Innholdsfortegnelse for 505 i The Week Junior

Snoopy and friends are heading to summer camp in their new TV show. Where’s your favourite place to be in summer, and why? Read about how the show’s makers were inspired by real life on page 22. The average person in the UK moves to a new home 11 times in their life. Which item would you unpack first in your new home? We’ve got some tips on how to manage moving on page 21. A new report says the world is facing a “plastics crisis” and that it’s harming our health. What actions could your family take to reduce your use of plastic? Read about the report on page 16. The big debate Are driverless taxis a good idea? Page 10.…

On 9 August, thousands of people gathered across Israel to protest against the government’s new plan for Gaza. Gaza is a strip of land that borders Israel and Egypt and is home to 2.1 million Palestinian people. What is the plan? On 8 August, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said Israel’s military will take control of Gaza City. The military, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), controls about three-quarters of Gaza. About a million people live in Gaza City and there are fears that they will have to leave the city. Intense fighting has been taking place in Gaza since 7 October 2023. On that day, a long-running conflict between Israel and Hamas became much worse when Hamas attacked Israel. Hamas is classed as a terrorist group by the UK Government.…

In the UK, protesting is a protected right under the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act. Human rights are a set of rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world. The UK Government can pass extra laws that restrict how people protest. It passed the Public Order Act 2023, giving the police more power to respond to protests that are seen as “disruptive” and introducing stricter punishments for the people involved. Disruptive tactics include the blocking of roads or railways, which has been done by climate change activists.…

Would you ride in a taxi that drives by itself? Robotaxis use cameras, sensors and computers to see the road, stop at red lights and avoid other cars. They use artificial intelligence (AI – computer systems that can learn from experience and do things that usually need human intelligence) to work out the quickest and safest route. Despite these high-tech tools, not everyone wants to try them. A recent poll showed that more than a third (37%) of people would feel “very unsafe” in a car without a driver. No countries in Europe – where city streets can be narrow and twisty – have driverless taxis yet. However, studies show that cars controlled by computers can be safer than those with human drivers. What do you think? Are driverless taxis…

Scientists are racing to save some of the world’s most beautiful snails from extinction. Polymita tree snails are found in the forests of Cuba, a large island in the Caribbean. The snails have shells with stunning colours and patterns that make them a target for collectors. International protection laws make it illegal to remove the snails from Cuba without a permit but people still do and then sell them in other countries. The snails’ shells are used as decorative objects and sometimes to make jewellery. A BBC report found a collection of just seven snail shells being sold online for £160. Scientists from Cuba and the University of Nottingham, in England, have joined forces to protect all six species of Polymita snail. The lime-green Polymita sulphurosa, which has a blue…

North American air quality More than 700 wildfires were recently burning across Canada, around two-thirds of them declared out of control. On 4 August, Montreal and Toronto in Canada and Michigan and Detroit in the US recorded some of the world’s worst air quality. Experts say that high temperatures, lack of rain and low soil moisture driven by global warming are to blame. However, one blaze began when a bird dropped a fish onto power lines.…

The Spick and the Span by Pil Van Martin (HarperCollins Children’s) In the city of Helm if you leave anything alone it transforms – maybe into something dangerous. Ward is 12 and wants to belong to the League of Cleaners and avert magical disaster. Can he stop the magic-eating monsters appearing all over the city? This is a funny and warm-hearted tale. When the Storm Comes by Polly Ho-Yen (Knights Of) Mali, Jonesey, Fara and Petey don’t want to be friends but then they get trapped in the library together one day after school. A storm breaks, the situation is dangerous – and they’ll just have to trust each other. As the storm worsens, they must find a way to overcome their differences and work together to rescue their teacher…

Name: George Rivet Boy by Barbara Henderson “Thrilling, historical and daredevil. Based on the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge, the author mixes a historical event and fiction to produce one of my favourite reads.” 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.*…

