Table of contents for 484 in The Week Junior

On 18 March, astronauts Suni Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore finally arrived back on Earth after spending more than nine months on the International Space Station (ISS). They were originally supposed to be on the ISS for eight days. Why were they in space for so long? Williams and Wilmore, who have both been to space before, were there for much longer than expected because of technical faults on their spacecraft. They blasted off from Earth on 5 June 2024 on Starliner, a spacecraft made by a company called Boeing. This was Starliner’s first crewed (carrying people on board) launch. Starliner flew the astronauts to the ISS, but there were technical problems along the way. The pair’s stay on the ISS was then extended while engineers from NASA and Boeing…

Poetry can make you feel happy or sad, help you understand the world or express things about yourself – and on 21 March, it is celebrated because it’s World Poetry Day. Dai Woolridge, a children’s book author and spoken-word poet from Pontypridd, Wales, thinks poetry itself is a celebration of words. A spoken-word poet writes poetry and performs it. Woolridge says words are like a playground – a place where you go to have fun. “You don’t go to a playground to just walk from one end of the playground to the other,” he tells The Week Junior. “Maybe you want to hop on the swings, and maybe after the swings you want to jump off and you want to go on the climbing bars. When it comes to words,…

On 5 March, four beavers were released into the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve in Dorset, England. This follows a recent decision by the Government to allow the creatures to be reintroduced into the wild in England. Beavers used to live across the UK but they were hunted by humans for their fur, meat and scent glands, which produce a substance called castoreum. This smells and tastes like vanilla and used to be a popular ingredient to replace vanilla flavouring in food. Unfortunately, this meant beavers in the UK were hunted to extinction by the early 16th century. Since then, the species has slowly returned. They were spotted near the River Tay in Scotland in 2001 but it was thought the animals had been released into the wild without permission.…

For a long time, researchers have been trying to tackle the problems caused by cow burps. The animals’ belches release methane into the atmosphere, a gas that contributes to climate change. Now, researchers in Australia, at a company called Loam Bio, have come up with a possible answer – growing a fungus (a type of organism that gets its food from rotting plants or other living things) that produces a substance called bromoform. When fed to cows, bromoform affects the production of methane in their stomachs, so the animals’ burps contain less of the gas. The researchers discovered the fungus by searching through a big database they had created that contains lots of different species of fungi. The team picked out the ones that could produce bromoform and tested them…

Elephants have big brains to match their big size. They have a fantastic memory that can help them remember where to find water and food in huge forests. They’re social animals that live in close-knit family groups. Just like humans, elephants show emotions, play games and use tools – for example they use sticks as fly swats and back scratchers. They also use logs as ladders to grab items out of their reach. Have you got a question you’d really like to ask a zookeeper? Send your animal, bird or bug questions to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk and it might appear in a future issue.…

As part of its efforts to create a type of woolly mammoth, a company has created real-life “woolly mice”. Colossal Laboratories & Biosciences, which is based in the US, has grown baby mice with the golden, woolly hair of the ancient elephant species – even if they don’t quite match the woolly mammoth for size. Researchers made the mice by editing (changing) the genes of mouse cells and injecting the altered genes into mouse embryos. Genes are short sections of DNA, a chemical that carries all the information about a body and its characteristics, and an embryo is the first stage of development of a living thing. The researchers edited several combinations of genes to try to give the mice features found in mammoths. Some of the embryos successfully grew…

Winning an Olympic medal is an amazing achievement. At the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy this month, seven British athletes won a gold, silver or bronze medal. Gold is for first place, silver is for second and bronze goes to third place. The Special Olympics is a global sports organisation that gives people with learning disabilities the chance to take part in sport. Learning disabilities affect the way a person gains knowledge or skills. The World Winter Games had more than 1,500 athletes from around the world competing in eight sports. These were alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, short track speed skating, snowboarding, dance sport (different dance styles), floorball (similar to hockey) and snowshoeing (running in snowshoes). Great Britain competed in alpine skiing (also known as downhill…

