Innehållsförteckning för Issue 274 från The Week Junior US

Raging floodwaters struck south-central Texas starting on July 4, causing extensive destruction and forcing evacuations at several summer camps. The disaster was one of the most catastrophic floods in the US in the past 100 years. What happened? Early in the morning on July 4, a slow-moving storm brought heavy rain to a part of Texas known as Hill Country. Up to 18 inches of rain fell. At about 4 a.m., the Guadalupe River began overflowing and the first reports came in about flash flooding (rapid rise of water along a stream or low-lying area, usually caused by heavy rainfall in a short amount of time). As rain continued, the Guadalupe rose 26 feet in about 45 minutes in the town of Comfort and reached up to 40 feet above…

Sue Bird, one of the most decorated players in basketball history, has been named the first-ever managing director of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, putting her in charge of shaping the program’s future. Previously, a special committee selected players and coaches for the women’s national team. The men’s team has had a managing director since 2005. Now the women’s team is getting one for the first time in its 50-year-history. In the role, Bird will guide Team USA to the 2026 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California. Raised in Syosset, New York, Bird started playing basketball at age 5. After winning state and national titles for her high school team, she led the University of Connecticut Huskies to two NCAA championships and earned multiple…

Populations of peregrine falcons appear to be successfully living and growing in big cities in the US, according to a report from the Associated Press. Scientists and conservationists see this as a promising sign because peregrine populations in other parts of the country are declining. Peregrine falcons can be found throughout the world, with three subspecies living in North America. These keen hunters are known to reach spectacular speeds, flying high in the sky and then zooming down to catch their prey—mostly other birds such as pigeons, ducks, and jays. In recent years, the avian flu has spread throughout the US, infecting many of the species falcons eat. As a result, some peregrines have become infected and died. Falcons that live on the coasts are especially vulnerable because their prey—waterfowl…

Coastal green hairstreaks Conservation efforts in San Francisco, California, are helping to increase the population of these rare butterflies. Although they were once thought to be extinct in the city, dozens of the butterflies were spotted there this spring. Dragon’s blood trees These mushroom-shaped trees with blood-red sap grow only on an island called Socotra in the Arabian Sea. However, their survival is now at risk for several reasons, including tropical storms and goats that eat young trees.…

One of literature’s most famous sleuths turns 95 this year. Find out more about Nancy Drew and the mark she made on American culture. How the books began On April 28, 1930, three books were published featuring a teen detective named Nancy Drew who lived in the fictional town of River Heights. Carolyn Keene was listed as the author of these novels, titled The Secret of the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, and The Bungalow Mystery. Unusually for a young female character of her time, Nancy was intelligent, courageous, and independent. Her father, lawyer Carson Drew, encouraged her to follow her instincts about people and situations. Driving around in her car, Nancy braved perilous circumstances in the pursuit of truth and justice. With boyfriend Ned Nickerson and friends Helen Corning,…

For more than 100 years, scientists have wondered how orange cats get their distinctive fur. Now two teams of researchers think they’ve found the answer—and it’s due to the cats’ genes. Genes are sections of DNA (a chemical that carries all the information about a living thing). They give instructions to cells and determine things like eye and hair color. Scientists from Stanford University in California and Kyushu University in Japan pinpointed the gene that gives orange cats their colorful fur. The teams compared the DNA of cats with orange fur to other cats’ DNA. They found that orange ones have a section of DNA missing from a gene called ARHGAP36. This change makes the gene more active and instructs the cats’ cells to produce a lighter pigmentation (color) that…

From June 14 to July 6, men’s national soccer teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean competed in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. The tournament is held every twoyears and crowns the regional champion. The US and Mexico, longtime rivals, met in the final at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, where Mexico, the defending champions, beat the US, 2–1. Mexico now has 10 Gold Cup titles, the most in the tournament’s history. The Gold Cup action began with 16 teams, including one from Saudi Arabia, a guest nation. The teams were divided into four groups for the first stage, and the top two from each one advanced to the knockout rounds. The US men’s national team (USMNT) Gold Cup roster lacked many of its top players, who were…

