Table of contents for 362 in The Week Junior

Ukrainians have been celebrating after Russia pulled its troops out of the city of Kherson on 9 November. What’s been happening in Kherson? Kherson is a port city in southern Ukraine that stands beside the Dnieper River. It is the capital of a region called Kherson Oblast. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, it was the first big city to be captured. In September, the Russian government claimed that Ukrainian people living in Kherson, along with other areas, had voted for the region to become a part of Russia. The Ukrainian government and many other countries said that they did not believe the results, but Russia illegally annexed (declared that it owned and controlled) Kherson on 30 September. Why is Russia withdrawing its troops? Since 6 September, Ukrainian forces have…

A SUN PENDANT A 3,000-year-old piece of jewellery called the Shropshire sun pendant has gone on display at The Collection Museum in Lincoln, England, until 23 February 2023. It is on tour from the British Museum in London and will go on show at several museums around the UK. SEAGRASS MEADOWS Researchers who attached cameras to tiger sharks found that the waters around the Bahamas, in the Caribbean, are home to the world’s largest seagrass meadow. The cameras showed much bigger areas of seagrass than expected, and scientists now think that Earth has 40% more seagrass than they thought. BRAIN POWER A schoolboy from Leeds has achieved the highest possible score in the Mensa IQ test. Yusuf Shah (11), was inspired to do the test after schoolmates commented on how…

As winter approaches, the sea gets rougher and mermaid’s purses are more likely to be washed ashore. This is the nickname for the leather-like cases that once held fish eggs. They are usually empty, but you might find one with a baby inside. Mermaid’s purses, which look a bit like seaweed, differ depending on which species’ egg it contains. Each pod has spikes or curly strands at either end. Square or rectangular egg cases with spikes are usually from skates or rays. The spikes help to anchor the case to soft seafloors of gravel, mud or sand, where these fish prefer to lay their eggs. Tube-shaped cases with curly tendrils (left) are usually from sharks – the female uses the strings to attach the purse to seaweed.…

If you’ve ever picked your nose and tasted what you’ve found, you’re not alone. A recent study has found that aye-ayes, a type of lemur, use their extra long middle finger to scrape out mucus from deep inside their noses. If they like what they find, they sometimes give their finger a lick. 20years Madagascar About80centimetresincluding its bushy tail, which is up to 60 centimetres long. Insectsfruitsnuts, nectar… and snot. Theyalsousetheirlong fingers to tap trees and find out where insects are, and pull them out to eat…

The referees Three female referees, Salima Mukansanga (pictured), Stéphanie Frappart and Yoshimi Yamashita are on the list of 36 match officials – a first in World Cup history. All referees will have access to new tech, including 12 cameras that can check a player’s exact position on the pitch. The mascot The mascot for this year’s tournament is La’eeb – an Arabic word that means “super-skilled player”. La’eeb was inspired by a traditional Arab headdress called a ghutrah. See if you can spot him at matches and on lots of posters, stickers and toys. The ball The official match ball is the Adidas Al Rihla. Al Rihla means “the journey” in Arabic. The ball is made from eco-friendly water-based glues and inks. It contains a sensor that can track its…

Kotchakorn Voraakhom is a landscape architect (a person who designs outdoor environments) from Bangkok, Thailand. Her city experienced heavy floods in 2011, in which many people died and millions had to leave their homes. It inspired her to design outdoor spaces that don’t flood as easily. Bangkok sits just 1.5 metres above sea level and is sinking by as much as two centimetres each year as water levels rise. Voraakhom designs landscapes that can absorb rainwater to stop flooding. She says this allows people to “live with the water”. One example is Centenary Park in Bangkok. Built on a slope, rainwater runs through the park and collects in a large pond at the bottom. She also designed a rooftop farm, Siam Green Sky. Here, plants grow on layers like steps,…

The Australian Diamonds, the Jamaican Sunshine Girls and the England Vitality Roses are names of three of the top national netball teams in the world. They compete in events such as the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games. This year, a new team – the England Thorns – took part in their first international matches. Unlike the England Vitality Roses, with female players, the Thorns is a team for male netball players. Its aim is to show that netball can be played by men and boys as well as women and girls. The Thorns travelled with the England Roses to Australia to play their first international game against the Australian men’s team in Sydney. Australia (nicknamed the Sonix) are a more experienced side and they beat the Thorns by 73…

