Innehållsförteckning för Issue 229/230 från The Week Junior US

With the conclusion of the nominating conventions for the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, the race for the next US President is officially set. Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, will face former President Donald Trump, a Republican, who served as the 45th President from 2017 to 2021. With early voting beginning in September, Harris and Trump are busy campaigning, fundraising, and preparing to debate each other. What is happening? New polls show that the race between Harris and Trump is extremely close. Since President Joe Biden endorsed Harris to be the Democratic nominee on July 21, a New York Times/Siena College survey found that Harris has pulled ahead slightly in three swing states (see the box above)—Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—while Trump has a narrow lead in Georgia. On…

A TWO-TOED ARRIVAL A Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth was born to mom Nutella and dad Cocoa at Zoo Atlanta in Georgia. This is Nutella and Cocoa’s second baby since a program paired them together. “We are very excited,” said the zoo. A BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS US tennis player Coco Gauff will appear on the cover of a limited-edition Wheaties cereal box. Gauff won the US Open Tennis Championships in 2023, at age 19, and hopes to defend her title at this year’s tournament, which takes place from August 26–September 8. The box was set to appear in stores by August 31. BLUE-RIBBON BAKING A 7-year-old makes the best pie in Texas. Allen Gage’s blueberry pie won first prize in the Battle for the Blue Ribbons at the Texas state fair, beating nearly…

It’s fun to sing in the car, whether you’re belting out a top hit that’s on the radio, a tune from your favorite movie, or a silly camp song. In a recent study, 64% of drivers said listening to music makes the overall driving experience better. But 54% of people said driving is less fun if they have to listen to music they don’t like. So what happens when passengers have different musical tastes than the driver does and they want to choose what to play? Many people think passengers should get a say because they also have to listen to whatever is playing. But others say the driver’s preference counts most. What do you think? Should the driver choose the car tunes? Yes—it’s a perk of the job The…

Alexandra Schnell Marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer Octopuses have special cells in their skin called chromatophores, which act like tiny water balloons filled with pigment. By expanding or contracting these balloon-like cells, they can create different colors. This ability helps them to communicate, camouflage, and scare off predators. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Learn more about Dr. Alexandra Schnell at alex-schnell.com.…

A huge, colorful spot on Jupiter has been dazzling observers for nearly 200 years. Known as the Great Red Spot (GRS), it can be seen through a small telescope. Much about it has remained unknown, however, including how long it has been there or how it formed. A new study sheds light on these mysteries. Scientists know that what we see as the Great Red Spot is actually a storm in Jupiter’s Southern Hemisphere that is twice as wide as Earth, making it the largest storm in the solar system. Called an “anticyclone,” the storm consists of winds blowing counterclockwise at speeds of up to 580 miles per hour. The oldest known record of the GRS is a drawing made by a German astronomer in 1831. An American astronomer recorded…

Monster Jam Showdown is a new competition game. It was just released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation systems, Xbox platforms, and PC. Showdown is the ninth game in the Monster Jam series, which launched in 2002. The games are based on the real Monster Jam, a famous competition that began in 1992. At the events, which take place in dirt-filled stadiums and arenas, drivers in giant trucks race and do wild tricks. The trucks are about 10.5 feet tall, 12.5 feet wide, and 17 feet long. They weigh 12,000 pounds, which makes the tricks they can perform even more amazing. Every truck has a name and a personality that are reflected in its paint job and design. Monster Jam Showdown starts with 40 trucks from the real world tour and…

Why do you like writing mysteries? Mysteries are the most interactive book form. I give readers a puzzle and they try to solve it. I also sprinkle other genres, like adventure, comedy, and family drama, into my mysteries. Why did you set the story in Miami, Florida? I live in Orlando, and I grew up in a small beach town in Florida. I chose Miami because of its diverse culture and cool vibe. What research did you do? I did a lot of research for this book. For example, I rode in a boat with Marine Control workers. As we raced through Biscayne Bay, they explained how they rescue people. What did you read as a child? I wasn’t a strong reader growing up. The one novel I remember reading…

Pop-Tarts toaster pastries recently marked their 60th birthday by introducing a supersize “Party Pastry.” At 73 times the size of a typical Pop-Tart, this titanic treat wouldn’t fit on supermarket shelves. Instead, the company offered fans a chance to order it online. Each $60 mega-pastry came with giant sprinkles and could be customized with frosting lettering before being delivered to the customer in a 3-foot-tall box. With 45 pastries available in three US cities, the gargantuan goodies quickly sold out. “It was a big deal,” the company said.…

