Table of contents for 499 in The Week Junior

A team at the University of Kent is trying to grow tea in soil that mimics the surface of Mars and the Moon. What food or drink would you take with you to space? Read about how the researchers are growing the space plants on page 17. A new exhibition brings together artists and footballers to explore the magic of football. Which sport inspires you and why? Check out some of the artworks on page 22. Sharks have a sixth sense – they have pores that can detect movement. If you could have a sixth sense, what would it be? Discover more about sharks on page 14. The big debate Should people stop flying? Page 10.…

On 27 June, the African countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed a peace deal in Washington DC, US. What is happening in DRC? The situation in the east of the country has been unstable for decades. Armed groups frequently carry out attacks on civilians (non-military people) and fight for control of natural resources. Earlier this year, a rebel group called M23, which is fighting against the government, took control of large parts of eastern DRC, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu. Experts from the United Nations (a group made up of most of the world’s countries that works to promote peace) say that thousands of troops from Rwanda are in DRC supporting M23. The Rwandan government has denied it has any involvement with…

On 30 June, the disability charity Scope released its yearly Disability Price Tag report. They found that the extra cost faced by disabled people each month is £1,095, on average. This cost includes higher electricity bills to power medical equipment, and more expensive heating bills because certain health conditions mean people are more affected by the cold. Scope expects this monthly cost to rise to £1,224 by 2029, which would be nearly £15,000 a year. The average PIP payment from the Government is £465 a month, which wouldn’t cover the extra costs that many disabled people face.…

As a child, Hamza Yassin saw fox dens and birds at the park, and thought, “I wish there was a way of being able to show people what I’ve seen.” He’s now a wildlife filmmaker but his journey wasn’t easy. After moving from Sudan to the UK, he was diagnosed with dyslexia (a learning difficulty that mainly affects reading and writing). At first, he was worried by this, but now he sees dyslexia as his superpower. “I’ve got a photographic memory, I remember things like nobody’s business,” he explains. Most of Yassin’s family are dentists or doctors, and he felt he should be too. Yassin didn’t want to study textbooks and look at teeth, so he thought, “What’s wrong with being the odd one out?”. Yassin moved to Scotland to…

A new study has laid out what world leaders must do to save the world’s most endangered species from extinction. The research focuses on the 10,443 species of animals, plants and fungi (a type of organism that includes mushrooms) considered to be “critically endangered” by the IUCN (see panel). IUCN stands for International Union for Conservation of Nature. These species are the closest to going extinct out of all those that still exist in the wild. The study found that 80% of critically endangered species are mainly threatened by habitat loss. Other threats to species on the list include climate change, invasive species and diseases caused by things such as the chytrid fungus, which has harmed global amphibian populations. Invasive species are living things introduced to areas that then harm…

Orcas have been spotted grooming each other using seaweed. This is the first known example of sea creatures using tools in this way. Scientists noticed this behaviour while studying a group of orcas living in the Pacific Ocean, off the west coast of the US. The researchers tracked the orcas with drones (small remote-controlled devices with cameras) to learn more about their behaviour. During the video footage, the orcas could be seen biting off sections of kelp, which is a type of seaweed. They sandwiched the kelp between their head and the body of another orca, then rubbed and rolled the kelp across the other orca’s skin for up to 12 minutes. The researchers think the orcas were doing this to remove flaky skin from each other’s bodies. It could…

Birds around the world A new study warns that lots of birds are at risk of extinction. It looked at IUCN data (see panel on opposite page) from nearly 10,000 birds to predict their risk of extinction. The researchers say more than 500 bird species could disappear in the next 100 years, including puffins and great bustards (pictured). The biggest threat is loss of habitat, mainly from farming. The authors said breeding species in captivity and restoring habitats could help.…

A doctor in the US has successfully operated on a patient 7,000 miles away in Africa, using a remote-controlled robot to perform the surgery. Fernando Da Silva, who lives in Angola, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March. Cancer is a broad term for a collection of diseases that are caused by oddly behaving cells growing out of control. The prostate is a small organ in men’s bodies. Dr Vipul Patel has performed many similar operations using robots but he is usually much closer to the patient. The surgeon’s job is to guide the robot, which uses surgical instruments that are sometimes as small as five millimetres. Da Silva signed up to a trial to see if operations can be performed from anywhere in the world in a process called…

