Innehållsförteckning för Issue 244 från The Week Junior US

On December 7 in Paris, France, the historic Notre-Dame Cathedral reopened to the public for the first time since it was damaged by a fire in 2019. At an elaborate ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted dignitaries from around the world after delivering on a bold promise to reopen the landmark within five years. What is Notre-Dame? For nearly 900 years, the soaring Catholic church has stood at the center of Paris, serving as a symbol of France. With its pointed arches, high towers, and flying buttresses (arched exterior supports), Notre-Dame is a famous example of Gothic architecture. Construction began in 1163 and continued for more than 180 years. Notre-Dame’s bells were built in the 1200s. Other features include 150-foot-high curved wood ceilings, marble floors, and stained-glass windows. What happened…

GOING ELECTRIC Pope Francis, the head of the worldwide Catholic Church, is riding in a new electric vehicle. The Popemobile, as it’s known, releases zero harmful emissions. Francis often encourages people to protect the environment. LOVE LATE IN LIFE Marjorie Fiterman, age 102, and Bernie Littman, age 100, set a world record as the oldest couple to get married. The newlyweds met at their senior living facility in Pennsylvania and started dating about 10 years ago. “They keep each other young,” said Littman’s granddaughter. AN ELECTION WINNER Berry the red panda has been sworn in as mayor of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Berry, who won the most votes in an online election, will be the furry face of the zoo’s conservation, education, and community efforts in 2025. She takes over for…

There’s an old saying about receiving a gift: It’s the thought that counts. That means that even if you don’t like or need what someone has given you, it’s best to focus on the fact that they thought of you and took the time to find you a present. But after you’ve given your heartfelt thanks, what do you do with the gift itself? Maybe it’s a book you’ve read or a sweater that just isn’t your style. If you keep it, it will go to waste and take up space in your home. Some people think it’s OK for you to pass the gift along to someone who will appreciate it, but others say that’s rude. What do you think? Is it bad manners to regift a present? Yes—kindness…

Kelly Sutherland Associate professor, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Most mature jellyfish live for weeks or months (or a few years in an aquarium). One species, the “immortal jellyfish,” can extend its life—possibly forever—by transforming from the mature “medusa” stage of its life cycle back into the “polyp” stage, which is attached to the seafloor. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about Dr. Sutherland’s research at sutherlandlab.org.…

For our 5th annual Winter Cover Contest, we invited readers to create a cover of the magazine that celebrates the season and the spirit of The Week Junior. We received more than 2,000 submissions (the most ever!) and were impressed by the creativity that went into all of them. The contest was judged by Editor-in-Chief Andrea Barbalich, Creative Director Dean Abatemarco, and award-winning children’s book creators Johnnie Christmas, Chanel Miller, and Brian Selznick. Christmas is a best-selling comic book creator and illustrator who has written several graphic novels, including his latest release, Gamerville. Miller is a best-selling author of adult books who recently published her first novel for young people, titled Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Selznick, a Caldecott Medal winner, is the best-selling author and illustrator of more than…

The Golden State Valkyries—a new WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) team that will represent California’s Bay Area and begin playing in 2025—is starting to fill its roster. On December 6, the league held an expansion draft in which the team acquired players from existing WNBA teams. The last time the WNBA held an expansion draft was in 2008, when the Atlanta Dream entered the league. In the draft, the Valkyries were allowed to select one player from each of the league’s 12 teams. However, each team could protect up to six players who could not be drafted. The Valkyries selected 11 players, including Kayla Thornton of the New York Liberty, the current WNBA champions, and Kate Martin, who just finished a strong rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces. Seven…

Fans of The Lion King are getting ready for a new film about characters from the well-known Disney story. Mufasa: The Lion King is a prequel to the original tale, which was told in films in 1994 and 2019. It revolved around young lion Simba, whose father, Mufasa, was the legendary king of the Pride Lands. The new film focuses on Mufasa’s life as an orphaned cub and his rise to greatness. It has songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, known for Hamilton, Moana, and Encanto. It opens in theaters on December 20. Mufasa, directed by award-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins, was made in the same style as The Lion King from 2019. It has realistic-looking animals that were brought to life with computer-generated imagery. The film begins after the events of The…

