Table of contents for 364 in The Week Junior

On 27 and 28 November, protests took place in China against the government’s strict Covid-19 lockdowns. Some protesters have also called for China’s president, Xi Jinping, to step down. Why are people protesting? People have been protesting in at least eight cities – including China’s capital, Beijing, and largest city, Shanghai – because of the government’s “zero-Covid” policy, which aims to keep cases of Covid-19 as low as possible. The policy has led to authorities introducing very strict lockdowns. Some large cities have been completely locked down for long periods, even though there were only a small number of Covid infections. The protests began after a fire at a block of flats in Xinjiang region on 24 November, in which 10 people died. Many felt that if the building had…

The Government has told farmers and pet owners to keep their birds inside, away from wild birds, in order to stop the spread of bird flu. The deadly disease has existed for 100 years but now an infectious new version has caused the world’s worst outbreak. Shops are running out of eggs and might even run short of turkeys this Christmas. Some public parks are asking people not to feed birds because it makes them flock together and can spread bird flu.…

Usually found in “big sky country” – open landscapes like crop fields and chalk hills – brown hares often enter woods in winter to find shelter. They look quite like rabbits but are bigger, with longer legs and longer ears. They have a golden-brown body, pale belly and a white tail. Brown hares are not native to the UK – they were probably brought here by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. They are evolved to survive the harsh winters of northern Europe and central Asia. Instead of burrowing, like rabbits, they snuggle into shallow dips in the ground called “forms”. You might spot them running across fields. They are the UK’s fastest land mammal, using their strong hind legs to reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.…

Extreme E is an exciting off-road motorsport that takes place all over the world. It has challenging courses, special high-speed cars and a male and female driver on each team who race together. There is one big difference from other motorsports, however: Extreme E aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and climate change. Climate change is the heating of the Earth and change in weather patterns, mostly caused by the gases released by burning fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil). Most racing competitions involve vehicles that use petrol but Extreme E’s cars are electrically powered. Each Extreme E event – called an X Prix – is held on a different type of off-road circuit to draw attention to a range of environmental issues. The cars and equipment are transported…

On 11 December, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place. It will be the first time since 2005 that the UK is competing, and the first time that the BBC will be broadcasting it live on television. Eurovision is an annual singing competition. The contestants, each representing a country from Europe (and sometimes beyond), perform a new song and they are scored based on votes from the public and a professional panel. Junior Eurovision is for contestants aged nine to 14 years old. It was first held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2003, 47 years after the adult contest began. This year’s competition will be hosted in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. That is because Armenia won last year with 14-year-old Maléna’s song, Qami Qami. There are 16 countries taking…

The Spell Tailors by James Nicol (Chicken House) Hen is an apprentice in his family’s spell-tailor business, learning to make magical clothes. A cheap clothing factory has opened nearby and now the business is in trouble. Can Hen learn to master his family’s craft – and could a new stitch that can sew memories into seams save the day? The Midnighters by Hana Tooke (Puffin Books) In this atmospheric tale, Ema goes to stay with an eccentric uncle in Prague. There, she makes a new friend, Silvie, and soon they are having secret adventures together on the city’s cobbled streets. Then Silvie goes missing and the only clue to what has happened points Ema in the direction of the mysterious Midnight Guild. The Book of Stolen Dreams by David Farr.…

Name: Anoushka “Exciting, fantastical, adventurous. Cartwheel-loving Frankie goes on a journey through her brain to find her missing spark.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your review is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Tell us what you liked about the book and why you’d recommend it to others, and don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Holly King-Mand Holly King-Mand is an expert in English and drama and taught thousands of children online during the pandemic. She loves books, libraries, creative writing and theatre. Parents can find out more about Holly’s live and interactive online classes at www.hollysclassroom.com Christmas is almost here and with it comes panto season. Pantomimes are staged performances of well-known tales that use audience interaction to make the show fun and entertaining for all. Who’s who? There are lots of roles in pantomime. The playwright writes the script (the words and movements the actors should perform) and the director brings the script to life by telling people to perform. You will also need actors and maybe a “stage hand” (someone who works offstage) “props manager” (props are objects that actors handle on…

