Innehållsförteckning för Issue 226 från The Week Junior US

On August 1, governments from multiple nations completed a historic prisoner swap. Sixteen people, including three Americans, who had been imprisoned by Russia and its ally Belarus were released in exchange for eight people who had been jailed in the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and Norway. The agreement, which came after months of top-secret negotiations led by the US, was the most complex prisoner swap of its kind since the collapse of the Soviet Union (which Russia was part of) in 1991. What is a prisoner swap? A prisoner swap is when people who are in jail in one country are exchanged for people who are in jail in another country. The prisoners may be in jail fairly (they have committed crimes) or unfairly (they have been accused or convicted…

DIVING INTO KNITTING UK diver Tom Daley has five Olympic medals—and he’s a knitting champ. When he wasn’t competing at the Paris Games, he was seen knitting in the stands. He took home a silver medal and also made a sweater in the colors of the French flag. “It’s…fun to have this as a little bit of a memory,” Daley said. GOLD-MEDAL MUFFINS Millions of people have watched Olympic swimmer Henrik Christiansen’s videos about the chocolate muffins served in the Olympic Village, where the athletes live during the Games. Christiansen, who is from Norway, said the “choccy” muffins, as he calls them, are “insane, 11/10.” TEAMWORK After Yoshiaki Oiwa and Team Japan won bronze in a horseback riding event, Oiwa snapped a selfie with his horse, whose name is MGH…

Lassen Volcanic National Park in northeastern California is known for its volcanic landscape featuring four types of volcanoes: plug dome, cinder cone, shield, and stratovolcano. It includes the world’s largest plug dome volcano, reaching more than 10,000 feet high. Boiling hot pools and steam vents can be viewed from a safe distance. Visitors can also experience more than 100,000 acres of mountains, lakes, and meadows. About 300 animal species live at the park, including the Sierra Nevada red fox, the mountain chickadee, and the golden-mantled ground squirrel.…

A butterfly flight A group of painted lady butterflies flew 2,600 miles nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. The insects were found on a beach in French Guiana, South America, in 2013, and a study now confirms that they came from Europe or Africa. White-tailed ptarmigan Shorter winters and hotter summers are threatening the survival of white-tailed ptarmigans, small birds that live in the Pacific Northwest and overheat at about 70º F. The US government has now listed the birds as a threatened species.…

Scientists have found a way to attach artificial skin to a robot so the skin moves better and looks more realistic—and the robot can even smile. The skin is cultured, which means it’s made from real human skin tissue grown in a lab. It’s capable of healing itself, like real skin does. Shoji Takeuchi and his team at the University of Tokyo, in Japan, have been developing robotic skin for many years. They previously created a robotic finger covered with artificial skin that could heal itself. But that skin was attached by anchors or hooks, which limited its range of movement and could damage its surface. To improve the connection between the skin and the robot, the team was inspired by human ligaments (tissues that connect skin to underlying body…

During the first full week of the Paris Olympics, world records were broken and several athletes made history for their countries. The US, China, and France are among the top medal winners, with Team USA earning medals in sports that include surfing, fencing, and golf. Here are some of the big moments so far. TRACK AND FIELD The events began on August 1, and the first US athlete to win a medal was Grant Fisher, whose strong finish in the men’s 10,000-meter race earned him a bronze. In the past 56 years, only one other US man has earned a medal in that event. The men’s and women’s 100-meter sprints were thrilling races. Julien Alfred of St. Lucia won the women’s gold and her country’s first-ever Olympic medal. Sha’Carri Richardson…

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is a new action-adventure platform game. It is out now for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation systems, Xbox platforms, and PC. Inspired by Japanese folklore, Path of the Teal Lotus sends gamers through old cities and beautiful, haunted forests to fulfill a prophecy (prediction) and defeat a giant monster. Bō is a Tentaihana, a mystical fox-like creature. The character was invented for the game, but it is an example of the spirit creatures, known as yokai, that have been part of Japanese stories for centuries and fill the game’s world. Bō’s job is to help bring three members of the Usagi Clan to the rest of their family, who live in the Crimson Bamboo Forest. Gamers will grow close to a two-headed bird named Tori,…