“This is a comedy and an action movie. The main characters are Santa Claus, whose name is Nick and is known as Red One; his head of security, Callum Drift; and a bounty hunter, Jack O’Malley, who is my favorite character. The movie is about Santa Claus being taken and held prisoner. Callum and Jack have to go on different adventures to get Santa back. Jack is a dad who doesn’t have a great relationship with his son. I recommend this movie because it made me feel good when it brought Jack and his son together.” Jesse, 14, Ohio Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

(Feiwel and Friends) Aviva and Holly can’t believe their eyes when they run into each other at sign-ups for the holiday pageant at the senior center where Aviva’s grandmother lives. Except for a slightly different hairstyle and a freckle, they look exactly alike. After talking, they realize they’re both adopted and have the same birthday. They think they’re identical twins! Instead of sharing the news with their parents right away, they ask each other questions about their adoptions. They believe their families don’t know that their birth mother had twins. At a rehearsal for the pageant, Aviva’s younger brother thinks Holly is Aviva. Since their own family members can’t tell them apart, the girls decide to swap houses for a few days. Holly is excited to celebrate Hanukkah, and Aviva…

Guinness World Records 2025 By Guinness World Records (Guinness World Records) The 70th-anniversary edition of this book, popular for its list of amazing records, begins with a special chapter on heroes from every US state. The “Recordmania” chapter contains photos of fun collections and is especially enjoyable to read. Ages 8 and up Minecraft Annual 2025 By Mojang AB (Farshore) It’s the 15th anniversary of Minecraft, and this book contains the latest tips and tricks for having more fun while playing the video game. Find out how to survive a pillager raid and discover new builds. It also includes survival challenges and a blocky brownie recipe. Ages 8 and up National Geographic Kids Almanac 2025 By National Geographic Kids (National Geographic Kids) Packed with about 500 photos, this book is…

Winter’s coolest hairstyles When the cold takes hold in Canada’s Yukon province, people can make art with their frozen hair. Once temperatures drop below 4° F—usually sometime between December and March—Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs invites guests to take a dip in its 108° F pools, where steam collects in bathers’ hair and then freezes. Visitors style their hair in wacky ways and pose for photos, entering what is believed to be the world’s only hair-freezing contest. Cash prizes are awarded in categories such as most creative, best facial hair, and a people’s choice award. Creative cake art on display Masterpieces by 1,500 bakers, artists, and chefs from around the world went on display at Cake International last month. The show, held in the UK, is the world’s biggest cake-decorating and…

NASA, the US space agency, has launched its fourth annual Power to Explore Student Challenge. Students in grades K–12 are invited to write an essay about their idea for a nuclearpowered mission to a moon in the solar system. Essays should include details on where they would go, what they would explore, and how they would use radioisotope power systems, a type of nuclear battery. You can find out more about the contest, including when and how to apply, at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-NASAcontest. 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 with your submission. By emailing your submission to us,…

Teacher’s Name: Ms. Podgurski School: Normal Park Museum Magnet “I am nominating Ms. Pod because she is so kind to all her students. She always comes to school happy and brings cheer every day. She is also really funny. I love all the cool projects we do in class, and we recently finished reading the book Esperanza Rising. Ms. Pod brings joy to every student, and she cares about others.”Georgia, 10, Tennessee 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.…

The movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked has been making history at the box office since it premiered in November. One of its cast members is making history too. Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose, a character who uses a wheelchair, is the first actress to play the part who also uses a wheelchair in real life. Bode, age 24, grew up in the small town of Mazomanie, Wisconsin. Her love of acting began at age 8 when she joined her local community theater group. She first saw Wicked at age 11, around the time she survived a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She continued acting, and in 2021 she earned a degree from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, California. A…

Several groups of researchers recently studied how getting older affects the behavior of a wide variety of animals. Their findings, published in a special issue of the scientific journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, show that in many species, animals tend to spend less time socializing with others as they age—and this shift has some surprising benefits. As with humans, social relationships are an essential part of most animals’ lives. Living and working alongside others helps animals find food and mates and stay safe from predators. In fact, one of the studies found that the more social a species is, the longer that species is likely to live and the more offspring it is likely to produce. However, animals also have good reasons for becoming less social as they…

