Table of contents for 370 in The Week Junior

On 8 January, protesters in Brazil attacked important government buildings in the capital, Brasília. The protesters are supporters of Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro. What did the protesters do? Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters attacked government buildings in Brazil’s capital, Brasília, including Brazil’s congress (parliament) where laws are made. They also attacked its supreme court, the most important court in the country, and the building where the president works. They started fires, threw furniture, broke windows and destroyed many important works of Brazilian art. As it was a Sunday, hardly anyone was in the buildings. Bolsonaro was in Florida, US, when the violence happened. What do Bolsonaro supporters want? On 30 October 2022, Jair Bolsonaro lost Brazil’s presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula. Lula took power…

An 11-year-old boy is helping to feed families in his community. Isaac Winfield runs two food banks in his home town of Redditch, England. A food bank is where people receive food parcels donated by others. Isaac set up his first food bank using his birthday money during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Thanks to the kindness of his community, Isaac’s food banks have been able to support lots of people – he helps up to 100 people on a busy day. Isaac now has a shed for storing food and a delivery van, although he’ll have to wait a few years to drive it.…

The walrus is a mammal usually found in the Arctic Ocean. However, a walrus nicknamed Thor came to visit England last year, visiting Scarborough on New Year’s Eve and Blyth in Northumberland just after. It’s thought he will now be heading north, towards his Arctic home. • LIFESPAN: Up to 40 years. • HABITAT: The Arctic, in the waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. • SIZE: They grow up to 3.5 metres long and can weigh as much as 1.5 tonnes. • DIET: Invertebrates such as crabs, shrimps and snails. • FUN FACT: Walruses use their tusks to fight and to pull themselves up on to the sea ice.…

Throwing snowballs is one of the oldest and most popular winter activities in the world. In fact, it is so popular that throwing and dodging snowballs has actually been turned into a competitive team sport. Called yukigassen, this sport started in Japan in 1988. “yukigassen” means “snow battle” in Japanese. The winter sport has grown and has become popular in other countries that get a lot of snow, including Canada, China, Finland, Norway and Slovakia. Yukigassen is played on a snowy court or field with two teams of seven players on each side. Players wear padded outfits and helmets for protection. The aim of the game is simple: hit the other team’s players by throwing a snowball at them. Being hit by a snowball means that player is “out” and…

British artists have had a very successful year in 2022, taking all top 10 spots in the UK’s end-of-year Official Singles Charts. These charts reveal the top 10 singles over the entire year, and they are worked out by looking at the songs that have been most bought and streamed online. Harry Styles took the No.1 spot with his song As It Was, which was streamed by people more than 180 million times in 2022. His album Harry’s House was also the most listened to album. Ed Sheeran had three songs that featured in the top 10, and his album Equals was the second most popular album for the second year running. Other artists on the list included Glass Animals and Sam Fender. Some old songs made it to the top…

The Incredible Pop-Up Mummy by Moira Butterfield. Illustrated by Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien (Templar) Marking 100 years since Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered, this book is packed with multi-layered pop-ups and flaps to lift. Learn about pyramids, death masks, tomb treasures and how mummies were made. Egyptian Myths by Jean Menzies. Illustrated by Katie Ponder (DK) Meet gods and goddesses and discover monstrous creatures, magical spells and mighty rulers in this intriguing collection of 20 myths from ancient Egypt. As well as the exciting and enthralling stories themselves, you’ll find wonderful illustrations and lots of fascinating information about the past. The Curse of the Tomb Robbers by Andy Seed. Illustrated by James Weston Lewis (Nosy Crow) When Nub and Iteti overhear a gang of tomb robbers plotting to…

Name: Daisy “Adventure, friendship, exciting. The characters are lovable, kind and fun. I was gripped and couldn’t put it down.” 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…

A new year brings the chance to enjoy new experiences, explore new places and make new memories. Instead of simply snapping selfies on a phone or camera, why not create something special? This clever memory tree is made from 12 twigs, leaf-shaped labels and a cardboard tube for the trunk. Personalise your tree by painting and decorating it in different colours and patterns or just leave it natural. As each month passes, attach mementos such as a birthday card, a cinema or train ticket, a recipe, a wrapper, a wristband or simply a feather or shell you collected on a walk. By the end of 2023, you will have a tree decorated in memories of the moments that made you smile. What you need…

We are truly settled in to the new year now. If you listened to our podcast that went out last week, you’ll know that I’m not very good at making resolutions. The nearest I get is to tidying things up and getting ready for busy times ahead. This is why I love the story (page 10) of the keepers at ZSL London Zoo counting up all their animals to get a grand total of the new arrivals. I wouldn’t mind counting the sloths but I can’t imagine trying to count fish in a tank. Of course, the clever keepers take a picture and count the creatures on the still image. I was also fascinated to read about supermarkets too (page 12) and how shopping has changed over the years. Are…

