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The Week Junior Book Awards took place on Monday 29 September. Which of the winning books would you most like to read and why? Find out more about the awards ceremony on page 7. A study has shown that dogs can think like humans by working out which toys are used for certain activities. What human skill would you like your pet to be able to master and why? Read about clever collies on page 12. The Ig Nobel Awards for silly science include painting zebra stripes on cows to stop insect bites. What crazy inventions could you think up? Discover more wacky science ideas on page 16. The big debate Should teachers work from home? Page 10.…

From 28 September to 1 October, the annual Labour Party Conference took place in Liverpool, England. At the conference, several important announcements were made that will affect the public.. What is the Labour Party Conference? The conference is a big meeting of the Labour Party, which is currently the Government of the UK after winning the general election in July 2024. The conference is attended by MPs (Members of Parliament), Labour Party staff, representatives of local Labour Party groups, journalists and lobbyists. Lobbyists are representatives from different organisations, such as businesses and charities, who want to influence the Government’s plans for the UK. The conference is a chance for people in the Labour Party and those connected to it to get together and discuss issues, and there are often important…

WALLACE AND GROMIT FANS A Wallace and Gromit exhibition has opened at The Harris Museum in Preston, England. The display features a life-sized replica of the pair’s living room. Creator Nick Park grew up in Preston, and he reopened the museum last month after a £19 million revamp. A VERY STRONG GRANNY A woman known as “Britain’s strongest grandmother” has broken four world records for powerlifting. Martine Barons, 65, first took up the sport in 2023 and trains five times a week. This year she won both the European Championships in her category and the World Powerlifting championship in the US. THE KĀREAREA FALCON The kārearea, New Zealand’s fastest bird, has won the country’s popular Bird of the Year competition. It is one of three species to win the award…

Since the Covid pandemic began in 2020, the way people work has changed. During lockdown, when most people were told to stay indoors, lots of companies realised that jobs could be done from home, not just in the workplace. This can have benefits for workers and employers – from a better work-life balance for people working at home (so they get to spend more time with their families, friends and on hobbies) to companies spending less money on offices. A recent study carried out in several countries found that people who work from home are often more productive, meaning they get more done than those who are in a shared office. But do you think this could apply to teachers? Should they be able to work from home like other…

Scientists have discovered that some dogs can identify toys based on what they do, not just how they look. This is a skill that humans learn as children but has not been seen in dogs before. For example, young children can work out that both a hammer and a stone can both be used to knock a shape into a hole, even though they don’t look alike. In the study, the scientists wanted to see if dogs could tell the difference between toys used for pulling or throwing, even if they had not seen the toys before. They selected a group of dogs – mostly border collies (see panel) – who were “gifted word learners” that can quickly learn the names of objects, like toys. The scientists set up the…

Animals can be found in unlikely places – including, as researchers recently discovered, an oil rig 125 miles off the coast of Scotland. An oil rig is a structure that either floats or is fixed to the sea bed, allowing people to drill for oil and gas under the sea. Researchers studied a group of 121 marmalade hoverflies that were found on an oil rig in the North Sea. Despite there being no land or plants nearby, pollen was found on 92% of the insects. Pollen is a powdery substance that allows plants to reproduce. It gets stuck to insects when they brush against a flower to feed, and then brushes off on another flower as they travel to find more food. The pollen on the oil rig flies came…

UK seas A colourful sea slug called Spurilla neapolitana has been seen in UK waters for the first time. Also called the hair curler slug, it is usually found in the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, which are warmer spots than the seas around the UK. Conservationists are worried that this might be an indication that UK seas are warming. This could be harmful for some of the UK’s sea life, which is used to cooler temperatures.…

The winners of the Ig Nobel Awards were announced on 18 September. The annual awards are inspired by the famous Nobel Prizes, which reward people who have improved the world through science, writing or peace-making. The Ig Nobel awards instead focus on research that makes people laugh, and then think (see panel). The winner of the Biology Prize went to scientists for painting zebra stripes on cows. They wanted to see if the stripes made the animals less likely to be bitten by insects. Insects are a big problem for cows – the bites can hurt and they make the cows eat less and produce less milk. Scientists have long guessed that zebras’ stripes help to stop insects from landing on their skin. It appears they were right – the…

SEND YOUR PHOTOS Email them to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Once a month we feature photos by our readers. Ask a parent or carer to send in photos for you and make sure they read this: upon submitting images for publication, you the adult grant Future Publishing Ltd permission to publish the submission in the Week Junior publications and on their associated web and social pages. You warrant that you own or have the right to grant this permission and that Future’s use will not infringe the rights of any third party.…