Coach’s Name: Shanoi Martinez Team: Teaneck Southern Titans 9U (baseball) “Coach Shanoi is kind, generous, and always helps and supports us. He never gives up on us, and he always cheers us on. When he pushes us, he also makes sure we don’t overdo it. He motivates us so we can do hard things. He also got us into the championships for our first tournament. He says it doesn’t matter if you make a mistake, and as long as you give 110% all game, you’re fine. He also makes sure we have fun!” Oliver, 9, New Jersey 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.…

Origin story Pierre Culliford (right, in 1984) said the Smurfs were inspired by Nordic trolls. He made them blue because it was a color for kids. He thought red was too violent, and yellow reminded him of illness. Hat style The Smurfs wear cone-shaped hats with forward-leaning tips, a style called a Phrygian cap. The caps can be seen on sculptures from ancient Greece and art representing mythological figures (right). A similar style was popular during the French Revolution. Special location The village of Júzcar, in southern Spain (right), was painted blue to celebrate the premiere of a Smurfs movie in 2011. It is still blue, known as“Smurf Town,” and welcomes an average of 250 tourists a day.…

SharkFest (National Geographic, Disney+, Hulu) National Geographic has a new batch of shows about sharks, including one that follows filmmaker Bertie Gregory as he goes on a cage-free dive with great whites. Viewers can also see expeditions and learn about topics such as shark migration. The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish (Netflix) In this sequel to the classic animated series The Fairly OddParents, a girl named Hazel moves to a new city where her neighbors Cosmo and Wanda have wish-granting powers. In the new second season, some of Hazel’s adventures involve time travel, rock monsters, and talking teeth. Electric Bloom (Disney Channel) Posey, Jade, and Tulip meet in high school, form a band, and later become pop stars in this new musical comedy series. The girls’ older selves narrate the…

Graciela in the Abyss masterfully combines the wonders of the undersea world with themes of adventure, responsibility, and loss. Here are questions to get a conversation going with friends and family who have also read the book. What do you think Graciela’s life would have been like if she hadn’t drowned? Why does Graciela say that being dead is hard work? How were Graciela and Jorge connected to each other before they met in person? Why is it difficult for Graciela and Jorge to be honest with each other? Would Jorge have been able to pursue his dreams as an adult if his parents were alive? If you were transformed into a sea spirit, what new calling would you follow?…

Word ladder To change the word NOSE into the word CLIP, 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 the name of a seven-letter thing you see at a beach. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. Spot the difference These two pictures of Nathan’s hot dog stand at Coney Island appear to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you see them? PUZZLES BY PUZZABILITY DETOURS Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every single…

“With help from our teacher, our class created the Green Team. It all started on Earth Day, when we learned how to take care of our planet by reusing and recycling. Everyone got really excited and wanted to make a difference. We noticed that our school lunchroom didn’t have a recycling bin, so we decided to change that. I was the leader of a group that met with the principal and the school custodian to share our plan. They said yes! Starting next fall, our school will recycle and compost at lunch. Thank you, The Week Junior, for inspiring us with your amazing ideas!” 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.…

Teacher’s Name: Mr. Walterman School: Chisholm Trail Middle School “Mr. Walterman is an amazing teacher. He always makes us laugh and smile with all the fun activities he plans. But when it comes to the lessons, Mr. Walterman is 10 times better. He makes the lessons and activities fun and engaging for everyone. And when someone doesn’t understand, Mr. Walterman is patient and helps us until we do.”Hudson, 12, Kansas 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.…