What you need Makes eight small scoops • A 400ml can of coconut milk• 150g caster sugar• Zest of 1 lime• Bowl• Wooden spoon• Zester or grater• Freeze-proof container This easy-to-make ice cream makes for a creamy but zingy dessert. Perfect for summer days, this refreshing treat can be whipped up in around 15 minutes – although you’ll have to allow a few hours to let it freeze before you can tuck in. The recipe uses coconut milk instead of dairy milk, so it’s great for anyone who eats a plant-based diet. If you want to keep more in the freezer, you can just double the ingredients and make an extra tub. Enjoy it on its own, in a cone or serve it with fruits like mango or pineapple. Instructions…

​Have you been watching Human on the BBC? It’s a fascinating look at how we, Homo sapiens, won the evolutionary race over all the other types of humans, particularly Neanderthals. We’ve got an interview with the programme’s presenter, Ella Al-Shamahi, on page 11, and she explains why she is so intrigued by our “sister species – the cousins that never quite got there”. I think my freckles are a sign of Neanderthal ancestors and I sometimes wonder how else that ghost of the other species has shaped me. There are more wonders on page 12, this time in the deep, deep ocean. A Chinese-led team has been exploring the sea bed lying more than five miles below the surface. The researchers were looking for life and they found it, living…

THE RIVER THAMES In part of the River Thames in London, work has begun to remove 180 tonnes of wet wipes and other waste. The waste has grown so big that it’s been named “Wet Wipe Island”. The charity Thames21 has been monitoring the area since 2017. BIRDWATCHERS IN KENT For the first time in more than 200 years, a red-billed chough has fledged (grown feathers and learned to fly) in Kent, England. These birds had vanished from Kent because of habitat loss and hunting. The birds have strong links with Kent and feature on the coat of arms (official badge) of Canterbury, a city in the county. A BEAUTIFUL BOOK On 6 August, a first edition copy of JRR Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit sold for £43,000. The book was…

On 10 August, a fire was spotted burning on Arthur’s Seat, a hill in Edinburgh. It is a famous landmark and some legends say is named after King Arthur. Firefighters worked through the night to tackle the blaze, and no one was hurt. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) don’t know the cause of the fire. Earlier this summer, the SFRS warned that there was an increased risk of wildfires (rapidly spreading fires) because of warm and dry weather.…

Ella Al-Shamahi studies human evolution by looking at ancient objects and fossils (traces of animals and plants left in rock). She also presents Human, a TV series on BBC iPlayer now, which tells the story of how humans became Earth’s most powerful life form. In five episodes, Human takes viewers back in time to find out more about Homo sapiens, the scientific name for humans. The programme also investigates another species of ancient people, called Neanderthals. Al-Shamahi is fascinated by Neanderthals. “They’re the closest to us… the sister species that never made it, the cousins that never quite got there,” she says. In Human, Al-Shamahi shows how Neanderthals left handprints on the walls of caves to warn others about dangerous areas. She says that being at ancient sites allows her…

A Chinese-led team of scientists travelled to the bottom of two deep ocean trenches (see panel) in the north-west Pacific Ocean to observe the strange creatures living there. The things they filmed are the deepest living marine life that humans have ever seen. The scientists went more than 5.5 miles below the sea’s surface in a submersible (a small submarine designed to go very deep underwater) and found that the bottoms of the trenches were full of life. There were fields of long, thin worms that stuck their red tentacles out of the seabed. White spiky worms swam near the floor. Some areas were covered in beds of clams and other places had mats of tiny micro-organisms that looked like patches of ice. The scientists were surprised by the number…

Sumatran tiger Four Sumatran tiger cubs were born recently at Manor Wildlife Park in Wales. The litter is believed to be the UK’s largest and offers hope for the critically endangered species. There are fewer than 400 left in the wild. • LIFESPAN: 15 years. • HABITAT: Tropical forests of Sumatra island, Indonesia. • SIZE: 2.14 to 2.55 metres long. • DIET: Fish and mammals such as deer and monkeys. • FUN FACT: They have closer-together stripes and darker orange fur than other kinds of tiger, plus a distinctive beard and mane.…

