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On 16 February, Alexei Navalny, a famous critic of the Russian government, died in prison. Many world leaders believe the country’s president Vladimir Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death and have paid tribute to Navalny for his courage in speaking out. Who was Alexei Navalny? Navalny spent years campaigning against corruption (when people use their position dishonestly to make money) in Russia. He was critical of Putin, the Russian government and its supporters. Navalny exposed corruption online and on social media. In 2011, he founded an organisation called the Anti-Corruption Foundation. His last investigation revealed details of a palace built for Putin using more than £850 million of public money. Navalny became a popular political figure who led street protests against Putin. In 2017 he was banned from running in…

This pretty butterfly is one of the earliest to emerge from hibernation and its appearance is a sign of spring approaching. Found all over England and Wales, brimstones like damp woodlands, hedgerows and large gardens. The butterfly has yellow-green wings measuring about six centimetres across. The females are pale compared to the bright males, but both have a small orange spot on each wing. Brimstones use their long proboscis (mouthpart) to sip nectar from flowers and they prefer to drink from purple ones such as bluebells. Masters of disguise, they settle with their veined wings closed so that they look like a leaf. Some people say that yellow male brimstones inspired the name “butter-fly”.…

On 14 January, a volcano near the town of Grindavik in Iceland erupted for the second time in a month. Molten rock flowed to the edge of the town. On average, a volcano in Iceland erupts every five years but since 2021 that has gone up to nearly one a year. Scientists believe that these eruptions are part of the start of a new period of volcanic activity in the area. What are volcanoes? Volcanoes are mountains made of cooled lava (hot melted rock that comes out of volcanoes) and ash. They are formed when chunks of the Earth’s crust, called tectonic plates, come together or move apart and magma is released from deep within the Earth. Magma is what lava is called when it is beneath the Earth’s surface.…

Scientists have created a special type of gel from milk that can be used to extract valuable metals from old computer parts. People throw away old electronics but these often contain tiny bits of gold and other metals. Scientists can extract the metals but they use chemicals that are bad for the environment. The new gel is made from whey, a substance left over when fresh milk is made into cheese. It is able to absorb metals from computer equipment, which can then be recycled and used again in something else. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Fidgeting is often seen as a sign of being bored or restless. Some might think you’re not paying attention but studies show that having ants in your pants could be good for you. What is fidgeting? Fidgeting means making small, restless movements without meaning to. It can be soothing and repetitive, like drumming your fingers on a desk, or feeling the need to shuffle around in your chair because you can’t get comfy. Do you often find yourself tapping your toes, jiggling your knees, nibbling your nails or twiddling your hair? Most people, including grown-ups, get the fidgets from time to time and scientists say people are more likely to fidget when they are excited, worried or tired, but it can happen any time. How is it good for you?…

The Sleeping Stones by Beatrice Wallbank (Firefly Press) Gruff and his friend Matylda live on a small island off the Welsh coast. The islanders find themselves strangely drawn to the Sleeping Stones: a line of rocks, like stepping stones, leading out to sea. Soon, the friends must fight to save their community from a powerful storm driven by ancient magic. The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr (Bloomsbury Children’s) It’s 1939 and Jimmy has been evacuated from London to a village in a Welsh valley. He feels out of place in the countryside – but when he makes a spooky discovery of a skull hidden in a tree, the valley begins to feel frightening. Can Jimmy uncover the secrets of the skull? The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon…

Name: Martha The Final Year By Matt Goodfellow “Exams, resilience, sadness. I would recommend this book because it shows how life doesn’t always go to plan and that when there is darkness there will also be light.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it’s printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Describe the book in three words, what you liked about it and why you’d recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Celebrate St David’s Day with this delicious cheesy dish. St David’s Day is on 1 March and it is a celebration of Wales and Welsh culture. St David was a preacher who set up many churches across Wales before he died in AD589, and was said to have performed miracles. Today, many Welsh people celebrate their national day by wearing daffodil or leek badges, which are both symbols of Wales. Welsh rarebit is a slightly fancier version of cheese on toast, made by creating a tasty cheese sauce that you spread on bread and grill. A recipe for first appeared in a cookbook in the early 18th century – but a reference in Wales to delicious roasted cheese (caws pobi in Welsh) dates back all the way to 1542. Welsh…

