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On 21 April, thousands of people gathered in London for a four-day climate change protest, called The Big One. It was led by the environmental group Extinction Rebellion but campaigners from more than 200 other organisations joined in. What is Extinction Rebellion? Extinction Rebellion (XR) is an organisation that protests against climate change. It is usually known for its disruptive protests, such as blocking roads, to draw attention to its cause. In 2019, activists blocked a junction of roads in Oxford Circus for five days by parking a pink boat there. Many people did not agree with that form of protest. In early 2023, the group announced that it would find newer, less disruptive ways to send its message. The group decided not to block London’s streets or bridges during…

Around 1.8 billion Muslims have celebrated Eid al-Fitr across the world. This is one of the most important events in the Islamic year. Eid marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month when many Muslim adults don’t eat or drink anything between sunrise and sunset. This is called fasting, and Muslims believe it brings people closer to Allah, or God. The date of Eid al-Fitr depends on when the first crescent of the new Moon appears, and this year it appeared on 20 April. The celebration traditionally begins with prayers before people visit relatives and friends to wish them Eid Mubarak (happy Eid), eat lots of delicious food and exchange gifts or sweets. In Manchester, England, more than 20,000 people gathered at Platt Fields Park, making it the largest…

Monday 8 May has been declared a bank holiday in the UK to mark King Charles III’s coronation (an official ceremony to crown him as King). Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the public holiday was created “in recognition of this historic occasion”, and that it would be a one-off holiday rather than an annual tradition. Campaigners, however, want there to be more bank holidays every year because this helps to bring people together. They argue that the UK is less generous than many other countries when it comes to official days off. On the other hand, others say bank holidays disrupt important public services and cost the UK a lot of money because most workplaces close. What do you think? Should the UK have more bank holidays? Yes – the…

Scientists have been studying the feathers of the desert-dwelling sandgrouse bird, which can carry large amounts of water. Researchers hope that they can learn better ways to store or soak up liquids from them. In 1896, a scientist called Edmund Meade-Waldo watched sandgrouse chicks drinking water from their mother’s feathers. He believed their feathers had special sponge-like qualities but other scientists didn’t believe him because feathers were well known to repel water rather than attract it. Scientists now know that a sandgrouse can soak up about 25 grams of water – that’s about one seventh of its body weight – and carry it for up to 20 miles. Jochen Mueller, from Johns Hopkins University in the US, has been looking at wet and dry feathers under a special microscope. His…

On 13 May, the longest-running international singing competition returns for its 67th year: the Eurovision Song Contest. Performers from 37 countries will compete to win the Eurovision trophy and there will be plenty of weird and wacky performances along the way. How did it all start? On 24 May 1956, the first Eurovision Song Contest took place in Lugano, Switzerland. It was created by a company called the European Broadcasting Union to bring countries together after the Second World War (1939–1945). The contest was one of the first attempts to broadcast a live event in different countries at the same time. Seven countries took part in the first competition: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. As Switzerland was roughly central among the competing countries, it was a…

Scientists investigating two cemeteries in Mongolia have uncovered new information about a mysterious ancient civilisation called the Xiongnu empire. Xiongnu was a nomadic empire, which means its people travelled about rather than settling down and staying in one place. They controlled an area called the eastern Eurasian steppe, which includes modern-day Mongolia and parts of Russia and China, for three centuries from 200BC. Not much is known about the Xiongnu because no written records have been found, apart from those written by people who went to war with them. In fact, it was the Xiongnu who inspired the Chinese to start building the Great Wall of China – to keep them out. Studying DNA (a chemical that carries the information about how your body grows) in 17 skeletons buried thousands…

YOUR PHOTOS Email photos you have taken to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your photo is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Photos could be of buildings, pets, nature or anything you find interesting.…

When someone you care about dies, even when it’s a person you didn’t know, like somebody famous, you can feel lots of different and painful feelings. It can be difficult to deal with these feelings and know what to do with them. This is called grieving. Coping with different feelings When you grieve it’s natural to feel sad, angry, anxious, guilty or numb. There may also be times when you feel happy or you laugh. There isn’t one way you should feel when somebody dies; whatever you’re feeling is ok. Grief coach Rebecca-Monique says when a person you care about dies your relationship with them doesn’t disappear, it just changes. “Feelings want your attention. It helps to notice them, name them and talk about them. This way they don’t stay…

