Table of contents for 384 in The Week Junior

On 15 April, fierce fighting broke out in Sudan, a country in north-eastern Africa, after a disagreement between two military leaders about how the country should be ruled. Who is in charge of Sudan? At the moment the government in Sudan is run by a group of army generals but there has been a lot of change in recent years. Between 1993 and 2019, Sudan was led by president Omar al-Bashir. In 2018, protests against his government began, sparked by rising costs and food shortages. These continued for months until, on 11 April 2019, al-Bashir and his government were forced from power. The government that replaced it was run by the military and civilians (ordinary people not in the armed forces or police). This was meant to be in place…

A RICH SPORTS FAN Trainers worn by a famous US basketball star called Michael Jordan have been sold for a record £1.8 million. Jordan wore the Air Jordan 13s in an important National Basketball Association (NBA) game in 1998, and gave them to a ball boy after the match. DOING GOOD DEEDS Three children from London have raised more than £1,000 for charity during Ramadan (the Islamic holy month) by completing their own version of a triathlon. Kamran, aged 11, Eve, seven, and Harris, four, took on running, swimming and cycling challenges to support their local food bank. WELL-GROOMED GUINEA PIGS Nearly 100 guinea pigs entered the Sydney Royal Cavy Show in Australia on 13 April. The rodents were judged on their shiny hair, healthy round eyes and brick-like shape.…

On 23 April at 3pm, the Government will send an emergency message to all smartphones in the UK to test a new public warning system. Phones receiving the message will make a sound and vibrate for 10 seconds, while telling users where they can find out more information about the alerts. The Government hopes to use this alert system in the future to warn the public about emergencies such as extreme weather events, like floods in their area.…

Canada Super pigs head south A breed of “super pigs” is heading to the US. The animals are a cross between domestic pigs and wild boars. They escaped from Canadian farms about 30 years ago and have spread out and become a problem. The super pigs are now close to crossing the US border. The pigs destroy farmers’ crops and attack other animals, including deer. New York City, US City hires its first chief rat catcher A former school teacher called Kathleen Corradi has been announced as New York’s first ever “Rat Czar”, meaning she’s in charge of ridding the city of rats, which are known to spread diseases. Corradi plans to start by tackling rat-friendly conditions such as rubbish-strewn streets. “I look forward to sending the rats packing,” she…

Dr Mark Ofua, a vet living in Nigeria, has dedicated his life to saving pangolins and returning them to the wild. Pangolins are also known as scaly anteaters. They are often hunted for meat or for their scales to be used as a medicine, and they are the world’s most illegally traded mammal. Ofua, who has set up his own animal shelter, searches for pangolins that are for sale at markets so he can buy them and give them the care they need. When they’re well enough, he releases them in nature reserves. Ofua said, “We must embark on a full-scale educational programme for the entire community on the need to protect pangolins.”…

Scientists have discovered that dwarf reed snakes don’t just slither away to avoid being captured by predators – they cartwheel. The snake curls its body into an S-shape before using its tail to launch into the air and do a cartwheel. The snakes are nocturnal (active at night) and rest under leaf piles, logs or rocks during the day. • HABITAT: Forested areas in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in Southeast Asia. • SIZE: 23–25 centimetres long. • DIET: Carnivorous. They eat all sorts of things, including lizards and earthworms. • FUN FACT: The tiny snake can dash 1.5 metres away (six times its length) from predators in five seconds.…

4 October 1957 The Soviet Union (a former country made up of Russia and its neighbours) launched Sputnik I, the first satellite to orbit the Earth. A month later, Sputnik II carried a dog called Laika into space. October 1958 The US was worried that it was lagging behind the Soviet Union in space technology. To catch up, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was set up. 12 April 1961 The Soviet Union sends the first person, Yuri Gagarin, into space. He made a 108-minute orbit around Earth on board the spaceship Vostok 1, and became a global celebrity on his return home. 20 July 1969 A staggering 723 million people watched on television as US astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on…

