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People living in Libya, a country in North Africa, are working together to help those affected by the recent serious floods. It’s estimated that around 884,000 people desperately need help. What happened? The floods were caused by Storm Daniel, which hit the country on 10 September. In the east of the country, 400 millimetres of rain fell in a single day. The area usually gets only 1.5 millimetres throughout all of September. The heavy rain caused two dams – barriers that are built to hold back water – to collapse in the city of Derna, leaving most of the area underwater. Other towns in the east, including Al-Marj, Benghazi and Susa, were affected too. More than 11,000 people have died and many thousands more have lost their homes. Why did…

In 2021, teenage skateboarder Sky Brown won a bronze medal for Great Britain in the women’s park skateboarding event at the Tokyo Olympics – the first time the sport had been included in the Games. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be the first to include breaking – an acrobatic dance style linked to hip hop music and African-American culture. Some people are asking for school PE lessons to include a greater variety of sports, like these, in order to get more children to enjoy being active. One exam board, WJEC, recently said that the list of activities that count for its sports GCSE will be reviewed in 2025. However, some people think it’s better to stick to traditional sports, such as football or netball, at school. What do you…

The dog rose clings to and rambles along hedgerows, woodland edges and scrubland. It’s most common in the south of the UK but it grows all over the country. The plant’s fruit ripens around September and October. Dog rose hips are oval, between 15 and 20 millimetres long and form in small clusters. The rose’s green stems have curved red prickles, which help it cling to other shrubs, and oval leaves with a ragged edge. Birds such as blackbirds, redwings and waxwings eat dog rose hips, which are packed with vitamin C. They are also used to make jam and syrups, and the hairs inside are used to make itching powder for joke shops. In Germany, it was once believed that fairies used dog rose hips to turn invisible.…

Scientists at Stanford University in the US have come up with a simple, colourful and very clever way to stop houses overheating: a special paint. It’s engineered to reflect the Sun’s heat off the outside of the building instead of absorbing it and getting hotter. The paint could save people money and it is environmentally friendly because it reduces the need for air conditioners to pump cool air into buildings. Nearly 90% of US households used air conditioning in 2020, and that uses up a lot of energy. The special paint works by reflecting up to 80% of the Sun’s mid-infrared light. The human eye cannot see this kind of light but you feel it as warmth and it is usually absorbed into buildings. This clever new paint reflects 10…

You may hear about the Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup this September and October because they are big golf events. Another championship involving a different version of the sport has also been hitting the headlines. The 2023 British Open Speedgolf Championships were recently held in Berkshire, England. In speedgolf, players hit their shots quickly and then jog or run to where their ball has landed and finish each hole. Matches are played on full-sized 18-hole courses, just like regular golf games. Speedgolf only uses a few golf clubs – instead of the 14 that can be used in a normal game – which are carried by hand or in a golf bag. The games are far quicker than in traditional golf, which can take a few hours because players walk…

“Wait a second,” Tony tells his sister Patty, “I think mum and dad are spies.” So begins the adventure in the new Spy Kids movie, Spy Kids: Armageddon, which is available to watch on Netflix from 22 September. In the film, Patty and Tony are the children of two top secret agents. By mistake, the children help a computer game expert to unleash a virus that enables him to control all technology. They need to put their mistake right to save their parents and the world from this evil mastermind. This requires spy training school, cool high-tech outfits and some serious gaming. In fact, the family must travel into a video game to complete their mission. Director Robert Rodriguez wrote the script for Spy Kids: Armageddon – and even acts…

by Emma Reynolds (Harper360) Discover the inspiring true stories of 16 young climate activists, told through colourful comic strips. In her new book, Emma Reynolds shines a spotlight on young people who are making a difference, including Autumn Peltier, who campaigns for clean water, and Edgar Edmund Tarimo, who turns plastic waste into building materials. Each story has beautiful illustrations by a different artist. You will also find lots of information, including facts, quotations, timelines, interviews and ideas for practical steps you can take to create change and make a difference yourself. Taking in many countries, including Australia, Pakistan, Russia and Uganda, this book is packed with inspiration. It shows that you can stand up for what you believe in and make a difference at any age, whoever you are.…