Our report about the Great Smog that hit London in 1952 (page 12) has really set me thinking. It must have been horrible having to breathe in that thick, stinky, yellow fog, but what a lot of changes it triggered. After that terrible event, politicians brought in laws to clean up the air across the country. In 1956, they tackled the burning of coal in cities; in 1968, it became illegal for factory chimneys to give out dark smoke; in 1993, the rules changed to reduce the fumes emitted by cars and lorries – and the next goal is to reduce fine dust in the air. All these laws to protect people were introduced after years of protest and persuasion. Bringing about change can take a long time – but…

The government of Sierra Leone has increased the amount of money it spends on education. The country has spent L80 million on ensuring children are able to go to school, which is 22% of its total budget (money it has to spend). In a speech at the UK Houses of Parliament in London on 21 November, Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio, said his government aims to provide everyone with free education, and has made extra efforts to support children from poor backgrounds. The government is also encouraging girls to complete their education. Outbreaks of illness and a civil war (war between people in the same country) in recent years have made it difficult for people in Sierra Leone to live normal lives. Less than half of the people can…

People across the UK have been going on strike (refusing to work as a protest) and many more strikes are planned. Those who are striking include nurses, postal workers, railway staff and teachers. Who is striking and when? On 24 November, around 70,000 staff at UK universities and 50,000 Scottish school teachers went on strike. It meant that almost every school in Scotland was shut for the day. Thousands of nurses are planning a two-day strike in December and train workers have set strike days in December and January, so lots of trains will be cancelled. Around 115,000 workers from Royal Mail have been on strike and are planning more strikes leading up to Christmas, which could delay the delivery of cards and presents. Ambulance workers and firefighters have also…

The idea that energy companies should pay more tax has been in the news a lot recently. Extra money raised by the Government in tax could be used to help pay people’s energy bills, making life easier for millions in the UK. It could also mean more money for services like hospitals, libraries and schools. This month, the UK Government announced an increase to a “windfall tax” on energy companies, which will raise around £14 billion, but it could charge more. BP, an energy company that made £10 billion in profit last year, said it has “more cash than we know what to do with”. Ben van Beurden, the head of energy company Shell, said he thinks taxes should be raised to help people who can’t pay their bills. What…

Since 2019, 11-year-old Connor Beck, from Renfrew in Scotland, has raised nearly £10,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) charity. He decided to start fundraising after his uncle John died as a result of a heart condition and Connor wanted to help his family through this difficult time. He completed a 22-mile bike ride and raised £3,000 as a tribute to his uncle – and is still raising money. In 2021, he completed Scotland’s West Highland Way walk, which is 96 miles long. Connor’s fundraising achievements have earned him a nomination for the Young Heart Hero award from the BHF. THEY SAID IT! “Matilda’s story shows that even if you are little, you have to learn to stand up for yourself.”Thirteen-year-old Alisha Weir who plays Matilda in Matilda the Musical.…

One of the biggest threats to sharks is fishing. They get caught accidentally on hooks used to catch other fish. A new device called SharkGuard is changing that. About the size of an AA battery, it is attached above a fishing hook, creating an electro-magnetic field around itself. Sharks’ skin is very sensitive to electric charge, so they stay away. When tested, the number of blue sharks caught dropped by 91% but bluefin tuna were unaffected.…

For the first time in more than 30 years, scientists have created new words to help us describe objects in our universe that are absolutely gigantic and objects that are very, very small. Around the world, scientists use something called the International System of Units (called the “SI” for short). This makes very accurate rules about how things are measured, such as exactly how much a kilogram weighs or precisely how long a metre is. The SI is also used to identify very big or very small numbers. If a tiny grain of dust is one billionth of a metre, it can be described as one nanometre wide. At the other end of the scale, a star in space that is a billion metres wide can be described as one…

Cristiano Ronaldo Ronaldo became the first men’s player to score at five different World Cups. He scored a goal in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana. Kate Waugh and Connor Bentley The British athletes enjoyed success at the World Triathlon Championship Finals. Both won under-23 titles. Adelaide Strikers They won cricket’s Women’s Big Bash League final after beating Sydney Sixers. The Big Bash League is a Twenty20 competition in Australia. Canada Canada won the Davis Cup for the first time after beating Australia. The Davis Cup is the top international team event in men’s tennis.…

