Innehållsförteckning för Issue 236 från The Week Junior US

On October 9, Hurricane Milton slammed into western Florida. The state was still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina when it struck on September 26. What happened? Milton made landfall near Tampa Bay, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing winds of 105 miles per hour, intense rainfall, and a storm surge (rise in seawater) that included 28-foot waves along Florida’s coastline. The city of St. Petersburg received nearly 19 inches of rain, which weather experts said is an extremely rare occurrence. The storm also triggered 126 tornado warnings, the most ever issued in one day in Florida. Milton caused at least 38 tornadoes across central and southern Florida, destroying homes and toppling trees and power lines. About 6 million people were ordered…

A DIWALI DOLL Mattel has introduced a new Barbie doll honoring Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights (celebrated on October 31 this year). Indian fashion designer Anita Dongre, who created the doll’s traditional outfit, said she hopes kids across the world will be inspired “to connect with their culture and heritage.” TREATING THE NEIGHBORS A Tennessee man is bringing joy to local dogs. In his front yard, Doug Owen installed a gumball machine full of treats for pups walking by. Owners turn the dial to get them. And they’re free “because we know dogs don’t carry cash,” he said. FINDING A MASTERPIECE In 1962, Luigi Lo Rosso found a painting in an abandoned Italian villa, put it in a cheap frame, and gave it to his wife, who didn’t like…

Cristeta Comerford—the first woman, first person of color, and first person of Asian descent to serve as the White House executive chef—recently retired after nearly 30 years in the nation’s most famous kitchen. She cooked for the past five US Presidents, from Bill Clinton to Joe Biden, preparing everything from family snacks to elaborate state dinners. Born in Manila, in the Philippines, Comerford, age 61, is one of 11 children. She studied food science at the University of the Philippines and left to immigrate to Chicago, Illinois, at age 23. Working at Chicago restaurants, she discovered her love of cooking. Comerford joined the White House in 1995 as a part-time assistant chef and became executive chef in 2005, during the George W. Bush administration. She told NPR she didn’t realize…

Scientists have found a new way to study the health of soil—by listening to it. They think their method could help people monitor and improve soil around the world. All living things—mammals, insects, and even plants—make sounds, and “eco-acoustics” is the study of those noises. The method has been used to observe bats, birds, and sea creatures. Scientists from Flinders University in Australia wanted to see if they could use eco-acoustics to check how healthy soil was. Researcher Jake Robinson told The Guardian newspaper it was like a doctor using a stethoscope to listen to a patient’s heartbeat. Soil can be filled with many living things (see box above), and the greater the diversity of the species, the healthier the soil. For example, invertebrates (animals without backbones) like ants, beetles,…

Space Cadets This humorous series chronicles four students trying to navigate the fictional Space Academy and make it to outer space. While they may not be the best students at the Space Academy, they find themselves proving they’re not the worst. Fear Street Aimed at kids a little older than Goosebumps’ readers, this series features average teenagers who encounter everything from ghosts to crimes, often on the fictional Fear Street. Rotten School This silly series follows a group of fourth graders living together at a boarding school, the Rotten School, and their adventures trying to make money. It also follows the students’ rivalry with some of their classmates.…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the US agency that monitors the safety of food and medicine) has approved a nasal spray to treat severe allergic reactions. It’s the first needle-free treatment of its kind. More than 33 million Americans are allergic to certain foods, medicines, or insect bites. Serious allergic reactions can occur within seconds, causing itching, swelling, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. In rare cases, exposure to an allergen can cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. The only treatment for anaphylaxis has been an injection of a medicine called epinephrine by an EpiPen or other device with a needle. The dose often has to be administered by the patient or by someone nearby, like a parent. That can be scary for people who are afraid of needles, which includes…

The 2024–2025 NHL (National Hockey League) regular season is underway. The first two games were played in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, on October 4 and October 5, and US action began on October 8. The Florida Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions and will likely be contenders for another title. Other top teams are expected to include the Edmonton Oilers, who were defeated by the Panthers in last season’s Stanley Cup Final, the Dallas Stars, the New York Rangers, and the Colorado Avalanche. This season, the NHL has a new team: the Utah Hockey Club. They replace the Arizona Coyotes, who were bought and moved to Utah in the off-season. In their debut on October 8 in a sold-out home game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Utah…