This week’s feature on Icelandic volcanoes (page 12) has really intrigued me. I’ve always been fascinated by volcanoes – I can’t help picturing them as being like a well down to the middle of the Earth. I know they aren’t really like that, but I’m still astonished that the inside of the planet is so fiery. It’s like living on a dragon’s back. What do you think of the meaty rice on page 15? It’s been the talk of the office, especially around lunchtime, and opinion is very divided. Altogether more tasty-sounding is the recipe for delicious Welsh rarebit on page 25, to mark St David’s Day, the patron saint of Wales. Our five books this week take inspiration from the folklore, myths and beautiful countryside of Wales. In fact,…

The 2024 Royal Mint Museum short story competition opens on 19 February. Children aged 8–11 are asked to write a story of no more than 500 words about a ship carrying a cargo including gold coins. Aimed at increasing collection accessibility, promoting literacy and supporting school and community libraries, the winning 500-word story will be chosen by historian and broadcaster Greg Jenner. The chosen story wins a voucher for £5,000 for the pupil’s school or local library from Peters and will be illustrated by the accomplished coin artist David Lawrence. To find out more information, ask a grown-up to visit royalmintmuseum.org.uk/learning 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…

1 What material was used to cover the Menkaure pyramid? □ a) Marble □ b) Granite □ c) Concrete 2 True or false? The goldendoodle is the UK’s most in-demand dog. □ True □ False 3 Which two citrus fruits were used in a festival in Menton, France? 4 How old is the current US president Joe Biden? □ a) 80 □ b) 81 □ c) 85 5 True or false? Chef Adejoké Bakare is the first black woman in the UK to receive a Michelin star. □ True □ False 6 Which bird has the longest migration journey? 7 Where is the world’s largest volcano? □ a) Iceland □ b) Hawaii □ c) Japan 8 True or false? Milk is being used to turn old electronics into gold. □…

ROWING THE ATLANTIC SOLO Leanne Maiden became the first South African woman to row across the Atlantic alone. Maiden, who lives in Scotland, spent 66 days at sea before arriving in Antigua in the Caribbean. She says she hopes it inspires her children to be “ambitious and crazy”. HEDGEHOG SUPPORTERS A survey has revealed that the number of hedgehogs in the UK is rising. Gardeners’ World magazine asked its readers to report how many hedgehogs they saw. The data they gathered shows an increase of 2% this year. Previous studies showed that, since 2000, hedgehog numbers had fallen by up to 75%. A JAPANESE ANIMATED FILM On 18 February, The Boy and the Heron won Best Animated Film at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards (BAFTAs). It…

People in the US will choose their next president in November this year. Joe Biden, who became the oldest US president in history since he took charge in 2021, is hoping to be re-elected. Some people worry that such a demanding job requires someone to be younger and fitter. However, in many cultures older people are considered a good choice because they have learned a lot over the years and gained wisdom from experience. Most countries are led by politicians who are much younger than Biden. So, what do you think? Should an age limit be imposed so younger, fresher candidates have a chance to take charge, or are older leaders a better bet? Yes – it’s a demanding job Being a leader is physically and mentally challenging. They have…

On 10 and 11 February, hundreds of top young athletes took part in the England Athletics Open Indoor Championships. The annual competition was held at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, with under-15s, under-17s and under-20s age groups. As the weather is usually cold at this time of year, most athletics competitions take place indoors before going outdoors in the warmer spring and summer months. The sports included 60 metres and 200 metres sprinting, 60 metres hurdles races, high jump, long jump, pole vault and shot put. In the 60 metres sprint, Aliyah Afolabi won the women’s race and Divine Iheme took first place in the men’s for the under-15s category. “I found that race pretty fun. It was really nice to see all the training pay off,” Iheme…

Hello Kitty, a Japanese cartoon cat that is recognisable all around the world, turned 50 this year. She was the inspiration behind a new exhibition, Cute, at Somerset House in London, exploring cuteness. The show has an area dedicated to Hello Kitty, with hundreds of stuffed toys sprouting from the walls and a disco where Hello Kitty is the DJ. Humans are drawn to cute things, scientists say, because looking at adorable things triggers pleasure in the brain – babies are cute and we want to look after them. However, the show’s curator (the person who puts the show together), Claire Catterall, told The Week Junior that “cuteness” can be hard to define because sometimes what one person finds cute can seem strange to someone else. The exhibition, which is…