On July 3, scientists announced the discovery of a 3,500-year-old city in eastern Peru called Peñico. It is believed to have been a major trading hub that connected communities on the country’s western coast with inland areas, including the Andes mountains and Amazon rainforest. Archaeologists spent eight years excavating Peñico. They uncovered 18 structures, including ceremonial temples, homes, and a circular plaza. The plaza’s walls were decorated with carvings of a trumpet called a pututu, which was made from a conch shell. They also found seashell necklaces, clay sculptures of people and animals, and ceremonial objects. Peñico is thought to have been established between 1800 and 1500 BCE. Researchers said the city may have been settled by descendants of the Caral civilization, which once existed nearby and is the oldest…

On July 4, President Donald Trump signed legislation he called the“One Big Beautiful Bill” into law at the White House. The new law is a large spending and tax bill that Trump, a Republican, had made a priority since taking office in January. How did the bill reach the President? The House of Representatives (one half of Congress, the branch of government that makes laws) created the legislation and sent it to the Senate (the other half of Congress) in May. After weeks of discussion and negotiation, it passed both houses along party lines, with nearly all Republicans voting for it and all Democrats opposed. The Senate approved it 51–50, and the House approved it 218–214. The 887-page bill was then sent to the President to sign into law. What…

Gondomar, Portugal Funeral held for famous athletes A funeral for professional soccer players Diogo Jota and André Silva took place on July 5 in Gondomar, Portugal, where they grew up. The brothers died on July 3 following a car accident in Spain. Jota played for the English soccer club Liverpool, and Silva played for the Portuguese club Penafiel. A private ceremony was held at the Igreja Matriz church, while hundreds of mourners gathered outside. Suriname Country declared malaria-free On June 30, the World Health Organization officially declared Suriname malaria-free. Malaria is a dangerous disease spread by some types of mosquitoes. Suriname achieved malaria-free status through policies such as ensuring that all people had access to treatment and checking people for malaria at the country’s borders. “We are proud that our…

There are more than 300 glaciers in North Cascades National Park in Washington—more than in any other US park outside Alaska. The park is also known for its mountains, ancient forests, cascading waterfalls, rivers, and hundreds of lakes and ponds. Black bears, gray wolves, cougars, river otters, and Pacific treefrogs live in the park, while salmon swim in the Skagit River. Hikers and backpackers have access to more than 400 miles of trails with views of the North Cascades, the most rugged mountain range in the contiguous US (the 48 adjoining states).…

Helmeted honeyeater Helmeted honeyeaters have returned to Cardinia, Australia, for the first time in 42 years. The birds disappeared from the area after wildfires. Experts bred 21 birds in captivity and have released them in the hope that they will stay and breed. ● LIFE SPAN: Up to 6 years ● HABITAT: Forests near water or swamps ● SIZE: About 8 inches long ● DIET: Insects, nectar, and tree sap ● FUN FACT: Known as HeHo for short, they are the official bird of the Australian state of Victoria.…

Scientists in China said they have created night-vision contact lenses that can give people “super vision.” The breakthrough technology may be able to correct color blindness as well. There are many different kinds of light, but the human eye can see only a small portion of them. The range of light we can see is called visible light. One of the types of light we cannot naturally see is called infrared. Some animals, like snakes, can see infrared light. The new lenses are made of flexible, nontoxic materials that are used for soft contact lenses. Nanoparticles (particles so tiny they can’t be seen by the human eye) embedded in the lenses absorb infrared light and convert it into visible light. Being able to see infrared light makes it possible for…

At the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Georgia, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the famous story by Lewis Carroll, has been brought to life with plants in an exhibition called Alice’s Wonderland. It features 38 large sculptures that make up seven scenes inspired by the tale. The art in the garden is a style known as mosaiculture. It is made by covering steel frames with a special fabric that holds in soil and allows plants to grow out of it. The pieces were created by Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal, a group in Canada with a team of experts that include landscape architects, engineers, and artists. “We consider ourselves a living museum, and mosaiculture is 3D, living sculpture,” Amanda Bennett, the garden’s vice president of horticulture and collections, told The Week Junior. Alice’s…

