Innehållsförteckning för Issue 290 från The Week Junior US

On October 20, workers began tearing down the East Wing of the White House. A large ballroom will be built in its place. The construction is one of the largest and most controversial changes in the building’s history. What was the East Wing? The East Wing was built in 1902, during Theodore Roosevelt’s administration, as an entryway for guests arriving in carriages. Located on the opposite side of the White House from the West Wing, where the offices of the President and his staff are located, it housed the main visitors’ entrance, offices for the First Lady and her staff, a department that handles formal events, and military and legislative offices. Outside the East Wing, the East Colonnade and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden connected it to the rest of the White…

FINDING A HIDDEN GEM An Indiana man found a 2.71-carat white diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Officials at the park, where visitors can dig for gems and keep what they find, said it’s the fourth-largest diamond found this year. A PIG ON WHEELS Norbert the pig set a record for fastest pig to skateboard 10 meters (32.8 feet), covering the distance in 11.32 seconds. Norbert’s owner, Vincent Baran, taught his 175-pound pet to ride by tempting him with bananas and peanuts. “He looks like a natural on the board,” Baran said. SHARING SWEETS The Cake Picnic in San Francisco, California, drew 2,000 guests and 2,068 cakes of every shape, size, and flavor. Attendees were required to bring a whole cake and could sample the other offerings.…

Misty Copeland, the first Black woman promoted to principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), gave her final performance on October 22 at Lincoln Center in New York City. She became the top-ranked dancer of the ballet company in 2015, and the evening celebrated her groundbreaking career. Copeland, age 43, grew up in California and began dancing at age 13. In 2001, she joined ABT’s main company and was the only Black woman among the 80 dancers. Her breakthrough came in 2012, when she performed the title role in Firebird, becoming the first Black American to dance the part and earning widespread acclaim for her performance. During her 25-year career at ABT, Copeland performed many of ballet’s most famous roles. She also gained recognition as a best-selling author with…

At age 21, Jordan Stolz is already a star in the world of competitive skating. He is a long-track speed skater, which means he races long distances around a 400-meter ice oval, aiming for the fastest time. Now Stolz is ready to represent his sport and Team USA in February at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy. Stolz grew up near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and began skating at age 5 on the frozen pond in his family’s backyard. He was inspired by watching US short-track skater Apolo Ohno at the 2010 Olympics on TV. Stolz trained at the Pettit National Ice Center, where many Olympic skaters train. He quickly stood out in competitions for his speed and skill. In 2022, at age 17, Stolz made his Olympic debut in…

Barking dogs, roaring lions, and trumpeting elephants might steal the spotlight as their noises ring out through the air, but did you know fish make sounds too? Using a new tool, scientists have begun listening in on the symphony under the sea. Their recordings have captured a variety of thumps, honks, grunts, and burps made by different species of fish. The tool, developed by a group called the FishEye Collaborative, is a 360-degree underwater camera with special microphones. With the combined video and audio recordings, experts can pinpoint the source of the sounds they capture. Scientists have now used the camera to observe coral reefs off the coast of Hawaii’s Big Island and the island of Curaçao in the Caribbean. The recordings show that fish are far from silent. But…

Mountain gorillas Uganda’s mountain gorilla population has increased, partly due to tourism. People pay hundreds of dollars to see the endangered gorillas in the wild, so locals are saving habitats and many hunters have switched to being trackers and tour guides. US rivers Experts say rivers across the US are experiencing abnormally high water temperatures, which puts stress on aquatic life and harms water quality. Rivers in the Northeast and the Rockies have warmed the most, heating up faster than the air.…

The practice of origami is popular around the world and has been used in everything from arts and crafts to space engineering. What is origami? Origami is the art of folding paper into two or three-dimensional shapes without cutting, gluing, or taping. It is often created with special paper that is thinner than standard printer paper. There are many different styles of origami, such as modular, which involves making multiple units of an origami structure that can then be pieced together. Other techniques involve making simple structures with minimal folds or creating objects for everyday use, like boxes or paper clips. There is also wet folding, which involves dampening the paper slightly to make it softer, which allows more rounded shapes to be sculpted, and then letting the paper harden…