The Women’s Rugby World Cup touches down in England this month, with the players preparing to showcase their skills and battle it out for the trophy. It promises to be a brilliant few weeks of sport, filled with fierce contests, top performances, tense moments and maybe some surprising twists. Where is the tournament happening? England are the host nation, so the games will be played at stadiums across the country. The first match will be between England and the USA at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, on 22 August. Sixteen teams will take part in the competition. They all qualified by doing well in various rugby tournaments, although England qualified automatically because they are hosts. The final will be held at Twickenham, England’s national rugby stadium, on 27 September. How…

Winning three gold medals and a bronze, Britain’s teenage gymnast Uzair Chowdhury enjoyed great success at the recent European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF). The festival was based in North Macedonia, although the gymnastics took place in Croatia. More than 4,000 young people from 50 countries took part and the 15 sports involved included cycling, swimming, athletics and volleyball. Great Britain had 54 athletes competing at EYOF. Chowdhury finished first in the boys rings and parallel bars events, plus he won the boys team all-around title and came third (bronze medal) in the boys all-around. “I had high expectations and I delivered, so I’m happy,” the 15-year-old from Hertfordshire, England, told The Week Junior. “The team gold was so amazing. Because of all the hard work we had done we were…

Actors announced for Zelda movie Two British actors have been cast in the upcoming Legend of Zelda film version. Nintendo game director Shigeru Miyamoto announced on social media that 16-year-old Benjamin Evan Ainsworth will play the hero, Link, while 21-year-old Bo Bragason will portray Princess Zelda. The Legend of Zelda, a fantasy game series first launched in 1986, follows the adventures of elf-like warrior Link as he travels across the kingdom of Hyrule to rescue Princess Zelda from the evil Ganon. Wes Ball, known for directing The Maze Runner and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, will direct the film. Following the success of The Super Mario Bros Movie in 2023, Nintendo is again working with Sony Pictures, with production on this live-action adaptation supervised by Miyamoto and former…

by Swapna Haddow. Illustrated by Jess Bradley (Red Shed) Did you know that you can make a compass with a magnet and a paperclip? Or a telephone from two cups and a bit of string? This illustrated book imagines a series of ridiculous dilemmas – such as having to rescue your grandad from a volcano or outwit a grumpy emu – and then shows how science could solve them. Through a series of fun, colourful comic strips, it introduces important scientific ideas and how you could use them to lift a jumbo jet, trick a shark or scare off an alien invasion. You can also try out step-by-step experiments to put these ideas to the test, using materials you can find at home. Funny and full of surprises, this is…

Set off on a poetic and powerful journey to imagined lands and other people’s pasts – and possibly get a glimpse of your own future. These books in our Poetry award category use verse to reflect on personal feelings or to bring unknown worlds to life. They are perfect for reading in short bursts, perhaps before dozing off at night. You could try learning a favourite one off by heart, or they may inspire you to write your own poem about an experience or an issue close to you. …And I Hear Dragons Edited by Hanan Issa. Illustrated by Eric Heyman (Firefly Press) The National Poet of Wales, Hanan Issa, brings together a book of poems by various authors all about dragons. Out of this World By Michael Rosen. Illustrated…

Town on the alert for toy croc Panic gripped the Italian town of Ladispoli, near the city of Rome, after an image posted on social media sparked fears of a crocodile lurking in a nearby river. Ladispoli’s mayor Alessandro Grando warned people to take care and the police launched a drone to investigate the crocodile sighting. However, the croc hunt only ended when a local woman identified the beast as an inflatable toy that had been left in a playground. The mayor later confirmed it was “just a joke in terrible taste”. Theatre’s pantomime horse race Harrogate Theatre’s fundraising campaign trotted into action with its first ever “He’s Behind You” race. On 4 August, Ripon racecourse in North Yorkshire welcomed some highly unusual competitors: six pantomime horses, each of them…

Name: Janaki Janaki took part in Making Moves, a performance project for schools and youth groups, run by the Sadler’s Wells theatre in London. “When I first heard about dancing on Making Moves I was over the Moon, but then the nerves set in – I was going to be dancing with accomplished dancers. Could I even do it? However, the second I walked in, I was greeted with a friendly welcome from my fellow dancers and I have not looked back. Creating a dance routine in limited time was going to be a challenge but soon we became one family and dancing came naturally. Our choreographers shaped the dance while letting us shine as individuals. When I first saw the Sadler’s Wells venue, I was mesmerised by the tall…