African giant pouched rats are being trained to sniff out illegal items at ports in Africa. The world’s largest rats are very intelligent and could help stop wildlife smuggling by identifying items such as pangolin scales and elephant tusks. • LIFE SPAN: Up to 9 years in the wild• HABITAT: Mostly holes and hollow trees in Africa• SIZE: Up to 9 pounds, 20 to 35 inches• DIET: Insects, snails, nuts, seeds, and fruit• FUN FACT: These rats got their name because they collect food in their cheek pouches.…

Starchy foods like bread, noodles, pasta, potatoes, and rice are popular all over the world. Starch is a type of carbohydrate, one of the main nutrients in food (see box at right) and an important part of the human diet. Now a study has revealed that humans’ love for these foods can be traced back more than 800,000 years—to the DNA (a chemical that carries information about a person’s body and characteristics) of our ancestors. In the study, researchers analyzed the genomes of 68 ancient humans, including one that lived 45,000 years ago. A genome is a complete set of DNA. The researchers focused on a specific gene (segment of DNA) called AMY1. AMY1 produces a substance called amylase, which helps humans break down starch in foods. Humans are able…

On December 7, the MLS Cup final, Major League Soccer’s championship match, was played between the LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls. The Galaxy hosted the competition at their home field, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, where they had not been beaten all season. They continued the streak with a 2–1 victory over the Red Bulls and claimed their sixth MLS Cup title, the most of any team in the league. Making it to the final was a big accomplishment for both teams, which are two of the original MLS franchises. In 2023, the Galaxy had one of their worst seasons, but this year they finished the regular season in second place in the Western Conference. They dominated their competition during most of their postseason action.…

Coach’s Name: Liz McLean Organization: Gainesville Basketball Association “Coach Liz is an awesome coach and deserves this after all her hard work and dedication! She has encouraged more and more girls in our community to play sports. She has done many free clinics for girls to learn basketball. This year, Coach Liz has doubled the size of the basketball program in our community! She is so fun and encouraging, and it makes me love basketball so much more!” Sylvie, 9, Virginia 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 Secret Lives of Animals (Apple TV+) There are 77 animal species from 24 countries in this new documentary series. Highlights include never-before-seen behaviors, such as a spider building a decoy to confuse predators, a wood mouse using landmarks to navigate, and an unlikely bond between a frog and a tarantula. Human vs. Hamster (Max) This new wacky competition series is from the producers of Floor Is Lava. Watch as humans test their strength, agility, speed, and eating skills against those of hamsters. Every challenge, including a fun obstacle course called The Cage, is made in human size and hamster size. SpongeBob & Sandy’s Country Christmas (Paramount+) In this stop-motion SpongeBob SquarePants special, Sandy Cheeks’ latest invention causes an accident that leaves Santa unable to deliver presents. Sandy’s family teams…

“This book takes place when Harry is married and has a child. His son, Albus Potter, is sorted into the Slytherin House. Later in the book, Albus tries to fix one of his dad’s mistakes, the murder of Cedric Diggory. But by trying to change history, the Dark Lord survives and the future is changed. Can Albus and his friend Scorpius put everything back to normal?” Elias, 8, Texas Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Exchanging gifts at the holidays is a tradition that dates back thousands of years. Children are typically excused from buying gifts because they cost money kids may not have. But the truth is that some of the best gifts don’t cost anything. If you would like to give meaningful gifts to family or friends at the holidays—without having to spend money—here’s how you can get started. Consider the recipient First, think about the person who will be receiving your gift. What are their interests and hobbies, or what foods do they like? What might they enjoy receiving that would tie in with those interests? For example, if they enjoy music, you can make them a personalized playlist or round up other young family members and give a musical performance. If…

Most wrapping paper that is used to wrap presents gets thrown away during the holiday season. Creating extra waste can harm the environment because gift wrap and ribbons take up space in a landfill. However, there are ways you can wrap your gifts nicely while still being mindful of the Earth. One option is to wrap items in brown kraft paper or paper shopping bags. This paper can be recycled or composted (turned into a mixture that improves soil), making it more environmentally friendly. You can tie packages with string you already have at home or reuse holiday decor to add special touches. Another option is to use gift bags, as they can easily be repurposed.…

