Innehållsförteckning för Issue 219 från The Week Junior US

World leaders gathered in Italy from June 13–15 for the annual Group of Seven (G7) summit. The members of the organization are the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. They were joined by representatives of the European Union (EU, a group of 27 nations) and leaders from 10 other countries, including India, Kenya, Brazil, Argentina, Jordan, and Turkey. What is the G7? The G7 is made up of the democratic nations with the world’s largest economies. Each year, a different country hosts the meeting, where members and guests strengthen their relationships and pursue common ground on global affairs. They address issues such as the economy, trade, war, climate change, migration, healthcare, human rights, and gender equality. What happened at this year’s meeting? The most pressing topic was…

A BIG BIRTHDAY Donald Duck, the short-tempered but lovable Disney character who speaks in a language all his own, turned 90. Originally created as a minor character, he was so popular that animators gave him star status. “Donald is the pride and joy of our studio,” Walt Disney once said. HELPING BEES An environmental group in Colorado is giving away 100,000 seed packets to help declining bee populations. Great Outdoors Colorado is asking citizens to plant the “Wilderflower” seeds—named after their mascot, Wilder—which will grow into native flowers for pollinators. THE TALLEST GOOD BOY A 3-year-old Great Dane named Kevin is officially the world’s tallest male dog. Kevin, who is named after the main character in the movie Home Alone, stands 3 feet, 2 inches tall at his shoulders. Described…

Dr. Jacqueline B. Toner has spent her career of more than 30 years helping people understand their emotions and feelings. She is a psychologist, meaning she studies the mind and behavior, and draws from this expertise in the nine books she’s published. Her latest, True or False?: The Science of Perception, Misinformation, and Disinformation, aims to help young people navigate online content. It will be released on August 6. Toner, who lives in Baltimore, Maryland, was interested in psychology from a young age. She studied the subject in college and earned her doctorate in psychology from the University of Virginia. Afterward, she became a clinical psychologist, treating children and teenagers with mental health concerns. That experience led her to co-author the book series What to Do When, which offers children…

Nests in trees are not just for birds. Orangutans are also known for constructing nests high up in the treetops, where they sleep at night. Now researchers from the UK have learned that orangutans develop their ability to build nests over the course of several years, starting from a young age. Orangutans live in forests on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Every night, they build nests in trees as high as four stories above the ground. After picking a spot, orangutans will bend or break branches inward and weave them together to form a basic support structure for the nest. They then add smaller branches on top of this structure to create a comfortable place to sleep. Some orangutans even make pillows or roofs for their nests. A team…

Experts previously thought this small frog species had no lungs. They believed the frog absorbed all of its oxygen through its skin. But now, using a high-resolution scanner, researchers have discovered tiny lungs inside its body. • LIFE SPAN: Unknown• HABITAT: Fast-flowing streams on Borneo Island• SIZE: About 3 inches long• DIET: Shrimp and larvae (young insects)• FUN FACT: Having a flat body makes it easy for this frog to hide under rocks for protection.…

Artist and children’s book author Faith Ringgold recently died at age 93. She was best known for using a variety of art forms to portray Black American lives. Early life Faith Willi Jones was born in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood on October 8, 1930. Her mother, Willi Posey, was a seamstress and fashion designer, and her father drove a sanitation truck. Faith spent significant time in bed due to her asthma and passed the time drawing and painting. After high school, she went to the City College of New York, where women were not allowed to major in art. She studied it anyway by enrolling in the college’s school of education. She graduated in 1955, returned to earn a master’s degree in art in 1959, and taught art in…

Humans pick up bulky objects using their hands, arms, chest, and hips, but most humanoid (humanlike) robots use only their hands. A new robot, called Punyo, is designed to “hug” objects to pick them up, just like a person would. Punyo wears a “sweater” loaded with cameras, sensors, and inflatable pads that tell it whether an object is hard or soft and how much it weighs. Punyo can adapt by leaning forward or backward, hugging firmly, or loosening its grip on whatever it’s holding.…

