Innholdsfortegnelse for 224 i The Week Junior

WINNING A RACE Thomas Waerner, a British-born musher (driver of a dog-sled) has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska. It took him nine days to travel 1,000 miles. “This is awesome,” he said at the finish line, before thanking the 10 dogs who got him there. AN ANIMAL-LOVING TAXI DRIVER A taxi driver in New Zealand has swapped human passengers for birds. Toni Painting is on a mission to save endangered Hutton’s shearwater chicks that crash-land onto the road – mistaking its shiny surface for the sea. Painting picks up the birds and frees them into the sea once they’ve received treatment. A SPECIAL PROPOSAL Robert Ormsby planned to propose to his partner Patsy Murdoch on their holiday to Reykjavík, Iceland. However, when their holiday was cancelled…

Martha, aged nine, UK “I like learning at home and it’s a good opportunity to see what homeschooled kids feel like.” Lotta, aged nine, France “Now we can’t have playdates [with friends], we arrange to chat on Facetime. On the bright side, we have lots of time to read The Week Junior.” Michael, aged five, UK “I’m sad because I won’t see my friends but happy because I can wear my own clothes and play FIFA with my dad.” Hannah, aged 15, Canada “All I have is a geography project to do. Right now in Canada it is March break so we would be off school anyway.”…

The story of the Psammead – a grumpy creature who has the power to grant wishes – was first told in 1902. It was published in a book called Five Children and It, by E. Nesbit, which became an instant success. Since then, there has been a film version, and in 2012, the author Jacqueline Wilson was inspired to write her own novel based on the character. The Psammead is now returning in a film adaptation of that book, bringing the story to life once more. Actor Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen, who plays the starring role of Ros in the new version, told The Week Junior it was an interesting challenge to act alongside a CGI creature. (CGI stands for computer-generated imagery.) She said, “They had this creature, a spongy toy, that…

Vets in New Zealand have managed to contain a disease that threatened to wipe out a rare bird species called the kakapo. The kakapo is the world’s largest parrot and lives on islands off the coast of New Zealand. Last year, it had a record-breaking breeding season, when its numbers leapt from around 147 to 213. Then, just when it looked like it was all going well, the birds were hit by a disease that threatened to reverse the efforts to save them. The disease was called aspergillosis. It is caused by a type of fungus that infects the birds’ lungs. Several chicks and a few adults died from it, and there were concerns that it could spread to the rest of the population. The main problem was identifying the…

Planting trees Shelby Barber is halfway towards her goal of planting one million trees around the world. The 24-year-old Canadian has spent the winter in the UK, planting more than 4,000 trees a day. She starts work at 7.30am and stops around 4.30pm. The UK says it aims to plant 30 million trees a year. Bears Bears in countries across the northern Hemisphere, from Canada and the US to Finland and Russia, have been waking up from hibernation early. It is thought that warm weather has encouraged the bears to end their deep sleep too soon, which means they might struggle to find food.…

From 30 March until 5 April, people will mark World Autism Awareness Week. Autism is a lifelong condition that affects how people feel, hear and see the world. Some autistic people say that the world can feel overwhelming to them, and in particular they can find it difficult to understand and relate to other people. Some autistic people stick to a limited and repeated pattern of activities and interests from an early age. This means that they often excel in their specialist fields of interest, and their attention to detail can help them spot mistakes others might miss. Autism has a spectrum, meaning that some people who have it are less affected than others. More than one in every 100 people in the UK is somewhere on the autistic spectrum.…

by Annabel Rosenhead and Nadim Saad (Best of Parenting Publishing) Filled with activities to help you believe in yourself, this brightly coloured journal aims to help you become your happiest and most confident self. It shows you how to understand and communicate your feelings; take pride in your achievements; be more positive; and feel gratitude for everyday things. The journal is easy to use, and as well as lots of activities that will encourage you to write, doodle and draw, there are facts and quotes from people including Taylor Swift and the Dalai Lama. With schools closed, try using it for five minutes each day – whether on your own or with a parent, friend or sibling. Once you’ve completed the journal, you can follow links to more activities online…

