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On 10 May, the United Nations (UN) general assembly voted in favour of Palestine becoming a full member. The UN is a group made up of most of the world’s countries that work together on the challenges that face humanity. What is Palestine and its history? Palestine refers to an area in the Middle East and includes the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza (which border Israel). Throughout the 20th century, people have argued over who Palestine belongs to. Both Arab people (a group from the Arabian peninsula) and Jewish people have a very long history in the region. In 1917, Britain promised to give Jewish people a “national home”. From 1920 to 1948, Palestine covered most of modern Israel and was governed by Britain. During this time,…

Part-time teacher Bobby Seagull is a TV personality who will be judging The Week Junior Book Awards STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) category. When he was younger, Seagull studied maths at Cambridge University and became an accountant (someone who keeps records of a person or organisation’s money). Then one day at work, he realised how much he enjoyed teaching new trainees at his company, so he decided to become a teacher. Now, he says, making maths easy to understand is his “life mission”. One of the ways he does this is by applying maths to subjects his students care about. For example, when the dance contest Strictly Come Dancing is on TV, he uses it to teach his students about averages by getting them to work out what scores…

From dancing spiders to humming gorillas, animals have lots of interesting ways of talking to each other. Now, a study suggests that beluga whales are quirky communicators too, and could be using their “melons” to pass on messages. A team of scientists studied beluga whales in captivity, focusing on their melons – the squishy blobs of fatty tissue on their foreheads. These help the belugas to focus and project sound, making them very good at echolocation. This is a technique where belugas – as well as other creatures including bats – find their way around and avoid obstacles. The sound that the whales make bounces off objects, and the time it takes to come back helps the animals build an image of their surroundings. Beluga whales are able to change…

Giraffes’ horns are called “ossicones”. They are made from ossified (bony) cartilage (the same stuff our ears are made of). Females’ ossicones are often thin and tufted, while the males’ ossicones are thicker and sometimes bald from fighting. Giraffes have ossicones to protect themselves when they swing their head. Males fight during mating season to compete for a female giraffe’s attention. 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…

A medical trial is testing a new treatment for young people who have severe allergic reactions to food, and the results so far are very positive. Also called “anaphylaxis”, a severe allergic reaction is when the body reacts badly to something that would normally be harmless. It can make it difficult for a person to breathe or bring them out in a rash. Researchers are working with 139 people aged between two and 23. Each person in the trial is allergic to cow’s milk or peanuts and, before the study, even tiny amounts of these foods could have caused a life-threatening reaction. At the moment, people who have anaphylaxis are treated with epinephrine (see panel), but the aim of the trial is to stop people from having anaphylaxis at all.…

Phoebe Gill The 17-year-old English athlete won the 800 metres race at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet. Her time of one minute, 57.86 seconds is a European Under-18 record. Manchester City Manchester City defeated Leeds United 4-0 to win the FA Youth Cup final. It is a competition for men’s teams aged 18 or under. Manchester United Women In the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium, Manchester United beat Tottenham 4-0 to win the trophy for the first time. Charlotte Henshaw Henshaw won her 10th world title with victory in the women’s KL2 event at the Para-canoe World Championships in Hungary.…

Tell us about your favourite animal. We have a lovely cat named Maudie who helps me write by walking across my keyboard but I especially love dogs. Dogs are like that really enthusiastic friend who thinks everything is BRILLIANT. What was your inspiration for the world in the book? The title, I Am Wolf, just popped into my head. Who was Wolf? Why did it matter? Then I thought, what if Wolf was real? A huge beast with humans living on board. If you could build a robot, what would it do? I Am Wolf has giant ants just going about doing ant stuff – but made of steel and plastic and wood and any other old bits. I love the idea of them! Which book inspired you to start…

“I had to cope with her right from when I was little, I looked after her and you.” It has been 25 years since the publication of The Illustrated Mum by Jacqueline Wilson. It’s about two half-sisters, Dolphin and Star, who live with their mum, Marigold. Dolphin loves Marigold, but her mum has mental health issues that mean that she cannot always take care of her children. When her sister moves out to live with her dad, Dolphin starts to wonder if living with Marigold is the best thing for her.…

Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 letters Golf Oban 5 letters Alloa Laird 6 letters Dunoon Nessie Thurso 7 letters Borders Rangers 8 letters Aberdeen Rothesay Shetland 9 letters Stornoway Stranraer Wordsearch Can you find all of these words for picnic foods below? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. ANTENNAE APIARY BATCH BLOSSOM BUZZ COLONY FEELERS FLOWER FLYING GARDEN HIVE HONEY NECTAR PETAL PUPA QUEEN STING SWARM WINGS WORKER Puzzles page and quiz answers…