The second-to-last issue of each calendar year is always one of my favorites because that’s when we have the honor of announcing the winner of our annual Winter Cover Contest (p14). This year we received more than 2,000 entries—the highest number ever! We carefully considered each one and then faced the difficult task of choosing our 10 finalists and ultimately our winner. Congratulations to Josie, our grand prize recipient, for her drawing titled “Penguin Love,” which captivated us with its artistic quality as well as its charm! Congratulations, also, to runners-up Anavi and Masooma and all our finalists. Thank you, as well, to every child who entered the contest. Each one of you impressed us! Our appreciation also goes to our esteemed judges—author/illustrators Johnnie Christmas, Chanel Miller, and Brian Selznick—all…

“I’m still laughing over the fact that Fat Bear Week is a real thing!”Alina, 10, Illinois “I love the Science and Technology pages because I like learning about interesting inventions.”Nick, 11, Massachusetts “I made the extra-crispy cheese quesadillas from the magazine and they were yum!”Atticus, 12, California…

December 20, 1946 It’s a Wonderful Life is released On December 20, 1946, the film It’s a Wonderful Life made its premiere in New York City. It takes place on Christmas Eve and stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who doesn’t realize how much he has helped others. The movie received mixed reviews after its release but is now considered one of the best films of all time. In 1990, it was added to the National Film Registry due to its importance to US culture.…

Located in the Patagonia region of South America, Torres del Paine National Park is a popular destination for hikers, adventurers, and nature lovers. Its spectacular landscapes include mountains, lakes, glaciers, rivers, shrubs, grasslands, and forests. At its center stand the “towers” that gave the park its name—three jagged granite peaks more than 8,200 feet tall. Visitors might see pumas, foxes, huemul deer, and guanacos, a relative of llamas. Birdwatchers can look out for Chilean flamingos, Magellanic woodpeckers, rheas, swans, and Andean condors, the largest bird of prey in the world.…

Palm trees Hawaii’s agriculture board approved new rules to protect palm trees against coconut rhinoceros beetles. Authorities are working to stop the spread of these large, non-native beetles, which attack coconut palms and other plants. Hedgehogs The International Union for Conservation of Nature changed the status of the European hedgehog from least concern to near threatened on its Red List, which tracks extinction risk. The population has declined mainly due to habitat loss.…

A little round robot can help kids learn to code. Using an app, young coders can program the Sphero Bolt + to roll, spin, race, and follow a maze. It can be made to play sounds, like animal noises, and light up in different colors, patterns, and levels of brightness. The Sphero Bolt + is good for coders of all experience levels, whether they’re just beginning or have advanced skills. It includes multiple sensors and motors, as well as a bright LED display. The robot is made of sturdy plastic that’s nearly indestructible.…

Beastieball is a new sports role-playing game. It was recently released for early access on the PC. In early access, a game is available to purchase even though its developer may not be ready to officially release it. The money earned on sales of the game is used to help finish making it, and people who buy it early automatically receive all updates and the final build. The game is set in a colorful and cartoonish world and has the same basic setup as the classic Pokémon video game: A young trainer sets out to capture creatures called Beasties, train them, and defeat eight gym leaders on their way to greatness. In Beastieball, however, instead of trainers commanding their creatures to fight against each other, they coach them through two-on-two…

How did you and your co-author, Marissa Meyer, divide the writing? I wrote Aviva’s character and Marissa wrote Holly’s character. When Aviva and Holly swapped homes, we also swapped characters. Which character do you most relate to? I relate to Aviva because I have a big family and I was raised in a Jewish home. But as far as personality, I relate more to Holly, who is a quiet introvert. What are the important themes in the book? Learning to feel comfortable in your own skin is a big theme, and facing your fears is another one. Do you have hobbies? I was crafty as a child. I knitted, crocheted, and did macramé wall hangings. I would do any craft you put in front of me. Today, I really enjoy…

Word ladder To change the word TAKE into the word ROOT, 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. STEPPING STONES Each figure hides a seven-letter word that begins and ends with the same letter. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. 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. Crossmath Fill each empty box with…

“For me, it started with three familiar words: ‘I am bored.’ During some of those slow moments last summer, I spent time doing my three favorite things: reading, writing, and listening to rap songs. Then I combined these passions and began writing rhyming poems, which I compiled into a book called It’s Time for My Rhymes. While some of my poems are fantasy, others are about the world around us. I donate all the money raised from the sales of my book to an organization that helps children around the world get a better education and access to library books.” 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. RIDDLE OF THE WEEK…