Table of contents for 399 in The Week Junior

The president of the West African country of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, has been replaced during a coup (pronounced “coo”). A coup is when a military group illegally seizes power over a country. What happened? On 26 July, Bazoum was removed from power by the guards who protected his presidential palace. It is thought Bazoum is being held prisoner by the junta (the name given to a military group ruling a country) but he is in good health. General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who led the coup, has declared himself leader of Niger. Bazoum was elected in 2021. It was the first time in Niger’s history that a democratically elected leader (one who was voted in by the people) replaced another democratically elected leader. Why did the coup happen? The junta in Niger…

A FOOTBALL FIRST Nouhaila Benzina has made history by becoming the first football player to wear a hijab (an Islamic headscarf worn for religious reasons) at a Women’s World Cup match. It was the first time the Moroccan defender has played in a World Cup tournament. A WELL-EARNED REST A fire investigation dog for Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in England has finally put his paws up and retired after 11 years. Throughout his career, Reqs, a black Labrador, attended 500 fire incidents. His handler, Nikki Harvey, says he’s now ready to enjoy life lying on the sofa and playing with his tennis ball. CREATING OCEAN ART The National Museum of Scotland will host a new artwork called Bottled Ocean 2123. The artwork imagines what life under the sea will…

Every July, the royal Swan Marker and a team of Swan Uppers row along the River Thames, shouting “All up!” when they see a family of mute swans and their babies, called cygnets. The birds, which are owned by the King or Queen, are weighed, measured and checked for any injuries. David Barber is the current Swan Marker, and he wears a feather in his cap as part of his uniform. He was appointed by the Queen 30 years ago. When he was interviewed for the job, he suggested that more should be done to protect the beautiful birds. “The Palace liked the idea and the Queen appointed me,” he said.…

Mainly found in woodland, on roadside verges and in scrubland in central and southern England, this plant is famous for its sticky nature. Greater burdock is up to 1.5 metres high and has large fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves with wavy edges. At this time of year, its thick stalks are topped with egg-shaped flower heads that look a bit like thistles. They are actually clusters of hooked seed heads, or burs, and they help the plant to spread its seeds by attaching themselves to animals or humans. It’s fun to play with the sticky plant because the burs stick to T-shirts and jumpers when thrown. When Swiss inventor George de Mestral and his dog got covered in sticky burs during a walk, it gave Mestral the idea for Velcro.…

Originally from the Pacific island of Guam, about 150 Guam kingfishers remain worldwide. They went extinct in the wild about 30 years ago, when tree snakes were introduced. Scientists have reared four chicks and will release them on a predator-free island in the region. ● LIFESPAN: 15 to 20 years in captivity. ● HABITAT: They were once widespread on Guam, everywhere from forests to large gardens. ● SIZE: 22 centimetres long and weigh 50 to 70 grams. DIET: Small lizards and insects like grasshoppers. ● FUN FACT: The Guam kingfisher always makes its first call of the day at about the same time. It’s so regular that locals say you can use the bird to tell the time.…

Katie Ledecky At the World Aquatics Championships, the US swimmer won the 800 metres freestyle, which was a record 16th individual gold medal. Manuela Vanegas Vanegas scored Colombia’s winning goal in their 2-1 win over Germany in the group stage of the Women’s World Cup in Australia. Demi Vollering Vollering, from the Netherlands, won the eight-day Tour de France Femmes cycling competition. She was runner-up last year. Great Britain triathlon team The team came second in the mixed relay at the World Triathlon Series in Sunderland, England. France finished first.…

Who were you closest to as a child? I had a really close friend called Graham. When he was in charge of his younger sisters we used to take them wandering all over the fields near where we lived. Where would you go on a magical mystery tour? Distance no object, I’d take a tour of the rings of Saturn. If size was no object then it would be the inside of a beehive. Favourite magic trick? I like tricks that you can do with ordinary objects. Tricks that wake the wonder in a biro or a fork. What do you do in your spare time? I love to draw, though I’m rubbish at it. I have also been learning a bit of magic. I’m rubbish at that too. The…

There are many wonderful things on the internet to help you play, learn and communicate with friends. However, one of the big challenges of going online is learning to spot misinformation. Misinformation is news, stories and social media rumours that are not true. One thing you can do is find trusted sources for news, including the BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera and Channel 4 News, and newspapers such as The Guardian and The Times. One of those – the BBC – has some helpful posts on its “Own It” website. These include a video called “5 tips to deal with dodgy news stories online”; a song about fake news from the Horrible Histories team; and a quiz to see if you can spot the difference between fake and real headlines. Search…

New home for diamond cutters The largest office block in the world has just opened for business in Surat, a city in the Indian state of Gujarat. The building is made up of nine 15-storey towers that connect to a central corridor. It is the size of around 560 tennis courts and has been described as “a city within a city”. The block, called Surat Diamond Bourse, will provide office space for 65,000 professional diamond cutters – people who shape rough diamonds into precious jewellery. Around 90% of the world’s diamonds are cut in Surat, and the enormous office is designed to house the whole of the industry under one roof. Wonka superfan shows his stash In the “Wonka Wing” of his home in Cheshire, England, Nick Anderton has stored…

Vote now! We’re asking you to help choose the winner of The Week Junior Book Awards Cover of the Year. This is the only award voted for by The Week Junior’s readers so it’s up to you to decide which book cover is the most creative, eye-catching and appealing. There are 12 colourful covers on our shortlist and the winner will be the one that receives the most votes before the closing date of midnight on 8 August 2023. The winner will be announced on 2 October 2023 at a special award ceremony and you’ll be able to read all about it in issue 408. To take a closer look at the shortlisted covers and cast your vote before it’s too late, go to theweekjuniorbookawards.co.uk GET INVOLVED Email your news,…

