, or other organs. The oVert team scanned a wide range of animal specimens that were being held in museum collections. Some specimens, such as reptiles and fish stored in a liquid preservative in a jar, were easy to scan. Others—like a humpback…

Pepper Grinder is a colorful new action-puzzle game. It was recently released for the Nintendo Switch and PC. In the game, you play as Pepper, an adventurous sailor. The story begins when Pepper washes up on an island where a mysterious stranger with an army of little green monsters steals her treasure. To get it back, Pepper goes on an adventure across land and under the sea, where she explores colorful territories and meets new creatures. The 2D, pixelated action plays out across a classic side-scrolling platform but with an updated twist: Pepper carries a giant drill that helps her tunnel through land, take out enemies, and fly in the air. The drill is named Grinder, and it’s an unusually powerful tool to find in a side-scrolling game. Pepper can…

“This book is about a girl named Olive who has osteogenesis imperfecta. She dreams of going to a traditional middle school, but her disease can cause dangerous problems to her bones. Finally, her parents let her go, and she is determined to find a wish-granting hummingbird that may heal her fragile bones. This is a wonderful story because Olive has so much determination.” Miraya, 11, Texas Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

How did you do in your March Madness brackets (p18)? If you chose South Carolina to win the college basketball tournament for the women and UConn to take the title for the men, you chose well! Congratulations to those teams, to Iowa and Purdue for making it to the finals, and to every team selected to play. The action was thrilling, as was the incredible support shown this year for women’s basketball. The championship game between South Carolina and Iowa attracted 18.7 million TV viewers! That makes it the most-watched basketball game (men’s or women’s, college or pro), as well as the most-watched sporting event (excluding football and the Olympics), since 2019. Iowa powerhouse Caitlin Clark said after the game that what means the most to her about this memorable…

Trusted and loved by over 100,000 readers across America, The Week Junior is the perfect gift to delight a child in your life. Week after week, accessible takes on current events, scientific discoveries, new book and movie releases, as well as sports, recipes, and crafts, inspire children to read and keep reading. It’s a gift they’ll enjoy long after the celebration is over. Subscribe here! Discounts available. Go online to order, visit theweekjunior.com/birthdaycake SCAN TO ORDER…

This remote landscape is one of America’s least visited national parks. It was created in 1978 to protect the natural environment around the Aniakchak Caldera. (A caldera is a depression formed when a volcano erupts and then collapses.) One main attraction in the park is the Aniakchak River, which begins inside an active volcanic caldera and cuts through the tundra before meeting the Pacific Ocean. This meeting point is a great place to spot otters, seals, and sea birds. One of the park’s most famous residents is the brown bear, and wolverines, caribou, and foxes also live there.…

More than 150 million sets of Scrabble have been sold in 29 languages and 121 countries since its creation 86 years ago. Find out how Scrabble became one of the best-selling modern board games. What is Scrabble? Scrabble is a board game played with 100 letter tiles on a 15-by-15 grid of 225 squares, some of which have extra point values. A game is played by two to four players (recommended ages 8 to adult), who each begin with seven letter tiles placed on a rack and hidden from other players. Competitors take turns using tiles to spell out words and earn points. After each turn, players draw a new tile from a bag. The game ends when one player has played every tile on their rack (called “playing out”)…

CT scanning and similar technology have been used to study animals that died thousands of years ago, including many that were preserved as mummies. Doing so allows researchers to study the remains without the risk of damaging them. Taking a closer look at mummified animals improves their knowledge of the ancient Egyptian practice of preserving and burying animals. In 2023, scientists used advanced scanning techniques to look inside sealed copper coffins found in Egypt. They determined that the creatures inside were probably lizards. In…

Scientists in Switzerland created a robot that uses the skills of parkour to move quickly and safely over dangerous terrain. Parkour is a sport where people jump, climb, or clamber over obstacles to get around. ANYmal is quadrupedal, meaning it uses four feet. It is equipped with a spotlight, a scanner, a microphone, and cameras that help it assess its surroundings. It can move on unstable or slippery surfaces, cross gaps, and climb piles of rubble. The robot could help at disaster sites or other places that are dangerous for humans.…

Every two years, the Whitney Museum in New York City puts on a major exhibition of contemporary art. Its goal is to highlight works that the museum’s curators (people who select art) believe represent trends and core ideas in the art world today. The Whitney Biennial 2024 recently opened with pieces by 71 diverse artists and collectives (artist groups) from the US. The Whitney Biennial is the longest-running showcase of contemporary art in the country. It began as an annual event in 1932, but the frequency changed in 1973. The show usually mixes pieces by famous and lesser-known artists. This year’s theme is “Even Better Than the Real Thing,” which covers topics such as identity and artificial intelligence (AI). Many of the works address how AI complicates people’s understanding of…