The Teen Titans are a legendary group of superheroes who work together to save the day. There’s Cyborg, who is half-teenager and half-robot; Starfire, an alien princess; Raven, a human-demon hybrid; and Beast Boy, an animal shapeshifter. The heroes are led by Robin, Batman’s famous sidekick. They’re a brilliant team but Teen Titans Go! shows what life is like for them when they’re not fighting crime. The TV series has been going since 2013, and a new ninth season has just come out. Tara Strong, the voice actor who plays Raven, told The Week Junior that she laughed at every script when she first read them and again when they were being recorded, and added, “I probably ruined a few takes.” The actors record all their lines together, whether it’s…

by Brogen Murphy (Puffin Books) This gripping story is set 25 years in the future when a vast area of Britain has been “rewilded” (returned to nature). Wolves, lynx and bison now roam free. No humans are allowed in the Wildlands, which can only be crossed by a high-speed train line travelling between London and Glasgow. The train doesn’t stop – except on the day that 13-year-old Astrid and her little sister Indie are on board. When the train slows to a stop, an unexpected incident means they are accidentally left behind. Now they are alone, deep in the Wildlands, with only a rucksack and a phone with no signal. In this strange landscape, which is as dangerous as it is beautiful, can the sisters find a way to survive…

Jonathan Emmett and Dr Adam S. Smith are the authors of The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers, which won the Animals and Nature prize at The Week Junior Book Awards in 2024. Emmett is a children’s author and Smith is a palaeontologist (a scientist who studies fossils). They worked together to write the book, which explains how new discoveries have transformed our understanding of how a T. rex looked – from the way it stood, to its body parts and its coat of fluffy feathers. Here, Emmett and Smith share their top tips on researching and writing a fun, fact-based project of your own. 1 Pick your topic Choose a subject you’re interested in. “I was always curious about the prehistoric world,” Smith tells The Week Junior. “My parents would take me fossil hunting…

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 511 537 585 970 4 numbers 4173 4856 6138 5 numbers 38223 74200 80652 6 numbers 333147 370673 506867 735361 7 numbers 1205768 3315707 8832826 8 numbers 22306265 35175137 80610033 84062765 9 numbers 242767510 624731745 783458640 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. 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 words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards…

Name: Thea “I received the heartbreaking news that my school, St Hilda’s in Bushey, is set to close after the summer term in 2025. Determined not to lose the place we love, we have taken matters into our own hands – creating our own posters and launching a campaign to save our school. St Hilda’s is a wonderful school where we learn, play and make friends. The teachers are kind, the lunches are yummy and we have so much fun every day. I don’t want my school to close because it’s like a second home to me. ” What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed reading? What have you made? Have you written a poem or drawn a picture that you’d like to see published on…

PEBBLE-LOVING PENGUINS On 4 March, gentoo penguins at Edinburgh Zoo were given hand-painted pebbles. The birds use pebbles to build nests and impress possible mates. The pebbles were designed by children as part of a scheme organised by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. A LONG-LASTING FRIENDSHIP Three waiters in Llandudno, Wales, are marking 42 years of working together. David Ellerton, John Paul Rodrigues and Nelson Rodrigues are known as “the three amigos” at the Empire Hotel, but David is retiring and Nelson won’t be working as often. The trio said they have a laugh together, but also have “grumpy days”. HUNGRY DUCKS At Burrs Country Park in Bury, England, a new solar-powered vending machine has been installed that dispenses healthy duck food. For £1, park users can buy bags of duck…

On 11 March, schoolchildren visited Parliament to protest against the Government cutting international aid for education. They were supported by TV presenter and Paralympian Ade Adepitan and the charity Street Child. The children asked the Government to reverse its plan, saying that education is key to reducing poverty and giving children the chance of a bright future. Student Ewura said, “When children are educated, they can change the world.”…

When Nadia Odunayo was younger, she didn’t think she would work in technology but then she won a competition and got a place on a computer coding course for women. This sparked a career in building software and in 2019 she created a website and app called The StoryGraph. It’s designed to help people track and rate the books they read and recommends books it thinks users might like, based on what they’ve enjoyed. The StoryGraph now has 3.8 million users and Odunayo says it has helped her read more books too. She told The Guardian newspaper recently, “Reading is now part of my whole identity.”…

Emu A team of researchers from the University of Bristol have found that emus are clever enough to solve tricky problems. Some of the birds were given a task where they had to move a turning wheel so that it lined up with a hole to release a food reward. Nine out of 10 times the emus turned the wheel in the right direction. • LIFESPAN: Five to 10 years. • HABITAT: Eucalyptus forests, heathland, shrubland and woodland in Australia. • SIZE: Around 1.75 metres tall. • DIET: Flowers, fruits, insects, leaves and seeds. • FUN FACT: Although emus can’t fly, they can run up to 30 miles per hour.…