Rules By Cynthia Lord ”This novel is about a 12-year-old girl named Catherine who longs for a normal life. Through her brother David, who has autism, she meets Jason, a teenager who is in a wheelchair and can’t speak. While struggling with her own social life, Catherine helps Jason become more independent and engaged. I love this novel because wherever Catherine walks, she cheers people up.” Ella, 10, Pennsylvania Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Word ladder To change the word HOME into the word TURF, use each clue to fill in a word that is only one letter different from the word before it. If you get stuck, try solving from the bottom up. DETOURS Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every single square without crossing itself. For squares with signs, you may only enter at the arrow’s base, and you may only make a turn in the direction of an arrow shown. STEPPING STONES Each figure hides a sevenletter type of musician. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) Crossmath Fill each…

“We produce and sell eco-friendly terrariums for monarch butterflies to grow in. We started Pulelehua Collective (pulelehua is Hawaiian for butterfly) after we entered a business plan competition. While writing our plan, we discovered there had been a significant decline in monarch butterfly populations in the past few years due to habitat loss and pesticides. By raising non-migratory monarch butterflies found here in Hawaii and allowing them to emerge and be released into nature from our terrariums, we are hoping to increase the number of surviving butterflies. We have had several pop-up sales in our community, made more than $5,000, and donated $400 to local nonprofit groups that do reforestation and environmental education.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up…

Last year, a sriracha shortage caused a mad scramble for the popular hot sauce, driving the price of a $5 bottle up to $30 online. Consumers were willing to pay a premium because ketchup and mustard just aren’t enough anymore. Today there’s a topping for everything and everyone. Looking for barbecue sauce? There are hundreds to choose from. Bored of basic flavors? How about some banana sauce or lime pickle? Can’t make up your mind? Try the Every Sauce, a mixture of 14 sauces in one. Some people say no to all this, though, because they think drowning a dish in condiments hides its true taste. What do you think? Has the condiment craze gone too far? Yes—leave my food alone Enough is enough! Just because people can think up…

“Do cheetahs have eyelids, and, if so, do they have fur on them?” Quinn, 11, Virginia Kerry Nicholson Wildlife biologist, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Cheetahs have eyes like a house cat’s, which do have fur on them. But what is really cool about cheetahs’ eyes is the translucent third eyelid, called a nictitating membrane. It is there for protection and to keep moisture in the eye, particularly when they are running very fast. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Alaska Department of Fish and Game at adfg.alaska.gov.…

A new study has challenged a popular theory about the first people who lived on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, more than 1,000 years ago. For many years, scientists believed that the earliest islanders caused their own downfall by destroying their environment. New research, however, found that a small number of islanders led a sustainable, stable life. Rapa Nui, a territory of Chile, is in the Pacific Ocean, 2,200 miles from South America. One of Earth’s most isolated places, it is famous for its massive moai statues (see box at right). In the early 1700s, European explorers arrived and found about 3,000 islanders. The explorers doubted that such a small population could have built the statues or survived on the tiny island, which had a harsh landscape and…

For decades, The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton has been a popular book among middle school and high school students. It was turned into a movie in the 1980s, and now it’s been reimagined as a stage musical. A Broadway show featuring folk-rock music opened in March, and in June it won four Tonys (top theater award), including ones for best new musical and best director. A national tour will begin in 2025. The Outsiders is set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1967. It revolves around two young best friends, Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade, who are struggling to find their place in the world. The pair, along with their friends and Ponyboy’s brothers, live in a poor part of town and are known as Greasers. Their rivals are the wealthy…