“You should watch this game show hosted by actor Rob Lowe. There are 81 contestants at the start, and they each stand on a square on a 9x9 floor. Each player knows a lot about a specific subject, and they challenge each other in timed one-on-one photo-identification battles. The person who wins the face-off gets the other person’s territory. The champion of the game is the person who conquers the floor, and their prize is $250,000. It’s crazy how close the challenges can come, which makes the show very entertaining.” Eli, 8, New York Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

(Dial Books for Young Readers) Tyler can solve a Rubik’s Cube faster than most other 12-year-olds can. At a regional competition for speed-cubing, Tyler’s winning time is less than seven seconds. He receives a first-place trophy and a sponsorship to participate in the national tournament, which will be his toughest challenge yet. When Tyler arrives, he meets Dirk, an arrogant teenager who has won the previous two national championships, and Eli, an 8-year-old cubing whiz who has his own social media channel. Other contestants include twin sisters and a senior citizen who won a cubing championship in 1982. The tournament includes competitions for five sizes of cubes, and Tyler enters two of them—the 5x5 and the 3x3. While the 5x5 isn’t Tyler’s main focus, he solves the first puzzles quickly.…

Leafy Landmarks By Michelle Schaub, illustrated by Anne Lambelet (Sleeping Bear Press) A family takes a road trip to explore the most interesting trees in the US. They visit the Tree of Independence, which was planted in 1776 in New Hampshire, and a special bur oak tree in Nebraska. Ages 6 and up Rise to the Sky By Rebecca E. Hirsch, illustrated by Mia Posada (Millbrook Press) This book highlights giant sequoias, southern blue gums, and other trees that are taller than the Statue of Liberty. It explains what these trees need to grow and includes interesting facts. For instance, did you know that some types of redwood trees can live for more than 2,000 years? Up to age 10 The Tree of Hope By Anna Orenstein-Cardona, illustrated by Juan…

Word search Can you find all these things in and around a house 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. AREA RUG ATTIC BANISTER BEDS BUREAU CABINETS CELLAR CLOSET COFFEE TABLE FENCE FURNACE GARAGE HALL KITCHEN LIVING ROOM MANTEL PANTRY PATIO  PORCH RECLINER ROOF SINK SOFA STAIRS TOILET TUB WELCOME MAT YARD FILL IN THE BLANKS Fill in the blanks in each sentence with words that rhyme, like OUR and POWER. 1. My uncle’s chin looks _________ to me now because I’ve never seen him without his _______before. 2. When I was too_______ to know better, I stuck my ______ out at a bee and it_______ me! 3. After…

“The smoothie from the How To section in Issue 204 was the best drink I have ever made!”Avery, 12, Georgia “We love trying new recipes.”Simone, 14, and Maxwell, 10, Washington “Thank you for this yummy recipe!”Zev, 8, California “We loved making the smoothie!” Mim, 8, and Matilda, 12, Illinois “We made the smoothie and it was delicious!” Natalie, 10, and Alice, 10, Washington, DC…

Teacher’s Name: Mr. Brown School: Colorado Academy “Mr. Brown is kind, funny, and caring. When we need help, he stays on the rug with us and explains things. During recess, he plays with us and sits at every student’s lunch table to talk about our favorite games and what we think of fourth grade. I’m always filled with joy when I walk into the classroom. He is always saying ‘yet’ when we say, ‘I can’t do this!’ I’m so lucky to be in his class!” Samson, 10, Colorado 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.…

April 15, 1861 Lincoln calls for military volunteers On April 15, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 people to join the US military. His call came three days after troops from the Confederacy (group of states that fought to preserve slavery) fired on the US Army base at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, starting the Civil War. The fighting lasted until 1865, when the Confederacy surrendered to the US and slavery was abolished in all states.…

There are so many exciting things about the start of a school year, from new backpacks to fresh school supplies and old friends. For many students, there’s also the anticipation of meeting their new teacher. But some experts say that’s not always what’s best for students. In Europe, studies have shown that math and reading test scores are higher when students stay with the same teacher for multiple years. And in the US, schools in Indiana and North Carolina found that looping helps students excel in school. Other people feel it doesn’t work for every child and could hurt their education. What do you think? Should students stay with the same teacher? Yes—consistency is important Kids thrive when they have stability and structure, which looping provides. Every student has a…

Boggle After shaking a covered tray filled with 16 cubes, players need to find as many words as possible, in any direction, that are at least three letters long. Bananagrams Tiles are placed face down on a surface rather than on a game board, and each player picks the same number. When someone yells “split,” tiles are flipped and players try to make the most words. Upwords In the game also known as Scrabble Upwords, players can make words across or down, as in Scrabble, but can also stack tiles on top of one another to change a word. Wordle This online game, created by a software engineer, gives you six chances to solve a five-letter word of the day. Different-colored clues after each guess help you figure out the…