Zion Redington AGE: 18 SPORT: WHEELCHAIR RUGBY “My favorite thing about wheelchair rugby is the big hits. It’s a very physical sport. You’ve got guys flipping over all the time and tons of people just going at it.” Evy Leibfarth AGE: 20 SPORT: CANOE/KAYAK “Every course is different, so there’s always problem-solving and visualizing how you’re going to do the gates. We don’t get to practice them before the competition. We watch a demonstration, and then we have about a day to plan.” Andrew Capobianco AGE: 24 SPORT: DIVING “I started with gymnastics when I was 9 years old. During a field trip I took to a community pool with my elementary school, I was flipping off the diving boards, and the diving coach there asked me if I was…

MultiVersus is a new platform fighting game. It was recently released for the PlayStation platforms, Xbox systems, and PC. It is rated Teen. The free-to-play game features characters from franchises created or owned by Warner Brothers, such as DC Comics and Looney Tunes, facing off in action-packed showdowns that are cartoonish, not gruesome. It is similar to the popular Nintendo game Super Smash Bros. There are currently 27 playable characters in MultiVersus, and more are likely on the way. The lineup includes Batman, Bugs Bunny, Gizmo from Gremlins, Morty from Rick and Morty, and the Iron Giant. Not every character is available to play with from the start, though. For example, it takes time to unlock the Joker. Another way to get characters is to buy them. The characters are…

Do you believe in aliens? I 100,000% do! I thought I saw one when I was a child. I woke up in the middle of the night when I was sick, and I remember seeing an adorable little alien at the foot of my bed. How did this book come about? For a long time, I’ve been fascinated about what extraterrestrial life would mean for humanity. I research UFO sightings as a hobby and decided to turn my interest into a book series. What do you hope young readers take away from the story? After kids travel the cosmos with Roswell and read about aliens of all colors, shapes, sizes, and belief systems, I hope they realize that prejudice, racism, and bigotry are pointless. I also hope they look at…

I was amazed when I read in this week’s issue that Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, has been turned into a facility for the US Olympic Team Trials in swimming (p5). The ingenuity that went into this transformation is incredible, as is the photo we show with the story. I’ll be excited to learn which of the 1,000 athletes competing at the Trials will represent the US at the Paris Olympics this summer. Also in this issue, I was fascinated by the discovery of the wreckage of a ship named the Quest off the coast of Canada (p3). Famous explorer Ernest Shackleton died aboard the ship in 1922, and it sank on an expedition in 1962. More than 60 years later, it’s been found mostly intact.…

“I love reading The Week Junior when I wake up in the morning!”Kaiden, 10, Illinois “We visited a Randy’s Donuts store after reading about it in The Week Junior.”Riya, 12, and Rishav, 10, California “I love The Week Junior. It inspired me to make a newspaper at my elementary school.”Everett, 10, Tennessee…

Dinosaurs once lived in this remote landscape, where visitors can now see and touch million-year-old dinosaur fossils. The Quarry Exhibit Hall features about 1,500 dinosaur bones from the Late Jurassic period (164 to 145 million years ago), including Allosaurus and Stegosaurus. Scientists have also found evidence here of animals that lived alongside dinosaurs, including turtles, salamanders, and small mammals. Today, pronghorns, bobcats, side-blotched lizards, and more than 200 bird species thrive in the park’s deserts, woodlands, mountains, rivers, and canyons.…

Red wolves Four red wolf pups were born at the Trevor Zoo in New York, and eight more were born in the wild at a North Carolina wildlife refuge. About 20 of these critically endangered wolves remain in the wild, so every birth makes a difference. Greater spotted eagles The war in Ukraine has caused greater spotted eagles to alter their migration routes. Experts found that they are traveling an extra 52 miles on average to avoid conflict areas during their spring journey from South Sudan and Greece to Belarus.…