Alexa & Katie (Netflix) “This is a funny series, and it showcases real-world problems. Alexa and Katie are best friends. Alexa was diagnosed with cancer at age 14, and the girls stayed close through her illness. The series goes from their freshman year of high school to their senior year. In season two, Katie wants to go on a school trip to London, but it’s too expensive. So she gets a job at a coffee shop. After she breaks the espresso machine, she has to pay to get it fixed. Katie keeps it a secret from Alexa, but Alexa finds out and helps her. If you love dramatic and emotional TV shows, this is for you!” Whitney Reese, 11, Washington Do you have a film or TV show to recommend…

(Clarion Books) Teenagers Ike and Eesha are on a mission to find out if aliens really exist. With their families, they have both moved to an Army base in Mercury, Nevada. The base is near Area 51, which is known for alien sightings. When Ike’s mom asks him to go through boxes that need unpacking in the basement, he discovers an old radio that is transmitting music and a strange code. Ike and Eesha try to crack the code, but it’s difficult. Meanwhile, Ike’s mom, who has a new assignment with the Army, is acting distracted and suspicious. A few days later, Ike, Eesha, and Eesha’s younger twin siblings explore a spot where Ike once saw strange footprints. Before they are chased away by guards, the twins come across a…

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn By Sally J. Pla (Quill Tree Books) Maudie, who has autism, is spending the summer with her dad in a beach town. She wants to tell him about how her mom and stepfather mistreat her. Her confidence grows when she learns to surf. Will she finally reveal her secret? Ages 10 and up Saltwater Secrets By Cindy Callaghan (Aladdin) On their annual beach vacation in New Jersey, half-sisters Stella and Josie discover that the popular new smoothie shop on the boardwalk may be connected to strange occurrences taking place. For example, dead jellyfish are washing up on the beach. Will they be able to unravel the mystery? Ages 8–12 Whale Done By Stuart Gibbs (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) When friends…

The art of falling down On July 20, a dazzling display of more than 100,000 dominoes toppled over at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The installation was created by domino artist Lily Hevesh, who began her craft at age 9. Hevesh and her team spent 10 days placing tiles in the 50-by-50-foot design, knowing a millimeter of difference could cause a domino disaster. She also built a 33-foot tower, breaking the world record for the tallest domino structure. But she said her favorite part was the final collapse, when “the real beauty of domino art comes out.” Dog plays games for charity Gamer James Stephens realized his Shiba Inu, Peanut Butter, was special. Peanut Butter was so good at following commands that he even learned to use a…

Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee for US President, announced on August 6 that she has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her Vice Presidential running mate. Harris, who is currently serving as Vice President, began campaigning for the Presidency in July after President Joe Biden stepped down from the race. Walz, age 60, was born in Nebraska and grew up on his family’s farm. After high school, he enlisted in the Army National Guard, serving for 24 years. He attended a state college and moved to Minnesota, where he spent 20 years as a high school teacher and football coach. He later earned a master’s degree in educational leadership. Walz was first elected to public office as a member of the US House of Representatives (one half of Congress,…

Two of Team USA’s top athletes, swimmer Katie Ledecky and gymnast Simone Biles, have set Olympic medal records with their performances at the Summer Games taking place in Paris, France. As swimming events came to a close, Ledecky held the most Olympic medals ever earned by a female swimmer or by a US woman. Biles won four medals to become the most decorated US gymnast in Olympic history. Ledecky earned her 13th Olympic medal on August 1, as part of the US team that won silver in the 4x200 relay event. This broke the record for the most Olympic medals ever won by an American female athlete—or by any female swimmer in the history of the Olympics. Two days later, Ledecky added a 14th medal to her collection by placing…