Katherine Rundell’s new book, Impossible Creatures, began as a single image “of a girl in a cloak who can fly, but only when the wind blows,” Rundell tells The Week Junior. “I knew she needed to live in a world that was big enough for her.” Over years of Rundell’s starting, stopping, deleting and starting again, this girl became Mal, the heroine of the first of Rundell’s fantasy trilogy (a series of three books). Mal comes from the Archipelago, a secret group of islands that exist somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean and where mythical creatures live alongside humans. Mal starts to see signs that the creatures are facing a terrible threat. Krakens, a type of giant octopus with up to 46 tentacles, are suddenly swimming in foreign waters. Baby unicorns…

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 365 440 569 970 4 numbers 2334 4457 5378 6190 7034 5 numbers 30807 75661 83722 84348 88704 97706 6 numbers 278827 344236 423107 571602 742512 7 numbers 4603767 7043145 8 numbers 54685720 58621531 58852611 9 numbers 587651400 773670817 985524245 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. WordSearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. CAMEL CAPYBARA CARIBOU CARP CATERPILLAR CATFISH CENTIPEDE CHAMELEON CHEETAH CHICKEN CHINCHILLA CHIPMUNK COCKLE COCKROACH COUGAR COW COYOTE CRAB CRANE…

Did you know that hedgehogs are in serious decline? So much so that they are now officially vulnerable to extinction. Prickles in a Pickle is a home-based Wildlife Sanctuary in Devon, south-west England. Over the years, the charity has seen the number of sick hedgehogs in the area rise. It helps by looking after any injured or sick hedgehogs and returning them to the wild once they are better. Each year, Prickles in a Pickle helps more than 1,000 hedgehogs. Find out how you can help at pricklesinapickle.co.uk…

September is World Kid Lit Month – a celebration of books from other countries that have been translated from another language, and have been brought to life by authors, illustrators and translators from around the world. World Kid Lit runs this month-long celebration to encourage more diversity in books. What will you read this World Kid Lit Month? It could be a book from another country, set somewhere else, or translated into English from another language. Discover more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-WorldKidLit 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 details you provide to arrange delivery of badges, and we…

Teacher’s name: Mr Doyle School: Marist Catholic Primary School, Surrey “Mr Doyle makes everything easier by creating new ways to help us with our learning. He is always happy and gives us fun activities, which we enjoy. Mr Doyle is really kind and teaches us great stuff that will help us in the future. He is the best.” Freya 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 Scientists from the University of Essex won an award for what? □ a) Their study on nose hairs □ b) The invention of a clever toilet □ c) Their study on boredom 2 True or false? Pit bull terriers are banned under the UK Government’s Dangerous Dogs Act. □ True □ False 3 Russian president Vladimir Putin met which leader recently? 4 What did Sky Brown achieve at the age of 13 in Tokyo? □ a) A gold medal in park skateboarding □ b) A silver medal in street skateboarding □ c) A bronze medal in park skateboarding 5 True or false? Microadventures involve microscopes. □ True □ False 6 What is an invasive alien species? 7 How many Jewish people are there living in the UK? □ a)…

If you want to support people in Libya who have been affected by the floods, talk to an adult about donating to charities that are raising money to help. Action Against Hunger has teams in Libya aiming to help 1,000 people by handing out hygiene kits, food and essential items. The Red Cross has been providing medical assistance, carrying out search and rescue missions, and moving families to safety. Libya in the UK, an organisation that helps UK-based Libyans, has raised more than £130,000 to support people in Libya. If the news is upsetting you, take a look at theweekjunior.co.uk/advice…

