Innehållsförteckning för Issue 215 från The Week Junior US

The US Census Bureau released a list of US cities that saw the most population growth in 2023, and the South filled the top 10 spots. Cities in Texas accounted for five of them. What happened? The Census Bureau is a government agency that gathers data on the US population and economy. The latest statistics, released on May 16, examined population changes between July 2022 and July 2023. The populations of many of the nation’s top cities dropped during the pandemic, but the new data showed that many of them have begun to rebound, especially in the South. And in cities where populations are still shrinking, the declines have slowed. Many cities have not yet rebounded to pre-pandemic population levels, but they’re seeing improved numbers over 2020 and 2021. The…

CELEBRATING SLOWLY A Linne’s two-toed sloth named Jan celebrated his 54th birthday, making him the oldest sloth ever in captivity. The slow-moving creature has lived at a zoo in Germany since 1986. Zookeepers said he’s healthy and happy. RECYCLING A FAVORITE New York City residents eat a lot of pizza, which means they also spend a lot of time trying to wrangle square pizza boxes into round recycling bins. To address this problem, officials introduced the city’s first bin for empty pizza boxes. It holds about 50 boxes that can simply be placed inside. A LUCKY BALLGAME There’s a 1 in 10 million chance of catching two foul balls in a row, but lifelong baseball fan Josh George did just that at a Seattle Mariners game. Video of the moment…

Melissa Cristina Márquez is a shark scientist and author whose work has been featured in National Geographic and Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. To create her new picture book, Sea of Constellations, Márquez drew on Latinx folklore to tell a story of sea creatures that light up a darkened ocean. Growing up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Márquez fell in love with the mystery of the sea. “Every time I dipped my toes into the water or went snorkeling, I discovered a whole new world beneath the surface,” she told The Week Junior. She studied marine ecology at New College of Florida and went on to earn a master’s degree in marine biology from Victoria University in New Zealand. Working in this field is “a dream come true for me,” she…

An error during an experiment led scientists from the University of Guelph in Canada to a surprising discovery: Bumblebee queens can survive underwater for up to a week. During winter, bumblebee queens stay underground in small burrows in soil. They enter a state called diapause, in which they stop feeding, growing, and reproducing. They also breathe less, taking in less oxygen than usual. While a team of researchers were conducting a previous study, a container holding bumblebee queens in diapause was accidentally filled with water. To the researchers’ surprise, the bees survived. “I was shocked,” said researcher Sabrina Rondeau, so she and professor Nigel Raine began to investigate further. They put 143 common eastern bumblebee queens in tubes with soil and placed them in a refrigerator so the bees would…

Frogs and toads Scientists in the US have identified the fungal virus that has been infecting amphibians for decades, causing dozens of species to become extinct. The discovery will help experts save frogs and toads, which have been most affected. Elk in Wyoming Wildlife officials in Wyoming say that people are illegally collecting antlers shed by elk. People have been gathering antlers outside of the legally allowed times and places, disturbing the animals and hurting their chance of survival.…

Japan The Mister Donut chain in Japan popularized the “Pon de Ring,” made of eight dough balls. It was later copied in the US as the mochi doughnut. Italy Dating back to ancient Rome, Italian zeppoles are deep-fried balls of dough dusted with powdered sugar. Zeppoles can also have fillings, like custard, cream, or sweet cheese. Brazil Sonhos, which translates to “dreams” in Portuguese, are soft, spongy doughnuts sliced in two and filled with a sweet custard cream. As a final touch, they are topped with powdered sugar. Iran Made with syrup and dipped in saffron rosewater, bamieh is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It is a favorite dessert at the evening meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.…

The 2024 WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) season tipped off on May 14. The league is drawing extra attention and new fans thanks, in part, to its rookie class that is filled with popular former college stars. Opening night featured the professional debut of Caitlin Clark, whom the Indiana Fever chose as the number one overall pick in this year’s WNBA Draft. While at the University of Iowa, she became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I basketball. The Fever’s first game was against the Connecticut Sun, and it was the most watched WNBA game on ESPN since 2001. Clark scored 20 points in the Fever’s 92–71 loss, but she also had 10 turnovers. Her next best game was against the Sun on May 20,…