Christmas is coming soon to Hillsborough Castle, near Belfast, which is hosting a festive light show after dark from 1 December to 1 January. More than a million lights, from giant baubles to twinkling tunnels, will decorate the gardens and grounds. Father Christmas is there in his grotto, and stalls will sell hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows and spiced drinks. Highlights of the show include the Royal Aurora neon trees installation, named by students from the nearby Beechlawn School. Aurora comes from “aurora borealis”, the formal name for the northern lights, an amazing natural light show that appears in the night skies in some of the most northern parts of the world during autumn and winter. There is also a cluster of huge blue butterflies hovering over a pond. Japanese artist…

Literally by Patrick Skipworth Illustrated by Nicholas Stevenson (What On Earth Publishing) Many English words come from other countries, and their meanings changed as they journeyed here. Discover the history of words such as “zero” (from an Arabic word for empty space) in this book about the English language. Britannica’s Word of the Day Various authors (What On Earth Publishing) Learn a new word for each day of the year with the help of this fun illustrated book. For each word, you’ll find a guide to pronunciation (how to say the word), a definition, a sample sentence and interesting facts about its use or history. Each month concludes with a crazy story that somehow uses all the new words you will have learned. A History of Words for Children by…

“Suspense, excitement, magic. Nell’s sister Gwen is kidnapped. Nell must get her back through the mist before they’re stuck forever.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk If your review is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Tell us what you liked about the book and why you’d recommend it to others, and 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. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 letters SOUP STEW 5 letters DUVET SCARF THROW 6 letters FLEECE JUMPER 7 letters BLANKET HEATING INDOORS 8 letters FIRESIDE RADIATOR SLIPPERS Word jumble Rearrange the scrambled letters to form four words for places where you might store clothes. Spot the difference These two pictures appear to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you spot them? Wordsearch Can you find all of the US cities listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. AURORA BOULDER CARMEL CHICAGO CINCINNATI DALLAS DAYTON DETROIT FARGO GARY LARAMIE MIAMI PHOENIX PORTLAND RENO SAVANNAH SYRACUSE TAMPA TUCSON WICHITA…

Earlier this year, people across the UK spent one week counting every bit of plastic they threw away and recording the results online. As part of a Greenpeace UK partnership called The Big Plastic Count, 2,000 school classes took part. With the help of students across the country, Greenpeace found that the UK throws away 100 billion pieces of plastic every year. Some students even took their findings to Parliament to call on MPs to act. You can find out more at greenpeace.org.uk…

The charity 52 Lives is dedicated to changing lives, spreading kindness and empowering people. At Christmas, it tries to spread joy by sending presents and Christmas cards to thousands of people who might be feeling lonely. This year, 52 Lives needs help from young people to create Christmas cards, and this is where you come in. Make a Christmas card, write a kind Christmas message inside and send it to: Kids’ Kindness Club, PO Box 3154, Reading, RG1 9AT (remember only to sign your card with your first name and don’t include any contact details). 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 your contribution makes it onto the page.…

Teacher’s name: Miss Dilks School: Cassiobury School, Watford, Hertfordshire “I think Miss Dilks deserves to be Teacher of the Week because she is always so happy and inspiring. When we work and make mistakes, she encourages us and then we get it right. She rewards my hard efforts with awards and makes work fun. That’s what makes her the best teacher ever.” Rishi 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…

Since 2020, the US government has released several video showing UAPs. They seem to show strange objects flying through the sky and moving in surprising ways that confused the aircraft pilots who saw them. What were they? The answer is not clear, so NASA has set up a team to investigate similar UAPs. Although there might be explanations for UAPs – such as strange weather patterns we haven’t seen before – they could be proof of aliens. Many people think there are intelligent life forms in the universe other than humans. However, millions of pounds have been spent searching for aliens and no-one has found proof. Some people think looking for aliens is a waste of money and people’s skills. So what do you think? Is searching for aliens worth…

“Snakes’ heads are made up of many small bones. Some of these bones, like the ones protecting the brain, are joined together and don’t move. Others have a joint allowing them to move a great deal. Snakes do not have a chin like we do; instead the two halves of the lower jaw are joined by a stretchy ligament. This allows them to separate far apart and for the snake’s mouth to fit around its prey, even if it is wider than the snake’s own head.” Enjoy unlimited visits to ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos, plus a host of other benefits with ZSL Membership. Find out more at zsl.org/membership/zsl-membership…