Nigerian Face Mask #1 Inspired by a visit to Nigeria, Ringgold created this 1976 mask using fabric, beads, and raffia palm leaf fibers. It was the first in a series of masks she made. Mrs. Jones and Family Ringgold made several sculptures of people she knew and admired. This 1973 soft sculpture represents a young Ringgold with her mother, sister, and brother. Their clothing is attached to the masks that form their faces. For the Women’s House The artist created this large painting for a women’s prison in New York City. Measuring 8 feet tall by 8 feet wide, it depicts females in nontraditional roles and careers.…

New shirts can help soccer fans who are deaf or have hearing loss “feel” the atmosphere of a stadium during a match. The SoundShirt, created by a company called CuteCircuit, uses haptic technology. This uses forces, vibrations, or movements to create an artificial sense of touch. The technology debuted at a match at St. James’ Park in the UK, where the soccer team Newcastle United plays. Microphones placed around the pitch capture the sound of the crowd cheering and singing. A special computer program analyzes the sounds and transforms them into data, which is wirelessly sent to the shirts. Electronic circuits inside the shirt material respond to the sounds of the crowd and cause tiny motors to vibrate, which the person wearing the shirt can feel in real time. CuteCircuit…

I see you A parakeet in Turkey peeks out from a tree. Seeing circles An ancient mosque in Turkey is seen from above. Light bright The art exhibit Dandelion by Amigo & Amigo is on display in Singapore. All together Students in China take part in a flash mob before college entrance exams. Take a walk A tunnel in Australia is transformed as part of a show called Dark Spectrum. Ride the wave A US athlete competes in the opening round of a surfing competition in Tahiti.…

Shiny, colorful animals are now filling the San Antonio Botanical Garden in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of Huntopia: Bunnies, Birds & Butterflies, an exhibition of large-scale sculptures and paintings by American artist Hunt Slonem that is making its world premiere. Slonem, age 72, was born in Kittery, Maine, but grew up in places that included Hawaii and Nicaragua, where he became fascinated with tropical nature. He is known for vibrant abstract paintings of nature and animals as well as playful sculptures. Katherine Trumble, the Garden’s chief executive officer, told The Week Junior that Slonem spent the past five years dreaming about a garden show. She said Huntopia is “like walking into a canvas of Hunt’s work.” Slonem’s art is displayed in 25 scenes across the garden’s 38 acres.…

Henry Danger (Major streaming platforms) “This five-season TV series is about Henry Hart, a 13-year-old from a town called Swellview. After he meets the town’s superhero, Captain Man, Henry becomes his sidekick-in-training, Kid Danger. While Henry fights crime all over Swellview, he has to keep his job as Kid Danger a secret from his family and friends. Some of the villains they face are The Toddler and Time Jerker. After a while, Henry’s friends Charlotte and Jasper find out about his secret identity and join the superhero team to help Kid Danger and Captain Man fight crime.” Cassidy, 9, North Carolina Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

(Little, Brown and Company) Roswell wants to prove that aliens exist. He thinks his science fair project on the topic will be convincing, but a racist judge doesn’t give him a chance to present his findings or explain how his father once encountered aliens. After school, Roswell is at home when he hears his grandfather’s prized chicken clucking. The chicken is being beamed onto a UFO, and Roswell jumps in. Nerp and Bleep, part of a friendly alien race called the Grays, are conducting experiments on life-forms. They don’t realize Roswell is on board until they’re practically to Pluto. Before Nerp and Bleep can return Roswell to Earth, they all get abducted by an evil alien species. Roswell’s interrogation by the aliens is interrupted by a mind reader who is…

Nature photography is about taking pictures of natural elements outdoors, from wildlife to weather. It can be done anywhere, with a camera or a phone, and is a great way to document the natural scenery around you. “Nature photography is an amazing tool that you can use to capture and share what’s important to you,” professional nature photographer Jesse Burke told The Week Junior. Here’s how to get started. Pick a setting First, choose where you want to take nature photos. If you’re a beginner, you can start in your neighborhood or a local park. You can shoot wildlife, like birds or squirrels, or zoom in on trees that reflect a change of seasons. As you gain experience, you can work up to bigger settings, like landscapes. Try to tell…