On July 10, one of the best games of 2024 got an update. Astro Bot, which is available exclusively for the PlayStation 5 (PS5), has five new levels that are available for free as downloadable content. With the additional content, the game will have more than 90 levels to play. Astro Bot was released last September and was a big hit, selling more than 1.5 million copies in its first two months. It went on to be named the Video Game of the Year at one of the industry’s major award ceremonies. The action in the game begins when Astro Bot’s ship is attacked by Space Bully Nebulax, an alien with a bad attitude. The ship crashes, and its parts are spread across six galaxies. Astro Bot has to ride…

Do you love the ocean? I do, but I’m scared of it at the same time. The scariest yet most exciting aspect of the ocean to me is the abyss at the bottom of the sea. There are volcanoes and mountain ranges down there! I thought that would be a great setting for a book. How long did it take you to write the story? I worked on it for 12 years before I handed in the manuscript to my editor. How did you keep the story from becoming too intense? I tried to balance the scary moments with hopeful ones, and I also wrote many scenes that showed the characters being especially courageous. Did you enjoy writing fantasy? Yes, I found it exciting to have the chance to build…

Ingredients • ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk• 1¼ cups unsweetened canned coconut milk• 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder• ¾ teaspoon vanilla• ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate chips• Kosher salt• ¼ cup cherry preserves Instructions 1. In a blender, combine the sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, chocolate chips, and a pinch of kosher salt. Pulse several times to combine. 2. Add the cherry preserves to the blender and pulse a few more times to blend. 3. Pour the mixture into small paper cups or ice pop molds. If you are using cups, cover the top of each one with foil, then add an ice pop stick to each. (The foil will help to hold the stick in place while it freezes.) 4. Freeze the ice pops until they’re…

Funny-looking dolls sell out fast The world has gone crazy for Labubu dolls, which have been described as a cross between a creature from the book Where the Wild Things Are and anevil Teletubby. The characters were invented by artist Kasing Lung, who teamed up with a Chinese company to launch a line of toys. They became extremely popular after a K-pop band member shared a photo with one. Last month, a human-sized Labubu doll sold at an auction in China for more than $150,000. “It’s amazing that so many people love it,” said Lung. Dachshund wins dog derby In front of 2,000 cheering fans, Bucky the dachshund emerged as the star of the Meadowlands Racetrack Wiener Dog Derby. In the New Jersey event, dozens of sausage dogs run 30…

Enter to win books! This is the fifth issue of our Summer of Reading campaign! We hope you enjoy our interview with Author Ambassador Meg Medina and a review of her new book Graciela in the Abyss (p23). Our reading challenge continues! Once you’ve finished any three books, go to tinyurl.com/TWJUS- ReadingChallenge2025 with an adult to enter our sweepstakes. Five kids will win! All winners will be drawn at random. The deadline to enter is August 8. For our list of “The 50 Books Kids Love Most,” go to kids.theweekjunior.com/summerofreading. 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 first name, age, and state…

TAKING THE TOP SPOT Novel Ice Cream in Phoenix, Arizona, has frozen out the competition. Named the best ice cream shop in the nation by the review site Yelp, Novel is known for its Dough Melt—ice cream tucked inside a warm homemade doughnut. A FAMILY TRADITION Tennis star Novak Djokovic won his 100th match at Wimbledon, a major tournament in the UK, but his 7-year-old daughter Tara stole the show. The crowd cheered as she did the family’s special victory dance in the stands. “It’s a little tradition we have,” her father said. “She’s the master.” A DINOSAUR DASH Competition was fierce at the annual T-Rex World Championship Races in Washington. A prehistoric pack of more than 300 runners in inflatable dinosaur costumes stomped, skipped, and stumbled their way to…

July 13, 1985 Concerts held to combat famine On July 13, 1985, two concerts, called Live Aid, were held, one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the other in London, England. Top music artists, such as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and Madonna, came together to raise money for people in Africa who were suffering from famine (extreme lack of food). The concerts reached more than 1 billion people worldwide and raised more than $100 million.…