You’ve heard of space rockets, but have you heard of a space balloon? A company called Space Perspective is planning to use its new balloon, called Spaceship Neptune, to take ordinary people on a trip to the edge of space. Although the balloon won’t technically enter space, which starts at the Kármán line, 62 miles above the surface of Earth, this won’t matter much to the passengers. At 20 miles above Earth, they will feel like they’re in space, with stars visible above and the Earth’s curve visible below. The missions will last for six hours – two hours travelling up, two hours to enjoy the view and two hours travelling back. Neptune has been tested without passengers and will take its first paying customers in 2024. Tickets are expensive,…

England T20 cricket team They won the men’s T20 World Cup final with a thrilling victory over Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. Brentford Football Club Brentford caused a big surprise by winning 2-1 at Manchester City in the Premier League. Ivan Toney scored both of Brentford’s goals. Switzerland women’s tennis team Switzerland won the Billie Jean King Cup by beating Australia. Great Britain were knocked out in the semi-finals. New Zealand rugby union team In the women’s Rugby World Cup final, New Zealand narrowly beat England 34-31.…

Princess Mirror-belle 5.30pm on 21 November, CBBC Inspired by Julia Donaldson’s books, this is about Ellen and her naughty double who come from her mirror – Princess Mirror-belle. In the first episode of series two, the princess wobbles out of a Hall of Mirrors. It’s Wobblesday in her land, but that might just help Ellen win prizes. Our Universe Out on Netflix from 22 November Narrated by actor Morgan Freeman, this six-part series explores the connections between all living things in our universe. It uses real camera footage and the latest types of animation to dramatise events ranging from the birth of the Sun to the birth of a sea turtle. Strange World In cinemas and on Disney+ from 23 November This new animated adventure travels to an uncharted land,…

(Everything With Words) Twelve-year-old Piaf makes a living selling roasted chestnuts from her stand on the Rue du Dragon in Paris. She also has an extraordinary power: she can remember everything that happened to her since the day she was born. Strange things are happening in Paris and gifted children are disappearing from the city. Then a sinister stranger turns up at her chestnut stand, claiming to know her, although Piaf is certain she’s never seen him before. Soon, Piaf and her twin brother Luc are on a quest beneath the city’s streets, venturing deep into the shadowy catacombs to find the lost children – and capture a memory thief. Full of atmosphere and perfect for autumn, this haunting adventure of memory and magic will transport you to Paris in…

Some sports take years of training to perfect, require expensive equipment and have complicated rules. The sport of welly wanging is nothing like that. All you have to do is throw a Wellington boot as far as you can. It’s simple, satisfying and seriously silly. It’s hard to say for sure exactly why, where and when the sport of welly wanging began. Variations of the game are played around the world, including in Italy, New Zealand and the UK. According to the organisers of the Welly Wanging World Championships in Upperthong in West Yorkshire, England, the game started as a result of a quarrel between two farmers in the village. This resulted in one of the farmers hurling (or “wanging”) his Wellington boot at the other. The village now hosts…

Carmen Croxall loves Christmas so much that she spent two weeks transforming the front of her home into a giant gingerbread house. Even though it’s covered in tasty treats including biscuit window sills, a candy cane door and lollipop trees, none of it can be eaten. Croxall, who lives in Exeter, England decorated her delicious-looking house using mostly recycled materials such as old milk cartons. “I’m really happy with how it looks – but now that it’s done, I’m already thinking about what I can do next,” she said.…

Fans at football matches across Germany protested on 12 and 13 November against this year’s FIFA World Cup, which is taking place in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December. Qatar, a small country in the Middle East, has a bad record of human rights (treating people fairly and well). Fans asked people to refuse to watch the football tournament to show that they don’t agree with the way Qatar treats people. Stefan Schirmer, from the Boycott Qatar campaign, explained that if people refused to watch the games, it could have “a positive effect”. Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup has attracted serious criticism because the country treats many people very badly. For example, women have to follow a lot of strict rules. They have to get permission from a…