Lilo & Stitch Disney+, Prime Video, Google Play If you don’t make it to the exhibition at Somerset House, you might still be after a dose of cuteness. In that case, look no further than Disney’s Lilo & Stitch. In the movie, a creature called Experiment 626 is made by aliens before escaping to Earth. There, he is adopted by a little girl called Lilo, who names him Stitch. Unfortunately, Stitch is followed to Earth by aliens who want to capture him. Stitch might seem a bit odd and frightening at first, but you’ll soon see that the little blue alien has as much love to give as anything on planet Earth. Watching his bond grow with Lilo is a heartwarming (and cute) sight to behold, making the film a…

In Sarah Driver’s new book Dreamstalkers: The Night Train, dreams have disappeared and haunting nightmares stalk the wild moors where Bea and her mother, Ula, live. Ula tells Bea, “Don’t feed them. Give them joy, don’t think of fear,” but she too is fighting the nightmares. Driver tells The Week Junior that the night-time world of dreams and nightmares is one that almost everyone shares. “It is so mysterious and different from the day-time world,” she says. Dreaming by day is just as important to Driver. She walks by the sea near where she lives in Brighton, England, where she enjoys “the freedom to daydream”. On these walks, she travels backwards and forwards to times and places she has known in her life, and ideas fill her mind. In her…

Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 3 letters Dad Son 4 letters Baby Heir Nana 5 letters Bride Nanny 6 letters Auntie Sister 7 letters Descent Dynasty 10 letters Descendant Grandchild 11 letters Grandmother Grandparent Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BEEF BOWL BROCCOLI CABBAGE CHOPSTICKS CHOW MEIN DIM SUM DUCK DUMPLING GINGER LYCHEE NOODLES OOLONG PORK PRAWNS RICE SEAWEED SPRING ROLL TOFU WONTON Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum of the numbers in the two circles directly beneath it. Spot the difference These…

Clothing Collective Going without proper clothing is a reality for a growing number of children in the UK, and can affect their education, social lives and mental health. Clothing Collective’s mission is to make a positive impact on communities through clothing. Every donated item provides clothing to those in need, raises funds for local charities and reduces waste. Since June 2018, the charity has handed out 4,333 clothing vouchers, supporting 2,141 people in need. clothingcollective.org…

Alicia Waters Galàn is litter-picking all the way from her home in Spain to Paris. She is heading to ChangeNOW 2024, an event where people will come together to discuss solutions for climate change. It starts on 24 March. Alicia is raising money for Kids Against Plastic (an environmental charity) and she’s calling her adventure Pick 2 Paris. Alicia was inspired to take action after visiting an aquarium. There she learned that a creature discovered in the deepest part of the world’s oceans – the Mariana Trench – had been eating plastic. Through litter picking she says, “I can see the difference I’m making”. Her advice for other young people interested in giving it a go is, “Wear gloves, bring a litter picker, go with an adult and don’t pick…

A report has found that one in five of the world’s migrating species are at risk of becoming extinct. Migrating species are ones that regularly travel to another location in order to survive. They might be looking for food, better weather or a mate. This includes mammals, such as whales and gorillas; amphibians, like toads; reptiles, including turtles; and insects, fish and birds. The report was by the United Nations (UN), an organisation of 193 countries that work together on the challenges facing humanity. In 1979, members of the UN signed an agreement to protect 1,189 migrating species. The recent report looked at the health of these protected species and found that nearly half of the populations are getting smaller, and more than one fifth are at risk of extinction.…

In a recently published paper, scientists have suggested that the Brazilian flea toad is the smallest vertebrate (animal with a backbone) in the world. Two of the creatures could sit on an average adult’s little finger nail. ● HABITAT: The only known habitat is two forested hills in southern Bahia, Brazil. ● SIZE: Males are around seven millimetres long; females are slightly bigger. ● DIET: Small ants and tiny insects called mites. ● FUN FACT: The Brazilian flea toad is actually a frog. When scientists first found it they got its species wrong.…