When The Week Junior went to press, there were 70 days left until the national election that will take place on November 5 (p2). During that time, candidates for President as well as the US Senate and House of Representatives and many other offices at the state and local level will try to convince voters to choose them. They will hold campaign rallies, mail information to people’s homes, make phone calls, and air advertisements to get their messages out. Volunteers will be registering people to vote, signs will be popping up on people’s lawns, and discussions will be taking place in homes and schools about the candidates and the issues. It’s an exciting time for our nation! As Election 2024 moves forward, what are your hopes and dreams for America?…

Maya Merhige is making major waves in swimming. She is now the third-youngest person to complete an athletic challenge known as the Triple Crown. At the age of 16, she swam 23 miles across the English Channel in the UK with a time of 11 hours, 39 minutes. Merhige had already completed the other two Triple Crown swims. At age 14, with a time of 10 hours, 48 minutes, she became the youngest female to swim the 20-mile Catalina Channel in California. The next year, she completed the 20 Bridges swim in New York City, a distance of 28.5 miles, in 8 hours, 43 minutes. Open-water swimming became her passion at age 9 when she got involved with Swim Across America, a nonprofit organization that funds cancer research. “I’ve been…

A Komodo dragon’s teeth are its greatest weapon. According to a new study, some of this power comes from a metal that coats parts of their teeth, keeping them sharp for feeding on prey. Komodo dragons are the world’s largest living lizards, weighing up to 300 pounds and growing up to 10 feet in length. Their sharp, curved teeth are powerful enough to eat just about any animal, including pigs, deer, water buffalo, and even other Komodo dragons. A team of researchers led by Aaron LeBlanc of King’s College London, in the UK, used imaging technology and chemical analysis to examine Komodo dragon teeth from museums. They also studied a 15-year-old Komodo dragon named Ganas at the Zoological Society of London. They found that the sharp edges and tips of…

Bald eagles An annual survey in Georgia found that 178 bald eagles had been raised from 116 successful nests (ones that contained at least one egg or eaglet). Success rates were above average for the state, where disease wiped out many hatchlings in 2022. Lesser flamingos Heavier rainfall is reducing the supply of lesser flamingos’ main food source, blue-green algae. Research showed that as levels of the algae have dropped in East Africa’s salty “soda lakes,” the birds’ numbers have dropped too.…

Cartography, the art and science of making maps, has been a fundamental part of civilization since ancient times. Early maps The earliest maps were artistic representations of the world— and often inaccurate. One of the oldest surviving maps was created in Mesopotamia (in what is now Iraq) in the 6th century BCE. It was called the Babylonian Map of the World and etched on a small clay tablet. Some maps—like silk maps from China and the Turin map from ancient Egypt, created on a scroll of papyrus paper—showed more geographic features, such as rivers. In the next few centuries, as people understood more about the shape of the Earth and its oceans, maps became more accurate. Scientific improvements In about 150 AD, a Greek astronomer and mathematician named Claudius Ptolemy…

A company in Norway has designed a fully electric off-roading vehicle that helps people with impaired or reduced mobility to explore nature. With its sturdy aluminum frame and thick tires, the Exoquad easily moves over uneven terrain, rocks, snow, and sand. The Exoquad can travel up to 4 miles per hour when it’s being used in four-wheel drive or 9 miles per hour in two-wheel drive. It has four powerful motors that allow it to climb straight up steep hills and can last up to seven hours on a single charge.…

After a three-week break for the Paris Olympics, WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) teams recently returned to the courts. Over the weekend of August 24, the second-place Connecticut Sun and the third-place Minnesota Lynx secured playoff spots. They joined the New York Liberty, the league’s top team, who had already made the postseason. When the WNBA regular season ends on September 19, the top eight of the league’s 12 teams will head to the playoffs. The Indiana Fever, which finished the 2023 season in last place, could make the cut for the first time since 2016 thanks, in part, to star rookie Caitlin Clark. During her team’s 84–79 win over the Atlanta Dream on August 26, she tied the WNBA all-time rookie record for three-pointers. The Sun clinched their playoff…

Tim Burton, a director and producer known for films with dark, wacky, and supernatural elements, is reviving one of his most famous characters, the troublemaking demon Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, in theaters on September 6, is a sequel to a funny 1988 comedy-horror film about ghosts who ask Beetlejuice to drive a family out of their home. In the new movie, which is rated PG-13, he shows up to make more mischief. Michael Keaton, the original Beetlejuice, is back in the role. Also returning is Winona Ryder (Stranger Things), who played teen Lydia Deetz. Lydia is now an adult with a teen daughter (Wednesday star Jenna Ortega). Mark Scruton, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s production designer, told The Week Junior that the film “is a vivid, colorful, surreal, chaotic, and funny tale of life,…