Zlata Dziunka – Ukraine Fourteen-year-old Zlata doesn’t just sing, she can also play the ukulele (an instrument that looks like a tiny guitar). She has performed at festivals in Poland, Lithuania and Czech Republic. She will represent Ukraine, winner of the adult Eurovision this year. Her song is emotional and called Nezlamna (“Unbreakable”). Lissandro – France From a small village in the east of France, 13-year-old Lissandro loves pop and rock, can sing in five languages. Not only can he sing, he is a professional cartoon voice actor. He is representing France with the up-beat song Oh Maman! (“Oh Mama”) and says it will be the “adventure of a lifetime”. Nicolas Alves – Portugal Nicolas is no stranger to singing competitions, having come second in the Portuguese version of The…

(Macmillan Children’s) More than 40 black writers and artists celebrate love, kindness, happiness and hope in this uplifting collection of short stories and poems. You’ll find contributions from Alex Wheatle, Sharna Jackson and Malorie Blackman, as well as talented writers who may be new to you. There are stories about family, friends and school, as well as science-fiction and fantasy. You’ll meet a magical whale, a talking book and a recipe for jollof rice, a dish from Africa. The book concludes with an invitation to tell your own story, as well as details about all the authors whose work appears. Put together by Dapo Adeola, winner of Illustrator of the Year at this year’s British Book Awards, this colourful, imaginative book is sure to make you feel joyful. WIN! We’re…

How does the thought of running through wet fields and up muddy hills this winter sound? In the sport of cross country running that’s exactly what you do. It may seem tough but it’s a great way to exercise during the colder months, get out in the open and have fun with friends. Cross country running events take place all around the UK. They are held during winter and early spring – usually November through to late March. Instead of running on a sports track, on tarmac or concrete paths, in cross country you tackle more tricky terrain. This can include parks and fields, hilly routes and muddy pathways. A cross country competition will often have events for different age groups and abilities across a variety of distances. An off-road…

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 320 350 436 627 843 4 numbers 2315 4680 6113 5 numbers 11342 28170 70631 93426 6 numbers 204825 584302 807377 7 numbers 2804515 4335471 6045622 8 numbers 24181634 26281035 97335125 9 numbers 175322547 327482246 543218910 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…

Education gives people the chance of a better life but in Zambia, in Africa, many children don’t get the chance to go to school. Baraka Community Partnerships helps children in poorer parts of the country have regular lessons. One of the ways is through its learning centre in the Central Province. Young people from 20 schools are given classes in reading, writing, maths and computers. They also have a playground at the centre. Have a look at barakacommunity.com to learn more.…

Fancy engineering your own Christmas lights, creating edible stained glass or making marshmallows? The Santa Loves STEM campaign, organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), is a hub full of engineering and technology-based activities, challenges, experiments, ideas, projects and recipes. They are perfect for anyone aged four to 13 to do at school or at home with your family. Head to theiet.org/santa and have a scroll through all of the fascinating and fun ideas on offer. 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 will not…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Murphy School: Howardian Primary School, Cardiff, Wales “Mrs Murphy is a kind, warm-hearted teacher, inspiring and most of all she is fun. She listens to us and our ideas, and always makes lessons interesting. She is the best, most amazing teacher ever.”Gracie 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…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. We asked you if you thought branded uniforms should be banned… “Branded uniforms are way more expensive.” “No. People should have a choice to wear a branded uniform if they want to.” “You don’t need branded uniforms – get a separate badge and then just sew it on!” “I think both – some should be branded but all of it being branded is unnecessary.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

A YOUNG POET Scarlett Timlett-Sheehan, a Year 12 student from Exeter, England, has been named as a Foyle Young Poet of the Year 2022. Fifteen young poets were selected from 6,600 worldwide entrants. Read her poem, Recipe for Ending Winter, at tinyurl.com/TWJ-poem AN ELDERLY CAT Vet records have revealed that the world’s oldest cat is living in Orpington, south-east England. Flossie is 26 years old. She is poorly sighted and deaf but in good health. The charity Cats Protection brought her to live with Vicki Green, who knows about looking after older cats – her previous pet lived for 21 years. CLEANING UP AFTER YOURSELF Not only did Japan beat Germany 2-1 in a World Cup match but their fans stayed behind to clear up the Khalifa International Stadium in…

Viktoria Modesta thinks of disability differently from other people. The British-Latvian pop star has a partly prosthetic (artificial) left leg. Her dream is to live in a world where disabled people aren’t seen as “different”, but where having a prosthetic leg is “as accepted as wearing glasses”. At age 20, Viktoria had the lower part of her left leg amputated (removed) by doctors. Her leg had been damaged at birth and throughout her life Modesta had lots of operations. Eventually, she decided it was time to live without her leg. Modesta’s operation changed her life. She became famous after she was chosen to perform at the closing ceremony of the London Paralympic Games in 2012. Since then, the singer has explored what it means to be disabled and she loves…