Animal Crossing: Deserted Island Diary Follow the funny adventures of four wacky residents of an island with your favourite Animal Crossing characters. This comic also features a short section of another video game-themed comic, Kirby Manga Mania. InvestiGators: All Tide Up This is a sneak peek at John Patrick Green’s graphic novel series InvestiGators, which is about a super spy alligator duo who work together to solve crimes. After a cruise captain is found drifting alone at sea, the pair must search for his missing boat and passengers. The Last Comics on Earth This spin-off of The Last Kids on Earth books and animated Netflix series follows the main characters as they write their own comic book series. They are determined to continue the story of their favourite superhero, Z-Man…

Twelve-year-old Vincent has dyspraxia (a condition that affects co-ordination and organisational abilities). He’s dreading an outdoor activity weekend with three kids from his class – he hates the idea of putting up tents, long walks and spending time with people he doesn’t like. Victor can’t wait until he can get back home where he can enjoy his favourite pastime, gaming, in peace, but the trip takes an unexpected turn when one of his classmates reveals a secret. She believes a pirate’s treasure is buried deep in a nearby mountain and wants to investigate. The trip has becomes a thrilling adventure when they realise a thief is on their trail. Can the Treasure Hunters work together and use their skills to stop the thief? This story shows how our differences can…

Have you ever thrown a frisbee with family or friends in a park or at the beach? If you enjoy doing that, you’ll enjoy a game of disc golf. It’s a sport played on a course (like a golf course) and involves throwing a frisbee at a target. There are disc golf venues all around the UK, with courses set up in woodlands, parks, fields, campsites – and at some golf courses. It’s easy to play and the rules are simple. You have to throw your frisbee, which is called a disc in this sport, into a metal target in as few throws as possible. The target has chains hanging from it and a circular basket where the disc lands. Each time you throw, you take your next throw from…

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 150 168 291 665 757 834 4 numbers 1154 1560 6727 5 numbers 10109 10565 65647 94506 6 numbers 431627 545482 938543 7 numbers 3557661 6154374 7858453 9661851 8 numbers 16734447 81313316 94710735 9 numbers 437533288 544212674 812584721 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 29 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 rodents listed below? They are…

“Hi, I’m Grace and I have a little sister called Florence. Over the Easter holidays, we went to Iceland – it was so cold and it was snowing when we took this photo on Rainbow Road in the capital city, Reykjavik. We travelled across Iceland in a little campervan which was definitely a new experience! It was beautiful and there were many volcanoes (all dormant at the moment, sadly), geysers gushing boiling water and steam that smelled of boiled eggs. We also saw where the tectonic plates met! We had a wonderful time in Iceland with wind that would blow the doors off our camper van…” What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed reading? What have you made? Have you written a poem or drawn…

Teacher’s name: Miss Dorricott School: The Royal School Wolverhampton, West Midlands “Miss Dorricott is a kind and encouraging teacher, and always helps us do our best. In English, she lets us act out characters that we are learning about. She makes learning so much fun.”Jasmeen 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 Which climate group led the recent four-day protest in London, called The Big One? □ a) Greenpeace □ b) Extinction Rebellion □ c) Keep Britain Tidy 2 True or false? A gate in Wales got 100,000 likes online. □ True □ False 3 Which country is estimated to have a higher population than China by mid-2023? ________________________ 4 How many bank holidays does the UK usually have every year? □ a) Eight □ b) Nine □ c) 33 5 True or false? Lukas Skinner started surfing when he was six years old. □ True □ False 6 What percentage of DNA do dogs and wolves share? ________________________ 7 Which country has won the Eurovision Song Contest more times than any other? □ a) Ireland □ b) Sweden □ c)…