Smriti Mandhana Mandhana scored 112 runs as India defeated England in the first match of the T20 series between the two nations. Great Britain & Ireland Vagliano Trophy team Great Britain & Ireland beat the Continent of Europe to win the women’s team golf tournament for the first time since 2005. Zoe Backstedt The Welsh cyclist won the women’s elite time trial event at the National Road Championships in west Wales. England Under-21s England beat Germany 3-2 in the final of the men’s football European Under-21 Championship. Harvey Elliott, Omari Hutchinson and Jonathan Rowe all scored.…

The Divine Puppeteer Visitors put their heads inside a mask. They hear the voice of England and Manchester United footballer Ella Toone, who speaks about her experiences and feelings. The mask is inspired by her favourite animal, the Shetland pony. The Playmaker The Playmaker is a playable artwork that features a group of pods and connecting tunnels. Visitors can recreate important goals scored by Italian former international footballer Sandro Mazzola. Intangibles – Running Through Time This is a manga (Japanese comic) that blends fantasy with real events from the life of former Japan and Manchester United player Shinji Kagawa. It explores moments that are hard to explain using words. The manga is printed on large scrolls that hang down.…

A Place of a Thousand Wishes by Sarah Merrett (Everything With Words) Set in 1899, this is the story of Mason, who makes a living selling ice cream. Nothing is going right for him until famous wish-maker Darlington invites him to his manor house, with the promise of making his wishes come true. Soon Mason finds more than he bargained for. Five Children and It by E. Nesbit (Faber Children’s) Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother – known as the Lamb – discover a sand fairy called the Psammead. They learn that the Psammead can grant their wishes, although the magic wears off at the end of each day. The children’s wishes have hilarious consequences and they find themselves mixed up in all kinds of wild adventures. The…

Name: Matthew My Secret War Diary, by Flossie Albright by Marcia Williams “Interesting, ingenious and incredible. Brilliant facts and stories about a little girl experiencing life in the Second World War.” 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.*…

Would you like to try out a delicious recipe that’s quick to make and tastes summery? This chicken stir-fry is packed with vegetables and fresh, zesty flavours. The trick is to marinate the chicken. Marinating means you coat meat or vegetables in a sauce-like mixture before cooking it. If you leave it for a while, the meat soaks up the flavours of the marinade: 20–30 minutes should do it. If there are ingredients below that you don’t like or have, feel free to swap them. You could swap broccoli for mange tout, or use tofu instead of chicken. The recipe takes about 15 minutes to cook (plus marinating time). You will need Serves 4 • 2 tbsp tomato pasta sauce, passata or tomato purée• 2 tbsp soy sauce• 1 tsp…

Name: Sephina “Taking time to check your homework gives you another chance to spot mistakes and helps improve your learning. The most common homework subjects are usually maths and reading. To check your maths homework, do the problems once to get an answer. At the end, redo each problem and compare your answers. Are they the same? If so, great! If not, try a third time to see where you might have made a mistake. You might be asking, how can I check my own reading? One tip is: if you are stuck on a word, break it in half, read the halves separately, then put them together to read the word! Also, as you read, follow along with your finger. If the sentence you read doesn’t make sense, go…

The Big Butterfly Count 2025 The Big Butterfly Count, organised by the charity Butterfly Conservation, will take place from 18 July to 10 August this year. People of all ages from anywhere in the UK are asked to watch for 15 minutes and count the butterflies they see. This could be in your garden, a local park or out in the countryside. Then send in your results to help Butterfly Conservation spot trends and find out what’s happening. After last year’s count revealed butterfly numbers were the lowest on record in the UK, Butterfly Count declared a”butterfly emergency”. By sending in your results you will help the charity work out how best to protect the insects. Ask an adult to find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-butterfly WIN A BADGE! Email your news,…

1 Which Welsh football player features in a new mural in Cardiff? ⬜ a) Jess Fishlock ⬜ b) Gareth Bale ⬜ c) John Charles 2 True or false? The Scottish word “shoogly” means wobbly. ⬜ True ⬜ False 3 What was the name of Ireland’s Pirate Queen? 4 How many parts are used to make a Boeing 747 plane? ⬜ a) 6,000 ⬜ b) 60,000 ⬜ c) 6,000,000 5 True or false? Gout Gout set a new Australian record in the marathon. ⬜ True ⬜ False 6 What is the UK’s longest snake? 7 Which shark species can live for an impressive 500 years? ⬜ a) Basking shark ⬜ b) Greenland shark ⬜ c) Whale shark 8 True or false? When the Romans first founded the city of London, they…