A new rule has been passed that will protect more than 50 of the world’s shark species, many of which are endangered (at risk of going extinct). The deal was signed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which manages how plants and animals are traded. Most of the world’s countries are members of CITES. One of the reasons sharks are endangered is because they are hunted for their fins, which are used in shark fin soup, a popular meal in parts of Asia. The sharks that are hunted most for their fins include blue, bull and tiger sharks, all of which will now be protected. The deal puts 60 shark species under the protection of CITES. Thanks to this agreement, around…

You’ve heard of the Great Fire of London, but have you ever heard of the Great Smog? One winter day in 1952, Londoners found their city gradually being smothered in a thick smog that made it hard to see. Smog is a mixture of fog – a natural type of weather where clouds form on the ground – and smoke from burning coal. Londoners were used to smogs but this one lasted for five days and was so bad that it caused the deaths of thousands of people. It eventually led to new laws to control pollution. Why the smog happened On 5 December 1952, it was bitterly cold in London and people lit their coal fires to warm up. Fog swirled about the city and mixed with the smoke…

Do you sometimes find it hard to say what you want without worrying about someone else’s feelings? Being assertive is an important skill that lets you stand up for yourself and still treat others with respect. What does assertive mean? Being assertive lets you explain what you want and give your opinion in an honest way that doesn’t make the other person feel angry or bad. For example, if your friend wants to go on a bike ride and you don’t, you can tell them this clearly without hurting their feelings instead of going along with their plans just to keep them happy. Anne Dickson is a psychologist (an expert in thoughts and feelings) and author, and she says assertiveness means that you take responsibility for what you want and…

A survey last year found that more than seven out of 10 British people had watched dance moves on social media or video apps during lockdown. However, far fewer – only 16% – had actually tried to learn those dances themselves. Just Dance 2023 is a new game that aims to get people up and dancing. It is the latest in a series that has been running since 2009, getting people to boogie in their bedrooms and spin around their sitting rooms. Available for PlayStation, Xbox and Switch consoles, it gets you to follow the dance moves shown on screen, tracking your movements as you wave your controller in the air – or your phone if you have the Just Dance Controller app. You can earn points as you dance,…

What always brightens your day? Waking up and doing lots of stretches to my favourite song at the time – this changes on a weekly basis. I always feel so much better after I’ve given my muscles some time to wake up. Last dream you had? I was on a cruise ship to an island somewhere. There were loads of people around, but they were all too busy rushing to the next activity to enjoy the incredible view of white, sandy beaches and ice-blue water. Maybe I need a holiday… What’s the best present you’ve ever had? A typewriter from my best friend at the time. I wrote my first novel on it and it was the first time I felt like a real writer. What advice would you tell…

What equipment do you need? Normal running trainers probably won’t be firm enough for cross country. You need footwear that’s supportive and is fairly waterproof. Some shoes have small spikes in the tread for better grip. Most runners wear shorts and T-shirts because you’ll soon warm up What is fell running? Some cross country races are on flat ground but there are lots of hills in fell running. Fell running is similar to cross country but is usually tougher because of the uphill challenge. Running along rocky paths and through shallow streams is quite common as well.…

Orissa Kelly is an amazing archer – with one unusual difference. Instead of shooting arrows by using her arms and hands, Kelly uses her feet. Kelly, who is from Hertfordshire, England, is a professional acrobat. She performs daring routines in which she demonstrates her incredible trick. Using her skills, she has worked on the set of the film Wonder Woman, doing stunts for other actors, and has even performed in front of Queen Elizabeth II.…

1 Who is the president of Sierra Leone? □ a) Julius Maada Bio □ b) Felix Tshisekedi □ c) William Ruto 2 True or false? In 1880 a law was passed meaning people only had to work 12 hours each day. □ True □ False 3 The African Unity Road runs from Algiers to which city in Nigeria? 4 Who introduced a beard tax? □ a) Boris Johnson □ b) William the Conqueror □ c) King Henry VIII 5 True or false? Viktoria Modesta had her leg amputated at the age of 20. □ True □ False 6 What are shark skeletons made out of? 7 What was the nickname Londoners used for very thick fog? □ a) Pea-souper □ b) Cabbage pie □ c) Marshmallow stew 8 True or…