Airbnb, a company that helps people rent places to stay, has recreated Disney and Pixar’s Up house – and it actually “floats”. Located in Abiquiu, New Mexico, US, the house is identical to the one in the movie and features more than 8,000 balloons. People can apply for a stay and will get a digital golden ticket if successful. An Airbnb spokesperson told Time magazine that guests will be able to watch the house “fly away” (suspended from a crane) while they are safely on the ground. It is part of Airbnb’s series called Icons, where guests can also spend the night in the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy; the Musee d’Orsay in Paris; and even stay with a film star in Chennai, India.…

Name: Ariana “My name is Ariana and I’m currently performing at the Royal Opera House in the 2024 production of Carmen. As a member of the Royal Opera House Youth Opera Company, I was given the chance to audition to be a part of the Carmen children’s chorus a few months ago, and I got the part! The children’s chorus for Carmen is a group of 30 children who play an important role in Act I and Act IV. The best part about being in this production is the thrill of performing to a live, sell-out audience on the main stage and working on vocal techniques with the professionals. I have loved singing and performing from a young age, and am passionate about doing so in the future. The experience…

“I really enjoyed trying to decode Voyager’s message, but it was very annoying once I finished because I saw that the answer was at the bottom of the page!”Rupert “I loved making quilling art of this swirly turtle. Using a skewer to fold paper was tricky at first but I soon got hold of it. It was absolute fun.”Tiara “My puppy Maisie enjoys reading The Week Junior. She stole it off me.”Florence…

On 6 May, Israel launched an attack against Hamas in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. Many Palestinians went there after Israel’s military told people to leave their homes in northern Gaza to avoid fighting last October. On 14 May, a UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees estimated that nearly 450,000 people had left Rafah since 6 May. Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said the attack will continue until Hamas is defeated or begins to release the Israeli hostages it is still holding. Israel’s military also started military attacks in northern Gaza on 11 May.…

FINDING A SPECIAL STONE A 1,600-year-old stone found by a teacher in his garden is on display in a museum in Coventry, England. Graham Senior saw the stone had strange markings and experts told him it is ogham, an ancient alphabet from Ireland. A BRAVE DOG Bentley, a Jack Russell, terrier has completed a challenge to climb all 180 Hewitt mountains (those at least 610 metres above sea level) in England. He began five years ago and finished by reaching the top of Place Fell, in the Lake District, on 5 May with his owner Jon Birtle. Birtle said, “He’s always in front of me.” THE WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN On 5 May, Tom Stoltman from Invergordon, Scotland, was named the world’s strongest man for the third time in four years.…

As the first black woman to represent Team GB in swimming at the Olympics, Alice Dearing hopes she has shown that the sport is for everyone. She recently announced her retirement and says, “Swimming has provided platforms and opportunities for me I never dreamed possible.” Dearing was one of the founders of the Black Swimming Association, an organisation that aims to tackle the barriers people from African, Caribbean and Asian backgrounds face in sports such as swimming. She wants to carry on encouraging people to take to the water. “I’ll never stop trying to get everyone swimming,” she says.…

Javan rhinos A Javan rhinoceros calf has been seen at Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia. This has given conservationists hope because it proves that the endangered rhinos living in the park are able to breed successfully. The calf was seen walking alongside its mother. Windermere Tourism in the Lake District, England, is turning Windermere (England’s largest lake) green. More wastewater from toilets and showers is released into waterways during the tourist season, which causes algae (tiny organisms) to bloom, turning the water green and toxic.…

Doughnuts should only be a very rare treat, but National Doughnut Week is a campaign that supports The Children’s Trust. This is a charity that helps children who have had a brain injury, through an accident or illness, and with neurodisabilities – long-term conditions that affect the nervous system (which carries messages between your brain and the rest of your body). The charity aims to help them live their best life possible. During the week, some bakeries will be selling doughnuts to raise money. Last year the event raised more than £43,000 for The Children’s Trust. Doughnuts come in all shapes and sizes – but what’s the story of these sugar-packed dough balls? The first doughnut Different types of fried dough have been eaten around the world for hundreds of…