Coach’s Name: Jonny Lincoln Team: Edina Soccer Club “Coach Jonny is kind, considerate, and hardworking. He is honest with us when we make mistakes and helps us do better the next time. He teaches us skills we can use in life and soccer. He helps us have good connections with our teammates and play well with them. He is from England and has taught us all about tea and biscuits too! Coach Jonny is not only an excellent coach, but he is also an outstanding person!” Avianna, 12, 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.…

SpongeBob SquarePants: Kreepway Kamp (Paramount+) In a Halloween special, SpongeBob and friends reunite at Kamp Koral and find themselves in a spooky mystery. As campers begin to disappear, the gang must uncover the truth behind a shadowy figure, save their pals, and escape. Wildlife Rescue: Australia (Nat Geo) This new documentary follows Dr. Bree Talbot and her team of veterinarians and nurses from Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital in western Australia. It shows their efforts to save and treat koalas, kangaroos, and even an orphaned echidna (above) brought to their mobile vet truck. Kids Baking Championship: Scary Good (Food Network) Four fan-favorite bakers from past seasons of Kids Baking Championship celebrate Halloween and compete in this new special. They have to create treats that include pull-apart cupcakes made with extremely spicy…

What do you like most about this book? I love that this book exists and that I was asked to illustrate it! I like how the book is about teachers and students. Is it hard to illustrate a book you didn’t write? It’s hard but it’s also fun! I like reading stories by other authors and imagining how to visualize the characters in a way that will add exciting elements to the book. What inspires you? I get inspired by visiting museums, watching old movies, and taking walks in nature. I enjoy being curious about things I don’t know. Did you draw growing up? Yes, I drew all the time when I was a child, and I made sculptures. My dad was an accountant, but he was supportive of me,…

Ghostly bell pepper bites Ingredients • 12 black olives• 6 baby bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded• ¾ cup hummus• 12 mozzarella pearls, halved Instructions 1. Trim the end from half of the black olives and set the slices aside. Use the end of a plastic straw to press into each olive like a cookie cutter to cut 24 circles from the remaining whole and trimmed olives. (Squeeze straw to release any circles that get stuck.)2. Fill each bell pepper with hummus. Add 2 mozzarella half eyes and black olive pupils to each. Serve immediately. Makes 12 pepper bites. Recycled ghoul jars What you’ll need • Clean recycled jars• Black paint and paintbrush• Facial tissues• Scissors• Toothpick or a black marker• Needle and white thread• Tape (any kind) Instructions 1.…

Floki the canine footvolley star Meet Floki, a border collie teaching people in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, how to play footvolley—a mixture of soccer and beach volleyball. In footvolley, players cannot touch the ball with their hands or arms, which is perfect for Floki because he hits the ball over the net with his snout. Floki’s owner, Gustavo Rodrigues, is a footvolley coach. He said he first noticed his pet’s potential when Floki started jumping toward birthday balloons as a puppy. Now Floki barks at Rodrigues to pass him the ball and leaps into his arms when they score. Dishing up a delicious record “Welcome to the District of Pupusa!” a community official said as the world’s largest pupusa stretched 20 feet down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. A team…

“Spending time with the kittens, reading The Week Junior, and playing computer games are my three favorite things. I wanted to share a cute picture of one of our foster kittens, Dandelion, who was reading an article on one of my favorite games with me! For over a year, we have been fostering kittens for an organization called T.E.A.R.S. of Seminole County. We have taken care of 21 kittens so far. We help nurse the orphaned kittens back to health, bottle-feed them, and clean their litter boxes. We also play with them and pet them a lot so they can learn to trust people. After they get spayed and neutered, T.E.A.R.S. finds good homes for them. You can also help cats find loving homes!” Have you done something interesting or…