Inclusive Voices The charity Calibre Audio provides an audiobook lending service to people who struggle to read printed words. Calibre has launched its short story competition called Inclusive Voices. This year’s themes are Audio, Braille and Community, and your task is to write a short story or poem that covers at least one of the themes. Entries should be no more than 550 words and can be written, recorded sound or video submissions. The judging panel is made up of authors and there are prizes for the top three places in each category. For more information, and to enter before 5 September, ask an adult to go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-InclusiveVoices WIN A BADGE! Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we…

1 Where on Earth was the largest piece of rock from Mars found? ☐ a) Northern Spain ☐ b) Niger in West Africa ☐ c) Niagara Falls 2 True or false? Arthur’s Seat is a landmark in Edinburgh. ☐ True ☐ False 3 How long was the longest lightning strike ever recorded? 4 How long ago did the first driverless car appear as an experiment? ☐ a) 10 ☐ b) 50 ☐ c) 100 5 True or false? The game of chess originated in India. ☐ True ☐ False 6 What sort of flowers have appeared at Wular Lake in Kashmir for the first time in 33 years? 7 Which team has won the Women’s Rugby World Cup more times than any other country? ☐ a) New Zealand ☐ b)…

On 8 August, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed a peace deal to end almost 40 years of conflict. The countries, which are next to each other, are in the Caucasus, a region that reaches from eastern Europe to western Asia. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shook hands as they agreed the deal. The event was hosted by US President Donald Trump. The two countries have been fighting for control of a region called Nagorno-Karabakh for nearly 40 years. Tens of thousands of people have died during fighting there. Nagorno-Karabakh is an area inside Azerbaijan but most of its people are Armenian. There were big conflicts there from 1988–1994 and in 2020. In 2023, Azerbaijan took control of the area. Since then, the two…

On 9 August, 532 people were arrested during a protest in London in support of Palestine Action, a group that is banned by the UK Government. What is Palestine Action? Palestine Action is a protest group that was formed in 2020. It has carried out hundreds of actions across the UK to disrupt companies providing military equipment to Israel. On 5 July, the UK Government introduced a law banning Palestine Action, classifying it as a terrorist group. This happened after several members of the group broke into a Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Oxfordshire, England, and sprayed red paint into the engines of two military planes. Police say this caused £7 million of damage. The ban means it is against the law to be a member of Palestine Action…

During August these brightly striped caterpillars are intent on munching through as much common ragwort as they can. Found across the UK, adult cinnabar moths are large with black wings splashed with red spots and stripes. The moths emerge around spring and live until early August and the female moths lay up to 300 eggs on ragwort leaves. Common ragwort is a tall plant with daisy-like bright yellow flowers, which grows in grassy areas. It’s toxic, so farmers remove it from fields to make sure farm animals don’t eat it by accident. When the caterpillars hatch they eat the plant and take on its poison, turning them toxic too. Their bright stripes warn possible attackers of the danger but predators are also put off by the caterpillars’ horrible taste. The…

Kashmir’s lotus flowers For the first time in nearly 33 years, lotus plants are blooming in Wular Lake in Kashmir. The lake once provided jobs for 5,000 people who harvested nadru (lotus stems), which are a local food delicacy. Then, in 1992, floods filled the lake with silt – bits of rock and soil that form a sludgy material. A clean-up in 2020 removed 7.9 million cubic metres of silt. Lotus stems are now back on the menu and it has improved the habitat for local wild animals too.…

A new scientific report has found that the world is in a “plastics crisis”. Plastics are making people ill and harming the planet, it said. The report was published in The Lancet, an important medical journal. Plastic is a material made from a complex mix of chemicals and it has many uses. For example, it can be made into bottles for soft drinks, windows for aeroplanes, toys, packaging and medical supplies. However, every step in the plastics process – from producing it to getting rid of it – can threaten human health, hurt wildlife and pollute the environment. There are currently no global regulations that tell companies and countries how to reduce the harm plastics cause. Plastic is a huge problem because so much of it is being made. In…