“This fascinating show is based on a book series of the same name. It is about a girl named Sophia Mendoza who loves horses. One day, she receives a letter inviting her to attend a horseback riding academy, which turns out to be the magical boarding school Unicorn Academy. Sophia and her friends must bond with their unicorns to unlock their magical powers. Many conflicts unfold throughout the series, like the kids having to fight against the evil Ravenzella. My favorite character is Layla because we are both bookworms.” Joana, 9, Massachusetts Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Siblings Alex and Zoe set up their own detective agency to earn money during summer break. But their mom, a lawyer in Miami, Florida, shuts them down because they don’t have a license. Their spunky grandpa, a retired investigative journalist, points out that while the kids need a license to run a detective agency, they don’t need one to solve mysteries. He shares his old files with Alex and Zoe, along with their friends, and lets them choose a case to work on. They decide to search for a treasure hidden by gangster Al Capone, a real person who lived from 1899 to 1947. They find a map showing where he hid the treasure, and the clues lead them to the Everglades, which is filled with wildlife and wetlands. When…

TROPICAL FRUIT SMOOTHIE BOWL Ingredients ● 2 bananas, peeled, chopped, and frozen● 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple● ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk● ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt● Chopped kiwi and/or mango for topping● Unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted, for topping Instructions 1. Combine the banana, pineapple, coconut milk, and yogurt in a blender and purée until smooth.2. Pour the smoothie mixture into two bowls and top with the kiwi, mango, and toasted coconut. Serves 2. RASPBERRY OAT YOGURT MUFFINS Ingredients ●l ¾ cup old-fashioned oats● ½ cup milk● 1 large egg, beaten● 1 cup brown sugar● ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt● ¼ cup vegetable oil● 1 teaspoon vanilla● 2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon● 2 teaspoons baking powder● ½ teaspoon baking soda● 1 teaspoon cinnamon● ½ teaspoon salt● 10 ounces raspberries,…

Lucy, age 10, of Kansas likes that people can come together in a democracy to make big things happen. Lucy hopes people will work together to save endangered species and end hunger and poverty. As a reader of The Week Junior, you may have opinions about the US. If so, we want to hear them! Go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to download a form, like the one at right. Fill it out, then have an adult email it to us at hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the submissions on this page in future issues. IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views, and photos to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

A crowd gathered in Decatur, Georgia, on August 24 as a statue of John Lewis (1940–2020), a civil rights leader and member of the US House of Representatives, was unveiled. Lewis represented a district in Georgia in Congress from his first elected term in 1987 until his death at age 80. Before that, he organized protests against segregation (unjust separation of Black people from white people) in the 1960s. He helped plan the historic March on Washington in 1963 and led a famous march for voting rights from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965. The statue of Lewis replaces a monument to the Confederacy (group of states that fought to preserve slavery in the American Civil War) that was erected in 1908. A judge ordered that the monument be taken…

September 13, 1788 First Presidential election date set On September 13, 1788, the Confederation Congress set the first Presidential election for February 4, 1789. The Confederation Congress governed the US before the US Constitution (highest law in the US) took effect. All members of the electoral college (the system that determines the Presidential election winner) would go on to choose George Washington to be the nation’s first President.…

St. Michaels, Maryland, is a tiny historic town that dates back to 1677. Just over one square mile, the town overlooks the Miles River. The river connects St. Michaels to the Chesapeake Bay, a 4,479-square-mile estuary between Maryland and Virginia. An estuary, which is the mouth of a river, contains both fresh water and salt water. Chesapeake Bay is the largest of more than 100 estuaries in the US and is home to crabs, clams, oysters, lobsters, and catfish. The land around the bay is also a habitat for river otters, muskrats, deer, and foxes.…

This summer, newborn red panda cubs at four zoos in North America have given scientists hope for the species’ survival. Fewer than 10,000 red pandas are believed to remain in the wild, so conservationists are working to save these endangered mammals. ● LIFE SPAN: About 8 to 10 years in the wild● HABITAT: High-altitude forests and mountains● SIZE: 22 to 25 inches, plus a 15- to 19-inch tail● DIET: Mostly bamboo leaves and shoots● FUN FACT: To stay warm, a red panda wraps its long, fluffy tail around its body like a blanket.…

Many popular children’s books have inspired authors and artists to create maps of the fantastical places they describe. Author J.R.R. Tolkien drew the first detailed map of Middle-Earth, a fictional place that appears in his books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He later worked closely with his son Christopher Tolkien on the maps for his book series. Illustrator Pauline Baynes created the art for The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. She made a map of the important places in the books, including the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Another map shows the setting for author L. Frank Baum’s 14 Oz books, which include The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The map has a color scheme for different regions, such as blue for “Munchkin Country.”…