With their heroic characters and thrilling action sequences, superhero films have wowed audiences across the world for 100 years. The Mark of Zorro, released in 1920, is considered to be the first ever superhero film. It was based on a comic strip from 1919. The character of Zorro is inspired by an old Mexican story about an outlaw who fights for the poor. The film created his now-famous costume, which is made up of a black cape, hat and mask. Most of today’s superhero films are based on characters from DC and Marvel comic books. The first of these to appear on shelves was Superman, in 1938. Superman’s success inspired the creation of other heroes, such as Batman and Wonder Woman. Superman appeared in a series of short films, before…

Minecraft has always been a game for crafting, building, exploring and (when necessary) running away from Creepers. It hasn’t really been a place where people get their news from, though. Now it is, with a project that has a serious goal: to help young people get hold of information that has been censored. Censoring information is when governments restrict the freedom of newspapers, magazines, websites and TV or radio channels. The project is called the Uncensored Library, and it has been developed by an organisation called Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns for press (media) freedom around the world. For now, it works on the PC or Mac versions of Minecraft, but not the console and mobile versions. The Uncensored Library is available as a map to download for the game,…

Nintendo’s Animal Crossing games have sold tens of millions of copies since the first one was released in 2001. Now Nintendo has returned with Animal Crossings: New Horizons for the Switch. It’s been praised as the best Animal Crossing game yet, but also one that could be ideally suited to 2020, when people are staying in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Why? Partly because it’s a relaxing game. You move to a desert island and explore it at your own pace – collecting fruit, digging up fossils, fishing, clearing weeds and talking to your growing community of animal neighbours. The game is also social, with its online mode where you can invite your real-life friends to visit your island (and visit theirs in return), and help with your…

“I cooked breakfast for my mum and dad and my neighbour. It was fun cooking for others and a great experience. My favourite part was making the menu beforehand and serving up the food. I made scrambled eggs, beans, sausages, mushrooms, tomatoes and bread and butter, with tea, coffee, hot chocolate or orange juice. I planned my own table design and made name tags for each person. My top tips are to ask your family how to make the things they like, and greet everyone nicely when they arrive.”…

CHARITY OF THE WEEK Julia’s House When a family gets the news that their child has a life-threatening disease, it can be devastating. Julia’s House exists to support and comfort these families through their most difficult times. Julia’s House is a children’s hospice in Dorset and Wiltshire. The staff are dedicated to bringing comfort and care to the families they support, and they tailor their care to the needs of each child and family. They provide support at home as well as at the hospice. To find out more, go to juliashouse.org “Go-karting is fun and challenging” Name: Jenson “I do kart racing at Rye House in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire. I have autism and it really helps me with my confidence and with making new friends. I have just…

Mini eggs spark nail craze This Easter, chocolate mini eggs aren’t just for eating. The eggs’ pastel colours and dappled designs have inspired people to paint their nails the same way. The trend has taken off on social media and some people are creating other Easter-inspired nail art, with designs featuring bunnies. Others have egg-stended the idea and painted their nails with images of actual fried eggs. Super-sized pizza saver on sale If you’ve ever had a pizza delivered to your home, you’re probably familiar with the piece of plastic that keeps pizza toppings from getting squashed by the box lids. Now Ikea has launched a giant version of the design, and called it Säva. It is a full-sized dining table built in the style of the classic takeaway item.…

People across the UK have been showing their compassion and creativity as they adapt to rules introduced as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. To stop the coronavirus from spreading, people in the UK are being asked to stay at home unless they are shopping for essential items; seeking medical attention; going to look after someone who needs help; travelling to certain workplaces; or exercising. People have come up with new ways to stay connected with their loved ones. For example, a person in Ripon, England, delivered sheets of red and green paper to his neighbours. Everyone displays their green paper unless they need a hand, in which case they replace it with the red, so that people know to help them. Before schools closed to most students, pupils at…