Crystal Palace They beat Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield. The Community Shield is played each year between the Premier League winners and FA Cup winners. England women’s rugby league team England defeated Wales 62-0. Teenager Isabel Rowe scored a try and nine conversions. Danni Wyatt-Hodge The cricketer scored 59 runs to help Southern Brave beat Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred competition. Victoria Mboko The 18-year-old from Canada won her first Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title. She came from behind to beat Naomi Osaka by two sets to one in the Canadian Open final, in Montreal.…

Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and their friends are back in a 40-minute musical on AppleTV+. These popular characters are from the world of Peanuts, a comic strip created 75 years ago (see panel). In Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical, the gang are off to summer camp. Charlie Brown is excited and wants to make his final year at camp special. However, his younger sister Sally is nervous about being away from home. When the gang finds out the camp is going to be closed down, they get together to save it. Meanwhile, Snoopy finds a map and sets off on a treasure hunt with his friend Woodstock (a little yellow bird). One of the writers of the musical was Craig Schulz, son of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. He…

Bambi: A Tale of Life in the Woods Out in cinemas now Based on Felix Salten’s novel, this live action film follows a young fawn’s journey after hunters kill his mother. Guided by his father, Bambi soon learns to navigate the forest’s dangers and survive on his own. Freakier Friday Out in cinemas now This fun sequel to 2003’s Freaky Friday reunites Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. Anna, now with her own daughter and soon-to-be stepdaughter, is once again thrown into body-swap situation along with her mum.…

What was your favourite subject in school and why? I loved science. It was how I made sense of the world. I was very curious and had a lot of questions, and science and experiments helped me figure out some answers. Tell us something you learned while you were writing the book. It was cool to find out that things we use today, like bridges and pulleys, were used in ancient Rome and Egypt. What was the first book you ever wrote? I’ve been writing since I was in primary school so I can’t remember exactly but I think it involved a crocodile in a tree. Do you prefer writing fiction or non-fiction? I love both. I can let my imagination go wild when I write fiction but sometimes I find…

Wheelchair basketball has a longer history than you might think. The first matches were played in the mid-1940s by American soldiers who had fought in the Second World War (1939–1945), and it has been part of the Paralympic Games since 1960. Now it is being given a futuristic new spin by Nintendo with the new Switch 2 game Drag x Drive. The game involves basketball matches between two teams of three players, controlled by humans if you’re playing online with friends, or by the console if you’re playing alone. Passing, shooting and barging into other players are all part of the action, working together with your teammates to find space to take long shots or go in for slam dunks. Drag x Drive uses some of the clever features of…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BASKET BREED CATTERY CLAWS COLLAR FELINE GINGER KITTEN LITTER MIAOW MICE MILK PAWS PET PURR QUEEN TABBY TOM VET WHISKERS Shortcode Eight letters of the alphabet have been replaced by numbers. Crack the code to find the words. Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 letters BARN FLAT SHED SHOP 5 letters CABIN HOTEL LODGE 6 letters GARAGE SCHOOL STABLE 7 letters COTTAGE NURSERY STATION 8 letters BUNGALOW WINDMILL Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum of the numbers…

Teacher’s name: Mr Lewis School: Cogan Primary School, Penarth, Wales “Mr Lewis is a fun teacher. He’s especially good at teaching Welsh, local history, music and PE. He makes learning really fun and interesting, so that we want to learn even more. We have very interesting and fun chats and he’s nice to everybody. He really makes me feel like I can do anything! He teaches us about our local history and he makes us proud to be who we are.” Clark 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 JOKE OF THE WEEK “What is a cat’s…

“I was very excited when I heard that Joe Wicks was going to be in my area for a community litter pick. This is a picture of him and me and my signed The Week Junior. We also collected lots of litter.”Mark “Following the ‘Get creative with nature’ article, I made a comic strip of Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. The apple falls from the tree, hits him on the head and he goes on to discover gravity.”Connie “My mum and I made the mango lassi (in issue 502) with frozen mango, natural yoghurt and crushed pistachio nuts on top. We added a sprig of mint too. It was delicious.”Arthur “We have unexpectedly grown a red sunflower. We’ve never seen one before.”Ottilie and Orlando We’re proud to be…