Innholdsfortegnelse for 487 i The Week Junior

On 2 April, US President Donald Trump introduced tariffs on goods arriving in the US from almost every country in the world. What are tariffs? Tariffs are a type of tax – a payment that companies must give to the government for importing goods (bringing them in from other countries). The amount charged is usually a percentage of the total value of the goods. This is the case with Trump’s tariffs. Trump has introduced tariffs of at least 10% on goods from most of the world’s countries. A 10% tariff means a US company would have to pay the US government $10 to import goods worth $100. Lots of countries that the US trades with have been handed tariffs that are higher than 10%. Why has Trump done this? Trump…

It’s hard to walk along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile without seeing a statue, yet none of them depict a woman. So, in 2017, an appeal was launched to raise money for a statue of Elsie Inglis. Inglis opened a hospital in Edinburgh for poor women and set up 14 hospitals for injured soldiers during the First World War (1914 – 1918). The fundraising campaign was run by the charity OneCity Trust and raised more than £50,000. It started a competition that attracted interest from many female artists. However, the contest was then closed and the job was offered to the royal family’s official sculptor – a man called Alexander Stoddart. Some say a female sculptor would do a better job of representing Inglis. What do you think? Should statues of women…

Between March and June, these little dragon-like creatures leave grassland, hedgerows, marshes and woodlands and return to ponds to mate. They are amphibians (a group of animals that can live on land and in water) and are found throughout the UK, although chiefly in low-lying areas of England and Wales. Great crested newts are the largest of the UK’s three newt species and are protected by law because their population is in decline across Europe. They are mostly black with warty skin, spotted sides and a bright orange belly and can grow to 17 centimetres long. Only males have the waved crest along their body and tail, during the breeding season. Males perform a dance to entice females to mate with them, standing on their front legs and waving their…

Egrets in England The Fairburn Ings nature reserve in West Yorkshire, England, has noted a record number of egrets. This is partly because one species – cattle egrets – bred for the first time in the area last year and fledged three chicks. Fledging is when chicks grow flight feathers and fly from their nest. There are also white egrets in the area, and experts hope this species will breed at Fairburn too. Egrets aren’t often seen so far north, so it’s exciting to see more of them at the nature reserve.…

A team of scientists has discovered an extinct species of wasp that was preserved in amber for 99 million years. Amber is liquid made by a tree that has hardened over a long time. Sixteen of the wasps were found in Myanmar, in Southeast Asia. However, these were no ordinary wasps. Unusually, the ends of their bodies look like Venus flytraps. Venus flytraps are plants with leaves that snap shut, trapping insects inside, which the plants slowly consume and use as food. However, scientists think the wasps had a different use for their traps. Instead of consuming their prey, they may have kept an insect trapped, then laid an egg either in or on it. When a baby wasp hatched, it could feed on the trapped insect. This kind of…

At the end of last month, 385 gymnasts competed at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics British Championships in Liverpool, England. Gold, silver and bronze medals were up for grabs, and the youngest gymnasts taking part were aged 12. Alia Leat was the women’s senior all-around champion for the first time. In the women’s all-around, gymnasts perform separate routines on four pieces of apparatus – the vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise – and each is marked by judges for its difficulty and execution (how well the display went). Leat came first with a total score of 52.200. In February she also won the English Championship title. The men’s senior all-around was won by Jamie Lewis. The men also perform on the vault and floor, plus the rings, parallel bars,…

The Doctor, a time-traveller from outer space, is landing back on people’s TV screens in a new season of Doctor Who. In the new episodes, the Doctor has met a nurse called Belinda Chandra from Earth and she joins him in his spaceship (the TARDIS). Belinda just wants to get home but that might be tricky. There’s a mysterious force stopping her, so they’ll have to take the long way round. On their journey, the pair will face some epic adventures and fierce enemies. Varada Sethu, who plays Belinda, told The Week Junior that her favourite episode was the second in the series, Lux, which is set in 1952. In Lux, the villain is a cartoon character called Mr Ring-a-Ding – who is more evil than he looks – and…