Planes could once again be allowed to write smoke messages in the UK’s skies, according to Government plans. Skywriting (written by one plane) and skytyping (made by a group of planes) has been illegal in the UK since 1960. It was originally outlawed because the Government feared that misleading information could be written in the skies. The Government is now asking members of the public whether they would like to see the art form return.…

Fittingly for a day of pranks, no one really knows how April Fool’s Day started. One theory is that it comes from a story in The Canterbury Tales, which were written in the 14th century by English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. In one tale, a fox plays a trick on a rooster on 1 April. Another theory is that it started in 1564, when France changed the date of new year, which used to be celebrated at the end of March, to 1 January. Those who celebrated it on 1 April were called April Fools. Or maybe it began earlier with the Romans. At the end of March they held a festival called Hilaria, which comes from the Latin for cheerful. On this day, everything people did was meant to be…

Transporting food to shops contributes to climate change but growing your own supplies can make a difference. Herbs are a good place to start, as they are easy to care for and don’t take up much space. All you need is a stem with a few leaves on top cut from an existing plant, and a glass of water. The stem should be between five and 10 centimetres long, and can be cut from the top of a plant like the ones bought from a supermarket. Trim off the lower leaves and put the stalk in a glass of water, keeping the leaves above the surface. Place the glass in a window, change the water every other day and wait until roots emerge. Some herbs will show roots within a…

Amy Waller Team manager, carnivores, Longleat Antelopes are some of the most common prey types for cheetahs. Their best tactic for escape is to try to trick them by changing direction very fast, which can throw the cheetahs off. The cheetahs’ long tails help them stay balanced while changing direction, but they still only catch around 40–50% of the prey they chase. Longleat’s safari park is one of the UK’s best loved attractions, with Koala Creek, the giant otters, and the crocodiles. To find out more, visit longleat.co.uk.…

Archaeologists in Mexico have discovered an ancient ball-game court that is more than 3,400 years old – the second oldest game court ever found. Archaeologists study history by exploring sites and examining objects left behind by people long ago. In 2017, Jeffrey Blomster and Víctor Salazar Chávez were digging up the site of Etlatongo – an ancient village in the mountains of Oaxaca in the south of Mexico – when they uncovered a flat stone floor. The floor measured 46 metres long (about half the size of a football pitch), with stone and clay steps rising around it from the h sides. Instead of its being a temple, however, the team believe the structure was actually a kind of stadium, used to play an early version of an ancient team…

Dina Asher-Smith and Jofra Archer At the British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards (BEDSAs), the pair were awarded the sportswoman and sportsman of the year titles. The awards celebrate black and minority ethnic achievements. Last year, Asher-Smith won three Athletics World Championships medals. Archer helped England win the Cricket World Cup. ● The BEDSAs began in 2015. Gymnast Rebecca Downie and cricketer Moeen Ali were the first sportswoman and sportsman winners. ● The awards also recognise coaches and projects that do good work for black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. ● Rohan Bhuhi, a 19-year-old hockey player, was awarded the Young Sports Person of the Year prize.…

My Mum Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson My Mum Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson is a really good book. I think it’s really cool and it tells you about all of the life struggles of an adult! It kept me hooked the whole way through.” *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.dennis.co.uk/privacy-policy…

Although all superheroes are out of the ordinary, some are just a little bit stranger than others. For example, in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, one of the characters is a walking, talking tree called Groot. The only three words he can say are “I am Groot”. When making the films, actor Vin Diesel had to be recorded saying those three words more than 1,000 times. Another unusual superhero to appear in a film was Spider-Ham in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Spider-Ham, who first appeared in comics in 1983, was inspired by Spider-Man, and is about a spider who gets superpowers after being bitten by a radioactive pig.…