“I love reading The Week Junior and am passionate about writing. I self-published a fantasy fiction novel, Protector Stones, last summer. I spent about a year writing the story and felt like giving up many times when I encountered writer’s block. With my parents’ support, I learned to be resilient and was determined to achieve my goal of finishing the 54,000-word book. I hope my writing journey is an inspiration for young kids who want to become authors. Don’t give up on your dream!” 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.…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Dierlam School: Westridge Elementary School “Mrs. Dierlam is a great teacher. She talks to us kindly, and if someone needs help, she’s always there for them. Mrs. Dierlam makes the school day fun. We do lots of projects, like writing poems and having a poetry café. When I say I can’t do something, she says I may not be able to do it now, but I will be able to do it soon. I love going to school because of Mrs. Dierlam!”Teddy, 7, Virginia 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.…

More than 500 million people use Spotify, the world’s most popular music streaming service. By some estimates, about a third of the top songs on Spotify have explicit lyrics and contain swear words. Although explicit songs are usually labeled and can be blocked, the system isn’t foolproof. Some songs avoid getting labeled, while other songs might be clean but the lyrics shown on screen aren’t. Many artists swear in their music and say they’re simply expressing themselves, and many people support that. Others, however, say they should clean up their act. What do you think? Should singers stop swearing in their songs? Yes—artists are role models Singers release radio-friendly versions of their music, and they’re still popular. This shows that songs don’t need swear words to become hits. Swearing is…

Joseph K. Gaydos Senior wildlife veterinarian, SeaDoc Society, UC Davis SVM Some turtles evolved to spend long periods of time underwater. For example, sea turtles have a streamlined shape with long flippers that are more useful for swimming than for walking. They can also hold their breath for a long time, partly thanks to their muscles’ ability to hold oxygen. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about UC Davis SVM at vetmed.ucdavis.edu.…

For many years, scientists believed that all dinosaurs were cold-blooded. However, they also knew that dinosaurs eventually evolved (changed very slowly over time) into modern birds, like pigeons and chickens, which are warm-blooded. That meant that at least some dinosaurs must have become warm-blooded, but which ones and when that happened was unclear. Now a new study has found that dinosaurs became warm-blooded about 183 million years ago. Cold-blooded, or ectothermic, animals rely on external sources of heat, like sunlight, to maintain their body temperature. Reptiles, amphibians, and most fish are cold-blooded. Warm-blooded, or endothermic, animals can generate their own body heat internally. Birds and mammals, including humans, are warm-blooded. The new study was led by Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza of University College London, in the UK. He and his team…

The Boston Celtics won the 2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) championship on June 17 after beating the Dallas Mavericks, 106–88, in Game 5 of the best-of-seven NBA Finals. It is their 18th title, which is the most of any NBA franchise. In the postseason, the Celtics were the top-seeded (ranked) team in the Eastern Conference. The Mavericks were the fifth seed in the West, and they eliminated three of the top four teams in their conference to earn their chance at a second NBA title. The first two games of the finals were played in Boston, Massachusetts, and the Celtics won both. The teams then traveled to Dallas, Texas, where they played a thrilling Game 3. Early in the fourth quarter, the Celtics were up by 21 points. The Mavericks…

Coach’s Name: Adrian Hughes Team: Delco Gaels (Gaelic Sports) “Coach Adrian always makes sure we’re having fun and feeling a part of the team. He make practices interesting and sometimes brings us popsicles! He is always positive and gives us pointers on how to improve. In hurling, he’s helped us get better at picking up the ball with our hurls, which can be tricky! In Gaelic football, he helps us with the correct punting technique. We have a good time with him.” Zhana, 11, and Liam, 8, 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 few reasons why your coach is great.…