Molly Thompson-Smith has always enjoyed sport. When she was younger she played cricket, football, netball and tennis. The one sport she really enjoyed, though, was climbing. Thompson-Smith even had her seventh birthday party at a climbing centre. “Because I started the sport so young it has always just been my ‘thing’ really,” she tells The Week Junior. “I like it because it involves strength, flexibility, problem solving and being brave.” The two types of climbing that use ropes are speed and lead climbing. Speed climbing is a very fast race up a 15-metre wall against another athlete. Lead climbing is much slower and a climber attaches their rope to the wall at certain points as they get as high as possible on a difficult route. Thompson Smith is famous for…

If you like streetdance, get ready for Breakin’ Convention’s 20th International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre at Sadler’s Wells, in London, from 29 April to 1 May, and its summer UK tour. The festival features brilliant streetdancers and hip hop theatre performers from all over the world. Acts include French duo Les Twins; the Ghetto Funk Collective from the Netherlands, who specialise in a funk and hip hop dance style known as locking; and Brazilian breakdancer Samuka from the Ill-Abilities group, which is made up of dancers with disabilities. Samuka lost his right leg when he was little and got interested in breakdancing after the operation. UK performers include Boy Blue, a hip hop dance company from east London, and Far from the Norm, which does streetdance and theatre…

Into the Faerie Hill by HS Norup (Pushkin Children’s) When Alfred arrives at his granny’s cottage, he feels like he’s being watched. He soon realises that the surrounding forest is full of faerie creatures. Teaming up with a new friend, Saga, he hopes to find a way to protect the faeries and their world from a new motorway development. Stink by Jenny McLachlan (Farshore) Fairies are sweet and sparkly and lovely… aren’t they? This hilarious diary-style book might make you wonder. Stink is the rudest, naughtiest fairy in existence – it’s Danny‘s job to help her do a good deed and win her silver wings. If you enjoyed Loki you will really like this laugh-out-loud story about a fairy with a difference. The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa De La Cruz…

Name: Elsa The Demon Headmaster and the Prime Minister’s Brain by Gillian Cross “Twists, competition and friendship. A secret club try to find their friend who is held by the most evil villain…” 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…

What you need • An old cardboard box• Ruler• Scissors• Old comics or newspapers• Glue• Pencil• Paints• Sticky foam tabs (optional) My name’s Olaf Falafel – hello! I’m a children’s author, illustrator, dad and a stand-up comedian. During the Covid-19 lockdowns I started an online Art Club to share drawing tips, information about artists and jokes, like: Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the loo? Because the pee is silent. I want to introduce you to an American pop artist called Jasper Johns this week. He is best known for his flags, letters, maps, numbers and targets – particularly his paintings of the US flag. He said he wanted to explore the idea of “things the mind already knows”. I love how Johns’s flags combine both art and…

We know how much the environment, nature and animals matter to our readers because you write and tell us! We are sure that you will be marking Earth Day, as shown on this week’s cover. Our On Screen report this week (page 22) is an inspiring read about just some of the ways you can get involved in supporting our beautiful planet. I loved reading about Nabilah Chowdhury too (on page 9), the award-winning climate activist whose interest started from watching the plants on her family’s balcony in London. Moving off-world, the All About this week (page 12) is a fascinating reminder of humans’ history of space travel and exploration, and the story about the healing powers of honey on page 14 is a brilliant example of where science and…

Teacher’s name: Mr O’Byrne School: Ecolint Nations school, Geneva, Switzerland “The best teacher should be Mr O’Byrne because he lets us have extra playtime, physical education and brings us to the park. He makes everything fun and easy to understand including maths. He is very nice and a very funny person.”Class 6b 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 you if you thought writing by hand is better than typing… “Writing’s better. Everyone’s handwriting is unique and it’s lovely to get a handwritten letter.” “Typing’s faster, you don’t get hand cramps and work is legible.” “You get to be more creative when writing by hand – you just let everything out through your pen.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