Coach’s Name: Philip Walsh Team: Falcons (hockey) “I love having Philip as my coach. He always finds a great mix of drills that are fun and also improve our skills. If we make a mistake, he is always supportive and tells us how to do it right next time. He is always really patient if we mess up in a game or practice, and he tells us what went well and what didn’t. He has helped me improve my shooting, passing, and skating—and he always plays cool music to get us pumped up before a game!” Jack, 12, Massachusetts 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.…

Home Sweet Rome! (Max) This new series follows Lucy, a spirited teen, who moves from California to Rome to live with her dad and stepmom, a famous Italian pop star. She has to navigate a foreign city, a new school, and a new crush—all while her best friend is back home, 6,000 miles away. Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (Netflix) On the popular show Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, a group of teens were trapped on a dinosaur-filled island. In this new sequel, they are back home and reunite to solve the mystery of a friend’s death while they unravel a global conspiracy threatening them and the dinosaurs. Tigers on the Rise (Disney+) Learn about the remarkable rise of the world’s tiger population. This documentary visits India’s forests and features doctors, wildlife…

What are the biggest themes in your book? One is learning to overcome shyness so you can be your true self. Another is finding people who accept you for the way you want to be seen. Is Cecil based on anyone? He’s based on me! Did you move around while growing up? When I was 7, my family moved to Miami. Then we moved back to Boston when I was in sixth grade, and that was very tough for me. Any advice for kids who feel shy? Trust your instincts. That will help you decide what to do in different situations. If you could live inside a comic strip, which one would you choose? It would be Peanuts. I really find Snoopy a kick, and I have…

Summer will soon be here, with fewer commitments like homework. So now is a great time to think about planning a movie night. You may enjoy it so much that it becomes a new tradition. Here’s how to get started. Schedule it Scheduling movie night for a specific day will build excitement. Talk to friends or family about timing that would work best. It could be a one-time-only event, or you could make it a regular activity. You may decide to host a movie night every Friday, for example. Select a film Plan to choose which movie to watch ahead of time. If your movie night is on a Friday, ask everyone who will be joining to submit their choice by Wednesday. Review the options together and pick the film…

Even when you try hard to do your best—whether you’re playing a game, giving a performance, or taking an exam—sometimes you can still make a mistake. You may feel upset with yourself, but no one can completely avoid mistakes, and everyone makes them. Instead of being hard on yourself, try focusing on what you learned. You can use that information to think about what you will do differently next time. You could also write your feelings in a journal or talk to a trusted family member. You may also want to take a break from thinking about the mistake. You could watch a funny movie, go for a walk, or hang out with a friend. Your mistake will soon feel far in the past.…

We previewed the world-famous Westminster Dog Show in Issue 211, and now we know the grand prize winner (p5)! Sage, a 3-year-old miniature poodle, received the coveted best in show award, finishing first among what the judge called an “absolutely glorious” lineup of dogs. This was the 11th victory for a poodle in Westminster history, and The New York Times called it a “surprise win” because Sage was ranked 39th in the US and fourth in her competition group (non-sporting dogs) before the show. “I wasn’t expecting anything,” said her handler, Kaz Hosaka, who has participated in 45 Westminster shows and is known for his expertise in styling poodles’ hair. He and Sage plan to retire now. “She’ll be like a normal dog,” Hosaka said. Congratulations to the two of…

Maya, who is 9 years old and from Texas, told us that she wants to spread the word about the importance of planting trees to make the world a better place. Her hope for the Earth is that there would be no more littering. If you’d like to share your ideas for protecting the Earth, go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to print out a form, like the one at right. After you fill it out with your ideas and a drawing, have an adult email it to us at hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the submissions on this page in future issues.…