Estate owner He is known for buying and restoring old homes and buildings around the country. One of them is a French chateau-style castle (right) in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, which was built in the 1880s and has 40 rooms. Animal lover The artist has his own aviary (building for birds) where he keeps about 100 live birds of various species, including parrots. He has owned some birds for more than 40 years. Slonem often has birds on his shoulder while he’s painting in his studio. Collector Slonem has built up collections of top hats and old antique frames, which he often finds at flea markets. He uses the frames to showcase his own paintings.…

Camp Snoopy (Apple TV+) Snoopy, the beloved beagle from the Peanuts comics, stars in this new series. It follows him and his fellow Beagle Scouts in the great outdoors. They cross paths with Charlie Brown and friends at camp and have a summer full of hiking, swimming, and campfires. Dynamic Planet (PBS) Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET (PBS app) (PBS.org) Travel to remote places through this four-part documentary series. You’ll see animals such as emperor penguins and monarch butterflies, learn how science can predict the planet’s future, and meet people protecting wildlife. Angry Birds Mystery Island (Amazon Prime) The popular Angry Birds video game inspired this new series. It follows piglet Hamylton and teen birds Mia, Rosie, and Buddy, who get stranded on an island. They try to return home,…

Roswell Johnson Saves the World! is full of humor and pop-culture references, yet it also addresses important issues like racism. Here are questions to get a conversation going with friends and family who have also read the book. Roswell believes there’s no point in having a talent if no one recognizes it. What do you think? The aliens said they secretly prevented harmful events from taking place on Earth. What are the pros and cons of their interventions? Who do you think is the most resourceful character in the book and why? Do you agree or disagree with how Roswell explains prejudices on Earth to the aliens? If you met aliens, what would you most want to ask them?…

Jesse Burke He likes to document humans’ relationship with nature, including life on his farm with his three daughters. See his work at jesseburke.com. Angela Ledyard She became interested in photography while watching her grandparents take photos. Now she finds inspiration in landscapes and more. See her work at angelaledyard.com. Ami Vitale She works as a photographer, filmmaker, and writer and is considered one of the most influential conservation photographers today. See her work at amivitale.com.…

Action figure breaks sale record A 3.75-inch action figure of the Star Wars character Boba Fett recently went to auction and sold for a record-setting price of $525,000. The rocket-firing bounty hunter figure was first prepared for release in 1979, but production was stopped before it reached store shelves. This hand-painted toy, one of two that remain in existence, has now become the world’s most valuable vintage toy. An auction official said the action figure “became such a mythic icon that people worldwide know about it,” so “we knew this one had a chance to enter the record books.” Chip bag from the 1970s unearthed A man in Poole, England, has dug up a 49-year-old snack bag in his yard—and it looks surprisingly intact. Cenk Albayrak-Touye was digging in his…

Enter to win books! This is the third issue of our Summer of Reading campaign! We hope you enjoy our interview with Author Ambassador Chris Colfer and a review of his new book Roswell Johnson Saves the World! (p23). Our reading challenge continues! Once you’ve finished any three books, go to tinyurl.com/TWJUS-ReadingChallenge with an adult to enter our sweepstakes. Four winners will win books, and one will win books and a video call with an Author Ambassador. For our list of “The 50 Books Kids Love Most,” go to kids.theweekjunior.com/summerofreading. 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, and state…

1 What was built for the US Olympic Trials at the Indianapolis Colts football stadium? a) Track b) Pool c) Tennis court a ⬜ b ⬜ c ⬜ 2 True or false? Groups of meerkats are referred to as mobs or gangs. True ⬜ False ⬜ 3 Maleah Joi Moon recently won a Tony Award for her role in what Broadway show? a) Hell’s Kitchen b) Stereophonic c) Suffs a ⬜ b ⬜ c ⬜ 4 Haptic technology uses force, vibration, or movement to create an artificial sense of what? 5 At about what age do orangutans start sleeping exclusively in their own nests at night? a) 3 years b) 5 years c) 7 years a ⬜ b ⬜ c ⬜ 6 How many NBA championships did Bill Walton win?…