by Rose Ayling-Ellis. Illustrated by Lena Addink (DK) Rose Ayling-Ellis is an actress and TV presenter who also happens to be deaf. In this new book, she invites readers to join her, along with her sign language interpreter Dev, her cat Halo and their magical tour guide, Perky the pigeon, on a time-travelling, globe-trotting epic adventure, exploring communication in all its forms. As you follow their story, you’ll learn about the origins of BSL (British Sign Language), find out about ancient languages, secret codes, the very first emojis, and even the ways that animals communicate with each other. You’ll also discover “Rose’s Superstars” – inspiring heroes, both past and present, from the deaf world. This fun, fact-filled book will make you think of the idea of communication in a completely…

Poet and author Laura Mucha and cookbook writer Ed Smith are the authors of Welcome to Our Table, which won the Non-Fiction prize at The Week Junior Book Awards last year. The book takes readers on a “food journey” around the world to learn about the stories, cultures and traditions behind what we eat. “Food is a great way of opening up important conversations with curiosity and without judgement,” Mucha tells The Week Junior. Here, the authors suggest how to make your very own recipe book. 1 Share food stories Talk to people from different countries and generations and learn about their favourite dishes. “Growing up with Polish grandparents, it was totally normal for me to have Polish food at home,” says Mucha, whose grandmother would spend an entire day…

The only detecting most ducks do involves spotting food that humans throw into their ponds. However, Duck Detective isn’t interested in birdseed or bits of apple – he’s too busy solving crimes.He’s the star of a new game called Duck Detective: The Secret Salami, which (as you may have guessed from the name) involves sausage-shaped mysteries. Spicy salamis are going missing and it’s your job to find out who’s doing it. It’s a silly and funny game that is suitable for the whole family. The detective duties mean you have to look carefully around the crime scene to find clues and then talk to witnesses. All the witnesses are animals, and include an alligator, a cat, a giraffe, a penguin and more. The gameplay is clever. As you talk to…

Rare banknote sells at auction On 22 March, a banknote sold for £150,000, making it the most expensive banknote to feature Queen Elizabeth II. The note was issued in 1953 in Malaya, an area of Southeast Asia that was controlled by Britain at the time and 1953 was the year of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Andrew Pattison is head of banknotes at Noonans, the auction house in charge of selling the note. He said it was sold to a collector who loves “rare and beautiful notes”. In 2021, a Double Eagle coin from 1933 sold in the US for more than £13 million. It was the world’s most expensive coin. Embroidered art is a piece of cake US-based artist Heather Rios learned how to embroider (a way of sewing patterns) from…

Easteroo 2025 This craft competition for all ages is run by Ootiboo, an organisation that inspires kids to be creative. Whether through drawing, painting, crafting or baking, entrants create art inspired by themes such as eggs, bunnies, flowers and other spring symbols. No artistic expertise is needed – just imagination and enthusiasm. For a chance to win a prize, submit your creations to an online gallery. There is a map so you can see the towns, cities and countries taking part and a leaderboard for the top schools. Ask an adult to search for “Easteroo 2025” before the deadline of 21 April. GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if…

One of the reasons why Trump’s tariffs could have a big impact is because so many companies rely on international trade to make and sell their products. This has been the case for many years, so the tariffs mark a very sudden change in how global trade works. Many everyday products and machines have parts that come from all over the world. For example, the US car company General Motors imports most of its parts from Korea and Mexico. The tariffs mean that importing each of these parts will cost more, which could end up making cars more expensive for people to buy.…

CELEBRATING SCHOOL DINNERS On 2 April, an exhibition about school dinners opened at the Food Museum in Suffolk, England. It reveals the history of school grub since the 1940s. The museum’s Chloe Brett said school dinners had been one of the most requested topics for an exhibition. SKATING TO SUCCESS For the first time in 41 years, British ice dancers have won medals at the World Figure Skating Championships, which took place in the US from 23–30 March. Nicknamed “The Disco Brits”, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson took bronze medals after impressing the crowd with a fantastic Beyoncé-inspired routine. 100-YEAR-OLD TORTOISE PARENTS On 3 April, it was announced that four critically endangered Western Santa Cruz tortoises had hatched at Philadelphia Zoo in the US. Their parents are a pair of…

