Innehållsförteckning för Issue 228 från The Week Junior US

Ukraine staged a surprise attack on Russia and is now attempting to hold on to the territory it seized during the battle. The offensive move happened amid a war between the nations, which has been ongoing since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It was the first significant attack on Russian soil since World War II (1939–1945). What happened? Ukraine planned the invasion in secret. On August 6, about 1,000 of the nation’s troops in tanks and other armored vehicles crossed the northern border into Russia’s Kursk region. They pushed through Russian defenses and took control of more than 80 Russian settlements, which total about 400 square miles of territory. Ukraine then increased the size of its military presence in Kursk to about 10,000 troops and destroyed a bridge that…

ABUNDANT BLOOMS A Canadian man broke his own world record for the most flowers on an orchid plant, with 159 blooms. Kevin Englisch, who set the record last year when he grew an orchid with 131 blooms, said he wanted to “push the boundaries.” A MAMMOTH FIND Eddie Templeton, an avid fossil hunter, found the 7-foot-long tusk of a Columbian mammoth in a Mississippi creek bed. It is the first of its kind uncovered in the area and belonged to a creature that lived between 11,700 and 75,000 years ago. “It’s fascinating to me,” Templeton said. A WELL-TRAVELED STUFFIE A very good boy and his favorite stuffie are an internet hit. Gumbo, a golden retriever and retired service dog, takes his plush dog, Shrimp, with him wherever he goes. His…

In 2020, 10-year-old Nandi Bushell, from London, England, gained global attention after a virtual drum battle with Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters went viral. Now 14, Bushell has played at major venues with top artists. She spoke to The Week Junior about her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Drumming, a beginner’s guide with practical tips and personal stories. What sparked your interest in drums? When I was 5, I would make pancakes with my family while listening to The Beatles. Their drummer, Ringo Starr, played with a big smile on his face, and I was inspired by that. I started with a little toy drum kit, and within a year I got a proper acoustic drum kit. In what ways is drumming magical to you? Everything. It is…

The nose knows—especially a dog’s nose. Studies have shown that dogs have a sense of smell that is many times stronger than a human’s. Scientists also know that dogs can detect the emotions of people around them, sometimes just by smelling the person’s breath or sweat. However, some researchers wondered if a person’s emotional state could affect a dog’s feelings. Now a study has revealed that dogs change their behavior when they smell a stressed-out human. The researchers tested 18 dogs from several different breeds. To study the animals’ emotions, they set up three food bowls in different locations, placing a treat in certain bowls and leaving others empty. The researchers taught the dogs that some bowls contained food, then allowed the pups to approach an unknown bowl. If a…

In Cambodia’s Cardamom National Park, 60 Siamese crocodile eggs have hatched in the wild. Local people found the eggs in nests and protected them until they hatched. The births are a big boost for the critically endangered species. • LIFE SPAN: About 22 years in the wild• HABITAT: Slow-moving rivers, lakes, and swamps• SIZE: Up to 13 feet long and 771 pounds• DIET: Fish, snakes, frogs, and some mammals• FUN FACT: They were thought to be extinct in the wild until they were rediscovered in 2000.…

From August 28 to September 8 in Paris, France, about 4,400 top athletes will compete in 549 medal events at the Paralympic Games. Para athletes have impairments that may be physical (affecting the body’s shape or movement), visual (affecting the ability to see), or intellectual (affecting thinking or communication). Here is what you can expect at the 2024 Paralympics. History of the Games Sports for athletes with impairments have existed for more than 100 years. They became prominent after soldiers returned from World War II (1939–1945) with injuries. In 1948, during the London Olympics, UK doctor Ludwig Guttmann held an archery competition nearby for athletes who used wheelchairs. The contests expanded to include wheelchair basketball, Para swimming, and other events. In 1960, the first official Paralympics took place in Rome,…

The inaugural season of the United Soccer League Super League (USLS), a new professional women’s soccer league, is underway. The action kicked off on August 17. The USLS is part of the United Soccer League (USL), which includes multiple US leagues at different levels of competition. With eight clubs playing in the first season, and future plans to expand to 20 teams, the USLS will join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) as the only other Division 1 (highest level) women’s league in the country. The NWSL plays its season from spring through fall. But the USLS will mirror the European soccer schedule by playing from fall through spring. All players who joined the league were previously free agents, meaning they were not playing for another pro soccer team. Unlike…