One of the simplest ways to show someone you care is by giving them your time, attention or a present of something that they just happen to need. All it takes is a little thoughtfulness – and a little can go a very long way. What is generosity? Whenever you notice someone might need or enjoy something you have, this is a chance to show you care. This way of sharing is called practising generosity. The spirit with which you give is just as important as what you give. Being generous doesn’t always mean giving material objects or money. When your friend scores a goal in a football game and you cheer loudly for them, or when you support a friend who does well in a school project, these are…

Tasty Tales by Anna Lena Feunekes (UCLan Publishing) This colourful new illustrated book will take you on a journey to discover the stories behind foods from lots of countries and cultures. You’ll find tasty tales about everything from croissants to tofu; learn how different dishes have travelled the globe; and find out about some of the many ways that food brings people together. Disgustingly Delicious by Soledad Romero Mariño. Illustrated by Montse Galbany (Hachette Children’s) Your least favourite food might seem quite tasty once you’ve read about some of the foods in this book, including tuna eyeballs and cow’s intestines – considered delicious in some places. Get ready to appreciate the amazing diversity of our world’s food. Chews Your Own Tasty Adventure by Sai Pathmanathan. Illustrated by Lucia Vinti (Faber…

Name: Radhika Varjak Paw SF Said “Courage, trust and friendship. I loved the fierce determination of Varjak. Perfect for animal lovers and fans of adventure and comedy, it’s packed with interesting vocabulary.” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Please 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…

National Numeracy Day is on 22 May in the UK. It partly celebrates maths and numbers but it is also about supporting people who would like to be more confident in their maths skills. The official National Numeracy Day website includes details of this year’s Number Heroes competition, where your school or youth group can win prizes for the number-wrangling skills of you and your friends. It also has fun activities, such as dancing and baking, to help with maths. If you’re looking to get more practice, the BBC Bitesize website has a good maths section with a mixture of activities and games. Topmarks and Maths Zone are helpful websites that will point you in the direction of games and exercises online. If you prefer to practise on your phone…

As people across England and Wales went to vote in the local elections recently, early-morning voters in Cambridgeshire had to cast their ballots in a rather unusual way: in the back of a car. When election officials at the Milton Road Library polling station in Cambridge, England, couldn’t unlock the doors to the building because of problems with keys and door codes, they quickly came up with a new plan and set up the “voting car”. The temporary polling station was used for about an hour until the library was finally opened.…

The education charity Into Film works with schools all around the UK by using film as an education tool. The charity’s Film of the Month competition celebrates exceptional young filmmaking talent from across the UK. Filmmaking is more accessible than it ever has been. The competition is open to all young people, aged five to 19, across the UK and there is no restriction on style of film or theme. Into Film also provides guides and resources on all aspects of filmmaking and the production process, so that even the most inexperienced filmmaker can feel confident in creating work and sending in an entry. Find out more at intofilm.org/competitions…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Sheepy School: Coten End Primary School, Coten End, Warwick “My headteacher Mrs Sheepy is amazing, kind and hardworking. Every day she has a big smile. I used to be scared of dogs but she helped me overcome my fear with her dog Bessie. She inspired me with singing so I joined the school choir. I used to worry about school but with her it is like another family. All my friends and teachers love Mrs Sheepy; she is a superhero in disguise!” Daniel 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…

In 2022, the Commonwealth Games were held in Birmingham, England, and nearly 5,000 athletes competed across a range of sports. Many of the athletes had spent years working hard for the chance to take part in the famous event. The next Games are only two years away (not a long time at all when it comes to planning a big sporting event) but they still don’t have a host. Some people think the event shouldn’t take place at all, saying the downsides, such as the cost of hosting the event, outweigh the positives. Others are concerned that the Games celebrate the British Empire, which they say harmed the lives of millions of people in many countries around the world. What do you think? Should we scrap the Commonwealth Games? Yes…

Rabbits breed between January and July, so by now most colonies (family groups) will have babies, known as kits. Rabbits are grey-brown with a fluffy white round bobtail, long ears and hind legs. Found across the UK, rabbits live underground in large tunnel networks called warrens. You can see them in meadows, grasslands and woodlands, but they usually run for cover, such as bushes, when people appear. Rabbits warn each other when danger might be approaching by thumping their big back feet on the ground. You’re most likely to see them hopping around at twilight, just as day is breaking or as the Sun sets. A female rabbit (doe) produces a litter of up to seven kits each month during breeding season.…