Sixty years ago, on 25 March 1965, about 2,000 demonstrators arrived in Montgomery, the capital of the US state of Alabama. They had spent five days marching from the city of Selma to demand that black Americans be allowed to vote. A few months later they achieved their goal. It was a huge win for the civil rights movement – action taken by black Americans fighting for equal rights. The movement mainly took place in the 1950s and 1960s and was driven by the discrimination (unfair treatment) of black Americans. How were black people treated badly? Before 1865, many black people in the US were enslaved (forced to work for no pay and treated as property). A law banned slavery in 1865 but black people in the south of the…

Scientists have made an “electronic tongue” that lets you taste food without eating it. It’s called e-Taste and it has a thin strip for the mouth attached to a small cube. When sensors in the cube detect food, liquid chemicals flow into the mouth through tinytubes. These chemicals give five tastes: sodium chloride for salty, citric acid for sour, glucose for sweet, magnesium chloride for bitter and glutamate for umami. It could have lots of uses, including to boost virtual reality experiences. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Chelsea Women Chelsea defeated Manchester City 2-1 in the Women’s League Cup final. Mayra Ramírez scored Chelsea’s first goal, followed by Yui Hasegawa’s own goal. France’s men’s rugby team France won the men’s Six Nations title after beating Scotland 35-16. England came second following their 68-14 win over Wales. Loughborough Lightning In the first round of the 2025 Netball Super League, defending champions Loughborough Lightning beat Manchester Thunder 66-52. Jack Draper The British tennis player won the men’s final at the Indian Wells event in the US. It was the biggest win of his career.…

Plankton: The Movie Available now on Netflix Plankton is usually the villain in SpongeBob SquarePants. However, when his evil computer wife Karen decides to take over the world, Plankton is forced to team up with SpongeBob and friends. This is as silly and fun as you’d expect from a SpongeBob movie. Gladiators: Epic Pranks Available now on BBC iPlayer Get behind-the-scenes access to Gladiators and watch Nitro play hilarious pranks on his fellow Gladiators and audience members at live shows filmed at the Sheffield Arena, England. Viewers can get to know a lot more about the Gladiators in the show. All 15 episodes of the 15-minute shows are available to watch now. Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan Available now on Paramount + In this popular comedy series set in Chicago, in…

How do you imagine the future? I believe we create the future we imagine. So I choose to be hopeful – imagining a world where we tackle climate change and make a lot more space for nature. Why not! Where did the original idea for Wildlands come from? I was on a long, boring train ride when I had a vision of a futuristic train travelling through an endless forest. Then I heard an imaginary announcement: “Welcome to the Wildlands”. Do you think you’re more like Astrid or Indie? I’m very practical and logical like Astrid. But I am definitely also joyful and awe-filled (and annoying!) like Indie. Do you have a favourite animal? So many! Today it’s beavers. They have iron-filled teeth strong enough to chew through trees, creating…

Cats can be quite bold but getting stranded on a space rocket would be a bit much for most moggies. Not for the intrepid hero of new game Adventures of a Cat in Space, though. Your job is to help the feline hero get home, which involves visiting planets and solving puzzles – including fixing some of the broken or missing equipment on your spaceship. The game is a partnership between family music company Little Seeds Music and games developer Tall Story Games – and the music is important. As you help the cat to explore different planets you’ll unlock 11 songs that were written specially for the game by David Gibb, a musician and children’s author from the UK. “I wanted this game to be full of musical surprises,…

Growing rhubarb by candlelight Between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford in England, there is an area known as the Rhubarb Triangle. There, in the spring, farmers “force” the rhubarb so it grows faster and produces softer, sweeter stems. In fact, it grows at around 2.5 centimetres per day – you can even hear the plants squeaking as they sprout. To force the rhubarb, farmers keep the plants in dark sheds and harvest the crop by candlelight. There were once more than 200 of these farms in the area but gradually rhubarb’s popularity declined. Now, it is back in fashion. One farmer said his rhubarb “goes everywhere”, including New York and Paris. Go for a drive through the skies In California, US, a new flying car has taken off and flown over…

Looking out for mammals From bats to badgers, cities and towns are home to many mammals – but some species, like hedgehogs, are in trouble. The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has set up the Living with Mammals survey to encourage people to check their local green spaces (within 200 metres of a building) such as allotments, gardens and parks for any mammals. The trust wants you to record any you see and share your findings with PTES every week. To find out more, ask an adult to visit tinyurl.com/TWJ-living 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. We will only use…