If you’ve enjoyed this issue, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show? Go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-show or scan the QR code above. We’d also like you to take part. Give us your views on the Big Debate in this issue or tell us which was your favourite story and why. Send us a voice message by asking a parent to go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-show, scroll down and click on the red button. Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution makes it onto the page. We will only use the details you provide to arrange delivery of badges, and we will not share them with anyone else. By submitting your reports and pictures, you give consent to…

A new space mission to study some of Jupiter’s moons has been launched by the European Space Agency (ESA). The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft blasted off on a rocket from French Guiana in South America, and is now hurtling towards the largest planet in the solar system. Its job is to study three of Jupiter’s biggest moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. Scientists think these frozen worlds could hold vast oceans of water below their icy surfaces, and they might even contain some form of life. The Juice spacecraft will fly past Venus and Earth a few times, using their gravity to gather enough power to propel it deeper into space. Juice will take more than eight years to travel 4.1 billion miles to Jupiter. The mission will cost…

Animal rights protesters tried to stop the Grand National, a famous horse race that takes place every April at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. The protesters say that horses can be badly injured in races and horse racing should be banned What happened? The race was set to start at 5.15pm on 15 April but protesters from the campaign group Animal Rising got into the racecourse grounds. Some glued themselves to fences that the horses were due to jump. Police arrested 118 protesters and removed them from the course. The race was delayed by 14 minutes and when the race began a 10-year-old horse called Hill Sixteen fell at the first fence and later died from his injuries. He was the third horse to die over three days of racing…

The House of Lords acts as an extra layer of the UK Parliament, making sure that bills approved by MPs are right to become law. Since 2000, the House of Lords Appointments Commission, an independent public body, checks possible peers to make sure they are suitable. There are also 92 peers with titles like duke or earl because of the family they are born into. Peers are often experts in certain areas, such as business or science. Members are not paid but can claim £305 for each day they attend, although they don’t always turn up. Lord Lebedev has been to about 1% of Lords sessions since he became a peer in 2020. Some say the House of Lords should be changed for a more modern system; others think they…

The St Mark’s fly is black, shiny and hairy and so-called because it appears around St Mark’s Day, on 25 April (although it could be any time between April and June). Large groups swarm around woodland edges, fields, hedgerows and wetlands. They are about 12 millimetres long, with clear wings and long dangling hind legs. The males have bigger eyes than the females. In fact, the male’s eyes are divided up and have separate connections to the brain, allowing them to use the upper part to look for females and the lower part to monitor where the ground is and hover effectively. The flies only live for about a week, and during this time they try to mate. They are a good meal for birds arriving in the UK after…

The short answer is evolution. Animals have adapted and changed over millions and millions of years to suit their environment and what they can eat. Some animals, like the zebra, have four legs to help them run away from other animals trying to eat them – like lions. Other animals’ front legs were adapted into arms – like the gibbons’ – to allow them to swing through trees and gather food. 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…

Scientists at Cardiff University in Wales are trying to find out if honey could be used as an alternative to antibiotics (a group of medicines that are used to treat infections caused by bacteria – tiny living things). In recent years, infections that can’t be cleared by antibiotics have become more common. This happens because bacteria can gradually get used to antibiotics and stop being affected by them. This is called “antibiotic resistance” and it is a big worry for doctors. A recent study revealed that more than 1.2 million people died in 2019 worldwide because of it. Scientists already know that honey has healing properties. Manuka honey, for example, is an antibiotic and is used to treat wounds and burns. It’s made by bees in New Zealand that pollinate…

by Jess French (DK) Do you have a pet? Would you like to get one? This book has everything you need to know about caring for animals – it’s full of facts and helpful tips. Written by author and vet Dr Jess French, it gives lots of information about some of the most popular pets – such as cats, dogs, fish and guinea pigs – as well as more unusual ones like lizards and snakes. You’ll find out how to choose the right pet for your family and how to care for them, including feeding, grooming and training. You’ll also find out about the history of pets, their behaviour and the different ways they communicate. Even if a pet won’t fit into your family right now, there are plenty of…