BEING A HERO While on duty with the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution), three young lifeguards rescued a group who got into difficulty after their boat capsized. Cameron Jacobie, Hayley Webb and Holly Barden have now been awarded special recognition by the RNLI. AN AMBITIOUS ONION GROWER A huge onion is expected to set a new world record once it has been checked by Guinness World Records. It was grown by Gareth Griffin, who displayed it at Harrogate Flower Show in England, where lots of huge vegetables are shown each year. It weighs 8.97 kilograms – the previous record was 8.4 kilograms. RED ADMIRALS IN THE UK Butterfly Conservation’s latest Big Butterfly Count has shown that some species in Britain are on the rise following mixed summer weather. There was…

Adventurer Alastair Humphreys has spent four years cycling around the world, walked through Spain playing the violin, and rowed across the Atlantic Ocean. He has now turned his attention to simpler, smaller trips. When he speaks to The Week Junior over video call, he’s actually in the middle of one of these “microadventures”. He’s been riding his bike around the New Forest in England, and pauses the interview to stroke a friendly horse. Humphreys hopes more people will go on adventures if they feel they don’t need to spend lots of money or travel huge distances. The kind “we can all do at the weekend or after school”, he says. Humphreys has always liked being outdoors. Growing up in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in England, he enjoyed climbing trees…

Every continent across the world – including Antarctica – is having to deal with the destructive and expensive impact of invasive alien species, according to a new report. An invasive alien species is an animal or plant that is introduced to a new environment where it’s not normally found – either accidentally or on purpose. The Invasive Alien Species Report was put together by the United Nations (UN), a group of countries that work together on the challenges that face humanity. Experts from 49 countries concluded that invasive alien species cost the world more than £340 billion every year. They said that the most affected regions were North and South America, followed by Europe and Central Asia. These species can cause all sorts of problems. Non-native plants can grow out…

Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. This year it will take place over 24 and 25 September. Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, and there are roughly 300,000 Jewish people living in the UK. What is Yom Kippur? Yom Kippur means Day of Atonement. It begins at sunset and ends at nightfall the following day – a period of around 25 hours. Yom Kippur marks the end of the Days of Repentance, a 10-day period that is seen by some Jewish people as an opportunity for change. During this time, they are encouraged to show regret for what they’ve done wrong and promise to make amends (make up for wrongdoing). Tradition says that, on Yom Kippur, God decides each person’s destiny. The Days of…

Oysters (a type of shellfish) are a popular dish in France. In fact, more than 130,000 tonnes of shells are thrown away each year. Now, a company called Cool Roof France (CRF) has found a clever use for them. The company takes the calcium – a mineral in the shells – and adds it to special white paint. Painting it onto roofs helps to keep buildings cool in the summer. The company says the groundup shells make the paint last longer, and the paint can cool the building by around 7°C.…

Max Whitlock The British gymnast won gold in the pommel horse event at the Apparatus World Cup in Paris, France. Rangers Women In the Scottish Women’s Premier League, Rangers defeated Montrose 12-0 to stay at the top of the league. Rio Hardy scored four of their goals. Shericka Jackson Jackson, from Jamaica, won the women’s 100 metres and 200 metres sprint races at the Diamond League final in the US. Sepp Kuss The US cyclist finished first in the Vuelta a España, a three-week long event held mainly in Spain but also parts of France and Andorra.…

Did you make new friends while writing this book? I did! I got to know my editor and team at the publishers, and speak with many of the activists featured, which was an honour and so fascinating. I’m so grateful for everyone’s hard work on this project and I’m so excited you finally get to read it. What do you do to help protect the environment? I decided to use my voice as an author and illustrator to share things I’m passionate about and that I hope will make a difference. What is your favourite time of the year? I really like September because it reminds me of the “new year” when a new school year would start. I love early autumn – cool, dry days and the golden sunlight…

When it comes to kart-racing games on consoles and mobile phones, the Mario Kart games are the runaway leader. Now they’ve got some competition and it comes from some famous characters. Disney Speedstorm has been out for a while in “early access” mode, which means players could try it out so the game’s developers could fix bugs and improve features. September is the month for its official release on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch consoles, and PCs, iPhones and Android phones. Like the Mario Kart games, this is a “battle racer” where driving faster than your rivals is only part of the action. As you race you can pick up items from the track that help you knock other players over, speed yourself up or even turn invisible. Of course, your…