Many people have compared the events in Brazil to the attack at the US Capitol Building, where laws in the US are made, on 6 January 2021. Like in Brazil, supporters of former US president Donald Trump wrongly believed that votes in the US presidential election had been deliberately changed to make it look as if he had lost, when they thought he should have won. The attack was to try and overturn the result so Trump could stay as president. In December 2022, an official investigation into the violence said that police should arrest Trump for four possible crimes.…

THE WORLD’S SMARTEST DOG After assessing more than 1,000 dogs from 13 breeds, scientists have found that the world’s smartest dog is the Belgian Malinois. Different breeds were tested for intelligence by, among other things, their ability to find food and read human expressions. SKIING IN SCOTLAND Unusually warm weather has caused snow to melt in popular skiing destinations like France and Switzerland, which has encouraged people to try skiing in Scotland instead. Thousands were drawn to Scottish ski resorts, where it’s been very snowy. One resort in Aberdeenshire got so busy it had to stop selling tickets. SELLING A FILM MODEL The 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial tells the tale of an alien who is stranded on Earth and befriends a boy. Now, the E.T. model that was used…

15 January 2009 US Airways flight lands on Hudson River On 15 January 2009, US Airways flight 1549 made an emergency landing. The plane flew into a flock of birds just minutes after taking off. The damaged engines couldn’t be restarted, so the pilot, Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, skilfully glided the plane to land on the Hudson River in New York City. Some people were injured but no one died, leading to the event being called “The Miracle on the Hudson”.…

For more than 100 years, going to the cinema with friends and family to watch brand-new films has been a tradition that lots of people have loved. Not only is it a great experience to sit in comfortable seats and eat a bucket of popcorn, but it’s a chance to watch the latest films on the big screen. However, with the growth of streaming services in recent years, and the closing of cinemas during the Covid-19 pandemic, some people have realised it’s easier and more convenient to watch films in their own home. Lots of exciting films have been released in the last year, such as Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical and Lightyear, but some people would rather watch them at home than at the cinema. What do you think?…

Cameron Scott, aged 10, has three passions: acting, dancing and singing. “She doesn’t walk across a room if she can dance across!” says her mum, Victoria. Cameron also has a condition called alopecia, which causes her hair to fall out. It hasn’t stopped her from acting in a pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, in Norwich, England, where she lives. Although she admits it’s nerve-racking to go on stage with no hair, Cameron says, “As long as you think you’re awesome, then don’t bother about what other people think.” THEY SAID IT! “You can never be too old or young to learn or enjoy cooking.”BBCYoung MasterChef judge Kerth Gumbs thinks everyone should have a go at cookery.…

A murmuration of starlings is an incredible sight – a swirling mass of thousands of birds, swooping and diving in unison (working together) to create moving shapes in the sky. It’s not just starlings that do it but they are the most famous for it in the UK. Murmurations are thought to have several purposes. Gathering protects starlings from birds of prey – it is hard to target one bird in a flock of thousands. They also group together to keep warm at night and swap information, such as where to find food. They often gather above their roosting sites, which include buildings, cliffs, reed beds and woodlands, before sunset. You can see them from November and all through the winter across the UK.…

All birds can catch bird flu but not all are affected in the same way – just like when humans catch a cold, their symptoms may be different. Garden birds are less affected by bird flu than pigeons, poultry (like chickens and ducks) and birds of prey. It often spreads through poo or shared food and water sources. If you have bird feeders, clean them often (while wearing gloves) and change the water in bird baths frequently too. 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…

Have you ever spent ages searching the beach for flat stones to skim across the sea? Well, you might have been wasting your time because a new study has found that heavy and rounded stones will make bigger leaps out of the water. When you throw a thin, flat stone across the water, you will often see it skip along the surface several times. With a round stone the effect is different but no less satisfying. It might only skip once, but, if thrown right, it will bounce much higher, according to researchers. Doctor Ryan Palmer and Professor Frank Smith used maths to work out how the shape and weight of an object affects how it hits the water. They discovered that although some heavy stones will sink, stones that…

On 22 January, Chinese New Year will be celebrated by people all over China, as well as communities of Chinese people all around the world. The 15-day festival includes dancing, fireworks, food and music – and you can join in the party. In the UK, we celebrate the New Year on 1 January because we follow a fixed calendar called the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. However, the Chinese calendar – known as the lunar calendar – follows the cycle of the Moon. This means that New Year can fall on any day between 21 January and 20 February. Chinese New Year is also connected to a myth about a monster that attacked villages at the start of each year. The monster was afraid…