Coach’s Name: Shireen Khamedoost Team: National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics “Coach Shireen is the best gymnastics coach I could have asked for. Gymnastics is a very tough sport, both mentally and physically, so sometimes it can be difficult to find a coach who can support you in both ways, but she is amazing. I’ve had many injuries throughout my time in gymnastics, and she has always been there for me. I have had her as a coach for at least five years and she really helped me improve in this sport!” Maia, 14, Oregon 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.…

Are You Sure?! (Disney+) K-pop superstars Jimin and Jung Kook of the group BTS go on a summer adventure in this travel series, which was filmed before their mandatory enlistment in the South Korean military. They explore New York, Connecticut, Jeju Island in South Korea, and Sapporo in Japan. Backyard Wilderness (Netflix) In this nature documentary, hidden cameras reveal what is going on inside dens and nests, along the forest floor, and in a pond near one girl’s suburban home. Her appreciation for nature grows thanks to the turtles, deer, ladybugs, and other animals she sees. Like a Girl (Fuse TV) Sports journalists MJ Acosta-Ruiz and Joy Taylor host this series that features female athletes such as soccer pro Sydney Leroux, flag football star Diana Flores, and tennis player Taylor…

What inspired this book? My daughter often couldn’t hold her tears back when she was in elementary school. Her experience stuck with me about how difficult it was to be the kid who cried easily. What do you hope readers take away from this book? The fear of the unknown or a fear of something is normal. The other big message of this book is that you don’t have to be the same as your friends in order for you to be friends. Is there a character you relate to most? I relate to Kylie’s little sister, Briana, who wants to play pretend all the time. That was me as a child. Growing up, what did you hope to be? For a long time, I wanted to be an actress.…

September 8 is Grandparents’ Day—a perfect opportunity to make your grandparents feel special. It’s been a national holiday since 1979, but if you haven’t celebrated it before, this could be a good year to start. Volunteer together The official theme of Grandparents’ Day is “Do Something Grand.” One way to mark the day is to spend it volunteering with your grandparents. Talk to them about what they might like to do. If they love the outdoors, you could spend time cleaning up one of their favorite parks. If they enjoy reading, find out if there are volunteer opportunities at the library. If they love to cook, you could collect nonperishable food or make bagged lunches to bring to a food pantry. Helping others is a great experience to share with…

Word search Can you find all these words associated with deserts? 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. ARID BURRO CACTUS CAMEL COYOTE DRY DUNE DUST DEVIL GECKO GOBI GRIT GULLY HEAT LIZARD MESA MESQUITE OASIS PRICKLY PEAR RATTLESNAKE ROCKS SAGUARO SAHARA SAND SCORPION SCRUB TUMBLEWEED VAST YUCCA FILL IN THE BLANKS Fill in the blanks in each sentence with two words that are the same except for a different first letter, like GEAR and PEAR. The two words will not always rhyme. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) 1. I reward my pooch with a doggie ————— whenever she does something especially —————. 2. The reporter finished editing…

As the academic year gets underway, many US schools are enforcing bans on the use of cell phones during class—and in some cases throughout the school day (p4). Officials in states including Florida and Louisiana passed laws requiring the bans after research showed that the devices can interfere with learning and lead to bullying and other problems. What are your thoughts on this? Does your school have a phone policy? If not, do you think it should? As always, you can share your opinion with us at hello@theweekjunior.com. In other news, the Democratic National Convention had begun in Chicago, Illinois, as this issue of The Week Junior went to press (p5). Following the Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, last month, this is an important time in US politics. To help…

Cordelia, who is 9 years old and from Kentucky, told us she helps the Earth by watering her plants and picking up any trash she sees. Her hope for the world is that endangered animals don’t become extinct. 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 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. JOKE OF THE WEEK What’s the quickest way to catch a fish? Have someone throw it to you!…

Teacher’s Name: Mr. Starowicz School: Jamesville DeWitt Middle School “I would like to nominate Mr. Starowicz for being an amazing teacher and making learning language arts so fun! He has the best book recommendations and always has a big smile. He helps us learn difficult subjects and even scheduled a visit from the Syracuse 8, a group of college athletes who protested racism. I am going to really miss him next year in seventh grade.” Frankie, 11, New York 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 True or false? The Phoenix Zoo recently held a summer snow day. True □ False □ 2 How many medal events will take place at the 2024 Paralympic Games? a) 349 b) 449 c) 549 a □ b □ c □ 3 What are the officials who vote on political party nominees at national conventions called? 4 Nandi Bushell is known for playing what musical instrument? a) Drums b) Guitar c) Piano a □ b □ c □ 5 Aaron Judge broke which player’s record for hitting 300 home runs in the fewest Major League Baseball games? a) Alex Rodriguez b) Ralph Kiner c) Ryan Howard a □ b □ c □ 6 What species of deer was recently born at the Queens Zoo in New York City? a)…