Making music from vegetables Boris Sichon has spent his musical career crafting instruments out of unlikely objects. He has made a flute out of a carrot, and created a kind of trumpet from a traffic cone. Sichon has travelled the world looking for unusual objects that he can use to make musical instruments, and he now has a fabulous collection of more than 600 treasures. As well as his home-made collection, Sichon also owns many rare instruments, including Irish bones, an Indian tabla and a Russian xylophone. Streets cleared for a hokey cokey Hundreds of people put their arms and legs in, then out, then shook them all about during a giant hokey cokey dance in Dorchester, England. The idea was first conjured up by a regular customer at Tom…

“We are very proud to have grown some giant sunflowers in our garden from seed. We have also noticed how popular they are with the bees and birds!”Thea, Alexi and Cleo “I had a snake on my shoulders at a friend’s birthday party. We also touched a turtle, a lizard and a snail.”Evan “Reading The Week Junior at my local playground.”Lara…

We love hearing from you! It’s easy – just write a comment when you vote in our online Big Debate poll, or even record a voice note for The Week Junior Show. Last week we asked you if nature should have legal rights… “Making humans equal with nature isn’t right. Nature doesn’t need legal rights, it needs us to find clever solutions.” “Nature doesn’t have a voice so it’s our duty to protect it.” “Our whole class agreed that nature needs rights.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here. If you’ve enjoyed this issue, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show? Go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-show or scan the QR code above. We’d also like you to take part.…

A new exhibition of artwork by refugee children has opened in Northern Ireland’s parliament, Stormont. A refugee is someone who has left their country because of war or the threat of violence. The young artists drew their hopes and dreams, and author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers sketched a portrait of each of the children around their drawings to show them holding their art. One parent said working with Jeffers made the children feel like they’re a “part of their favourite story”.…

Have you ever felt butterflies in your tummy when you’re nervous or excited? This is because there is a close connection between your gut and your brain. Looking after your gut is not only good for your health, it can help to manage emotions too. What is your gut? Your digestive system, or gut, includes your mouth, oesophagus (food pipe), stomach and intestines. It is where your body digests food, absorbs energy and nutrients (substances that we need to live and grow) and gets rid of waste. Living inside your gut are trillions of bacteria and other microbes (tiny, simple forms of life) that help break down the food you eat. How is a healthy gut good for you? You have around 200 types of microbe in your gut. “They…

Old Gods, New Tricks by Thiago de Moraes (David Fickling Books) When the world suddenly loses all its electricity, Trixie decides to ask for help from the powerful trickster gods of legend. Soon, she is summoning the likes of Loki, Maui, the Monkey King and even the Old Coyote, whom the Aztecs worshipped. Can this gang of mischievous gods really steal electricity back for humankind? The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner (HarperCollins Children’s Books) When Colin and Susan are chased by scary creatures, they are rescued by the Wizard. Soon they are journeying deep into caves to defeat the Morrigan and save the magical Weirdstone of Brisingamen. This fantasy tale is inspired by legends and myths. Oh Maya Gods by Maz Evans (Chicken House) Who Let the Gods Out…

Name: Catherine Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger “Adventurous, gripping, funny. I am part way through the fifth book, and I have enjoyed every single one very much so far.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it’s printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe the book in three words, what you liked about it and why you’d 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 futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

This week we have lots of stories about animals. I think of myself as an animal lover, although I’m not sure I would be as brave near snakes as Evan, our reader on the opposite page! I am very keen on dogs but, as we report on page 4, it is important to be careful around animals you don’t know. I loved reading about Peter Óg Morgan, on page 9, and his skill with his sheepdog Tip, too, but the story that melted my heart was the tale of the mice and their froggy friend (page 27). I am still giggling about Olaf Falafel’s giraffe picture on page 25. It’s exciting to think that people all over the world are working on ways to protect the environment. The stories on…