Scientists discovered the oldest and most complete set of fossils of a dome-headed dinosaur called a pachycephalosaur. The specimen, which is between 108 million and 115 million years old, also represents a new species and could shed light on how these creatures developed. Pachycephalosaurs were plant-eating dinosaurs known for their thick domes, which they may have used for headbutting each other to compete for mates. Not much else is known about them because their fossilized remains usually included only their hard skulls. The latest fossils, however, include a complete skull and parts of its hands, legs, and tail, as well as stomach stones that it swallowed to help grind its food. They were found in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia in 2019. Scientists at North Carolina State University analyzed the…

On October 21, the 2025–26 NBA (National Basketball Association) regular season tipped off. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the reigning champions and are expected to have a strong chance of defending their title. Some other top teams are expected to be the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets, the New York Knicks, the Houston Rockets, and the Los Angeles Lakers. On opening night, the Thunder faced the Rockets and came away with a 125–124 win in double overtime. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was the MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the 2024–25 regular season and NBA Finals, led the way with 35 points. In the other game that night, the Golden State Warriors beat the Lakers, 119–109. Warriors forward Jimmy Butler scored 31 points, while Steph Curry added 23 of his…

Coach’s Name: Charles Lawrence Team: San Diego Legends FC Gold Team 2013 (soccer) “Coach Charles is a very experienced, dedicated, and sympathetic coach. He played on the Jamaican National Team, so he knows how the game works. Some of the things he teaches us about include technique, speed, fitness, and most of all, how to work as a team. He also teaches us life lessons, like if you give up, you’ll get nowhere, and to tune out negative comments. He helped me become a better defender and a better person.” Nirvi, 12, 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.…

The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures There are more than 100,000 objects in this Kansas City, Missouri, museum’s collection. The items include miniature rooms and little paintings, food, and musical instruments. Carnegie Museum of Art This Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, museum has a Gallery of Miniatures, which features 11 tiny rooms, including the one below. There are reproductions of rooms that were in real homes, as well as rooms the museum created with mini antique furnishings. The Great American Dollhouse Museum At this destination in Danville, Kentucky, miniature displays create stories about different time periods and neighborhoods. Scenes are filled with mini people, too.…

Twisted Wonderland: The Animation (Disney+) This series based on a Japanese mobile game follows a teen who is mysteriously transported to a magical world. He lands at a school inspired by classic Disney villains. Monsters, rivalries, and secrets stand in his way of getting home. Expedition Unknown (Discovery+) (Discovery Channel) November 5 at 9 p.m. ET Explorer Josh Gates looks for lost treasures and takes on fun investigations in this adventure-filled history series. The new season includes a peek inside Egypt’s Great Pyramid and a quest inspired by the movie The Goonies. Charlotte’s Web (HBO Max) The classic novel by E.B. White comes to life in this new three-part animated adaptation. Wilbur, a gentle pig, befriends Charlotte, a clever spider who weaves words in her web to save him from…

Dragonborn, the first book in a riveting new fantasy series, transports you to a magical realm. Here are questions to get a conversation going with friends and family who have also read the book. Why do you think Alex has such a hard time transforming into a dragon? How does Alex’s relationship with her mom change? What twist in the book surprised you the most? Do you think Ferox had good or bad intentions when he destroyed the items from Alex’s father? Explain your answer. What do you think are Alex’s best and worst characteristics? Alex gets to pick her own dragon name. What name would you choose?…

Toys and games With help from an adult, you can check for toy collection initiatives at children’s hospitals, fire and police stations, and after-school programs. Old books Many public libraries will accept book donations, and teachers are often seeking more books to help fill their classroom shelves. Pet supplies Animal shelters often need old sheets and blankets to help keep animals comfortable. You can also look online to see if your local shelter has posted a wish list.…