Teacher’s Name: Ms. Beaupré School: A.N. Pritzker “Ms. Beaupré is funny, nice, and caring. She is always there when we need help. It’s also fun because we have a compliment jar. When we do a good job or get a compliment from another teacher, we put a ball in the jar. When every student has put one in, we decide on a reward, like extra recess or a pajama day. I’m so lucky to be in her class!” Francesca, 10, Illinois Nominate your teacher for Teacher of the Week! Send your reason for the nomination, a photo of your teacher, and your school’s name and address to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Marco Wendt Wildlife ambassador, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Apes have been observed using a variety of methods to keep their nails trimmed. It’s really a matter of personal preference. Biting works, but simply waiting for the nails to break off works too! Daily activities like digging for grubs, climbing trees, and fighting with rivals may break a nail or two. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the San Diego Zoo at sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org.…

For many years, scientists have known that Stonehenge, a famous prehistoric monument in the UK, was built in alignment with the movement of the Sun. Now they are investigating whether it was also aligned with the Moon. Construction on Stonehenge, in Southern England, began about 5,000 years ago and lasted hundreds of years. Its massive stones are arranged in a horseshoe shape, surrounded by an outer circle. At certain times of the year, like the Summer Solstice, the Sun streams between the rocks at a specific angle. This spring, scientists will explore a connection between Stonehenge and a rare astronomical event called a major lunar standstill, which happens every 18.6 years. In a typical month, the Moon moves from its northernmost position to its southernmost position and back again. During…

Grounded is a freshly updated survival-adventure game. It originally came out for Xbox in late 2022 but was recently released for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation systems. It is rated T. In Grounded, gamers play as one of four kids who have been shrunk to the size of a little insect and wake up in a suburban backyard. They have no idea how they got there or became so small. They quickly realize there are threats behind every blade of grass and clump of dirt, so much of the game’s early play is about stocking up on resources such as pebbles and plant fibers in order to build shelters, weapons, and armor. The backyard is filled with treacherous creatures, and players are often attacked by ants, spiders, bees, and mites.…

“This book is about an orphan named Harry Potter who goes to a school for wizards and witches. There are a lot of little side stories in the book, such as a sports game called Quidditch. There is also a bigger story about a stone with the power to turn things into pure gold. Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione think a cruel teacher named Snape is trying to steal the stone. Who do you think is trying to steal it?” Life, 12, Washington…

Keyword crossword Once you have completed the crossword, transfer the letters in the yellow boxes, in order, into the boxes below to get the answer to the Keyword question. ACROSS 1 You can grind, tailslide, and ollie with this piece of sports equipment 7 Instagram or Spotify, for example 8 Mythical horselike creature with a horn 9 Color of eggplants and many grapes 10 Snug, warm, and comfortable 13 Broken dishes, damaged toys, and other stuff nobody wants 14 Small horses 17 Vegetable with iceberg and romaine varieties 19 Traditional tool for a lumberjack 20 Person in a crosswalk DOWN 1 Area of marshy wetland 2 Pain-relieving pill on a drugstore shelf 3 What = means in 1 + 1 = 2 4 Its three largest cities are Columbus, Cleveland,…

The expected major party Presidential candidates, President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, have agreed to meet in two televised debates. The first will be hosted by CNN on June 27. The second will be on September 10, hosted by ABC. This is the first time since 1988 that the debates were set by the candidates’ campaigns instead of the Commission on Presidential Debates, a nonpartisan group.…

With the summer break starting soon, many teenagers will be using their time off from school to work at a summer job. Other young people work throughout the year. Even though many working teens are doing the same jobs as adults, US and state laws allow employers to pay them less than older people receive. Some organizations working for pay equality say it isn’t fair that employers can pay certain people less money because of their age. Others argue that younger people don’t necessarily need or deserve the same pay as adults. What do you think? Should teens be paid the same as adults? Yes—it sets the right example Paying people who do the same job different amounts sets a terrible example and could encourage employers to find other reasons…