Many scientists have now stopped asking if there is life on other planets – instead, they’re just trying to work out where it is. Now, researchers think they have found a possible location, a distant planet given the catchy name of TOI-715 b. TOI-715 b was discovered by TESS, a telescope owned by the US space agency NASA. The planet is classed as a super-Earth, although this just means it’s bigger than Earth but smaller than ice giants such as Neptune or Uranus. It lies 137 light years away from our planet. This means that if you were travelling at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), it would take you 137 years to reach it. This may seem like a very long way away, but because the universe…

Wigan Warriors The reigning rugby league Super League champions started the new season by beating Castleford Tigers. Hull KR, Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants, St Helens and Catalans Dragons also won. Freya Colbert The 19-year-old British swimmer won gold and silver medals at the World Aquatics Championships. Damian Lillard Lillard was named Most Valuable Player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game in the US. Rasmus Hojlund He scored twice for Manchester United to beat Luton Town 2-1. It was the sixth Premier League game in a row in which Hojlund had scored.…

Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Series 3 Available now on Disney+ In the final series, the Bad Batch group is facing threats from all directions. The group will need to search for new allies, venture out on dangerous missions and use every skill they’ve learned to free themselves from the Empire. The Dumping Ground, Series 11 Available now on BBC iPlayer Ashdene Ridge has burnt down and now the Dumping Ground gang must move to a new care home. Will they get along with the other kids in their new home, Porter’s Lodge? Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Available now on Netflix Marcel is a two-centimetre-tall shell who lives with his grandmother. When he becomes the star of a documentary, he decides to try and use his fame to…

Describe Stitch, Henry and Alice in one word each. Stitch – kind. Henry – likeabubble. Alice – loyal. Tell us about the first story you ever wrote. When I was nine years old I wrote a story about a giant slime monster that came from the bottom of the sea and ate people. What inspired you to write Stitch? I always loved the Frankenstein story, so I decided to write my own version. Would you like to live in a castle like Professor Hardacre? No. I’ve been in real castles, they’re way too draughty, and I’d never be able to keep it tidy. What is your favourite bit in the book? I like the first chapter because sometimes audiences gasp at the twist at the end when I read it.…

Gardening can be fun but not everyone has the space to really let their imagination go. However, a new game called Garden Life lets anyone try out their planting and arranging skills in a virtual garden. There’s a story behind it too. The game takes place in a community garden (one that’s open to people in the local area) that used to be cared for by a gardener called Robin until they died. You are Robin’s replacement, given the job of tidying it up and then planning which plants, decorations and furniture to put in. There’s a twist: Robin’s ghost (don’t worry, they are a friendly ghost, not scary!) is still around and has a list of tasks to help you get started. You’ll be placing a bench, creating a…

Whiskas the cat has been reunited with her family an astonishing 10 years after she went missing. Her owners thought she had found somewhere else to live when she disappeared in 2013. However, an appeal to find the owner was put out online recently by the RSPCA animal charity after someone found the 16-year-old cat in their shed. Linda, who adopted Whiskas in 2007, told the BBC, “I thought it can’t possibly be Whiskas after all these years.”…

Name: Martha “I read The Week Junior every week and saw the Unlimit Health poster competition. I’m really interested in art and thought tropical diseases would be an interesting topic to draw about. Before I started, I did some research online about neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). I was interested in the shapes of the bugs that cause these diseases and thought they would look great on the poster. I hadn’t realised how serious these diseases were before I researched them. The poster’s design took a few attempts because some of my initial ideas didn’t work very well but I was very pleased with the final product. I was excited to win and to help raise awareness of NTDs.” What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed…

Teacher’s name: Mr Halsall School: Chalkwell Hall Junior School, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex “Mr Halsall is a lovely teacher with a big heart. He is very supportive and inspires us to be who we want to be. He makes lessons interesting by giving us fun activities to do and he never lets us get bored.” Isabelle 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…

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 all pupils should play an instrument… “No, schools would waste a lot of money.” “Yes, it can make you smarter and it helps you develop memory and muscle memory.” “No, some people like other things and shouldn’t be forced to play an instrument.” “Yes, everyone should at least try. If they don’t like it, they don’t need to continue.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…