The missing portion of a huge statue of the Egyptian king Ramses II was recently discovered in Egypt. Experts have been searching for the top piece of the statue since its lower section was discovered 94 years ago. Ramses II was pharaoh (ruler) of Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BCE, and his reign was the second longest in Egypt’s history. Often known as “Ramses the Great,” he built many statues and monuments throughout Egypt during his rule, some of which reached heights of up to 65 feet. The top piece of the limestone statue is about 12.5 feet tall. It was discovered by a team of American and Egyptian archaeologists (scientists who study objects left by people long ago) near the ancient city of Hermopolis. Researchers were looking for a…

On April 7 and 8, the women’s and men’s NCAA (National College Athletic Association) basketball tournaments ended after more than two weeks of exciting competitions. South Carolina won the women’s title, and UConn (the University of Connecticut) won the men’s title. In the women’s final, South Carolina, who were undefeated all season and the overall top-seeded (ranked) team, beat Iowa, another number one, 87–75. It is the team’s third national title. The contest was a rematch of one of last year’s semifinal games, which Iowa won. The final featured two of college basketball’s stars, Kamilla Cardoso of South Carolina and Caitlin Clark of Iowa. Iowa got off to a hot start, scoring the first 10 points. Clark had 18 in the opening quarter and helped her team gain a 27–20…

Coach’s Name: Matt Young Teams: Warriors (soccer) and Dodgers (baseball) “Coach Matt is super motivating and positive. His motto is, ‘We play as a team and we play with confidence!’ He teaches us that we should learn from our mistakes. He tells us it doesn’t matter what the other team is doing and we should always play fair. He encourages us to excel and work on our skills and talents. He’s helped me with my shooting in soccer and pitching in baseball, and he makes practice fun. Coach Matt is awesome!” Eshan, 8, Texas To nominate a Coach of the Week, send your coach’s name, photo, sport, and team to hello@theweekjunior.com. Include your name, age, state, and a few reasons why your coach is great.…

I Woke Up a Vampire (Netflix) Carmie Henley is a girl whose life was turned upside down on her 13th birthday when she discovered she was half-human, half-vampire. In the new second season of this comedy series, she is entering high school and figuring out how to handle that along with her special powers. Our Living World (Netflix) This four-part documentary series reveals the ways everything in nature is interconnected. It looks back at the history of Earth and visits locations around the world, including Africa and the Arctic, to show how ecosystems of plants and animals interact on a global scale. Monsters at Work (Disney Channel) In this spin-off of the popular movie Monsters, Inc., Tylor is an employee at Monsters Inc., a company that harnesses children’s laughter to…

Did you love cubing when you were a child? Yes, I grew up in the 1980s when the Rubik’s Cube came out and everyone seemed to have one. I’m part of a Rubik’s Cube club today, and I teach people how to cube. Is Tyler based on anyone you know? Tyler is a lot like my son, who is obsessed with cubing. He is the first person I watched solve a Rubik’s Cube completely on his own. Can you solve a Rubik’s Cube on your own? I can, but only when I’m using my notes. What do you hope kids take away from this story? Try to remember that your top competitor in an event isn’t another person—it’s yourself. That mindset is a wise way to look at the world.…

Earth Day is coming up on April 22. The day is a time to focus on the natural world and raise awareness of the major challenges the planet faces. This year’s Earth Day theme, “Planet vs. Plastics,” is intended to raise awareness of the health risk of plastics and advocate for the rapid phase-out of all single-use plastics. Here are some simple ways you can get involved and encourage others in your community to do the same. Attend an event On April 22 and the days before and after, people will gather at Earth Day events. These could include marches or rallies to raise awareness of climate change, educational events that teach new things about the Earth, or cleanups of local natural areas. You can visit earthday.org/earth-day-2024 to find events…

Madeline Landecker, a 10-year-old insect enthusiast who lives in Arkansas, spotted a rare pink grasshopper near her family’s farm. Pink grasshoppers have a condition that causes them to produce extra red pigment. Landecker noticed that the insect, which she named Millie, was missing a leg. So Landecker put Millie into a terrarium and gave her some grass to eat along with another grasshopper—named Billie—for company. “I thought they could be good friends,” Landecker said. “If I could, I would keep her forever.”…

“I was inspired by the Women’s History Month issue. I did a presentation at my school with the information from the magazine!”Rosalie, 10, Washington “I read The Week Junior as I waited to break my fast at sunset for Ramadan.” Aymaan, 10, Pennsylvania “I was surprised when I read about the Library of Congress in The Week Junior because we were going there the following week!”Maya, 8, and Louisa, 5, Rhode Island…