During the first week in April, a number of wildfires broke out in Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of southern England. Fire and rescue teams worked to bring the flames under control and keep people safe. A wildfire is a rapidly spreading fire that risks damage to the natural environment and local wildlife, as well as people living nearby. Unusually warm and dry conditions have left the land in parts of the UK parched, increasing the risk of wildfires and making it easier for flames to spread. The Met Office, the organisation that monitors the UK’s weather, issued a “severe” wildfire warning on 1 April, meaning parts of the UK were at high risk of wildfires. In County Antrim, Northern Ireland, firefighters tackled a blaze in the fields and forested…

Twelve years ago, Jaime Thurston talked to a woman who needed a rug to cover a damaged floor. Thurston asked others for help and lots of people donated things. “The woman was overwhelmed that all these people she didn’t know cared about her,” says Thurston. Eager to help more people, she set up a charity called 52 Lives. It started as a social media page helping 52 people a year (one every week). Now, 52 Lives connects kind people with more than 3,000 others who are in need of help each year. Thurston also launched the School of Kindness, which runs workshops and projects to help pupils understand the positive effects of kindness. Thurston says being kind is “the most important quality we can have”, and it can make you…

When an iceberg the size of a large city broke off from an ice shelf (floating platform of ice) in Antarctica this year, a team of scientists set out to investigate. As iceberg A-84 drifted away, it revealed a part of the ocean that had been hidden under the ice, perhaps for hundreds of years. It turns out that this area is actually home to a thriving community of creatures. The international team of scientists, who were aboard a research ship, spent eight days exploring the seafloor using a remote-controlled underwater vehicle. They found lots of amazing creatures down there, including what they think is a new species of isopod. Isopods are a group of invertebrates (animals without backbones) that includes woodlice. They also photographed a helmet jellyfish, named because…

Earth’s lakes Research shows that oxygen levels in the world’s lakes are dropping sharply. Scientists have observed this before, in rivers and the sea as well as lakes. A long-running study examined 15,535 lakes between 2003 to 2023 and found that in 83% of them oxygen levels had declined. The scientists say that most of this – 55% of oxygen loss – is caused by global warming (long-term changes in the planet’s average temperature). Low oxygen levels can kill wildlife.…

Astronomers (scientists who study space) have discovered 128 new moons orbiting the planet Saturn. An orbit is a regular, repeating path that an object in space takes around another one. This brings the total number of Saturn’s moons to 274. Saturn holds the title “king of the moons” because it’s the planet with the most moons in our solar system. Jupiter is in second place, with 95 known moons. The discovery was made by a team of astronomers from Canada, France, Taiwan and the US. They used the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) to observe and take images of Saturn between 2019 and 2021. The team analysed the images using a technique called “shift and stack”. This involves lining lots of images up and stacking them on top of each other. It…

Matthew Hudson-Smith The British sprinter won the men’s 200 metres race at the Grand Slam Track event in Jamaica. He also came second in the 400 metres. Aggie Beever-Jones and Keira Walsh They both scored their first goal for England in a 5-0 win against Belgium in the Women’s Nations League. Alex Ovechkin Ovechkin plays for Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL) in the US and Canada. He became the NHL’s all-time record scorer with his 895th goal. Fulham Football Club Fulham defeated Liverpool 3-2. It was Liverpool’s first Premier League defeat since September.…

What is the best thing you learned while you were writing this book? I learned more about the history of sign language. I was amazed to discover it’s been around since 5BC. Do you have any pets like Halo, Rocky and Casper? Yes! Halo was a stray cat that decided to move in with us. She had a white ring around her tail, which is why we named her Halo. Rocky was our recent cat, so cuddly, and Casper is my mum’s childhood cat who was deaf. What is your favourite word and why? My favourite word is “why”. It’s a great way to gain a better understanding of the world. What’s your advice for readers who want to learn British Sign Language? It’s always better to attend classes and…