TASTING GREAT MARMALADE A man who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, who entered a marmalade competition for the seventh time has been crowned winner. Tim Nind won the Dalemain World Marmalade Awards & Festival in Cumbria, England, with his delicious orange and ginger recipe. A VERY POPULAR PENGUIN A king penguin has beaten competition from Africa, Australia, Canada and the US to be named the world’s most popular penguin. Spike, who lives at Birdland in the Cotswolds, England, won the competition, organised by the charity Penguins International, partly because of his excellent personality. MAKING A DRAMATIC COMEBACK On 22 April, north Wales football club Wrexham beat Boreham Wood 3-1. Their win secured them a return to the Football League 15 years after they were relegated. In 2021, celebrities Ryan Reynolds and…

On 19 April, 33 primary school pupils gathered for a meeting of the Children’s Parliament at the House of Lords to discuss the future of the internet and how they can stay safe online. The Children’s Parliament brings together young people aged seven to 11 to talk about important issues with people in Parliament. The meeting, which was led by Baroness Uddin, a member of the House of Lords, focused on the future of the internet, known as Web 3.0, and the metaverse, a part of the internet with 3D virtual spaces where users can socialise, learn and play together. Although this new technology is exciting, the prime minister of the Children’s Parliament, Harry Acheampong, said, “Like every technology, the metaverse comes with risks.” To learn more about it, the…

Ten years ago, J.B. Gill decided to make a change; he moved from the city to start his own farm. As one of the members of a popular boy band called JLS, life for Gill had been busy but the farm gave him a way to relax. He told The Week Junior, “It was kind of a safe haven, a place where I could just chill out and de-stress.” Although farming was new to him, Gill took the challenge in his stride and his experiences helped him write his book Ace and the Animal Heroes: The Big Farm Rescue. The story follows Ace, whose life changes dramatically when he moves to the countryside. After trying on a pair of magical wellies, Ace realises he can speak to the animals, who…

A project to restore the long-lost woodland of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in England has started. The aim is to plant 100,000 trees there. The hills of the Yorkshire Dales were once covered in dense forest but experts believe that prehistoric farmers cut down lots of trees between 8,000BC and AD500. By the time Germanic people (known as Angles) settled in Great Britain 1,500 years ago, the area was mostly bare, like today. The Woodland Trust, a charity that works to protect woodland, has raised £8 million to revive the lost forests. It plans to restore 60 square kilometres of the Yorkshire Dales’ woodland habitat by 2030. At the moment, less than 5% of the Dales is covered by woodland – that means the region has less tree coverage…

These lizards are only found in south-east Colorado, US, including land in and around the US Army’s Fort Carson military base. A recent study shows that these lizards, who are exposed to stressful loud noises from low-flying planes, have a coping strategy that might be familiar to some humans – they move less and eat more. • HABITAT: Canyons, grassland and hillsides often around rivers and creeks. • SIZE: They can grow up to 10.7 centimetres. • DIET: Insects. Mostly grasshoppers and termites (ant-like insects). • FUN FACT: There are no males in this species; the females produce babies on their own.…

On 23 April, Kelvin Kiptum and Sifan Hassan enjoyed memorable wins at the London Marathon. Kiptum, from Kenya in east Africa, won the men’s race in two hours, one minute, 25 seconds. That’s the fastest anyone has run the London Marathon. Hassan, who was born in Ethiopia and lives in the Netherlands, took the women’s title. Before this event she had never run in a marathon competition. A marathon is a 26.2-mile race. The London Marathon takes place each year, passing the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. This year more than 48,000 runners took part. Most run for fun and raise money for charity as tens of thousands of people cheer along the route. Hassan was very impressive in her first marathon competition. Early on in…

Anyone who’s played Minecraft knows that if you see a Creeper character, it’s wise to run away – at least until you’re powerful enough to fight it. Minecraft Legends, a brand new game that was released on 18 April, may come as a shock in that case. Here you’ll have to make friends with creepers, skeletons, zombies and other characters who have been your enemies because you are teaming up with them to battle a different foe: piglins. Piglins are pigs who can walk on two legs and build bases to defend themselves as they try to take over Minecraft’s “Overworld”. Minecraft Legends is a very different game from the original Minecraft. Rather than doing all the building, crafting and digging yourself, your job is to travel around the world…