Danish artist Thomas Dambo is well known as a sculptor who turns discarded materials into public art that blends with nature. Some of his most famous pieces are giant trolls made out of recycled resources placed in gardens and forests around the world. This year, Dambo is unveiling more than 20 new sculptures of trolls and others figures made from recycled materials in cities across the US. Dambo, 45, grew up in Odense, Denmark. His father repaired bicycles, and his mother was a teacher and seamstress. As a child, Dambo enjoyed finding materials to make art. “You can build anything out of anything if you just create it,” he said. Dambo has been working full-time as a recycling artist and activist since 2011. One project that year was a giant…

The country of Vanuatu took action against pollution in 2018, banning certain types of single-use plastic. A recent report in The Guardian newspaper reveals that plastic pollution has fallen significantly since the ban was enacted. Vanuatu is made up of more than 80 islands in the Pacific Ocean. Like many small island countries, it did not have enough facilities to recycle all the plastic packaging from the goods bought and sold there. Meanwhile, ocean currents have often brought plastic trash from around the world into Pacific waters. Floating clusters of plastic that had gathered in the sea filled some of the country’s lagoons (areas of sea separated from the ocean by a reef), and residents struggled to remove them. In 2018, authorities in Vanuatu introduced a ban on single-use plastic…

Hellbender salamander Experts caught hellbender salamanders and moved them downstream before demolishing a dam on the Watauga River in North Carolina. This kept the rare creatures safe during the dam removal, which will make the river healthier. • LIFE SPAN: About 25 years in the wild • HABITAT: Rivers and streams in the eastern US • SIZE: 12 to 29 inches long, up to 5 pounds • DIET: Crayfish, snakes, toads, and each other • FUN FACT: Hellbender nicknames include “snot otter,” “mud devil,” and “lasagna lizard.”…

Jane Goodall, age 90, is a trailblazing animal behavior scientist and environmental activist. Her firsthand research on wild chimpanzees changed the world’s understanding of them. Early life Jane Goodall was born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall on April 3, 1934, in London, England. As a child, she brought earthworms into her bedroom, spent hours at her family’s henhouse, and dreamed of one day living among animals. When she grew up, she worked as a secretary, waitress, and film production assistant to save money so she could visit Africa. At age 23, she was invited to a friend’s family farm in Kenya. There she met a famous paleoanthropologist (a scientist who studies human evolution through fossils) named Louis Leakey, which changed her life. The Gombe years Leakey believed that observing the behavior of…

New “treadmill shoes” help people move around in a virtual reality (VR) game. When you play in VR, it’s easy to turn your head or move your arms. But it’s harder to walk around because you would have to walk in real life and could bump into furniture or walls. The Freeaim VR Shoes are like roller skates, but the wheels move in all directions. When you take a step forward, you roll back toward your original position. This lets you “walk” without moving too far. You can also turn while standing or walking and step sideways.…

Coach’s Name: Max Kafka Team: Grappler Station (judo) “Sensei Max is a great coach! He helps us with anything we are doing wrong. He even devotes an entire week to reviewing for our belt tests! He encourages us to take on challenges, and he lets us practice our moves on him—and even lets us throw him. He runs a ‘summer fitness challenge’ where if you complete push-ups, sit-ups, and squats throughout summer, you get a T-shirt, and he’s run fun classes for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.” Darren, 9, Minnesota 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.…

The author S. E. Hinton (right), whose full name is Susan Eloise Hinton, is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and started writing The Outsiders at age 15. It has sold more than 15 million copies. Big-screen adaptation A film version of the book came out in 1983. The idea to turn it into a movie came from a librarian and 104 students from a California middle school, who sent a petition to director Francis Ford Coppola in 1980. Museum In 2016, hip-hop artist and Outsiders fan Danny Boy O’Connor bought a house in Tulsa that was used as the Curtis brothers’ home in the film. It has been transformed into a museum filled with photos and artifacts related to the production.…