It’s been an exciting week: at the PPA publishing awards, The Week Junior won “highly commended” for Special Interest Brand of the Year, and we’re absolutely thrilled. On the subject of awards, we are working hard on The Week Junior Book Awards. I’m a judge in the factual category and I’ve been reading the brilliant books on my shortlist. The topics they cover include food, war, money, information and rewilding. I’m learning a lot and I can’t wait to discuss them with my fellow judges. Have a listen to the Fun Kids Book Worms podcast, too – one episode is dedicated to the awards. Host Bex Lindsay talks to Deborah Meaden, Matt Goodfellow and Sarah Morrell, whose books have been shortlisted for prizes. We want you to help with the…

DRC has a lot of minerals. It is the world’s main producer of cobalt, a metal used to make batteries for phones, computers and electric vehicles. It has an estimated 10% of the world’s copper reserves, which means copper that can be dug out of the ground. Copper is a metal used in electrical equipment, including wiring and motors. DRC also has large reserves of gold and tantalum, a metal used in electrical equipment. The country is a big source of diamonds, too. In 2022, it was the world’s fourth-largest producer of the precious gems.…

A GRAND ENTRANCE In Swindon, England, a group of more than 1,000 people on motorbikes accompanied a boy to his school prom. Josh, who recently sat his GCSE exams, had been bullied, so his father posted an online call for help to cheer up Josh and end his year “with a bang”. FOOTBALL FANS A mural of Jess Fishlock, who plays for the Wales women’s national football team, was unveiled at Splott Park in Cardiff last month. The mural, designed by artist Regan Gilflin, covers a five-a-side football pitch (about 36 by 27 metres). It is thought to be the first of its kind in Europe for a female footballer. A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN DINOSAUR A dinosaur skeleton from a recently discovered species is now on display at the National History Museum,…

New York City, US Surprise win in city election Zohran Mamdani is set to be the Democratic Party’s candidate for New York City mayor after a surprise win in a primary election. The primary was a vote to decide who will represent the party in November’s election for mayor. If he becomes mayor, the 33-year-old will be the first Muslim to lead the city. “Tonight we made history,” Mamdani said. Achill Island, Ireland Festival celebrates pirate queen On 28 June, a festival was held on Achill Island to celebrate Grace O’Malley, who is known as Ireland’s Pirate Queen. Born in 1530, O’Malley was a sailor, a pirate and a powerful leader on land and at sea. The festival included an all-female circus performance to tell the story of her life…

A study found that black-tailed prairie dogs help long-billed curlew birds to avoid predators. When the rodents see a predator they call out a bark-like alarm and dive underground. Curlews listen for the warning too. • LIFESPAN: Three to five years. • HABITAT: Flat grasslands in Canada and Mexico and east of the Rocky Mountains in the US. • SIZE: 28–33 centimetres long and up to 1.7 kilograms. • DIET: Mostly grass and leafy plants. • FUN FACT: Prairie dogs live in vast tunnel networks called towns. These include family burrows.…

On 14 July it is Shark Awareness Day, organised to celebrate the magnificent fish that some people fear. The idea is to undo sharks’ menacing reputation and instead raise awareness of how important they are to ocean environments, and how to help them. What makes sharks special? One of Earth’s most ancient creatures, sharks have been around for at least 400 million years. There are more than 500 shark species. The smallest is the dwarf lantern, at just 20 centimetres long, and the biggest is the whale shark, which can grow up to 18 metres long. Blue sharks swim across whole oceans; reef sharks stay close to land in shallow waters around coral reefs; and long-snouted goblin sharks live at dark depths of at least 1,300 metres. Sharks are known…

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, have found a way to turn plastic waste into paracetamol (a painkiller used in Calpol). Paracetamol is usually made in factories using fossil fuels, but there is only a limited amount of this on Earth. In the lab, the team used a harmless type of bacteria to transform polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a commonly used plastic, into the active ingredient in paracetamol. Professor Stephen Wallace said, “It is a way to just completely hoover up plastic waste.” Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