Have you ever gone looking for treasure? When I was little I used to dig holes in our old vegetable patch hoping to find treasure. I never did. I’d love to try metal detecting one day. Do you enjoy gaming? Not any more. I know I would become so engrossed I wouldn’t have time to write any books. What is your favourite moment in the book? I think it has to be the booby-trap scenes. I was very much inspired by the Indiana Jones films when I was writing those. What inspired you to write this book? My daughter took part in the Duke of Edinburgh award and when I heard her experiences of mud, blisters, heavy rucksacks and moaning mates I thought – there’s a story here. Pizza or…

How should you throw? There are different ways to throw, so do it in the way that feels most comfortable. Grip the disc and try to keep it level and smooth in the air; you don’t want it rising up too much. Before you go to a disc golf course, practise throwing a frisbee in a straight line in your garden or a local park or open space. Any safety tips? Always check there is no one in the way who could be hit by the disc. If you play with a group of people, the person furthest from the target should throw their disc first. The other players should wait behind that player until they’ve thrown before moving to their disc.…

Engineer Sergii Gordieiev has put his skills to the test by creating a bike with square wheels. The bike works like a tank but is powered by its pedals. Rather than going round, the square wheels stay still but the tyres around them slide along the ground like the caterpillar tracks on a tank. This might make the bike slow to ride. Gordieiev also has a popular YouTube channel where he posts his other inventions, including the smallest working bike.…

A writing competition has been set up in memory of a young person called Martha Mills, who died unexpectedly in 2021. She loved reading and writing, so to celebrate her life Martha’s family have teamed up with the London Review Bookshop to launch this prize. The theme is “The Stranger”, and submissions must be prose. This means stories and other work is welcome, but not poems, and your entry must be under 500 words. To enter, you also need to be 11 to 14 years old, and live in the UK. In June, three winners will be announced, and author Katherine Rundell will present the prizes in person. Deadline: 22 May. Visit tinyurl.com/TWJ-Martha…

On 21 April, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab resigned after an official inquiry into his behaviour at work supported two claims of bullying against him. Who is Dominic Raab? Dominic Raab is a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) who has held important jobs in the Government, including Foreign Secretary, which deals with the UK’s relationships with other countries. He was also responsible for running the country when former Prime Minister (PM) Boris Johnson was ill with Covid-19 in April 2020. When Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister in October last year, he made Raab Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary. What did the report say? Sunak asked for an investigation into Raab’s behaviour towards civil servants (people who work for the Government but are not elected) after 24 people made complaints.…

Madrid, Spain Unusual school brings the outside in Pupils have helped to design a school that is connected to nature. Reggio School has a drawbridge entrance, walls made from mashed cork, which provide a home for insects, and an indoor rainforest two storeys high. It was designed by Andrés Jaque, who asked pupils and teachers for ideas. One student said, “It looks like a robot made of butter.” Mexico Migrants march in protest Around 3,000 migrants (people who have left their home country in search of a better life) are marching over 600 miles to protest about unsafe detention centres. These are places where migrants are held, sometimes in prison-like conditions. Many migrants are kept in often overcrowded centres in Mexico, waiting for permission to enter the US. Galápagos Islands,…

This pretty plant flowers from early May in lightly shaded woodland – often where bluebells bloom too – as well as ditches, fields and hedgerows. The bright pink flowers have five petals that are split halfway down. Red campion is “dioecious” (plants are either male or female). At the flower’s centre are either five slightly curly female stigmas or five shorter and straight male stamens. The flower is attached to a tube encased in a hairy purple-brown calyx (protective cover). The plant’s stems and the leaves – arranged in pairs – are hairy too. Insects, including bees, butterflies and hoverflies, visit and pollinate red campion. Old folk tales say that the flowers guard bees’ honey stores and hide fairies.…

Wolves and dogs share 98.8% of the same DNA but there are also some big differences that set them apart. Dogs have smaller skulls, for example, and wolves possess sharper canine teeth. Thousands of years ago, wolves moved near human camps to scavenge for tasty leftover food. This led to something called “domestication”, which is how some wolves evolved into our domesticated pet dogs. 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…