What you need to know • Restaurants are allowed to set their own rules on age requirements for customers, unless there are local laws stopping it. • In recent years, restaurants around the world have experimented with policies that ban young children under a certain age. • Some restaurants fear losing customers, but others believe that an age limit will attract a different set of diners who want a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. When a well-known Italian restaurant in New Jersey banned children under the age of 10 in 2023, it caused an uproar. The restaurant defended the move, saying children made a lot of noise, left big messes for their staff to clean up, and created safety hazards when they ran around. Many people took to social media to criticize…

A new, brightly colored poison dart frog has been discovered in the Juruá River basin in the Amazon rainforest. There are nearly 200 known species of poison dart frogs, which have bright colors and highly toxic skin. These frogs are vital to the ecosystem (group of living things that affect each other) because they help control the insect population. A team of scientists in Brazil found the unknown species, which belongs to the genus Ranitomeya. It was the first discovery of a new frog in this genus in 13 years. The tiny amphibian, measuring about the size of a nickel, has metallic blue-green and black stripes on its body and orange-spotted limbs. They named the species Ranitomeya aquamarina, a Latin word meaning blue-green. Experts say finding these shiny new frogs…

Trish Khan Curator of primates and small mammals, Milwaukee County Zoo Just as we can change our voice depending on the situation, cotton-top tamarins can do the same with their vocalizations. They use more than 30 distinct sounds to express emotions such as joy, curiosity, fear, and playfulness, or to alert the group about food or danger. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Milwaukee County Zoo at milwaukeezoo.org.…

Eyeglasses The first eyeglasses, made in the 1200s, consisted of two lenses connected by a rivet and placed on the bridge of the nose. A later version, called a pince-nez (above), clipped onto the nose. Eyeglasses as we know them were invented in 1727 by a British eye doctor. He placed glass lenses into heavy frames of wood, lead, or copper. Later versions included frames of leather, bone, and horn. Sunglasses Thousands of years ago, members of the Inuit tribe in the Arctic developed the first sunglasses to reduce the glare from sunlight reflecting office and snow. The goggles were made from walrus ivory, bone, or wood (above). Narrow slits blocked light and protected people from a condition called snow blindness, which can damage vision. Contact lenses In 1801, English…

A smart robot uses artificial intelligence to help tennis players boost their game. Tenniix is like a coach and an opponent, shooting the ball across the net to help players practice. It has built-in cameras to track players’ positions and movements, and it adjusts the speed, angle, and style of its shots to suit their skill level. Tenniix comes with a wristband that responds to voice commands or hand gestures. It can capture video of the game and track players’ statistics. Its creators said it will be available this summer.…

On July 1, the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) finished its annual in-season tournament, the Commissioner’s Cup. The championship game was played at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and featured the Indiana Fever from the Eastern Conference and the Minnesota Lynx from the Western Conference. The Lynx, who were the reigning Commissioner’s Cup champions and have the best WNBA record this season, were upset by the Fever, 74–59. It was the first time the Fever won the Commissioner’s Cup. All 13 WNBA teams played in the tournament. The first part ran from June 1 to June 17, when each team played a game against every other team in their conference. Those games doubled as regular-season games. The Lynx and Fever had the best records from those competitions, so they…

Since 1958, comic book, TV, and movie fans have been entertained by the Smurfs, a group of little blue creatures who live hidden in a forest. It has been eight years since their last big film, and now they’re heading back to theaters in a new adventure. The Smurfs, their first full-length musical film, combines 2D animation, computer-generated imagery, and live action. It will open on July 18. The Smurfs were created by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford, whose pen name was Peyo. He first put them in a story for one of his Johan and Peewit comics, and they soon had their own series. The characters are famously described as being“three apples high,” have names that match their personalities or skills, and use variations of “smurf” in place of many…