Teacher’s Name: Señor Sanchez School: Durham Academy Middle School “Señor Sanchez is so thoughtful. He is both my advisor and Spanish teacher. I’m a new student at my school, and he makes me feel so welcome. He creates lots of fun ways for us to learn Spanish, like playing Simon Dice (Simon Says). During advisory, he has lots of games and cool fidgets for our hands. Señor Sanchez is a special, kind, and amazing teacher. He rocks!” Susannah, 10, North Carolina 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.…

With polls showing a very tight race for US President, the candidates—Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican—are trying to reach as many voters as possible in the remaining time before Election Day on November 5. What is happening? Harris and Trump are traveling across the US to convince key groups of people, such as undecided voters, to cast ballots for them. They are focusing their attention on the “swing states” that are most likely to decide the election: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. They are also spending tens of millions of dollars on TV commercials, social media campaigns, and other kinds of ads to reach voters. What is Harris doing? Harris has raised more than $1 billion since entering…

Scientists have known for many years that the largest gold nuggets form naturally inside a mineral called quartz, but they have never been sure exactly why. Now they have determined that earthquakes and electricity are the keys to the size of the nuggets. Gold atoms (tiny particles) exist deep within Earth’s crust. They are carried up toward the surface by hot liquids that bubble up and fill the cracks in the quartz, which are called veins. When the fluid cools, it leaves the gold behind. In theory, scientists said, the gold should be spread evenly throughout the quartz veins. Instead, it clusters together in certain areas and forms large, valuable nuggets that can weigh more than 100 pounds each. A team of researchers led by Chris Voisey, from Monash University…

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants Unleashed is a new action platformer game. It was just released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation systems, Xbox platforms, and PC. The game is based on the popular 2023 animated film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. As Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) fans know, the turtles are brothers Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. When they were babies, a chemical ooze turned them into human-like creatures. They were raised in New York City sewers by mutant rat Splinter, who trains them in ninjutsu, a martial art. Mutants Unleashed begins when a new set of wild mutants, including a giant killer bee, arrive in the city and cause panic and destruction. It is up to the turtle brothers to stop them and restore order. The action…

Wishtree By Katherine Applegate ”This book is about a tree that talks to other trees and animals. It can also talk to humans, but it usually doesn’t. Every year people come to the Wishtree and attach their wishes to it. The magic tree sometimes grants people their wishes. I like this book because it’s a fantasy. It is one of my all-time favorite books, and it’s by one of my favorite authors!” Winifred, 9, Washington Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

1 Which bear recently won Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week contest for the second straight year? a) 32 “Chunk” b) 128 “Grazer” c) 909 “Junior” a □ b □ c □ 2 What is author R.L. Stine’s favorite Goosebumps book? a) Blind Date b) Monster Blood c) The Haunted Mask a □ b □ c □ 3 True or false? Cristeta Comerford was the first woman to serve as executive chef at the White House. True □ False □ 4 How many Grand Slam titles did tennis champion Rafael Nadal win? 5 About how many species of bats live in North America? a) 85 b) 154 c) 223 a □ b □ c □ 6 True or false? Lightning strikes contribute to the formation of large gold nuggets inside…

October 26, 1825 Erie Canal opens in New York On October 26, 1825, the Erie Canal, the longest artificial waterway in North America, opened in New York. It took eight years to build the 363-mile-long canal, which connected the cities of Albany and Buffalo and provided a direct water route from the East Coast to the Midwest. This made it easier to deliver goods that came into New York City’s busy seaport to other parts of the country.…

Spooky season is upon us, which for many people means stockpiling sweet Halloween chocolate bars, gummies, and candy corn. Others, however, think the fall holiday is a perfect time to pucker up to a super-sour sensation. Supporters of sweet options say you can never go wrong with a gooey, melt-in-your-mouth candy or a burst of bright, fruit-filled flavor. But others would rather eat something tart and hair-raising to match the Halloween spirit. They say the thrill of popping a piece of sour candy in your mouth is unbeatable. What do you think? Is sweet candy better than sour candy? Yes—it’s a delight to eat Let’s face it: When people say candy, the first thing they think of is something sweet, not sour. Candy is a special treat that’s meant to…