An energy company in Sweden has launched a project to heat up the city of Västeras using large underground caves full of warm water – like a huge hot water bottle beneath the streets. The energy company, called Mälarenergi, will use large caves that already exist and can hold roughly the same amount of water as 120 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Around 40 years ago the caverns were used to hold vast amounts of oil, in case it was needed for fuel in an emergency. However, the caves were emptied in 1985 and they haven’t been used to store anything since then. Mälarenergi is cleaning the caves before it fills them with water, which will be heated up to 95°C using heat from Mälarenergi’s nearby power plant. The thick rock traps…

Scotland rugby union team In the women’s Six Nations, Scotland beat Italy 29-21 to record their first victory in this year’s tournament. Manchester United & Manchester City Both football teams won their FA Cup semi-finals. United beat Brighton on penalties and City defeated Sheffield United 3-0. Daphne Schrager, Frances Brown & Finlay Graham At the Para-cycling Road World Cup in Italy, the three British athletes each picked up a gold medal in their class. Emily Campbell The British weightlifter won her category at the European Championships in Armenia. It’s the third time Campbell has been European champion.…

For fans of superheroes, cartoon strips and graphic novels, the first Saturday of May is a very exciting day of the year: it’s Free Comic Book Day. This is when a select list of comics are given away for free at comic book shops in the UK and around the world. This year, on 6 May, there will be 43 comics to choose from, including Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Power Rangers. The list includes an exclusive comic, which is only available to get on Free Comic Book Day, called The Best Comic Ever. It features a collection of stories and characters from science-fiction series 2000AD Regened, including a rag-tag group of sport players called the Harlem Heroes. One of the writers of The Best Comic Ever, Ramzee,…

Villains Academy by Ryan Hammond (Simon & Schuster Children’s) In this funny, illustrated story, it is werewolf Bram’s first day at the most respected school for villains in the land: Villains Academy. The trouble is, Bram doesn’t feel like a villain at all. With the help of his new friends, can he find his inner badness and become the villain he’s always dreamed of being? Interview with Blackbeard and Other Vicious Villains by Andy Seed. Illustrated by Gareth Conway (Welbeck Kids) Travel back in time to meet some of the most famous baddies from history with this funny fact book. Told in an entertaining interview format, you’ll read the real-life stories of 10 vicious villains, including Blackbeard the pirate, Ivan the Terrible and Emperor Nero. Inside the Villains by Clotilde…

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…

The coronation of King Charles III takes place on 6 May and, whether you are a fan of the royal family or not, it’s a rare and fascinating event in British history. It is also a great opportunity to get together with friends and family. The coronation is a religious ceremony that is the official moment when King Charles III is crowned. It will be shown live on television for only the second time in history. The first time was the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, back in 1953. Creating a party for the day is a good way to mark this very special occasion. Here are a few ideas to help you organise your own royal party and invite some friends over. 1 Design your own invitation King Charles…

Guinness World Records has named a chihuahua called Pearl the world’s shortest living dog. Pearl is so small that vets at Crystal Creek animal hospital in Orlando, US, had to use a special device to confirm that she is just under 10 centimetres tall and just under 13 centimetres long. Pearl is smaller than a TV remote and an ice lolly stick. Owner Vanesa Semler recently took Pearl on an Italian TV show, where she described her teeny tiny dog as “small like a ball” and “a child at heart”. The previous record holder was Pearl’s Aunty Milly.…

Spring is here and this issue is full of environmental stories. Last year I forgot to plant tomato seeds until June, and while everyone was enjoying gorgeous, ripe, homegrown tomatoes in the summer heat, I was looking sadly at my scorched seedlings. This year will be different! I’m not sure I would use posh poo on my plants (page 27) but I’m definitely thinking about growing wildflowers (page 10) to support wildlife. Respecting nature on a large scale has been the basis of the Extinction Rebellion protests in London (page 2), and loving nature on a personal level has inspired J.B. Gill on People (page 9). It’s also the push behind the technology to use old caves to create, in effect, giant hot water bottles to supply cities with energy…

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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 the House of Lords should be replaced… “The UK is a democracy. Shouldn’t we choose who makes laws?” “It’s fair that some people who work hard for the country are in it.” “They are not doing a good enough job.” “No. It is part of British history and it is important.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…