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Paramount+) This new show is a follow-up to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. As Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey juggle protecting the city and teen life, they meet someone who wants to be a mutant and an inventor who wants them gone. Omnivore (Apple TV+) René Redzepi, the chef and co-owner at the world-famous restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark, hosts this new series. It explores how food resources shape societies around the globe. Each episode focuses on one subject, such as rice, bananas, or pigs. Inside the Mind of a Dog (Netflix) Discover the fascinating inner world of dogs in this new documentary. You’ll learn how they smell in color, have unique paw prints, and can sense humans’ moods. The show also…

Did you and your family move around a lot? Yes, my dad was in the Air Force and we lived in many places. I’d make friends, and then we’d move again. It was hard. But when I look back on it, I’m glad I was able to see so much of the world. Were you interested in space as a child? I don’t remember thinking about it, but I did love books by Ray Bradbury. He wrote a lot of stories about space. What do you hope kids take away from this book? That family is important and that even if you argue or get mad, you can always find a way to help one another. Do you enjoy writing middle-grade books? Yes, it makes me feel like I am…

Painting seashells is a fun activity to do in the summer. Many people paint seashells to express themselves creatively. They also use them to connect with others by leaving them in places for people to find. Some people also paint seashells to sell so they can raise money for an important cause. Here is how you can get started painting seashells. Collect shells. Inside the US and abroad, local regulations can vary, so first be sure any shells you find are OK to take and to leave behind later. You can pick up shells at the shoreline. A good time to look is during low tide. Remember that shells are animals’ homes, so be sure the shells are empty! If you don’t live near a beach, you can find shells…

WATCH WILDLIFE MORE SAFELY Summer is a great time to be outside and see wildlife in nature. It’s important to respect wild animals’ space because getting too close can feel threatening to them. That can also be harmful to you because animals that feel threatened can become aggressive and choose to defend themselves. Rather than approach animals, choose a spot to sit and observe them. If you’re in a car with your family and see an animal like a turtle or a deer on the side of the road, stay inside to watch quietly. A pair of binoculars can also help you be a watcher of wildlife, from birds to marine life, while keeping a safe distance.…

”I feel that I was put on this planet with a mission.” Those are the words of pioneering animal behavior scientist Jane Goodall, spoken around the time of her 90th birthday earlier this year (p12). We certainly agree! Her mission since she dreamed at a young age of living in Africa has been to spend time among animals, learn about them, and share her knowledge with the world. She did that for nearly 65 years, making groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees, founding a research center to inspire others to study primates, and becoming an activist focused on, as she said, speaking out “for those who can’t speak for themselves.” I hope you enjoy learning about her incredible life in this week’s issue. And don’t miss our second week of coverage of…

Adele, who is 11 years old and from Maine, told us she wants to walk or bike to places, instead of using a car, to help the planet. She hopes that more buildings will have lights that automatically turn off when they’re not needed to reduce electricity use. 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 hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the submissions we receive on this page in future issues. RIDDLE OF THE WEEK What runs around the playground without taking a step? A fence…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Banas School: Saint Katharine Drexel School “Mrs. Banas is a great teacher because she cares about us and our opinions. She is funny and always takes time to get to know us. She won’t hesitate to help us if we need it. She is always encouraging us to try our best, no matter what. She makes us feel so safe and comfortable around her. Mrs. Banas is my most favorite teacher ever!” Julia, 11, Pennsylvania 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.…

1 In the video game Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, Bō is a spirit creature similar to what animal? a) Kangaroo b) Fox c) Rabbit a □ b □ c □ 2 True or false? Johnny Cash is the first professional musician to receive a statue at the US Capitol. True □ False □ 3 Which SpongeBob SquarePants character is the star of a new film? a) Sandy Cheeks b) Gary the Snail c) Squidward a □ b □ c □ 4 How many tons of recycled wood did artist Thomas Dambo use to sculpt five giant trolls? 5 How many Olympic medals has swimmer Katie Ledecky won? a) 9 b) 11 c) 14 a □ b □ c □ 6 True or false? A type of lemur called…