It took three months to build the Uncensored Library in Minecraft. The British company BlockWorks used more than 12.5 million blocks to create it, working with 24 Minecraft builders from 16 countries. Its previous projects have included builds based on ancient wonders of the world and the Great Fire of London. According to BlockWorks, the Uncensored Library was inspired by the buildings of ancient Rome and Greece. It is surrounded by huge gardens, and its main dome would be nearly 300 metres across in the real world.…

Why is breakfast so important? “You need breakfast to kick-start your metabolism, which is where your body changes food into fuel,” says Morris. “It’s not just for your body. Think of it as brain power.” Where can I find recipes? Ask an adult, do some research on the internet, or try a book such as The World in My Kitchen. It features a selection of breakfast recipes from around the globe. Any other tips? You could design a menu, like Charlie did when she made her breakfast, or you could theme it around a certain country. Try a Danish breakfast, say, with porridge, rye bread and pastries.…

This week, our podcast, The Week Junior Show, had its 100,000th download. Hurray! It’s great fun putting it together each week, allowing us to discuss our favourite stories from the magazine and hear your opinions on the Big Debate. You can listen to episodes at tinyurl.com/TWJShow. We are also working with Fun Kids on a new daily podcast, Stuck at Home, which is packed with fun activities and quirky news stories from around the world. You can find it by visiting tinyurl.com/TWJ-SaH. The podcast was created to make life a little less dull under the new rules introduced to tackle the coronavirus outbreak – we hope you like it. As you can see, this week’s front cover is for you to design a rainbow poster to share some joy with…

1 Which animal’s population numbers have increased in Africa? a) Black rhino b) White rhino c) Sumatran rhino a □ b □ c □ 2 True or false? On 29 March the clocks go back by one hour. 3 What sort of animal’s bones have been found in a mysterious circle in Russia? 4 What is April Fool’s Day called in France? a) La jour de foule b) Jambon d’Avril c) Poisson d’Avril a □ b □ c □ 5 True or false? A Psammead is a type of shellfish that lives in Madagascar. 6 What is the world’s largest species of parrot? 7 What did Satoshi Tajiri create? a) Sonic the Hedgehog b) Pokémon c) Super Mario a □ b □ c □ 8 True or false? Scientists in…

27 March 1952 Singin’ in the Rain premieres in the US On 27 March 1952, the film Singin’ in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, had its premiere in New York, US. With its spectacular dancing and brilliant songs, the film is considered one of the all-time classic musicals. The film follows an actor, played by Kelly, who is preparing for his first film with sound when he falls in love with a singer, played by Reynolds. A scene where Kelly dances, sings and swings from lampposts in the rain has become an iconic cinema moment.…

● April Fool’s Day is on 1 April. It is a day when people play pranks on each other and try to come up with wild stories or tricks to fool people. ● It is celebrated each year around the world. In the UK, newspapers, radio stations and TV news channels usually feature deliberately silly stories to try to catch people out. ● On 1 April 1957, the BBC played what is believed to be the first ever April Fool’s Day prank on TV. It pretended that spaghetti was grown on trees in Switzerland. (It’s really made from flour and eggs or water.) Spaghetti was not as common in the UK as it is now, and many viewers believed the outlandish story.…

A1976 crisp packet, the remains of an entire picnic from the 1980s, piles of broccoli and carrots, and 19th century shoes are among the 20 most unusual things found on beaches in the UK. The list was released by the National Trust, a charity that looks after important natural or historic places in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to highlight pollution in the sea. Other items included oil-slicked chocolate bars, insect spray from Russia, and a council bin that had travelled more than 70 miles. There were even sea-themed Lego pieces, from a ship that lost its cargo of the plastic building bricks more than 25 years ago. “As weird and wonderful as these items are, they tell a more serious story about the permanent nature of plastic,” said Phil…

A coconut crab on Christmas Island, in Australia, is the prime suspect in the theft of a researcher’s expensive camera. Annabel Dorrestein left her heat-tracking camera out overnight during her study. When she returned, the battery and tripod were covered in claw marks and the camera was gone. The crabs can grow to a metre long. ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: More than 50 years. ● HABITAT: Islands in the south-west Pacific and Indian oceans. ● DIET: Coconuts, dead animals, fallen fruit and the shells of other crabs. ● FUN FACT: Coconut crabs are the largest land-living invertebrate (animal without a backbone) in the world.…