This public space in Portland was the first in the country—and ninth in the world—to be designated an Urban Quiet Park because of its low noise levels. The sprawling city park is located on the site of an extinct volcano and has reservoirs, walking and biking trails, and an outdoor amphitheater. Plant lovers can see 53 tree species, including Douglas firs and vine maples, and there are plenty of birds to delight birdwatchers. Species that live there include Hutton’s vireos, lesser goldfinches, Rufous hummingbirds, and Swainson’s thrushes.…

Tigers in Thailand The number of Indochinese tigers in Thailand’s Western Forest Complex has more than doubled since 2007, thanks to conservation efforts. Officials limited hunting and tree cutting to protect the endangered tigers and their prey. Male frogs Scientists found that female green and golden bell frogs sometimes eat males if they are not happy with their mating calls. Larger males with deeper calls are more likely to be selected as mates, while smaller ones often become food.…

When homo sapiens (modern humans) first appeared between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago, other human species already existed. These included Neanderthals, our closest known human relatives. In a new study, scientists explored the relationship between the species. For many years, scientists have been trying to determine how—and how much—homo sapiens and Neanderthals interacted. In 2010, scientists analyzed the DNA (chemical that carries instructions for how a living thing should grow and develop) of a Neanderthal fossil. They compared it to modern human DNA and discovered that many people alive today carry about 1% to 2% of Neanderthal DNA. That meant the two species had mated and the genes (short sections of DNA) were passed down. For the new study, a team led by Joshua Akey of Princeton University in New…

World of Goo 2 is a new physics-based puzzle game. It was recently released for the Nintendo Switch and PC. It is a sequel to the award-winning World of Goo, which was released in 2008, and is rated T. Both the old and new games are set on a planet filled with Goo Balls, creatures that are made of liquid. You work for a giant corporation called the World of Goo, which uses the balls to make all kinds of products. The corporation has set up pipes throughout the planet, and you have to connect Goo Balls together to get them into the pipes, which suck them up. The key is to form triangles with the balls and use them to create bridges, towers, and other structures to get to…

The Giver By Lois Lowry ”Jonas lives in a rigid and uniform community, where everything is black and white and nobody can express emotion. They cannot make decisions for themselves and no creativity is possible. Jonas has a special gift and is chosen for a position to hold all the memories and feelings of the community. This new job changes him, and then he decides to change his community.” Amisha, 11, North Carolina Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

August 29, 1997 Netflix is founded On August 29, 1997, the media company Netflix was founded as a DVD rental service, allowing customers to rent movies through the mail with no late fees. Co-founder Reed Hastings said he was inspired to start it after being charged $40 for the late return of a DVD to a store. Netflix began streaming content in 2007 and later began creating its own content. Today, Netflix is worth more than $280 billion.…

Self-checkout machines are meant to provide customers with a faster and smoother shopping experience and eliminate long lines at the register. Many people prefer to scan and bag their own items and zip through the transaction without any fuss. At the same time, however, many customers complain that self-checkout causes more problems than it solves. The machines can freeze up or scan incorrectly, for example. Or a customer doesn’t know the correct code for something, which requires an employee to come over and help. That slows things down and defeats the whole purpose. What do you think? Should self-checkout be banned? Yes—humans do a better job Self-checkout sounds like a good idea, but in reality, it’s no good for anyone. Often the machines don’t work, but even when they do,…

Cody Hickman Associate director of avian care, Brookfield Zoo Female Humboldt penguins take the lead. They start the courtship process by creating situations in which both penguins groom each other and become familiar with each other’s sounds. This will help them locate one another easily in a colony. Once they find a mate, they usually stay together for life. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Brookfield Zoo at brookfieldzoo.org.…

A four-wheeled robot can travel along sidewalks, cross streets, mount curbs, and roll up driveways to bring groceries to your door. The One was designed by Vayu, a California company, and uses artificial intelligence to navigate on its own. The One follows grocery store staff while they load it up with a customer’s order. Then it heads out for delivery, traveling at a speed of up to 20 miles per hour. When it reaches its destination, it opens up a side door and takes the groceries out with a robotic arm.…