Word search Can you find all these words associated with a rainforest? They are hidden horizontally, vertically, or diagonally and can be forward or backward. When you’re done, read the remaining letters to get a bonus message. BATS CANOPY CHIMPANZEE DENSE FERN FROG HOWLER MONKEY HUMID INSECTS JAGUAR LEMUR LIZARD LUSH MACAW ORCHID PIRANHA RAIN SLOTH SNAKE TARANTULA TOUCAN TREE TROPICAL VINES FILL IN THE BLANKS Fill in the blanks in each sentence with two words so the second word is the same as the first word with the first two letters removed, like HONEST and NEST. 1. Using her loudest—————, the lady shouted to the boys that the ——— was too thin to skate on. 2. Some of the——————— stamps in my grandfather’s collection show stars he saw in…

Election Day is coming up in the US on Tuesday, November 4 (p4). A President will not be elected this year—the next contest for that office will take place in 2028. And next year, in 2026, the country will hold a midterm election, when seats for every member of the House of Representatives and about one third of the Senate will be on the ballot, along with many other offices at the state and local level. This year, fewer races are being decided but the election is still significant. As you read this issue, candidates for the office of governor in New Jersey and Virginia, mayor of several big cities including New York, and hundreds of other positions throughout the US are making their final pitch to voters. You may…

If you would like to see your artwork on the cover of The Week Junior, here is your chance! We are accepting entries to our 2025 Winter Cover Contest. At right is the winning cover from our 2024 competition. The drawing form and consent form needed to enter can be found at kids.theweekjunior.com/activities. Entries will be judged on creativity, originality, and how well they reflect the winter theme and The Week Junior. Be sure your artwork is in color! When you’re finished, have a parent fill out the consent form and email it with a digital image of your artwork to covercontest@theweekjunior.com. The deadline to apply is November 12! RIDDLE OFTHE WEEK What’s bought by the yard but worn by the foot? Carpet IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views,…

As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, November 4, candidates are making their final pitches to voters. People across the US will be electing leaders at the state and local level, and some will vote on proposed laws or changes. What is this year’s election? In 2028, the US will choose a President and other national, state, and local positions. Next year, in 2026, the midterm elections will be held (see box above). This year, some significant races are taking place, but overall there are fewer on the ballot. What races are being held? New Jersey and Virginia are electing a governor. In New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill (Democrat) is running against Jack Ciattarelli (Republican). In Virginia, Winsome Earle-Sears is running as a Republican. The Democratic challenger is Abigail Spanberger. This is…

Maroon Bells is thought to be the most photographed location in all of Colorado. A large, glassy lake reflects two snow-striped, 14,000-foot-tall mountains named Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak. The bell-shaped mountains, about 10 miles from the ski town of Aspen, began forming more than 300 million years ago. The red color they’re named for comes from the weathering of a mineral called hematite. Mule deer, red foxes, bighorn sheep, and beavers are often seen along the many hiking trails around the lake and on the mountains.…

Three times larger and feistier than pet hamsters, European hamsters are critically endangered worldwide. A few thousand are living in Ukraine, and a scientist at the Kyiv Zoo has begun breeding and releasing the rodents to boost the population. ● LIFESPAN: Up to 8 years in the wild ● HABITAT: Grasslands in Europe ● SIZE: 8 to 14 inches long, about 1 pound ● DIET: Mainly seeds, vegetables, and some insects ● FUN FACT: If they have to swim, they can inflate their cheek pouches like floaties.…