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” The enchanting tale of The Wind in the Willows is the perfect read to sink into with the arrival of spring. Published in 1908, this book by Kenneth Grahame tells the story of Mole, Rat and Badger, and their attempts to keep their reckless friend Toad out of trouble. The book started out as a series of bedtime stories for Grahame’s son Alastair, but it was published and became a well-loved classic.…

What you need Makes 16 pieces • 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting• 70–85ml warm water• Mixing bowl• A timer• Tea towel• Knife• Rolling pin• Fork• Baking sheet• Wire rack From 12 to 20 April this year is Passover, Head an important festival for Jews around the world. Passover is a celebration of the Exodus. In ancient Egypt, Jews were persecuted (treated badly) because of their faith and forced to be slaves for more than 200 years. Eventually, a man called Moses led the Jewish people (then known as the Israelites) out of Egypt to freedom. Passover celebrates this exodus (the departure of lots of people) with rituals, storytelling and foods. One of these is matzo, an unleavened bread. Unleavened means it doesn’t include a raising agent, such as…

Have you noticed the badge on the cover of this magazine saying “The best magazine for curious kids”? Curiosity is one of the best qualities you can have, in my opinion. Here in the office we are always on the lookout for things that make us say “I wonder…” I wonder how, what, why, who and if. When you look at something closely you often uncover fascinating stories. Our feature about roads was inspired after someone on the team said there were lots of potholes near their home – and we started to wonder why. From there we found how roads are made and that many main routes have been in use since Roman times, or even longer. In our report on page 10, researchers wondered why giraffes have spots…

“Playing and digging in the woods behind Finn’s house, we found this old bicycle!”Findley and Hamish “I race through my swimming lessons so I can get back to my The Week Junior.” Juniper “We made the cottage pie on issue 484. It was so delicious and I loved it.” Eunice CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST On The Week Junior Show this week you can hear Eve try to pronounce the names of some of Saturn’s moons. tinyurl.com/TWJ-show…

Teacher’s name: Mr Goodbourn School: Haddington Primary School, Scotland “Mr Goodbourn is funny and creative – learning with him is always fun and feels easy. If we’re lucky he takes us outside for well-earned games. After break, he reads our class novel with so much passion that it really calms the whole class down. He pushes us to reach our full potential and helps us aim for the win!” Ella If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

Rubbish has been piling up in Birmingham, England, because bin workers have been on strike (refusing to work as a protest). Birmingham City Council and Unite (a trade union that represents the bin workers) have been in talks to end the strikes, but the dispute was still unresolved as The Week Junior went to the printers. What’s happening? Bin workers in Birmingham who are members of Unite began striking in January. At first they were striking on one day each week. They added extra strike days in February, and on 11 March they began a complete strike. This means most households and businesses in the city haven’t had their rubbish collected for weeks. More than 17,000 tonnes of rubbish has been left heaped up in the streets. On 31 March,…

Washington DC, US A record-breaking speech Starting at 7pm on 31 March, politician Cory Booker made a speech in the US Senate (part of Congress, which makes US laws) lasting a record 25 hours. Booker’s speech criticised President Donald Trump and the government. In order to break the record he had to remain standing and take no breaks. He avoided drinking so he wouldn’t need the toilet. St Peter’s Square, Vatican City Pope attends service for the sick On 6 April, Pope Francis (the leader of the Catholic church) appeared in public for the first time since March, when he left hospital after a long illness. He spoke briefly to say hello and thank you at a special church service for sick people and healthcare workers. It is part of…

Osprey Southern England’s only pair of breeding ospreys recently had another female visit their nest. She was quickly seen off by the resident female but it’s hoped she’ll find a mate of her own and stay in the area. • LIFESPAN: Around nine years. • HABITAT: Coast and wetlands. • SIZE: Up to 60cm tall, with a wingspan of up to 170cm. • DIET: These birds of prey dive and snatch fish with their talons (claws). • FUN FACT: Ospreys can dive down a metre underwater. They close their nostrils to stop water getting in.…