On 21 June, it was the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2025. The awards celebrate performers in children’s TV, films and music, and most of the winners are voted for by Nickelodeon viewers. A tradition of the awards is that the winners are splattered with green slime. This year, Jack Black was crowned the King of Comedy. He also won Favourite Movie Actor for his role as Steve in A Minecraft Movie. In 2024, he won Favourite Villain, because he voiced Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Other winners this year included Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, who voiced Moana and Maui in Moana 2. Ariana Grande won Favourite Movie Actress for playing Glinda in Wicked, and the song Defying Gravity from Wicked also won an award. TOP CHOICE The…

by Anna James. Illustrated by Matthew Land (HarperCollins Children’s) It’s 1919, and Alyce lives with her grandmother, after her father died in the First World War. When a mysterious invitation to a tea party unexpectedly arrives, Alyce realises that her grandmother’s stories about White Rabbits, Mad Hatters, Cheshire Cats and a place called Wonderland might have some truth to them. It’s not quite the same, though; the Wonderland Alyce visits is trapped in a peculiar war of its own. The Sun King and the Queen of the Moon are fighting over a stolen hour and Alyce must put things right. With the help of a new friend, Sailor Fox, can Alyce solve Wonderland’s problems – and find her way back home? This clever reimagining of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is…

Cockatoos at water fountains In Sydney, Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos have taught themselves how to use humans’ drinking fountains. The birds are very intelligent. They also have nimble feet, which enable them to pick up amazing habits. A video on The Guardian Australia newspaper’s YouTube channel shows a row of cockatoos politely waiting for their turn to take a sip of water in the park. In just seconds, they twist the water fountain handle with their beak and use their body weight and feet to hold the tap for long enough to grab a drink. Sheep on roof confuse firefighters Did they fly like birds or jump like grasshoppers? Firefighters in Penrith, England, were “baffled” by four sheep that ended up on the roof of a house. The crew used ladders…

On 28 June, tens of thousands of people gathered in Budapest, Hungary, for a Pride march, that the government had tried to ban. Pride celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and reminds people how important it is for everyone to be proud of who they are and to be accepted. The LGBTQ+ community includes gay people and people who identify as a different sex to the one registered at their birth. Hungary’s parliament passed a law in March that banned Pride events. The government, led by prime minister Viktor Orbán, has passed several laws to limit the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Lots of people were angry at the decision to ban Pride events. Budapest’s mayor, Gergely Karácsony, said that events organised by local councils don’t fall under the government’s rules and that…

On 1 July, Members of Parliament (MPs) voted in favour of a bill that aims to cut welfare benefits. A bill is a proposal for a new law. Prime Minister Keir Starmer changed the bill twice because lots of Labour MPs said they were unhappy with it. What are welfare benefits? Welfare benefits are money given to people who need help to support themselves. These include Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Universal Credit is a regular payment given to people who aren’t working, can’t work or don’t earn much money. More than 7.7 million people in Britain receive Universal Credit. PIP helps with living costs for people who have a disability or a long-term health condition that makes it difficult to do everyday activities. To receive PIP, people…

Aeroplanes offer a quick and relatively cheap way of travelling anywhere in the world. The world’s shortest passenger flight is from Westray to Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands, Scotland – it takes about 90 seconds. The world’s longest non-stop flight is from Singapore to New York, US, and takes almost 19 hours. Flying abroad is popular; in 2024, UK airlines carried 139.6 million passengers. People travel to visit family and friends, or to explore and experience different cultures. However, there is a cost to all this flying. Aeroplanes burn fossil fuels that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing global warming. They also give off nitrogen oxides, which further pollute the air. So, do you think people should find other ways to travel? Yes – there are much better…

Britain’s longest snake can be more than a metre long but is not venomous or harmful to humans. Barred grass snakes are found across England and Wales – but rarely in Scotland. They like to live near water and can be found in woodland, grassland and even gardens where there is plenty of vegetation for them to hide in. The barred grass snake has only been officially recognised since 2017. Before this, UK grass snakes were thought to be a type of common or eastern grass snake. The snake is grey-green with a yellow and black collar around its neck, pale belly and black markings along the side of its body. The best chance of seeing these shy, cold-blooded creatures is early in the morning when they bask in the…

Fritillary butterflies There has been a large increase in the number of heath fritillary butterflies at the Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, England. More than 1,000 have been spotted in the area, compared with around 600 last year. Two charities – National Trust and Butterfly Conservation – have been trying to create the ideal conditions for the heath fritillary. One thing they did was to introduce cattle, which eat grass and trample areas, keeping the vegetation perfect for the butterfly to thrive.…

A collection of ancient frescoes that were broken up into fragments are being carefully pieced back together by archaeologists (experts who study ancient objects). Frescoes are paintings done on plaster, which is a material used to coat walls to make them smooth. The frescoes were discovered among the remains of a Roman building in Southwark, London, in 2021, and it’s taken all this time to sort them out. The Romans ruled much of Britain for nearly 400 years and founded London around AD43. Archaeologists think the frescoes covered about 20 walls of a building that was constructed nearly 2,000 years ago. The paintings feature pictures of birds, flowers and fruit. They were broken up by the Romans when they demolished the building, and the thousands of pieces eventually filled 120…