What is a family history? Your family history is the story of your relatives and what they’ve experienced in their lives. This could include where they lived, traditions they followed and the jobs they had. It’s like a treasure chest with photos and stories that help you understand where you come from. Have you ever wondered what your granddad looked like when he was your age, or what your aunt’s favourite hobby was? It can surprise, inspire and prompt you to learn more. How can it help you? Discovering the ups and downs of your family story helps you overcome challenges, according to psychologists (people who study how we think and feel) Marshall Duke and Robyn Fivush. This is because learning that your relatives coped with tough times can make…

Sheku Kanneh-Mason In 2016, Sheku Kanneh-Mason won the BBC Young Musician award. He plays the cello, and in 2020 he became the first cellist to reach the UK top 10 with his album Elgar. He has performed every summer at the BBC Proms since 2017. Black Violin American duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus play the viola and the violin together, and their music mixes classical and hip-hop. Their Black Violin Foundation gives young people access to music programmes. Errollyn Wallen Last year, Errollyn Wallen was appointed Master of the King’s Music by King Charles. Musicians in this post write music for important royal events. Wallen has written more than 20 operas, including an opera for children called Cautionary Tales.…

The Last Bard by Maz Evans (Chicken House) This entertaining read is about Will Davenant, who is Shakespeare’s last living relative. When he inherits his grandfather’s Complete Works of Shakespeare, he finds he can summon characters out of the pages – including a murderous Lady Macbeth, Juliet (without Romeo) and a mischievous Puck. King of Shadows by Susan Cooper (Red Fox) Young actor Nathan Field arrives at London’s Globe Theatre to join the cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Strange echoes of the past begin to haunt him and he falls mysteriously ill. On waking, he finds he’s gone back in time to 1599 and is now an actor at the original Globe alongside Shakespeare himself. A gripping time-travel adventure. Tripwrecked! Tempest Terror! by Ross Montgomery.  Illustrated by Mark Beech…

Name: George Finn Jones Was Here by Simon James Green “Funny, emotional and thrilling. A heart-warming adventure full of twists and turns, I would definitely recommend this book.” 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.…

What you need • 320g ready-rolled puff pastry• 1 egg, beaten• 8tbsp pizza sauce• 100g grated mozzarella• 4tbsp sweetcorn• 2 pineapple rings, chopped• ½ red pepper, sliced• 3 slices ham, torn Small handful basil Knife Pastry brush Baking tray These tarts are perfect for a weekendlunch eaten warm. They’re also delicious cold and are great for a lunchbox or picnic. The beauty of this recipe is that, much like pizza, you can swap and mix different toppings based on your own tastes. If you don’t eat ham or you think pineapple belongs in a pudding – no problem – take them out or replace them with something else, like chopped olives or mushrooms. The recipe makes about eight tarts and should be ready in 20 minutes if you preheat the…

Name: Izzy and Dizzy “We saw your article “Scheme helps species recover” (issue 507) and were inspired to create our own bird habitat in the garden. We bought some bird seed and used old plant pots to make nests in the trees and included a big plant pot as a hedgehog hideaway. We created a bird bath and a baby bird fledgling spot. We wanted to help encourage nature in our local area. We love nature and animals so we thought trying to encourage more wildlife to come to our gardens and parks would be a good idea. We also decided that we wanted more bird species to embrace London life and make their home here. Ultimately, we wanted to make sure that all animals nearby have a safe place…

“I discovered a double conker while out walking in Bushy Park, London.”Freddie “This is me and my cat Belle reading The Week Junior. We both enjoy it lots!”Helena “After reading lots of articles about rubbish in the oceans, I was inspired to go for charity champion for the year. I was elected and the school will be raising money for Oceana.”Amrit “This was my favourite cucumber that we grew during the summer months; we hadn’t noticed it and we were impressed so much we wanted to share it with you.”Hattie We’re proud to be plastic-free The Week Junior is delivered without a wrapper. This decision was made in response to requests from our readers who wanted us to reduce waste. Since removing the wrap in 2018 we have saved our…

1 In which UK city did the Labour Party Conference take place? ☐ a) Liverpool ☐ b) Cardiff ☐ c) Nottingham 2 True or false? At the National Cat Awards, the top award went to a cat named Bubbles. ☐ True ☐ False 3 Which country has launched a campaign to ban social media posts that are too sad or negative? 4 How much of Suriname’s land is covered by tropical rainforest? ☐ a) 50% ☐ b) 75% ☐ c) 93% 5 True or false? Star of The Greatest Showman, Hugh Jackman, used to be a maths teacher. ☐ True ☐ False 6 Which fish species is known as the “unicorn of the sea”? 7 When was the world’s first digital computer created? ☐ a) 1948 ☐ b) 1978 ☐…