The 2025 Ig Nobel Prizes were awarded in a ceremony at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The awards, inspired by the prestigious Nobel Prizes, are intended to spark people’s interest in science by recognizing research that “makes people laugh, then think,” according to prize officials (see box at right for more on the prizes). Ten Ig Nobel winners—who are real scientists—are named each year in categories including biology, psychology, and engineering. The awards are presented by Nobel Prize winners (called laureates) at a festive ceremony with music, jokes, and costumes. This year, six Nobel laureates gave out the awards. The 2025 Ig Nobel for Biology went to scientists who painted zebra stripes on cows. They wanted to see if the stripes made the animals less likely to be bitten by…

Zoë Bormet AGE: 22 SPORT: FIELD HOCKEY TEAM: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Major move Field hockey is growing in popularity in the US but isn’t big everywhere. When I was young, I lived in Illinois and did soccer and dance. When we moved to Michigan when I was in second grade, I was introduced to field hockey. My mom signed me up because I needed to make friends. I really, really liked it. My goal became playing at the University of Michigan. I’ve won two Big Ten championships here. Tricky fun The challenge and creativity of the sport hooked me. Unlike ice hockey, you can only use one side of the stick, so it’s very complex. Also, there are an infinite number of skills and tactics you can learn and really create…

A beloved DC superhero is starring in a new animated TV series that shows a different side of his life. Bat-Fam follows Bruce Wayne (Batman’s public identity) and his son, Damian “Little Batman” Wayne, as they juggle crime-fighting and family chaos. The show begins streaming on Prime Video and Amazon Kids+ on November 10. Bat-Fam is a sequel to Merry Little Batman, a 2023 film that featured Damian (voiced by Elio star Yonas Kibreab, now age 15) defending Gotham City from the villain the Joker on Christmas Eve. The series begins after that, with Damian living at Wayne Manor with his dad as well as Alfred, the family’s loyal butler; teen Claire, a reformed supervillain; Alfred’s adventurous grandniece, Alicia Pennyworth, who helps run an organization called E*Vil; and Ra’s al…

Just Dance 2026 Edition is the latest version of a popular competitive dancing game. It was recently released for the Nintendo Switch, Xbox systems, and PlayStation platforms. The Just Dance franchise was launched in 2009, and a new edition comes out each year. The 2026 version has 40 new songs, and they are paired with choreography that gamers can learn and perfect. The new music includes the pop hits “APT” by Rosé and Bruno Mars and “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan. It also features classic songs such as “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper. Fans of the animated series Bluey can dance to a “Bluey Medley,” which features the characters Bluey and Bingo and video clips from the show. To begin the competition, every player connects…

The Week Junior spoke to Struan Murray, author of Dragonborn and other children’s novels. When he isn’t writing books, he teaches biochemistry at Oxford University in England. How did you come up with the idea for Dragonborn? About five years ago, I was standing in line for ice cream when I met a dragon scholar. After chatting with him, I got the idea for a book set in a world where dragons are real but are hidden among us. Some of them may have been hidden so long that they even forgot they’re dragons! How do you balance your creative and scientific sides? Science and art aren’t as different as people may think. In science, you have a complex problem that you’re trying to explain to other people. When writing…

Ingredients ● Two 12-ounce bags white chocolate chips● 4 tablespoons butter● One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk● 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for topping● ⅓ cup apple butter Instructions 1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides. Spray the parchment with nonstick cooking spray. 2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the white chocolate chips, butter, and condensed milk in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Mix in the cinnamon. 3. Spread mixture in the prepared pan. Use a teaspoon to dollop the apple butter across the top of the fudge. Using the tip of a butter knife, draw figure eights in the fudge to create apple butter swirls. 4. Dust lightly with more cinnamon, then refrigerate fudge…

Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, activist, and advocate for girls’ education, released her second memoir, Finding My Way, on October 21. The book covers Yousafzai’s recent life, including her mental health struggles. Yousafzai was born in Pakistan in 1997. When she was 11 years old, an extremist group called the Taliban banned girls from attending school. Yousafzai spoke out against the ban in speeches, blog posts, and television appearances. When she was 15, members of the Taliban shot her in an attempt to silence her, but she survived. The attempt on Yousafzai’s life made news around the world. She and her family settled in the UK, and she continued her activism after her recovery. On her 16th birthday, she spoke before the United Nations (organization of 193 nations),…