The United Nations’ top human rights official, Volker Türk, has called for an immediate end to Israeli forces’ attacks in Gaza after they launched air strikes on the territory on 18 March. The attacks are the largest Israel has carried out in Gaza since a ceasefire (pause to fighting) between Israel and Hamas (a terrorist group that governs Gaza) began in January. Hamas reports that this latest attack killed more than 400 people. Since October 2023, Gaza has been at the centre of conflict between Israel and Hamas, when Hamas attacked Israel and Israel launched attacks in response. The ceasefire deal has three stages but the first stage ended on 1 March without agreement on what happens next. In the proposed second stage, Hamas would release the Israeli hostages they…

On 13 March, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that NHS England would be scrapped. In future, its work will be done by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). What is NHS England? NHS England is a quango (see panel) that oversees health services in England. It’s mostly made up of officials and managers, not doctors and nurses. The Government gives NHS England money and tells it what it wants England’s health services to achieve, such as cutting waiting times for treatment. NHS England decides how much money should be given to different services so they can meet the Government’s targets. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own NHS services, but these won’t be scrapped as part of the UK Government’s plan. This is because the Scottish…

A puppy called Hondo is in training to become Scotland’s first Giant Schnauzer police dog. Scottish Police made the announcement, and introduced Hondo on 14 March. Hondo will be the first of his breed to work for the Scottish police, but he has relatives who are police dogs in Devon and Cornwall, in England. A Police Scotland spokesperson said, “Giant Schnauzers are an athletic breed with great noses and we hope that Hondo follows in his relatives’ paw prints!”…

In 2022, the environmental activist group Just Stop Oil (JSO) held a protest on the M25, the busiest motorway in the UK. Activists climbed onto gantries (structures that hold overhead road signs) along the M25. Police had to close parts of the road for safety and the protest lasted for four days. Last year, five of the activists who took part were sentenced to prison for between four and five years. On 7 March, the activists had their punishment slightly reduced after lawyers argued that it was too harsh for what they had done. Other JSO protesters have gone to prison for throwing soup at famous paintings. JSO wants the Government to stop approving fossil fuel projects, which are a cause of climate change. What do you think? Should peaceful…

The common primrose is one of the first flowers to appear in spring, seen across the UK and Ireland in woods, hedgerows and grasslands. Its name comes from the Latin prima rosa, which means “first rose”. They appear from late December until May, providing nectar for butterflies and bees. Primroses are perennial. That means they bloom, die back and bloom again the next year. The plant grows up to 10cm high and its rough, wrinkly leaves – hairy underneath – form a circle beneath the flowers. These are a pale yellow, with a brighter yellow-orange centre and have five petals. In Irish folklore primroses protect homes from bad fairies. The plant can indicate ancient woodland, a habitat that has largely been lost across the UK.…

Swifts in Northern Ireland Bird experts in Ballyclare, a town in Northern Ireland, are hoping to boost their population of swifts. The RSPB Antrim Local Group is working to create homes for the birds in the town, as well as in other areas. Nest boxes will be installed on the town hall in Ballyclare Square. Sweden’s lynxes Authorities in Sweden have given official permission to hunters to kill 87 Eurasian lynxes. The animals are hunted every year and the new licences (permission) cover 1 March to 15 April. The aim is to protect farm animals but Sweden’s lynx population is now only about 1,300.…

A father and son living on the Chatham Islands, about 500 miles east of New Zealand, have found the remains of a waka, an ancient canoe, that would have been used by Polynesian people. People from Polynesia (more than 1,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean) would navigate the sea using their knowledge of the stars, wind and waves to set their direction. Between about AD1200 and 1300, the first people to find and settle in New Zealand arrived from Polynesia on wakas. It is thought that a couple of hundred years later, a group of people living in New Zealand, the Moriori, sailed to the Chatham Islands. Today, the descendants of the Moriori still live on the islands. The waka pieces were found by Vincent Dix and his son Nikau…

REFOCUS AWARDS…

Whether it’s bickering with siblings or getting told off, family arguments aren’t nice. However, families arguing is normal and finding ways to cope is important. What is family conflict? Most families argue sometimes, says psychologist Dr Emma Morris (an expert in feelings and behaviour). “It’s quite normal,” she explains. You might argue more with your family than with other people because you can get upset and offload your feelings and your family will still love you. “Parents and carers are also the ones we negotiate all the difficult stuff with, like what we are allowed and not allowed to do,” Morris says. “With siblings, it’s easy to clash over what is fair.” Sometimes the adults in your home may argue, which can be upsetting. Why do families argue? Families argue…