On 14 November, the UK and France agreed a deal to prevent migrants (people who have chosen to leave their country to find work, education or to improve their lives) from crossing the English Channel in small boats. The English Channel is the stretch of water that separates the UK from France. The UK’s Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, signed the deal in Paris with French politician Gérald Darmanin. What will the new deal do? It aims to stop the overcrowded small boats by targeting the people who operate them. The UK will pay France £63 million this year, an increase of £8 million. Most of the money will be used to pay for more police to patrol along the French coast to stop people from making the journey. It will…

A new report from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) has revealed that children’s books in the UK feature more black, Asian and ethnically diverse characters than they used to. The CLPE surveyed 5,383 books that are aimed at children aged from three to 11, including fiction, non-fiction and picture books. Their Reflecting Realities report shows that 20% of children’s books published in the UK in 2021 feature a black, Asian or ethnically diverse character. This is up from just 4% in 2017 when the CLPE first did the survey. The report also revealed that the mix of people who were included varied depending on what kind of book it was. Fiction books featured the least black, Asian or ethnically diverse characters – only 11%. The report highlighted…

When she was five years old, Freya Skye was given a present: a karaoke machine. It would spark a passion for singing. Eight years on, Freya is representing the UK at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Eurovision is an annual international singing competition in which contestants represent countries from all over Europe. Junior Eurovision is for children aged nine to 14, and there will be 16 singers in this year’s event. Freya’s musical career took off during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdowns. Staying at home gave the 13-year-old the chance to write, record and release some songs. She posted one of her songs on a BBC musical talent platform called BBC Music Introducing When she heard she had been chosen to compete at Junior Eurovision, Freya was in shock. “I couldn’t…

The largest wildflower grassland in the UK is being planted in North Devon, England, by the National Trust, a charity that looks after old buildings and natural spaces. Grassland is a large open area covered with grass and sometimes flowers. The organisers aim to plant wildflowers on the grassland in order to increase biodiversity (the variety of plants and animals in an area). The National Trust says that over the past 100 years, the UK has lost most of its grassland – only 1% of it is left. Ben McCarthy from the National Trust said, “The ongoing loss of flower-rich grasslands has seen the colour drain from our countryside.” The charity has planted 1.3 tonnes of seeds across an area the size of 120 football pitches. By 2030, it hopes…

Whale researchers are surprised after seeing a photograph of two whales swimming together. What’s strange is that the whales are from different species. The picture, which was taken by photographer Jess Wohling, shows an adult southern right whale swimming beside a young humpback whale along the coast of Esperance in Western Australia. It is very rare to see these two species interacting, especially in this way. Katy Fannei, a whale researcher, told ABC News that she had texted everyone she knew after seeing the picture. Young humpback whales have very strong bonds with their mothers. They stay together for up to 12 months before the youngster heads off to make its own way in the world. The way the whales are swimming in the photo is almost exactly the same…

On 20 November, the FIFA World Cup tournament kicks off in Qatar. Around five billion football fans around the world are expected to watch live on TV as the best mens’ teams battle it out for football’s ultimate prize. We look at who’s playing, how it all works and who might win. Which teams will be at the World Cup? Thirty-two teams will compete for the trophy. For the first time ever, Qatar will take part in the tournament. As hosts, they qualified automatically but the other 31 teams had to win a number of qualifying matches. The next World Cup in 2026 will be even bigger – forty-eight teams will be in competition. Which teams are the favourites to win? France are the current champions and one of the…

Does scribbling things in a notebook make you feel good? Notebooking can help you release thoughts and feelings and use your imagination to spark ideas and solve problems. Here’s how it works. What is notebooking? Notebooking is a way of getting your thoughts, ideas and opinions out of your head and onto paper. It’s a bit like writing a diary but as well as words you can use doodles, drawings, pictures, stickers – anything you want – to record your thoughts. There are no rules when it comes to notebooks and they can be as neat and organised or as messy as you like. Children’s author David Almond uses notebooking to inspire his stories. He calls it a “scribbly, messy, lovely, joyful thing”. How is notebooking good for you? Being…

A sequel to Disney’s Enchanted has been released after a gap of 15 years. The first film tells the story of Giselle (played by Amy Adams), an animated princess from a fairy tale world, who is sent to New York in the real world by an evil queen Disenchanted, the sequel, picks the story up 10 years later. Giselle and her family have moved away from New York city, but something is missing. Feeling frustrated with her life, Giselle turns to magic, accidentally transforming the town into a reallife fairy tale. She must reverse the disastrous spell before it’s too late. Amy Adams told Entertainment Weekly that the film is about “embracing the ones you love for who they are”. The original film and the sequel are now available to…