Zero Chill (Netflix) “This show is about twin siblings Kayla, a figure skater, and Mac, a hockey player. They are from Canada, but when Mac gets a scholarship to attend a hockey school in London, Kayla is forced to move there too. After Kayla finally finds a new friend, she feels like Mac steals her away. The show, however, is mainly about how Mac and Kayla share a bond because of their love of the ice. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fun show about family and friends.” Nishka, 11, Massachusetts Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Meg Medina, illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso (Candlewick) In this fantasy novel, a 13-year-old girl is reborn as a sea spirit who gets to choose a new purpose. Graciela, who drowned 100 years earlier, has chosen to be an artist who turns discarded bottles into stunning sea glass and then deposits the glass to be discovered by beachcombers. Although she enjoys her new calling, she misses her human connections. That’s why she clings to the bond she has developed with fellow spirit Amina. But Amina dreams of joining the Almas, the rulers of the spirit world. When an invitation from the Almas is sent to Amina, Graciela intercepts it because she doesn’t want Amina to leave her. As Graciela heads to the surface, Jorge, a kind-hearted 12-year-old, is…

Birds need our help. Nearly 3 billion of them have disappeared from North America over the past five decades due to issues like habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Some of the most affected species are common birds—the species that many people see every day—which include sparrows, blackbirds, warblers, and finches. With a few simple changes, you can help create a safe haven for birds near your home. Here’s how to get started. Offer safe shelter To give birds a place to live, you can build or buy a nest box or birdhouse made of untreated, natural wood. Other materials, like plastic, can get too hot for birds and their young. To protect bird families from the rain, provide a roof that extends over the entrance. Carefully place the birdhouse…

Do you love taking photos of flowers, trees, and wildlife? If so, now is your chance to use your creativity, curiosity, and skills to enter The Week Junior’s Nature Photo Contest. The entry form for 8-to 10-year-olds is at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-2025Photo Contest-8-10 and for 11- to 14-year-olds is at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-2025PhotoContest-11-14. Winning entries will be featured in a September 2025 issue of the magazine. See official rules at theweekjunior.com/photocontestrules.…

July 4, a day when festive celebrations typically take place in communities across the US, instead turned into a day of sorrow in central Texas when the Guadalupe River overflowed with very little warning and caused devastation in Kerr County (p2). All of us at The Week Junior were very sad to hear about the people who died, including children. We are also grateful for the emergency workers who rescued hundreds of people and prevented a terrible situation from becoming worse. As is always the case during disasters, many ordinary people also stepped in to help their fellow neighbors. If your family would like to help, several nonprofit organizations are accepting donations to provide food, shelter, and other necessities to those in need. As the recovery continues, we send wishes…

“I got to meet author Kwame Alexander at a book signing near my house, and I took The Week Junior with me!”Amos, 11, Florida “I really enjoy bowling with my family, so I was thrilled to find an article about it in The Week Junior!” Juliana, 8, Mississippi “We made the How To recipe for pesto pasta, but instead of using broccoli, we used carrots. It was yummy!”Ojas, 10, Texas…

1 How many hot dogs did Joey Chestnut eat in 10 minutes to win Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest? a) 68.5 b) 70.5 c) 72.5 a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 Scientists in China have developed contact lenses that allow people to see what kind of light? 3 In what year did the Americans with Disabilities Act become law? a) 1980 b) 1990 c) 2000 a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 4 True or false? Peregrine falcon populations are declining in big cities in the US. True ☐ False ☐ 5 In the video game Astro Bot, five new levels were added to what galaxy? a) The Brutal Burst b) The Nasty Nebula c) The Vicious Void a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 6 The 14th Dalai Lama…

The Week Junior invites our readers to jump into a summer of super adventures through our Summer of Reading challenge. Reading can take kids anywhere they can think of. They can be the hero of a thousand stories, this summer and beyond. Bring along a friend, create a summer book club, or give a gift of The Week Junior and treat another child to a summer of reading adventures. Makes a great gift! To order a 25 weekly issue subscription of The Week Junior and save 66%, visit theweekjunior.com/smartfun SUBSCRIBE TO JOIN THE FUN…