Shrek is back in a trailer for an upcoming film. The teaser clip shows Donkey asking a magic mirror who the fairest of them all is. To both his and Shrek’s surprise, the answer the mirror gives is “Shrek”. The pair are joined around the mirror by Shrek’s wife Fiona, their daughter Felicia, who is now grown up, and Pinocchio. For Shrek 5, Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy return as the voices of Shrek, Fiona and Donkey, with Zendaya providing the voice of Felicia. The trailer has been criticised by some Shrek fans because the characters seem to have different facial features to the other films. Animator Oli Hyatt said that the changes were because animation technology is improving. The film is due to be released in 2026.…

Diary of a Future Billionaire by Pamela Butchart (Scholastic) How far will 10-year-old Ben go to become a billionaire? This hugely entertaining book is written like a diary by award-winning author Pamela Butchart. It is the first in a hilarious new series and it’s perfect for fans of Tom Gates and Wimpy Kid. Dadbot by Jack Noel (Piccadilly Press) In this very funny graphic novel, Josh and Daisy are excited about getting a new robot parent: Dadbot. He’s got hot chocolate on tap, a printer for a bum and they think he’s the best thing ever. However, there’s trouble ahead because evil Dr Egg has plans to steal Dadbot and use him to take over the world. Grimwood: Party Animals by Nadia Shireen (Simon & Schuster Children’s) Sharon the Party…

Name: Oliver Cobweb by Michael Morpurgo “Amazing, wonderful, exciting. It is a brilliant adventure about a dog called Cobweb that loses his best friend and becomes a drover’s dog (herding sheep and cattle).” 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. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

This hearty British favourite contains minced beef and vegetables in a gravy, covered with mashed potato, which is baked in the oven until the top is crispy and the filling is bubbling hot. Cottage pie is made with beef; shepherd’s pie was traditionally made with minced lamb, although nowadays both names are used for the beef version. The name “cottage pie” was first used around 1790. By then, potatoes – which had been introduced to England in 1586 – had become a popular crop in Britain and Ireland. Cottage pie is a great way to use up leftover mash and vegetables that are past their best. This recipe will take about 50 minutes to prepare. What you need Serves 4 • 1 onion, chopped• 2 carrots, diced• 250g chestnut mushrooms,…

Our cover features nine of the more than 1,500 athletes who competed at the Special Olympics World Winter Games. We want to congratulate everyone who took part and send a big shout-out to the GB athletes, several of whom brought back medals (page 18). To reach the top level of your sport is an astonishing achievement, requiring dedication, skill and courage. Those characteristics were also needed by the two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore (page 2), whose mission to the ISS was unexpectedly extended. It was so exciting to see the capsule carrying them splash down safely. Imagine getting back to Earth and being welcomed by a pod of dolphins! This week’s issue has another theme too: making your voice heard. The marches from Selma to Montgomery in 1965…

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 made an astronaut and other animals from my new needle-felting kit. It’s quite hard and you get pricked but it is a really fun hobby to get into.” Suzanna “This is me enjoying The Week Junior on top of the fridge.” Leo “I created a Week Junior shopping bag as a costume for World Book Day. Those charms underneath represent the magazinetopics.”Alexa…

Teacher’s name: Mr Almeida School: Dovedale Primary School, Long Eaton, Nottingham “Mr Almeida is a wonderful teacher with an amazing sense of humour. From the first time seeing him, he welcomes us with a smile. I was surprised when he even let us play an online game called Blooket. He is by far the best teacher I’ve ever had in my life.”Jamie 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…

1 How long were astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore meant to stay on the ISS? ☐ a) Eight days ☐ b) Six weeks ☐ c) Nine months 2 True or false? Newcastle United’s fans are known as the Tyne Army. ☐ True ☐ False 3 Which country celebrated National Elephant Day on 13 March? 4 How many countries signed the European Convention on Human Rights? ☐ a) 26 ☐ b) 46 ☐ c) 66 5 True or false? George Webster was the first CBeebies presenter with Down syndrome. ☐ True ☐ False 6 In which country do emus live? 7 Which country is home to the world’s largest beaver dam? ☐ a) Scotland ☐ b) Australia ☐ c) Canada 8 True or false? Woolly mammoths had bigger ears than…