Super Typhoon Ragasa has travelled across East Asia, causing serious damage over a wide area. Typhoons are powerful storms, like hurricanes, that form over the north-western Pacific Ocean. With winds blowing at up to 165 miles per hour, Super Typhoon Ragasa was the most powerful storm in the world this year. It has affected millions of people in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. So far, 17 people have died in Taiwan after a lake burst its banks. The lake released around 15 million tonnes of water, the equivalent of 6,000 Olympic swimming pools. Taiwan’s leader, Cho Jung-tai, has demanded an investigation because he said orders to evacuate the area weren’t carried out. Officials in Taiwan said the flooding caused by the typhoon was “far worse than anticipated”. As the typhoon…

On 29 September, the Covid inquiry began hearing evidence about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and young people. The Covid inquiry (see panel) is an investigation into how the UK Government responded to the pandemic. What was the Covid-19 pandemic? The Covid-19 pandemic was a global outbreak of an infectious disease called Covid-19. It was identified in China in late 2019 and quickly spread to other countries. It was declared a pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organisation (an international agency responsible for people’s wellbeing). In order to stop the spread of the disease, the UK went into lockdown. This meant people had to stay at home, and public places such as restaurants, playgrounds and most shops had to close. Schools also closed. What’s happening…

October is ADHD Awareness Month, encouraging people to learn more about ADHD. It stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and can affect a person’s behaviour and concentration. The Week Junior spoke to Summer Dean, who is the charity ADHD UK’s first ever junior ambassador. Summer was diagnosed with ADHD at 14 years old, but is now 17 and helping others. “Being a junior ambassador lets me raise awareness and share my story… I can make ADHD support fun and meaningful for young people,” she says. Before her diagnosis, Summer says she didn’t have the best time at school, and was bullied. Although this was upsetting, Summer says it pushed her to do something, and “show that it is ok to be different”. Being diagnosed with ADHD was “the best thing…

A tourist recently took a photo of a rare ornate eagle ray in the Maldives. The species is critically endangered, but Mark Hunter saw it just before he went back to shore after snorkelling (swimming with equipment that helps you breathe underwater). • LIFESPAN: Up to 24 years. • HABITAT: Around coral reefs and in shallow coastal seas. • SIZE: Nearly four metres long. • DIET: Crustaceans such as crabs, mussels and snails. • FUN FACT: They are known as the “unicorns of the sea” because of how rarely they are spotted in the wild.…

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Turing Test, which determines if a machine can think. It was invented by mathematician Alan Turing, who helped Britain during the Second World War (1939–45) and contributed to the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Who was Alan Turing? A British mathematician, Turing was born in London in 1912. He was a problem solver and inventor who was fascinated by maths and science. Turing studied maths at the University of Cambridge, England, and Princeton University in the US. What did Turing achieve? In 1936, Turing published a paper proposing the idea for a device that could follow instructions to solve a maths problem. His model became known as the “Turing Machine”. It is seen as the inspiration for computers. In 1939, Turing moved…

On 27 September, England defeated Canada to win the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the third time. The final was played at Twickenham, England’s national rugby stadium, in front of 81,885 supporters. It was a record crowd for a women’s rugby match. Usually held every four years, the event is the biggest international competition in women’s rugby union with 16 teams taking part. The five-week tournament was held in England, with games played at venues across the country. New Zealand were the champions in the last World Cup but this year lost to Canada in the semi-final. In the final, England (nicknamed the Red Roses) won by 33 points to 13. Canada scored first with a try by Asia Hogan-Rochester. A “try” wins five points and is scored by a…

Annabelle, aged 10, looked through old family photos with her grandma. “I didn’t know most of the people but finding out who they were and how they were related to me was really interesting. I liked finding out how different everything was then, and seeing how much my mum used to look like me. I asked Grandma about the babies in the photos. I didn’t realise how old they are now. It was weird finding out about people in my family I never knew.”…