Eighty percent of the Earth’s oceans have never been mapped, and the new National Geographic series OceanXplorers is following experts on adventures to hidden aquatic frontiers. The show is set aboard the one-of-a-kind OceanXplorer, a high-tech vessel made for deep-sea exploration and media production. Episodes are now on Disney+ and Hulu. The OceanXplorer includes four labs to study marine life, four deep-sea submersibles, special cameras that can capture clear images at extreme depths, and a control center where scientists can produce 3D visualizations. Seventy people worked aboard the vessel during filming, including ocean technology innovator Eric Stackpole, adventurer Aldo Kane, shark biologist Melissa Cristina Márquez, and deep-sea researcher Zoleka Filander. They studied the prehistoric sixgill shark in the mid-Atlantic, followed humpback whales in the Caribbean, and investigated polar bear life…

Haikyu!! TV-14 (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll) “This show, which has English subtitles, is based on a popular Japanese manga series that was written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. It is about Shoyo Hinata, a boy with a passion for volleyball. At the end of junior high, his team was beaten by a team with a player named Tobio Kageyama. When Shoyo starts at Karasuno High School, he joins the volleyball team and discovers Tobio is on it too. The pair end up becoming friends and one of the greatest duos in volleyball. Throughout the show, they find themselves facing off against old teammates and rivals.” Julia, 10, Nevada Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

(Harper) It’s the summer before seventh grade, and Kylie is worried that her three best friends since preschool, Naomi, Nikila, and Mara, are going to stop hanging out with her in middle school. Kylie frequently cries, even in front of her friends, because she is very sensitive. Will they think she’s too babyish? To keep her friends, she devises an experiment to answer the question “Would a girl be mature if she does what everybody else does?” For several weeks, Kylie goes along with whatever her friends want to do: She watches movies that are too scary for her, goes on thrill rides at a theme park that she doesn’t think she will enjoy, and dresses up as a rock star at a party even though she wanted to be…

The Department of Lost Dogs By Josephine Cameron (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) Rondo’s parents own a dog-friendly hotel, and a TV show featuring canine actors is being filmed there. When star dogs start to disappear, Rondo tries to crack the case. This book is by the author who wrote the popular A Dog-Friendly Town. Ages 8–12 Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters By Wendelin Van Draanen (Knopf Books for Young Readers) After Misty and Zelda’s dad is kidnapped, a stray dog who goes by Mr. Whiskers follows the getaway car and picks up on clues. Will Mr. Whiskers be able to help rescue the sisters’ dad? Secret passageways, riddles, and treasure play an important role in this action-packed mystery. Ages 8–12 Ripley: Fire Station Five By W. Bruce Cameron (Starscape)…

Grandparents’ Day is coming up on September 8, 2024. This is a day when people of different generations, like grandparents and their grandchildren, are encouraged to connect. We invite you to use this form to write down your thoughts about one or more of your grandparents—or any special older people in your life. You can also share this form with them. They may enjoy knowing what you have to say! We would also love to read what you write and see your artwork. To share your thoughts and drawing with us, ask an adult to email your form to hello@theweekjunior.com. Extra forms can be found at theweekjunior.com/activities. By submitting this form, you give The Week Junior consent to print it in the magazine and online. Please get your parent/guardian’s permission…

Surf’s up for these pups On August 3, thousands of spectators watched dogs “hang ten” at the World Dog Surfing Championships. Guided by their owners, four-legged surfers caught the waves at a beach in Pacifica, California. The contest raised money for animal charities, and a Labrador retriever named Cacau won prizes and the coveted title of “top surf dog.” Kentucky Gallahue, owner of canine competitor Derby California, said, “Being able to spend time with your best friend, riding the waves and bringing smiles to people’s faces, makes us happy.” Art in the eye of a needle The “world’s greatest micro sculptor” has created a tiny tribute to the Paris Olympics and Paralympics in the eye of a needle. Willard Wigan makes his masterpieces under a microscope, using a small needle…

“I read The Week Junior every day after school.” Marco, 9, New Jersey “I made the no-churn peach cobbler ice cream from The Week Junior for my grandma’s 77th birthday! Pro tip: Make a crumble topping.” Samaria, 10, Texas “I really enjoyed reading about sharks and how they became more dangerous predators.” Niam, 8, Virginia…