Just as civilisations use games to strengthen social bonds, scientists are using games to allow robots to learn how to behave in a cooperative way. Researchers at Yale University’s Institute for Network Science in the US have developed a game-playing robot that doesn’t just try and win, but admits mistakes and apologises when it loses, saying things like, “Sorry guys, I made the mistake this round. I know it may be hard to believe, but robots make mistakes too.” The scientists found that interaction like this helped teams to communicate and work better together.…

The Faraway Truth by Janae Marks (Chicken House) Zoe has never met her father, who was sent to prison before she was born. When she receives a letter from him on her 12th birthday, it’s a huge surprise. Her father doesn’t seem anything like she’d imagined, so before long she’s questioning everything she thought she knew about him. Could it be that her father was innocent all along? Tom Gates: Family Friends and Furry Creatures by Liz Pichon (Scholastic) In this book from the brilliantly funny Tom Gates series, Tom starts working on a new school project: a family tree. He soon uncovers some unexpected and surprising things about his family, including his dad’s guilty secret involving a famous footballer and the truth about how his parents got together. Oksa…

Why were you inspired to write this book? Nadim: We want to give young people a really fun way to learn about themselves. This is because we know how important it is for us all to understand and like ourselves, and to practise habits like gratitude, to be really confident and happy. Where’s your favourite place in the entire world? Annabel: New Zealand, a country of extraordinary beauty – mountains, beaches, forests, meadows, all stretching for miles. I love how completely surrounded by nature I feel there. My most exciting experience was going white-water rafting. What’s the best advice you have ever been given? Nadim: “Your head is most valuable when it’s in service to your heart.” In other words... our mind is most useful when we use it to…

Captain Marvel Disney+, Google Play, iTunes, Prime Video, Sky Cinema, YouTube There aren’t as many superhero films with a female lead character as there should be (thankfully, though, quite a few are on the way), and that’s one of the reasons why Captain Marvel feels so fresh. As played by Brie Larson, she’s one of the strongest characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe of films, but importantly, this is also a film about a bunch of friends being there for one another as well. There’s lots of terrific action and effects too, but what makes it all matter is having humans you can cheer for from your sofa. Megamind Google Play, iTunes, Prime Video, Sky Cinema, YouTube Lots of superhero films focus on the heroes, but here’s one that centres…

Many people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day – who can resist fresh fruit, warm toast with jam, ice-cold orange juice, creamy porridge or maybe even a full fry-up? Sometimes you might only have time for a quick bowl of your favourite cereal, but on occasion it’s nice to slow things down and enjoy breakfast with your family. Plus, now that schools are closed for a while, you’ll have a bit more time in the mornings to plan breakfast. What better way to treat those close to you than by making them breakfast for a change? Children’s cooking consultant Kate Morris says, “Whether it’s breakfast in bed for your parents or for your brother or sister if they are unwell, you are likely to make your…

Tell a story Peter Chand is one of Europe’s best-known storytellers and is the storyteller in residence at The Story Museum in Oxford, which opens later this year. Chand gave The Week Junior some expert advice on how to tell your favourite story from memory to your friends or family. You don’t need to be in the same room as them – try it over the phone or online. You can find out more at peterchand.com What you need ● A story you love ● Time to practise Instructions “Always pick a story you love to tell. If you love it, there is a good chance your audience will too. Don’t worry about getting it perfect. It is more about telling it with enjoyment. Practise, so you know the story…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we asked you whether people should use reusable toilet roll. You said... “Yes because it will help save the planet.” “Yes and no because yes it helps the environment but also no because it can be unhygienic.” “No way, it’s just disgusting.” “It would help the planet but it would also be full of bacteria, and wouldn’t leave a nice smell!” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…