Nintendo and Universal have revealed the first teaser trailer for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, coming to UK cinemas in April 2026. The trailer starts with a sleeping Mario and then pans across the Mushroom Kingdom to Princess Peach’s castle, before revealing its space-themed title and introducing Luma, a star character from the games. Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, announced that the film will headline Mario’s 40th anniversary celebrations. The new film sees Chris Pratt return in his voice role as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as the mighty Bowser, and Keegan-Michael Key as Toad. The sequel follows the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023. It earned more than £1 billion globally, becoming the most successful video game film adaptation ever…

by Katherine Rundell (Bloomsbury Children’s) A sequel to the bestselling Impossible Creatures, this books opens with a quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “The croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.” A fantasy adventure with revenge at its heart, this begins when Christopher is asked for help by his friend Jacques, a miniature dragon. Christopher has dreamed of returning to the Archipelago – the secret islands where creatures from myth and legend live. He embarks on a daring rescue mission riding a sphinx and meets escaped princess Anya and her bird companions. Anya has a mission too: seek revenge upon her wicked uncle for poisoning her grandfather, save her jailed father and restore justice in her kingdom. Can they help each other? This unmissable sequel is rich with magic, wonder and mythical beasts.…

Dyslexia Awareness Week runs from 6 to 12 October. Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that mainly affects reading and writing. Author and illustrator Liz Pichon, who is dyslexic, told The Week Junior that although she didn’t set out to write for young dyslexic people, she has “automatically done it”. Her books include the much-loved Tom Gates series. As a dyslexic child, Pichon remembers the stress of being tested on times tables and having to read aloud in class – but she also enjoyed books. She thinks it’s important for children to find the books that they love, “Something you’re really interested in,” she says. Pichon also says that people who are dyslexic shouldn’t let it stop them from doing what they love. “We are very good at solving problems in…

Keyboard with a cheese twist The perfect computer accessory for cheese lovers has been created: a keyboard made of lots of tiny pieces of “cheese”. It may look like it can be eaten but it’s actually a real keyboard that can be used. Maker Dirk Hooley built it as a playful distraction to take his mind off the US election in 2024. Most of the keys are made to look like pieces of Swiss cheese with holes in. Other keys include tiny models of a mouse, a cheese grater and a jar of jam. Mario fan’s super collection Since he was five years old, Steve Bagley has been a big fan of Mario, the famous Nintendo character. For the last 40 years he has collected between 2,000 and 3,000 Mario-related…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Batchelor School: Furze Platt Junior School, Maidenhead, England “Mrs Batchelor is a really nice teacher because she makes learning fun. She tells us stories which make us laugh when we have free time and she’s really kind. She helped me with my English last year by teaching me how to get all my ideas out of my imagination and onto paper. If we do our work nicely in class, she plays games with us in the playground and takes part too, which is very funny.” Jonas 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…

As you’ll see from our cover, we celebrated the winners of our Book Awards on Monday night. It was fantastic to meet the people behind the winning books and the shortlisted titles. Congratulations to all the titles that were up for an award. After the prize-giving we all got to meet and mingle – and can you guess what we talked about? You, the readers. Everywhere there were conversations about what a privilege it is to be able to write for such brilliant, engaged and funny people. A big thanks to all of you who voted for our Cover of the Year and the Children’s Choice awards. You can read our report of the night on page 7 and see the winners in the pull-out in the middle of this magazine,…

Nicholas Grimshaw was an architect (someone who designs buildings), best known for famous landmarks like the Eden Project in Cornwall, England. He died recently at the age of 85. Grimshaw was born into a creative family in Hove, England. His father was an aircraft engineer and his mother and grandmother were both artists. After a brief time studying at Edinburgh College of Art, in 1962 Grimshaw won a scholarship to the Architectural Association, a school for architects. After many years in business with his friend Terry Farrell, Grimshaw started his own company in 1980. He created lots of award-winning buildings, including the Financial Times Printworks in London – a glass and metal building – and the Eurostar terminal at Waterloo Station, London, which has a 400 metre-long roof. Grimshaw’s most…

These fast rodents are found across the UK in leafy or grassy areas, such as gardens, hedgerows, parks and woodland. October is a great time to try and spot a bank vole because at this time of year they gather hazelnuts, seeds and berries for their winter stores. However, they don’t hibernate so you can spy them all year round if you have a keen eye. At first glance they might look a bit like a mouse but bank voles are fatter with a more rounded snout, smaller ears and a short, hairy tail. They are a chestnut brown colour with a cream belly. Bank voles are eight to 12 centimetres long with a tail four to six centimetres long. If you hear scurrying in the undergrowth, keep still and…

Red squirrels A study by Bournemouth University found that red squirrels on the Isle of Wight, England, are thriving and have enough food and natural habitats to grow their population – which is the largest in the UK. The species’ numbers declined after grey squirrels were introduced to the UK in the 19th century, bringing a disease deadly to red squirrels and competing with them for food. The study also found evidence that red squirrels in Europe are good at adapting to climate change.…