What’s in a name? When it comes to nicknames, so many things! Some are a mashup of a person’s name, like ARod for baseball great Alex Rodriguez, while others are a variation on someone’s last name, like Murph for Murphy or Sully for Sullivan. In many cases, nicknames can refer to a person’s other qualities, like calling someone “Curly” because of their hair or “Flash” because they’re fast. Recently, however, journalists have noted a decline in the use of nicknames because people are realizing that not everyone likes them, even when they’re meant to be affectionate or funny. What do you think? Should we still use nicknames? Yes—they’re a sign of affection Nicknames are fun and creative and often honor a person’s accomplishments. Many people even take pride in them—it’s…

A photo taken by a woman near San Antonio, Texas, has led to the discovery of an unusual bird. According to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, the feathered phenomenon is a cross between a blue jay and a green jay, two species that split from a common ancestor about 7 million years ago. Blue jays typically live in the eastern US, while green jays are native to Mexico and South America, but as global temperatures have risen over the past 10 years, the birds have moved into new areas. Now both species can be found in San Antonio, where their expanded ranges overlap. Experts think a female blue jay mated with a male green jay to create the first wild hybrid of this kind. The new bird,…

Jann E. Vendetti Mollusk curator, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Though snail mucus is mostly water, it has components that remain after the snail has moved along. Snail slime can be slippery, sticky, and strong, which helps snails and slugs slide over and stick to all kinds of surfaces. It can also help other snails find them by following their trail. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County at nhm.org.…

The Ig Nobel Prizes might be funny, but they’re named after the Nobel Prizes, which include some of the world’s top science prizes and are given to people whose work offers the greatest benefit to mankind. “Ig Nobel” is a play on the word “ignoble,” which means humble or lowly, and pokes fun at the Ig Nobels for not being as important as the real Nobels. While each Nobel Prize comes with an award of about $1.1 million, Ig Nobel winners receive a prize equal to about .4 cents. But Ig Nobel winners are real scientists, and there’s even one person who has won both. Andre Geim received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 for his work with a material called graphene. He also won an Ig Nobel in…

Anew backpack is designed to help people who have difficulty walking or balancing and need a walker or cane to get around. GyroPack is a wearable device that contains gyroscopes, which are devices that detect when a moving object has changed direction. When a GyroPack wearer moves, the gyroscopes are activated and generate an opposing force. This slows down the movements of the wearer’s body and gives them time to regain their balance, stabilizes their gait, and helps prevent them from falling.…

From October 19 to October 25, top athletes from the US and other countries competed at the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia. Unlike most years, there was no team competition, so the focus was on the all-around titles and the individual apparatus events. The US men and women took home a total of five medals. The US women’s roster was made up of Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson, who were alternates at last year’s Olympics, as well as Skye Blakely and Dulcy Caylor. The US men’s roster included 2024 Olympians Asher Hong and Brody Malone, along with Kameron Nelson, Patrick Hoopes, Brandon Dang, and Donnell Whittenburg. The women’s all-around combines four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. All four US gymnasts made the finals.…

Small homes are at the center of a big exhibit at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Dollhouses Unveiled focuses on the history, creation, and purposes of dollhouses, and it showcases dozens of houses and miniatures dating from the 1830s to the present. The museum was founded by Margaret Woodbury Strong, a longtime collector of small objects, and opened in 1982. She had more than 27,000 dolls as well as toys, dollhouses, and miniatures, and many of her pieces are part of the exhibit. “We wanted to provide guests with a rare opportunity to see these special artifacts, some of which have been unseen in the museum’s vaults for decades,” Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, the show’s curator (person who chooses art), told The Week Junior. Although some of…