If you want to tackle an outdoor challenge this summer then why not try a muddy obstacle course? They are large events set up in a field or a park and have things like inflatable climbing frames, swinging equipment and tunnels to crawl through. Many obstacle courses have the added fun of muddy water pits and messy slides. It’s great fun running, walking or even swimming through the chaotic course with friends. Lots of groups around the UK offer obstacle events. Pretty Muddy Kids is for children aged from five to 12 and is organised by the Cancer Research UK charity. An adult can run alongside a young person around the three-mile course. It has mini obstacles to climb over, cargo nets to crawl through and a spider’s web rope…

Crossword Read the clues carefully and write the answers into the grid. Across 1 Shirt’s wristband (4) 3 Horn of a deer (6) 8 Black and white Antarctic bird (7) 9 Creative activity (3) 10 Object hit about on a court (6,4) 13 Vehicles landing at Gatwick (10) 17 Removable cover (3) 18 Sunshade (7) 19 Gardener’s small digging tool (6) 20 Dutch shoe (4) Down 1 School hats (4) 2 Garden barrier (5) 4 Convent sister (3) 5 Woolly South American animal (5) 6 Baby’s noisy toy (6) 7 Pale yellow root vegetable (6) 11 Set of steps (6) 12 Croquet stick (6) 14 Sound broadcast receiver (5) 15 Artist’s three-legged stand (5) 16 Slimy garden creature (4) 18 Dish with a pastry crust (3) Spot the difference These…

Name: Willoughby “My dog Meg has had eight puppies, four girls and four boys. They are very naughty and funny, and love to play. They also nibble my fingers a lot and climb all over me. It’s really fun having puppies in the house but they also do a lot of poo and escape from their pen! I will be very sad when they go to their new homes.” 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 you’d like to see published on this page? Whatever you have to show or tell us, get in touch at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk JOKE OF THE WEEK “Why did the cat named ‘OneTwoThree’ win in a…

1 The European Space Agency’s new spacecraft, called Juice for short, is flying towards which planet? □ a) Neptune □ b) Uranus □ c) Jupiter 2 True or false? 24 artists and illustrators have drawn the King’s socks for charity. □ True □ False 3 Which country has just celebrated its new year with huge water fights? 4 What is the other name for the House of Lords? □ a) The upper chamber □ b) The middle chamber □ c) The lower chamber 5 True or false? Nabilah Chowdhury grew up in Sydney. □ True □ False 6 What do scientists call the Amur tiger’s two main personality traits? 7 What is the name of the first black person who will go to the Moon? □ a) Victor □ b)…

Where Nabilah Chowdhury grew up in east London, there was little space for wildlife. However, her family had a small vegetable patch on their balcony, with plants and bugs that she loved to watch. This put her on a path that would eventually lead to her campaigning for the environment. When she was nine years old, Chowdhury moved to Sydney, Australia, and discovered a different world. “I had a kind of hard shell when I first moved, and it took me a while to get used to everyone,” she says. Then she started volunteering at Taronga Zoo, where she saw animals she had never seen before, such as dingos, kangaroos and koalas, and her love of wildlife grew. Alongside her volunteering work, Chowdhury, who is now 18, started to organise…

A group of researchers studying the behaviour of Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, have found that they have different personality types that help them to survive and raise their cubs. The largest cats in the world, Amur tigers live in vast forests in wilderness areas of eastern Russia and in protected areas of northern China. There are only about 500 left in the wild, although there are probably more than that living in captivity. The researchers based the study on a human test called “The Big Five”, which scores people on five personality traits. They asked vets and feeders working with 248 cats in two sanctuaries (one the world’s largest semi-wild tiger sanctuary) to observe them and answer 70 questions about their personalities. The results divided the tigers…