A team of scientists have spotted a greater glider in the Deongwar state forest in Queensland, Australia, for the first time since the late 1990s. Greater gliders are endangered because of bushfires and years of logging (cutting down trees), but a government agreement says logging must stop in Deongwar by the end of 2024. ● LIFESPAN: Up to 15 years.● HABITAT: Large tree hollows in eucalyptus forests, eastern Australia.● SIZE: Between 30 and 45 centimetres long, with a 45–60 centimetre tail.● DIET: Eucalyptus leaves.● FUN FACT: Greater gliders’ legs and body are connected by a furry membrane, or patagia, which acts like wings. They can glide up to 100 metres between trees and change direction with the help of their tails.…

Do you like swimming, cycling and running? Triathlon involves all three and could be a sport you enjoy doing. Summer is a great time to try triathlon or watch an exciting competition. The swimming, cycling and running come straight after each other and athletes are timed for how long it takes them to complete all three. The distance of each event varies depending on age and experience. At the Olympics, the women’s and men’s triathlon has a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride and a 10km run. For young people and beginners the distances are less. The swimming may be in a pool or outside in a lake or the sea; the cycling could happen on a track or a road; and the run could also be on a…

Garfield will soon be back for a new film adventure. In The Garfield Movie, fans of the food-loving cat (voiced by Chris Pratt) get to meet Vic, Garfield’s dad, for the first time ever. Garfield and his friend Odie, a dog, join Vic on an exciting and hilarious adventure. Director Mark Dindal tells The Week Junior that the film will reveal new sides to Garfield’s personality. “We know him as always in control. He owns the house, or at least that’s the way he sees it,” says Dindal. When his father shows up, though, Garfield doesn’t really know what to do. Garfield was introduced to the public as a comic strip in a newspaper in 1978. Dindal says he thinks the cat is still popular because he loves simple things,…

In a bleak, far-future world, Coll has grown up living on Wolf with a close-knit crew. Wolf is a Construct – a giant, mechanical creature, powered by the clan who inhabit it, which constantly fights to protect its territory against dangerous rivals like Raven and Hyena. Life on Wolf is all that Coll knows – until the day that disaster strikes and he is left behind after a perilous battle with Dragon. Now, he must team up with an unlikely group of other misfits and make the perilous journey back to Wolf and everything that matters to him. On his journey, Coll finds himself questioning everything he has ever believed was important, with life-changing consequences. The first book in an action-packed trilogy, this inventive science-fiction thriller includes strange creatures and…

The Skandar series by A.F. Steadman is back with the recently released Skandar and the Chaos Trials. In it, readers return to the Eyrie, a training school for unicorn riders, and follow Skandar and his friends as they try to complete a thrilling series of trials. On top of this, there’s more drama in store for the characters. Steadman says this latest adventure, the third instalment in the Skandar series, is probably the most surprising of her books so far – one of the chapters in particular has an “enormous twist”. She told The Week Junior, “The end is just completely full of excitement and also what readers might not be expecting, so I’m hoping for some good reactions.” When looking for inspiration before she started writing the series, Steadman…

On 20 May, it is World Bee Day, which celebrates the important role bees play on our planet. When bees buzz around to forage they spread pollen, which supports plants, which in turn support animals. There are hundreds of bee species in the UK, of different colours and sizes. Look out for bees and other pollinators in your garden or in parks: how many different bees can you spot? To mark the day and celebrate these awesome insects, you can create these cute pompom bees. They are fun to make and you can fix them onto a stick in a plant pot or a vase of flowers, or hang them up. What you need ● A pencil● A ruler● Thick card● Scissors● Masking tape● Wool● A small elastic band● Thin…

If you like books and food, we have got plenty of both in this week’s issue. Our editorial director, Anna, was a judge at the British Book Awards and was somehow able to keep secret for weeks that the brilliant Katherine Rundell won. You can read the full report of the fantastic winners on page 5. Did you know that May is Share-a-Story Month? The aim is to bring young people and stories together, and the theme this year is Feast of Stories. It’s a celebration of “wondrous creations and delicious delectables that we find in stories”, and it has my mouth watering. If you want to know which stories some of The Week Junior team most like sharing, listen to our podcast The Week Junior Show. Our Wellbeing feature…

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 will not share them with anyone else. By submitting your reports and pictures, you give consent to The Week Junior to print them in magazine and digital editions, and mention on our podcast. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, accuracy and suitability. Ensure you have your parent/guardian’s permission before sending anything to us.…

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 our readers whether you should go to school if you’re sick… “No, making other people sick is selfish!” “Yes, there’s nothing wrong with a little cold.” “No, it’s very hard to concentrate when you have a cold and a sore throat.” “Yes, although I think it depends on what illness you have.” 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.…