Scientists have discovered mummies dating from 12,000 years ago, making them the oldest mummies ever found. Mummies are human bodies that have been preserved after death to stop them breaking down. The process was famously usedby the ancient Egyptians, who believed it allowed people to reach the afterlife. Scientists analysed human remains at 54 burial sites across Asia. Most of these were in northern Vietnam and southern China. Many of the remains showed signs of being partly burned. Analysis of bone samples suggested they had been exposed to low heat over long periods of time – possibly weeks or months. The scientists think the bodies were exposed to smoke to mummify them, drying them out and killing off bacteria that make bodies decay. The oldest mummy the team tested came…

Michelle Agyemang The teenager scored as Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Everton 1-0 in the Women’s Super League. Agyemang helped England win the Women’s Euros in the summer. Europe Ryder Cup team They beat the US team to win the Ryder Cup in New York, US. It’s one of the biggest events in men’s golf. Aston Villa Aston Villa beat Fulham 3-1 to win their first Premier League game of the season. Hannah Cockroft, Karé Adenegan and Fabienne André Great Britain’s Cockroft won the women’s T34 400 metres race at the World Para Athletics Championships. Adenegan and André were second and third for Team GB.…

This October, a festival called Classically Black is taking to the stage in London and Birmingham. The event redefines what classical music looks like today, highlighting the experience of black musicians and people of colour. The event is run by Black Lives in Music, an organisation that aims to improve opportunities for black and Asian musicians in the UK’s classical and jazz music industries. Roger Wilson, one of the founders of Black Lives in Music, told The Week Junior that Classically Black is “a celebration”. He said that, for a long time, he wasn’t aware of the black musicians who have played such a big role in classical music. This is because their amazing music and histories often aren’t talked about. Wilson explained, “Classically Black is an opportunity to celebrate…

The Football Academy Available on BBC iPlayer Ever wondered what it takes to become a professional football player? This behind-the-scenes series follows young players at the Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur academies, from tough training to tricky tournaments. The Sisters Grimm Available on Apple TV+ Based on the popular books by Michael Buckley, this adventure series is about sisters Daphne and Sabrina. They move to a town full of fairy tale characters and investigate the mystery of their own missing parents.…

How is The Poisoned King different from the first book in this series? It’s a whole new story, so you don’t have to have read Impossible Creatures. Princess Anya Argen’s grandfather has been murdered, her father framed for the crime and she must seek justice. What is your favourite magical creature? I love Jacques, the tiny Jaculus dragon, small enough to perch on your finger but with enough fire to destroy a castle. Do you have a preferred writing spot? I love to write outside, which is not always possible in the English rain, but when I can it’s a great pleasure. What is the hardest thing about creating a world? The greatest challenge – and hugest joy – is knowing the world in all its detail. I have hundreds…

Believe it or not, Sonic the Hedgehog could have been a very different character. He could have been a dog or an old man with a moustache. In 1990, those were the three ideas presented by developers at games company Sega when it was looking for a new hero. The speedy hedgehog was most popular, partly because Sega thought he would be easy for children to draw. The rest is gaming history… The newest Sonic game puts him back on the racing track. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the latest Mario Kart-style racing game featuring Sonic and his friends – including characters from other famous games and TV shows this time round. Released for all consoles and PC, the game has you racing against up to 11 other characters at a…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BREAKFAST CORNFLAKES CROISSANT DRESS EXERCISE GET READY JAM MILK MUESLI OVERSLEEP PORRIDGE SHAVE SHOWER SLEEPY STRETCH TIRED TOAST TOOTHBRUSH WASH YAWN Split words Piece together the pairs or groups of letters to find four parts of a tree. 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 137 173 378 746 767 4 numbers 1813 3838 4354 8475 8646 5 numbers 30463 34572 51028 57064 97544 6 numbers 236631 379582 866865 933046 7 numbers 1653544 2731571 4837107 8 numbers 41184768 44308812 48575118 9 numbers 434101276 548546263 563605573 Sudoku Place the numbers…

Big Wild Walk Every year, The Wildlife Trusts organise the Big Wild Walk, a fundraising challenge that aims to connect people with nature. It involves walking 30 kilometres (about 19 miles) between 17 October and 3 November. This can be tackling a big hike in one day or just taking it at your own pace over the two weeks. To take part, ask an adult to help you sign up, set your challenge and get walking. Although this year’s Big Wild Walk is organised by the Leicester and Rutland Wildlife Trusts, anyone in the UK can take part. Ask a grown-up to find out more at lrwt.org.uk/big-wild-walk-2025 WIN A BADGE! Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can send…