When Mika Stojsavljevic was seven, her mum took her to watch tennis at Wimbledon. Now 16, this week, Mika took part in the senior event at the world famous competition for the first time. “It’s an incredible opportunity and so exciting,” she tells The Week Junior. “I played in the juniors last year and also the year before. As professionals we want to be at the big tournaments.” Wimbledon takes place at the All England Club in London and matches are played on grass courts. It is one of the four most important tennis events each year and is called a Grand Slam. The other Grand Slams are the Australian Open, French Open and US Open. “Everyone gets so excited for the Grand Slams and you can feel the energy…

A new exhibition in Manchester, England, takes people on a journey into the worlds of art and football – and explores how the two link up. The artworks featured in Football City, Art United were produced by artists and footballers working together. They celebrate the parts of football that are difficult to measure or describe, including the emotions that players feel. Josh Willdigg, one of the people who helped to bring Football City, Art United to life, told The Week Junior, “Football and art are not exactly what they seem. There’s a magic behind all of it… This is a celebration of that magic.” Visitors enter through a tunnel, with sound, light and vibrations helping to recreate what players experience before stepping onto a football pitch. In the warehouse beyond,…

Elio In cinemas now Eleven-year-old Elio is obsessed with aliens. One day he’s beamed to the Communiverse, where intelligent lifeforms from lots of galaxies gather. When he’s mistaken for Earth’s leader, he has to befriend alien creatures and deal with an intergalactic crisis. KPop Demon Hunters Available now on Netflix Rumi, Mira and Zoey are K-pop superstars. When they’re not performing to sold-out stadiums, they’re hunting demons to protect their fans from supernatural dangers. Now the K-pop girl group face a new threat: demons who are disguised as a rival boy band.…

How did you come up with the idea for this book? I’ve always been fascinated by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and wanted to put my own spin on Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland. How is Alyce different from the original Alice? The book is set just after the end of the First World War, so my Alyce is dealing with that. She’s less confident and a little more thoughtful. Would you rather be very big or very small? As a childhood fan of The Borrowers, I have to say very small. What is the strangest dream you’ve ever had? I have a recurring (happening regularly) dream that I’m trying to get to a magical library hidden on the top floor of the library at the university I went to but I can never…

The long summer holidays are a great time to get creative and try out different art projects. These arty websites have lots of activities, inspiration and resources to get started. Tate Kids, the website belonging to the UK’s Tate galleries, has lots of arty activities. Recent examples include making a summer portrait of your teacher and drawing game-style “pixel art” pictures from colourful blocks. There are art-inspired quizzes and games too, including a game where you use a street artist’s tools of the trade (rollers, spray paints, stamps and stickers) to make your own street art. Fun quizzes include working out which famous artist you would want to redesign your school and discovering which type of arty cat you’re most like. There are also stories and videos telling you about…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the words below? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BEAKER BELL JAR CONDENSER DYNAMO ELECTRODE FILTER FLASK FUNNEL GAUGE LASER PESTLE PETRI DISH PHIAL PIPETTE PRISM REACTOR SPATULA SYRINGE TEST TUBE TRIPOD 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 DOLL LUDO 5 letters LEARN SLIDE SWING TEDDY 7 letters NURSERY STICKER TODDLER 8 letters CREATIVE ROUNDERS TRICYCLE 10 letters PLASTICINE SKATEBOARD ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 33 Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Foster School: St Denys Primary School, Southampton, England “Mrs Foster is the GOAT (greatest of all time)! She is funny and she knows how you can improve all the time by giving helpful feedback. She takes the time to get to know everybody and we will never forget what she taught us: ‘If in doubt, sing it out!’” Milo 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 do you call a fair where you can’t win any prizes? Unfair.”Lawrence…

“This is me and my dog Lily, she loves reading The Week Junior with me. We love reading in nature, it’s so quiet and Lily sometimes falls asleep.” Pippa “Very pleased with the cornflakes biscuit recipe in issue 495. The verdict was ‘delicious’ – from all the family.” Elena “I really enjoy playing my guitar whilst catching up reading what’s going on around the world.”Charlie “We loved making the Father’s Day pop-up card in The Week Junior this weekend. A true team effort. Our dad loved it!”Anand and Prem 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 planet…