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Available now on Disney + Season two of this animated series started on 4 January, and a new episode is added each week. The elite unit Clone Force 99, or “the Bad Batch”, are back, struggling to survive after the Clone Wars. Expect new friends and enemies. The Beaker Girls Out on 13 January on CBBC and BBC iPlayer This is the second series about Tracy Beaker and her daughter Jess, who live by the seaside. Tracy is on the verge of fostering runaway teen Jordan – but of course, things don’t go smoothly.…

Cooper loves performing magic tricks. His dad – an electrician who was also known as the Great Eduardo – taught him all the tricks of a magician’s trade, before he died. Although Cooper misses his dad terribly, doing magic is a way to remember him, even when life seems tough. One day, a talking rabbit appears from his dad’s old top hat and says it might be possible to see his dad again. Soon, Cooper and Rabbit are travelling through a weird and wonderful land of magic gone wrong, getting tangled in a tricky adventure. Will Cooper ever be able to track down his dad? This graphic novel, told through black-and-white comic-strip panels, is exciting, funny and warm-hearted. Its message about finding the magic in life, even in the toughest…

Judo is one of the most popular and exciting martial arts, along with karate and taekwondo. A martial art is a combat (fighting) sport or form of self-defence and many of them come from east Asia. A judo student is called a jūdōka. Two jūdōka compete on a large mat, each wearing a special jacket, trousers and belt called a jūdōgi. During a judo match, one player wears a white jūdōgi and the other wears blue. The aim is to throw your opponent from a standing position onto the mat to win. Throwing is very important in judo because unlike other martial arts, there is no kicking or punching in a judo competition. When you begin judo classes, you will be taught how to fall – and land – safely.…

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 332 425 447 4 numbers 1637 6763 9037 5 numbers 32254 32432 34053 6 numbers 158322 412521 514137 7 numbers 1811064 3844747 4441320 4857527 8 numbers 37524265 52142440 71718440 9 numbers 233005279 770213685 932174479 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 or backwards.…

Name: Raaj “Hi, I love doing word games, and I discovered Wordle a few months ago. Wordle is an online game in which you have to find a five-letter word in six tries. It became very popular last year during Covid times. I have recently passed a 100-day streak in Wordle. This means that I have been playing and completing Wordle for the past 100 days without a break or losing. That’s around three months straight! By playing this game more words come into my vocabulary, and it also requires logic. I recommend that everyone should try Wordle as it is super fun.” What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed reading? What have you made? Have you written a poem or drawn a picture that…

Get creative Calling aspiring poets, performers and authors! In March, the Worcester Competitive Arts Festival 2023 will take place. Its aim is to give people of all ages the opportunity to compete and perform in a friendly and supportive environment. You can get involved by either writing a poem about the planet or a short story themed around the forest. What will you come up with? Don’t hang around! Enter through the Play&Perform platform by 23 January, and ensure that you submit any manuscripts by 13 February. The winners will be announced on the first day of the festival. To discover more, head to wcaf.org.uk GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

“I found this weird Hula Hoop in a salt and vinegar crisp packet. This picture is of me and my sister with the crisp.”Felix and Matilda “I went to London to watch Matilda for my birthday. It was the best birthday ever. I like bananas.”Flick “I love the rainforest, so my grandma put this wallpaper in my room, and I made a collage of my favourite pictures from my old copies of The Week Junior.”Hannah…

Teacher’s name: Mr Richardson School: Hampton Hill Junior School, Richmond, Middlesex “I’ve just started juniors and my teacher has made us feel so welcome in year 3. He is so funny. Everyone in my class signed a sheet of paper to nominate Mr Richardson from Hampton Hill Juniors. We think he is the funniest, smartest teacher in the world!”Cass 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 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…

On 4 January, the UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gave his first speech of 2023. He spoke about some of the issues affecting people in the UK at the moment, such as the rising cost of living. The speech was important because Sunak wasn’t elected by the public based on a list of policies (ideas and promises), as most Prime Ministers are. Instead, he was chosen only by members of the Conservative Party. The speech revealed his policies for running the country. What was the speech about? Sunak made five main pledges (promises). He said he will halve the rate of inflation, which would mean the cost of goods and services not rising as quickly as they have been recently. He also promised to grow the economy (the way a…

“I started begging my mom to let me act when I was six years old,” says Netflix star Jenna Ortega. “She pretty much ignored me because she thought it was just a phase.” Fourteen years later, Jenna is already one of 2023’s biggest stars. Jenna’s career started at the age of nine, when her mum drove her to auditions in Los Angeles, California – even though it was a seven-hour trip there and back in the car. After starring in TV adverts for toothpaste and burgers, Jenna got the lead role in a Disney show aged 14. In Stuck in the Middle, Jenna played Harley Diaz, an engineering genius and the middle child in a family with six other children. Coming from a big family herself, and with a passion…