Did you know Britain’s roads stretch nearly a quarter of a million miles? It’s easy to take them for granted but their story tracks the changing history of this country. The Romans started it When Rome invaded Britain, they needed a proper road network to move troops and supplies around – so they built one. It connected towns and cities from southern England up to Scotland and stretched for 10,000 miles. Many of the routes they developed are still used today. After the Romans left Britain, around AD410, roads fell into disrepair and by the 17th century, many had become just bumpy dirt tracks that got churned into mud in the winter. However, Britain was changing. Factories were springing up and better roads were needed to keep goods moving. Groups…

Clothes you can wear for longer Lots of companies are trying to make the fashion industry more environmentally friendly. One of them, Petit Pli, sells children’s clothing with folds built in. As the wearer grows, the clothing expands. It means parents don’t need to keep on buying new clothes for their children, which creates waste. Another company, Radiant Matter, uses cellulose to make sequins. Cellulose is a natural substance that comes from plants. Usually, sequins are made from plastic, which isn’t good for the planet. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

What are values? Values are ideas or areas in your life that you care about, such as generosity, honesty and kindness. They can be a quiet voice in your head that guides your behaviour or a set of rules that influence your actions. If you care about loyalty, for example, you want to support friends when they face challenges. Studies show that values are influenced by things including family, religious faith and culture (when a group of people share beliefs and traditions) and some are more important to people than others. We all have different values and they can change as people grow. Why do they matter? Understanding your values teaches you about yourself. If being determined is important to you, you know you try hard to succeed. Learning what…

School of Doom by Sarah Harrison (Chicken House) Eddie is a new pupil at the beastly School of Doom, with its motto “Be the Worst”. When her new friends are plunged into danger, can Eddie be the best of the worst, and save them? The first book from Sarah Harrison, this debut is a monstrously good twist on classic school stories. A Sequence of Cosmic Accidents by S.A. Reyhani. Illustrated by Kristina Kister (Rock the Boat) Arian is dismayed when a new foster sister joins his family. Madlock is weird and annoying, wears outlandish outfits and behaves as if she’s from another planet. Then she summons a portal to another world and Arian realises she literally is! Now the two of them are launched into an epic intergalactic adventure. Wolf…

Name: Enzo The Nowhere Emporium By Ross MacKenzie “Exciting, enchanting and unpredictable. It’s a time-travelling tale that takes you around the world without leaving your own home.” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize.…

“I mostly enjoy reading fictional books like Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby, the Theodore Boone series by John Grisham and Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, and loads more. I like to find a comfy space to enjoy a good book, or in bed before I go to sleep.”Gretel, 10 Send a picture of your shelf showing the book titles clearly and tell us why you love them. Ask an adult to send it to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk with your name and age.…

Number fit All of these numbers fit in the grid. Can you work out where they go? We’ve placed one to start you off. 3 numbers 125 244 260 337 525 672 725 760 4 numbers 2686 4725 4790 5 numbers 45566 62811 74821 6 numbers 405350 721625 871304 7 numbers 3466281 3832856 7434298 8 numbers 72172830 91512546 96230222 9 numbers 151571062 188427644 954703483 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. ADVENTURE BRANCH BUCKET HATCH HIDEAWAY INSECTS LADDER LEAVES NATURE PAINT PLATFORM PLAY ROOF ROPE SLIDE SQUIRRELS STAIRS SWING TRUNK WINDOWS Spot…

1 A tariff is a type of what? ☐ a) Tax ☐ b) Law ☐ c) Political party 2 True or false? The UK has been chosen to host the Women’s World Cup for football in 2035. ☐ True ☐ False 3 US politician Cory Booker’s record breaking speech lasted how long? 4 How many of the 12 statues along Edinburgh’s Royal Mile are of women? ☐ a) 12 ☐ b) 6 ☐ c) None 5 True or false? Baffin Island is the largest island in the world. ☐ True ☐ False 6 What is the windiest continent on Earth? 7 How many miles of road did the Romans build in Britain? ☐ a) 1,000 ☐ b) 5,000 ☐ c) 10,000 8 True or false? Jupiter flytraps are a species of plant…