Americans eat about 10 billion doughnuts a year. In honor of National Doughnut Day on June 7, here’s a look at how this delectable treat became a national favorite. Early history The modern doughnut can be traced back to the 1600s with the arrival of Dutch immigrants to New York. They prepared olie koeken or olykoeks (“oil cakes”). These early versions were dough balls filled with fruit and nuts. A recipe for a treat similar to a modern doughnut appeared in a UK cookbook in 1750. Washington Irving’s 1809 book, A History of New York, is commonly credited with including the first written mention of doughnuts in the US. Irving described them as “balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog’s fat, and called doughnuts or olykoeks.” Spreading across the US…

Nature lovers can take their hobby to the next level with the world’s first pair of smart binoculars. AX Visio by Swarovski Optik uses artificial intelligence to identify birds and other creatures with the touch of a button. The device quickly connects to two wildlife databases containing details on more than 9,000 species. AX Visio lets users see in exceptional detail and color and includes a photo and video camera. The binoculars also let users share what they’re seeing with others in real time or guide people to their location.…

From March to November every year, the Blue Angels amaze crowds at air shows with their precision flying. A new documentary on Prime Video, The Blue Angels, reveals what it’s like to be the pilots and features thrilling footage from the air. The Blue Angels are the US Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron. They were formed more than 75 years ago to bring attention to naval aviation. The team is made up of 138 active-duty members of the Navy and the US Marine Corps. Among them are six fighter pilots who go through rigorous training that takes “study, practice, and self-belief,” Greg Wooldridge, a former Blue Angels pilot and one of the film’s executive producers, told The Week Junior. “It also takes incredible teamwork.” The pilots fly Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet…

“This is a really funny and good movie for families. It’s about a girl named Jenna who is turning 13. She is insecure because all the other girls at school have gone through puberty and she hasn’t. For her birthday, her best friend, Matt, gives her a dollhouse and sprinkles magical wishing dust on it. That night, as she makes a wish to be ‘30 and flirty and thriving,’ the dust falls on her. In the morning, she wakes up and she is 30! She experiences being an adult for a couple of weeks. She finds out she does not want to rush life, so she goes back to being 13 and lives happily ever after.” Ivy, 11, Illinois Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to…

Cecil has a hard time talking about how he feels. For example, he’s not excited about his family’s upcoming move from Florida to Massachusetts for his dad’s new job. Cecil also doesn’t want to be an architect or take taekwondo lessons—those are his dad’s ideas. Instead, Cecil wants to devote all his free time to his passion: drawing. Cecil is nervous and quiet on his first day at his new school, where most of the students are white. Cecil initially ignores his older sister’s advice to hang out with kids who are Black like him. One day, he brings his sketch pad to school and his classmates see that he’s a talented artist. They ask him to draw for them, which makes Cecil start to feel more confident. But a…

Lost & Found By Mei Yu (Union Square Kids) In this heartwarming graphic novel, the author writes about moving from China to Canada when she was growing up. She didn’t speak English at first, and she found a way to use art as a tool to help her learn the language. The variety of comic panels makes the book especially interesting to read. Ages 7–10 Lei and the Invisible Island By Malia Maunakea (Penguin Workshop) Like Lei and the Fire Goddess, this story also takes place in Hawaii. When a magical piece of jewelry goes missing, Lei must help locate it before her best friend disappears. In their journey to an invisible island, they’ll have to battle sharks, jump over a rainbow, and fend off evil spirits. Ages 8–12 Amil and…

Many spectacular art installations have appeared in New York City’s Times Square, but this one is a wiener! It’s a 65-foot-long hot dog sculpture, to be precise. Artists Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw said they created the giant frank to represent “an icon of America.” The duo also planned events alongside the meaty marvel, including a “condiment wars” wrestling match and a hot dog eating contest. And each day at noon, the frankfurter shoots confetti 90 feet into the air. “This is the sculpture that we deserve,” Outlaw said.…

“I tried the miso butter ramen noodles recipe from the Pet Power issue and it tasted so good!” Jessica, 13, California “Every time I read the article on America’s goofiest pet names on the That’s Unbelievable page, I burst out laughing.” Hunter, 10, New York “The Week Junior is our most favorite thing to read, and we can’t wait to receive it in the mail!”Walter, 11 (right), and Ricardo, 9, Virginia…