Wicked PG (Available to stream or rent on major platforms) “This movie musical tells the story of what happened before the events in the movie The Wizard of Oz. (Watch that movie, too!) Wicked follows two girls, Elphaba and Glinda, who don’t get along at first but end up being friends. Glinda wants to be popular and cares a lot about what others think of her. Elphaba, on the other hand, stands up for animals and what she believes is right. This is only part one of the story. Part two, Wicked: For Good, comes out on November 21. I think in that movie some of the characters will turn into the Scarecrow and the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.” Ariel, 9, New York Do you have a…

By Struan Murray (Penguin Random House) Two years ago, Alex’s dad died, and she has been struggling ever since. She used to love playing in the woods with her dad, but now her mom won’t let her. One day, the loss becomes overwhelming, and she wants to scream. Instead, she spits fire! Oliphos, a dragon who looks like a human, appears and brings her to an island where she can be around other kids who share her dragon heritage. But Alex has trouble fitting in, and she’s upset that she can’t fully transform into a dragon like some of the other children can. One of the dragons, Ferox, destroys Alex’s mementos from her father while they are sparring. Alex crosses paths with an evildoer who is trying to locate a…

With colder weather coming, it’s important that everyone has the items they need to stay warm, from long-sleeve shirts to coats and gloves. You can help by organizing a clothes drive. This is an event where people drop off clothes they have outgrown or no longer wear so they can be distributed to people who need them. Here’s how you can get started. Pick a donation spot Begin with a large cardboard box. You will want to select a spot for your donation box that many people will see and that is easy for them to access. You can ask a school, place of worship, community center, or local library if it can keep the donation container for your drive. Set a timeline Once you have a place to collect…

Autumn brings a burst of fall foliage—and leaves on the ground. Before you and your family grab rakes to clean them up, consider leaving your leaves where they are. As the weather gets colder, a thick layer of leaves provides a habitat for small wildlife, including wood frogs, salamanders, moths, and bumblebee queens. Leaves are a destination for non-migrating birds looking for nesting materials or bugs to munch on below. Dead leaves also provide nutrients to soil and make great mulch later for spring flowers. Plus, nearly one third of discarded leaves end up in landfills to rot. Talk to your family about where they might be willing to leave some leaves alone.…

Duke the thieving retriever Duke, an 11-year-old golden retriever, is cozying up to his new owners—and their dishware. When Cathy Hoyt and her husband adopted Duke 18 months ago, they were warned that he had a habit of stealing household items to snuggle with. Still, Hoyt was surprised by the variety of items the dog took, including books, teacups, a roll of toilet paper, and a lamp. She started an Instagram account to keep up with Duke’s capers. “It’s just crazy,” said Hoyt. “He will have a room full of toys and find a teapot.” A sea voyage in a bathtub YouTuber Max Fosh took on an unusual challenge when he traveled from Cornwall, England, to the Isles of Scilly in a bathtub. Inspired by a drawing he made at…

“My younger brother Karter once told me a bedtime story that started with, ‘Can you imagine a fish that flies?’ I thought he meant a flying fish, but he meant a fish that was a pilot. That was the start of our book. Our mom found an artist who helped bring our story to life. Then we got our book, How Do You Imagine the Whole Wild World?, published. Since then, we’ve had amazing chances to work with kids and encourage them to use their imagination—a true superpower! We’ve done an interview, a book festival and signing, and more. We hope you let your imagination run wild too!” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear…

Reading sparks a lifetime love of learning, gets kids on track for success, and helps them identify and follow their passions. There are stories in The Week Junior that speak to every child and inspire them to keep reading. Give The Week Junior and save 67% off the cover price. For only $1.96 an issue, less than the cost of a full-size candy bar, your child can be inspired to read every week. Plus, if you subscribe today, your child will receive a free puzzle book! Order online at theweekjunior.com/leaves or scan to subscribe…