A water company is using dogs to find where water is leaking from underground pipes in rural (countryside) areas. South West Water supplies water to 1.7 million people in the English counties of Cornwall, Devon and parts of Somerset and Dorset. It is trying to cut the number of leaks across its network. The company has recently tried using dogs to sniff out problems, working with a dog-training company called Cape SPC, which provided two springer spaniels called Denzel and Kilo. The dogs searched 27 miles of rural land in five days – something that would have taken a team of humans around two weeks. The clever hounds found seven leaks. Denzel and Kilo are trained to detect a chemical called chlorine in the water that leaks from pipes. This…

The last time the US space agency NASA sent astronauts to the Moon was all the way back in 1972, more than 50 years ago. Now, NASA is laying the groundwork to land the next man (and the first woman) on the Moon, as part of its Artemis programme. On 3 April, the space agency named the four astronauts who will be on board the next mission, Artemis 2. What is the aim of the mission? The main goal of the Artemis mission is to return to the Moon to understand the mysterious lunar south pole. NASA is carrying out the mission in three stages: Artemis 1, Artemis 2 and Artemis 3. The first of them took place last year. The Artemis missions are using a type of spacecraft called…

However you feel about money, it plays a big role in life. Understanding how it works can make you feel more confident and happy and can help you reach your goals. Why is it helpful to understand money? Whether you want to make a million pounds or are comfortable with just enough, understanding money is an important skill to have. Kalpana Fitzpatrick is a money expert and author of Get to Know: Money. She tells The Week Junior that understanding money isn’t just about maths and numbers. “It’s a tool to help you live a better life the way you want it,” she says. So if you dream of buying a new guitar or travelling around the world one day, knowing when to spend and save your cash will help…

Every year, 22 April is Earth Day, which celebrates our planet and encourages people to do whatever they can to protect it. If you’re wondering how you can get involved, there are plenty of websites with information and advice. A great place to start is the official Earth Day website, which tells you about the day, including events that are happening around the world. These include marches, community clean-ups and “teach-ins”, where people can learn about the environment. Another helpful site belongs to the Young People’s Trust for the Environment. This is a charity that works with young people, parents and teachers in the UK on topics like climate change and plastic pollution. The BBC Bitesize site also has a section about sustainability – how we can keep our beautiful…

What inspired you to write this book? I’m a vet, so people often come to me asking how they can best look after their pets. I thought it was about time I wrote all my answers down together in one place. Favourite animals? Don’t do that to me. I love all animals. Best and worst thing about being a vet? The best thing – saving lives. The worst thing has to be cleaning up their poo. If you could see any animal in the wild what would it be? I would love to see an okapi. How many pets have you had in your life? Too many to count – from dogs and gerbils to stick insects and chickens.…

How can I join in? With the help of an adult, go to raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org to find a Pretty Muddy Kids obstacle course near you this summer. The mini Tough Mudder courses are set up at all Tough Mudder adult events. Visit toughmudder.co.uk to find out more. How much does it cost? Entering the Tough Mudder course for children aged five to 12 costs £16. Pretty Muddy Kids is £12 – and you are encouraged to raise sponsorship money to help Cancer Research UK. Other activities available on the day, such as face painting, will cost extra.…

Dogs to get a royal pampering A five-star (grand and expensive) hotel in County Durham, England, is offering owners of Cavalier King Charles spaniels (a type of dog) a free night’s stay – to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. These spaniels were the favourite of King Charles II (1630–1685), and from 1 May to 30 June, guests with that type of dog who book a three-night stay at Seaham Hall, near Sunderland, will get their third night free and a “pup pack”. The hotel describes this pup pack as containing bowls, towels and “irresistible treats”. 3D monsters that fool the viewer An artist is transforming the walls of abandoned buildings with his 3D-type murals (pictures that are painted directly onto walls). Graffiti artist Pierrot, also known as SCAF,…

The wildlife charity, People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), is running its annual nationwide water vole survey between April and June. If you are based in England, Scotland or Wales, you can get involved in searching waterways for water voles, which are sadly one of Britain’s fastest declining mammals. This survey will in turn help conservationists (people who protect and preserve the environment) chart water vole populations and combat their decline. Find out more at ptes.org/watervoles GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…