Researchers investigating what makes people blush came up with a fun experiment. The team of scientists asked teenagers and young adults to watch recordings of themselves doing karaoke, then measured their responses. In the Netherlands, 40 females between ages 16 and 20 were asked to perform one of four popular tunes that are considered difficult to sing: “Hello” by Adele, “Let It Go” from Frozen, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey, and “All the Things She Said” by t.A.T.u. Participants then lay in a machine that scanned their brain activity while they watched videos of themselves and others singing. Each person was told that other participants were watching videos of them at the same time. As expected, the researchers found that participants blushed more when they…

From August 14 through August 25, players from the US and other countries traveled to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to compete in the Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS). In a dramatic championship game, a team from Lake Mary, Florida, beat Chinese Taipei, 2–1, in extra innings. Teams from Florida had made the final eight times previously, but this was the state’s first LLBWS title. To qualify for the LLBWS, hundreds of teams made up of players ages 10 to 12 competed in local, state, and regional games. Eventually, 20 teams qualified for the LLBWS, with 10 coming from the US and 10 from other countries. The US teams, which represented different regions of the country, competed in one bracket, while the international teams played in the other. The winners of…

Coach’s Name: Shiena Sharma Organization: Junior Warriors Basketball “Coach Shiena is phenomenal. She pushed us hard and we improved so much this past season. Without her, we wouldn’t have won the championship! She trained us to be the best we can be. At the start of the season, I was a bit afraid of taking shots even when I could, thinking ‘What if I miss?’ She helped me believe in myself, and I scored some crucial points for my team. She is caring and patient, and she pays attention to everyone’s concerns.” Aahina, 9, California 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.…

Corpse Bride This stop-motion animated film from 2005 is set in the 1800s. It is about Victor, a groom-to-be who practices his vows in the woods and unintentionally marries a buried female corpse. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Burton put his own spin on the Roald Dahl story in this 2005 film. Chocolate maker Willy Wonka is played by Johnny Depp, who has appeared in many Burton films and voiced Victor in Corpse Bride. Alice in Wonderland In 2010, Burton adapted Lewis Carroll’s classic story about a girl who falls through a rabbit hole. She meets strange characters, including the Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp.…

Mantra Warrior: The Legend of the Eight Moons (Netflix) Set in a futuristic universe, this anime film from Thailand (it has subtitles) follows a prince, his brother, and a team of warriors with ancient powers on a quest to rescue a princess after she gets abducted by a galactic monster. American Ninja Warrior (Peacock) (NBC) Mondays at 8 p.m. ET This hit competition series, featuring athletes trying to make it through difficult obstacle courses, is in its 16th season. In the semifinals, airing now, contestants will race side by side for a chance to advance to the finals and win the $1 million prize. Zillow Gone Wild (Max) Zillow is a website that people use to look for homes to rent or buy, and sometimes it has very unusual listings. Actor…

Do you think Alex and Zoe’s mom should be upset with their grandpa? Why or why not? How is the work of detectives and reporters similar? How does Zoe change throughout the story? Which twist caught you by surprise the most? What imagery in the book best highlighted the setting? Do the flashbacks make the story more or less exciting to you? If you’ve read the author’s City Spies series, how are those characters similar and different to these characters? JOIN THE WEEK JUNIOR’S BOOK CLUB Watch a special video James Ponti created for The Week Junior and learn more about how our monthly book club works at kids.theweekjunior.com/bookclub.…

Double autumn crisscrosses This two-in-one autumn puzzle features trees in the top grid and mammals in the bottom grid. Both the tree and mammal names are mixed together in the list between the grids. To complete the two grids, use your knowledge of the trees and mammals you recognize and your understanding of the way all the words must be placed to fit into the grids. TREES 3 letters ELK ELM FIR OAK PIG RAT 4 letters BEAR DEER GOAT MOLE PEAR PUMA 5 letters APPLE ASPEN CACAO CEDAR KOALA LLAMA MAPLE MOOSE OLIVE OTTER SHREW SLOTH SUMAC TIGER 6 letters CASHEW GERBIL LOCUST MYRTLE NUTMEG SPRUCE TUPELO 7 letters APRICOT CARIBOU CATALPA GAZELLE GIRAFFE GORILLA SEQUOIA 8 letters CHESTNUT CINNAMON ELEPHANT HEDGEHOG KANGAROO KINKAJOU MAGNOLIA MANDRILL MANGROVE MARMOSET MONGOOSE…