It’s been a huge year for fans of Pokémon games. In January, the year kicked off with the launch of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and now it’s ending with two new games: Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. Fans will be familiar with the gameplay: the aim is for players to find and catch the little creatures known as Pokémon. Like previous Pokémon games that came out in pairs, they’re basically the same game with different Pokémon characters and different outfits for the main characters. Before you play, you’ll have a choice of three starter companions: a cat-like creature called Sprigatito, a duckling called Quaxly and a cute baby dragon named Fuecoco. Once you’re ready, you’ll be entering a brand new region (world) in the Pokémon universe called Paldea, which has forests,…

What inspired you to write this book? I found a leaf skeleton – a leaf with its coat stripped away leaving behind a maze of tiny veins. As I followed its lines, I wondered if I was looking at a map to a mysterious underground world – perhaps Paris’s catacombs. And the book’s title? Once I had chosen the Parisian setting, I remembered the smell of roasting chestnuts on street corners. I decided little Piaf would be a chestnut roaster, placing her in the heart of the hustle and bustle of Paris What’s your favourite scene in the book? There is a quiet moment where Piaf discovers the leaf skeleton hidden inside a chestnut burr. She unfurls it and holds it near a candle’s flame. Despite being in Paris’s most…

When can you take part? Welly wanging can be done outdoors at any time of the year and in all weathers. If it’s a windy autumn day, that could help make your throw even longer. Take a spare Wellington boot with you to play, otherwise you may have to hop around or get a wet sock, just like Charlie (see panel below). Where can you take part? Most welly wanging contests are held at village fetes. In England there are annual events at Upperthong, in West Yorkshire, and Marchington in Staffordshire. It’s easy to organise your own contest, and you could even make it a school fundraising event.…

This weekend, the men’s football World Cup kicks off in Qatar. Our All About feature (p12) takes a good look at the month-long festival of football. Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup has attracted a lot of criticism because the country has a poor human rights record (how it treats people). Our news story (p3) explains more about this. Although football is a thrilling spectacle (as the Lionesses’ inspiring triumph this summer showed), it’s also about people coming together. It has the power to raise awareness of important issues like human rights in Qatar and racism – such as when footballers bent down on one knee before games. That’s why I’ll be keeping a very keen eye on events both on and off the pitch in the first World Cup…

Name: Ben “Hi, I am 11 years old and I have dyslexia and autism. Over a year ago I had to leave school because I couldn’t learn like everyone else. I am so much happier now; I have the most amazing tutor online and I am really enjoying learning. I entered a poetry competition for the Tes SEN Show which gave a voice to all children like me who struggle and I WON! I got to meet the incredible author Michael Rosen and an amazing prize from Scanning Pens that will help me read more independently. My poem was about building a world without doors because doors are just barriers that hold you back. I was told reading and writing will never be something I will be good at. Now…

We’d love to see your snaps. Send them to us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Don’t forget to tell us why you took them. “I like stretching whilst reading The Week Junior. Here I am trying to hold my bridge. Reading the Big Debate helps me stay more focused because it is my favourite page, so I seem to hold it for longer!” Beatrice “I made this gingerbread pyramid because I wanted to bake at the Nottingham Children’s Hospital School and theme it on my topic (Egyptians).” Liliarna “I took this photo of me and my kitten Artemis reading about Larry the cat who lives in Downing Street.” Juliet…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we asked if we should sweep leaves on our streets… “I think that we should sweep the leaves because we should help out whenever we can in our community.” “No, but it’s polite to.” “I think yes because it can be dangerous if they are wet because people can slip on them.” “No, they have fallen there. If we swept them up then we are pushing away nature.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

1 Which country are German football fans protesting against? □ a) Saudi Arabia □ b) Rwanda □ c) Qatar 2 True or false? Big Ben has officially started chiming again. □ True □ False 3 In which country did the G20 summit take place? 4 What does UFO stand for? 5 True or false? The 2022 Junior Eurovision will be held in Greece. □ True □ False 6 True or false? Adult humpback whales are about the same size as a single-decker bus. □ True □ False 7 What is the football World Cup trophy made from? □ a) Silver □ b) Copper □ c) Gold 8 True or false? Space officially starts 62 miles above the surface of Earth. □ True □ False 9 In which decade was netball…