For more than 30 years, the Goosebumps books have been giving kids spine-tingling thrills and laughs. How did these silly-scary novels by R.L. Stine become one of the bestselling series of all time? Who is R.L. Stine? Robert Lawrence Stine, known as R.L. Stine, was born in Columbus, Ohio, on October 8, 1943. He started writing at a young age but initially wanted to be a cartoonist and illustrate comic books. While attending the Ohio State University, Stine was the editor of the college’s humor magazine. After graduation, he worked for the children’s book publisher Scholastic in New York City. In 1978, he started writing humor books for kids. In 1986, Stine wrote his first scary book, Blind Date. He has said he was inspired by the science fiction and…

A new immersive art exhibit is on display in the woods next to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Time Loop by Klip Collective: A Forest Light Experience features six installations made with lights, projections, and sound. It will be open until January 5. Klip Collective was founded by artist Ricardo Rivera, who leads a team that includes animators, programmers, and musicians. To create Time Loop, he visited the site and envisioned what could be created there. “Ricardo really understood how to make an experience that was fun and colorful and could make visitors say ‘Wow!’,” Alejo Benedetti, the museum’s curator (person who chooses art) of contemporary art, told The Week Junior. The installations in Time Loop, which are best viewed at night, have themes related…

Nimona (PG) Netflix “This is about a knight, Ballister, and a shape-shifting teen, Nimona. When Ballister is framed for a crime, he wants to prove he is a good guy and Nimona becomes his sidekick to help him. They work together and learn things about each other along the way. Nimona sees things that could be dangerous as perfectly normal, which makes for some golden comedy scenes. The movie taught me that if you feel like an outcast or struggle with working with other people, those challenges can be solved when you least expect it. I also learned to keep holding your head up high.” Zachary, 12, Oregon Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Andrew Clements, illustrated by Brian Selznick (Random House Books for Young Readers) The classic Frindle has been popular with kids ever since Andrew Clements wrote it in 1996. Now its sequel, The Frindle Files, which Clements wrote before he died in 2019, has been published. It takes place about 25 years after the original story and features Josh, a sixth grader who likes doing his homework on his computer. But one teacher, Mr. N., requires that students neatly write their assignments. When Josh needs a pen for his writing homework, his mom gives him one with the word “Frindle” on it, explaining that the word was a trend when she was in middle school. Josh searches the term “Frindle” on his computer and discovers that Nick Allen, a sixth…

The Ghost Rules By Adam Rosenbaum (Holiday House) After a 12-year-old boy moves to a new town, he learns that he can see and talk to ghosts. Many of their conversations are more funny than scary. He tries to save a theater from being turned into a bank and hopes to connect with the ghost of his older brother, who recently died. Ages 8–12 Monster Movie! By Chuck Wendig (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) Ethan doesn’t want to join his classmates who are watching a horror movie at a popular student’s house. But his two friends convince him to come. When he arrives, he realizes the movie has unleashed a monster—and he’s the only person who can save the town. Can he overcome his own fears? Ages 8–12 Nancy…

Word ladder To change the word TRICK into the word TREAT, 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. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) STEPPING STONES Each figure hides a seven-letter word associated with Halloween. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. Crossmath Fill…

After this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner was announced on October 11, many media outlets published a photo of a man named Shigemitsu Tanaka, a member of Nihon Hidankyo, the group that won the award (p3). In the photo, he is crying. I imagine that it was overwhelming for him to hear that his group—survivors of America’s atomic bomb attacks on Japan at the end of World War II who have spent decades calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons—was being honored in such a significant way. When we were selecting photos for our story about the Nobel Prizes in this week’s issue, we chose an image of Terumi Tanaka, another survivor. In this photo, taken at a news conference the day after the announcement, he is smiling. Both images…

“I made the pumpkin smoothie from The Week Junior.”Naomi, 11, Wisconsin “The pumpkin smoothie was the perfect way to kick-start fall.”Ben, 11, Pennsylvania “I made the pumpkin smoothie, and it was amazing!”Annie, 10, California…