A new project has been launched to attract A volunteers to identify sharks, skates and rays. The work can be done by people at home. Scientists are hoping to learn more about the variety of creatures that live around the coast of Wales. The project, called Sharks Inspiring Action and Research with Communities (SIARC), is a partnership between the Government organisation Natural Resources Wales, the Zoological Society of London, and local communities in Gwynedd, Wales. During the summer of 2022, underwater cameras were used to film protected and critically endangered (at risk of becoming extinct) species off the Llŷn Peninsula in north-west Wales. The footage is available to view on the Instant Wild website. Here volunteers can watch and log what they see. There is more than 90 hours of…

When the first supermarket opened its doors 75 years ago, shoppers were in shock. They were allowed to choose, touch and take things off the shelves themselves. That day in January 1948 changed the way people in the UK shopped. The Week Junior takes a tour through the story of the supermarket. Traditional shopping Before supermarkets, people would visit different shops for different types of food. They would go to a butcher for meat; a bakery for bread; and greengrocer for fruit and vegetables. Shoppers would be served by shopkeepers who would keep the goods behind a counter and weigh and wrap each item. During the Second World War (1939–1945), a food shortage meant that food was rationed (limited to a certain amount per person). This meant people were only…

Winter can feel like hard work with its short days and wet weather. However, you can learn to make the most of the season. By seeing things differently, you can come to love its special mix of brisk, cold walks and cosy relaxation. Why can the darker months sometimes feel difficult? During winter there is less daylight and it gets dark earlier. This means you have less time outside to play with friends. It’s often rainy, windy and cold, so being outside if you’re not wrapped up properly isn’t much fun. Frances Trussell, who helps people with their mental health, says, “If you draw a picture of a happy day, it’s likely that it would include a bright, sunny sky. So it’s no wonder you might find darker winter days…

Have you ever been on board a train and wondered what it would be like to sit at the controls? Modern Train Driver Game will give you a taste of life in the driver’s compartment. The 2021 game for Apple and Android devices is based on the railway system of Sydney, Australia. You drive your train through different scenery in the city and pick up passengers as you stop at each station – just be sure you arrive on time. You can play for free but some of the game’s modes have to be paid for, so check with an adult before you make any in-app purchases. If you are interested in the history of trains, then this month is an important anniversary: the 160th anniversary of the opening of…

Know any magic tricks? Yes, I can make money disappear, quite quickly apparently! When and how did you learn to draw? I always used to doodle but I dropped art at school and did woodwork instead. I loved comics when I was younger and loved all the ways of showing action and movement. I’m still learning. Favourite thing to do to welcome in the new year? Celebrate my hometown football team starting the year with a win. It didn’t happen. Best childhood memory? My mum and dad buying me an Action Man for my birthday while on holiday in Skegness. I couldn’t believe I was going to get one. I’d heard people say, “I had to pinch myself”, if they didn’t believe something, so I kept pinching my arm to…

Where can I try Judo? With the help of an adult, visit the British Judo website (britishjudo.org.uk) and click on the “clubs” tab to find your local club. They will offer a beginner session, which is sometimes free. To see judo in action, go to tinyurl.com/TWJjudovideo to see a video by the International Judo Federation. What do I need? You don’t need a lot of kit and many judo clubs will lend you a jūdōgi uniform when you start. As you become more experienced, you get different coloured belts. For eight to 17-year-olds, this is called the Mon system.…

Nick Franklin has been a fan of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ever since he was a child. He now has a collection of Willy Wonka-themed items, such as a Wonka chocolate bar, a golden ticket and a life-sized model of Augustus Gloop. Franklin the super fan stores his collectibles in a special room in his house that he has nicknamed the “Wonka wing”, and he is hoping to achieve a world record for his fabulous collection of Willy Wonka objects…

1 What is the capital of Brazil? ■ a) Rio de Janeiro ■ b) Brasília ■ c) Campo Grande 2 True or false? Sheffield began its Year of Culture celebrations last week. ■ True ■ False 3 What was Croatia’s currency called before it switched to the euro? 4 What is the most successful film? ■ a) Avatar ■ b) Avengers: Endgame ■ c) Monsters Inc. 5 True or false? Before starring in Wednesday, Jenna Ortega was in adverts for toothpaste and burgers. ■ True ■ False 6 Which is the oldest scientific zoo in the world? 7 What was the name of the US shop that inspired supermarkets? ■ a) Tinky Winky ■ b) Sally Pally ■ c) Piggly Wiggly 8 True or false? Around 4,000 shopping trolleys are…