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 (see below). Last week we asked you if parents should pay children to do chores… “Kids should be paid to do chores so they can learn how to spend money wisely.” “You should help without being asked to do so because it’s the kind thing to do.” “Children should be paid to do chores as they can be VERY boring.” 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…

On hot summer days, there’s nothing better than cooling off with a refreshing swim. In the UK, public baths were first introduced by the Romans and many were built by the Victorians, although these were more for keeping people clean rather than swimming. It wasn’t until the 1920s that people started splashing about in pools for fun, and in the 1920s and 1930s lots of outdoor pools around the country opened to the public. However, the UK is an island nation, in other words you’re never too far from the sea, and many people say they prefer a natural beach to a swimming pool. Beach lovers say nothing compares to salt water, jumping in the waves and feeling the sea breeze on your face. What do you think? Are swimming…

Star gazers, prepare to look up. The most spectacular meteor display of the year is happening now. The Perseid meteor shower, or the Perseids, started on 17 July and will continue until 24 August, but experts predict that the 12 and 13 August will be the peak. This is when biggest and brightest meteor showers can be seen from all over Earth. The Perseids happens every summer. It’s caused by the Earth passing through pieces of space debris left behind by a comet called Swift-Tuttle (named after the two scientists who discovered it). Comets are large objects that also orbit the Sun. They are thought to be around 4.6 billion years old. As they fly through space they leave trails of dust and ice. When these bits of space debris…

Your energy levels are not only affected by what you eat and drink and how much sleep you get, but also by spending time with other people. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? If socialising makes you feel tired, and quiet alone time gives you energy, you’re more of an introvert. If you gain energy from being with people but spending time alone makes you feel bored, you’re more of an extrovert. If your energy isn’t really affected by being alone or with people, you’re an ambivert – somewhere in the middle. Introverts like to listen before speaking and enjoy talking in smaller groups. Extroverts find it helpful to talk through what they’re thinking and enjoy being in bigger groups. Where you are on the scale can change –…

Everything You Know About Sharks Is Wrong! by Dr Nick Crumpton. Illustrated by Gavin Scott (Nosy Crow) Sharks are giant, cold-blooded creatures that eat humans… right? This book shows how most people are wrong about sharks, revealing the truth about everything from their teeth to their brilliant brain power. Written by a zoologist, it makes a fascinating read for shark fans of all ages. Animal Sidekicks by Macken Murphy. Illustrated by Dragan Kordic (Neon Squid) This illustrated book explores the idea of symbiosis – animals that form amazing relationships to help each other. You’ll learn about the fish that help clean sharks’ teeth, the frog that lives with a tarantula, and lots more. The Secret Life of Foxes by Chloe Petrylak (Pen & Sword Books) Have you ever spotted a…

Name: Pavan Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks “Compassion, generosity, self-belief. This book inspires me to be the person I want to be.” 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…

Hello, my name’s Olaf Falafel. I’m a children’s author, illustrator, dad and a stand-up comedian. I love to share drawing tips, information about different artists and jokes like this one: What musical instrument can you find in the bathroom? A tuba toothpaste. This week I want to show you how to recreate Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece The Starry Night. The Dutch artist wasn’t very successful during his lifetime but he became famous after his death. His paintings are known for their bold, dramatic brushstrokes and expressive colours. Van Gogh suffered from mental health issues and he painted The Starry Night while he was in hospital in Saint-Rémy, France. I’ll show you how to make a version of this that can be admired at night too, lit by a phone torch…

Our big debate this week (page 8) has got me in a pickle. I love swimming and I’ve just come back from holiday where I was looking forward to some refreshing dips. Unfortunately, it rained and was quite cold. Undaunted, I went for sea swims (almost) every day and I still have bruises on my feet from the pebbles. Going to a pool would have been so much warmer and more comfortable, but swimming in the sea is far more interesting than swimming in a pool. Or is it? We want to know what you think. Don’t forget to vote, leave us a message or send us a voice note for the magazine’s next podcast (you’ll find instructions on the opposite page). Our cover this week certainly makes the sea…

“I had to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” says champion swimmer Freya Anderson, as she tells The Week Junior about the confidence the sport gave her. “Doing these things you once thought were scary – you realise you can handle it.” At the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, in 2021, Anderson, who is from the Wirral, England, won gold in the 4x100 metres mixed medley race (where each member of a four-person team swims a different stroke). In 2022, she picked up more medals at the European championships in Rome, Italy, and then at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where she won two silver and two bronze medals. She has always been at home in the water but hasn’t always loved everything that comes with it. “When I was younger I…

On films and TV shows, police investigators “dust” crime scenes for fingerprints to catch criminals. Now, conservationists (people who work to protect animals and the environment) are using a similar method to tackle the illegal overfishing of sharks and rays. Overfishing is when too many of a particular type of fish are caught, putting that species in danger. Many sharks and rays are killed because of a high demand – and high price – for their fins. In some countries they are used to make shark fin soup, which some people believe can cure illnesses. Around 100 species of sharks and rays are protected by CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which is an agreement between 184 countries that aims to…

Dark bordered beauty Male dark bordered beauty moths have hatched from caterpillars released in Scotland’s Cairngorms. The insects are endangered because farm animals and deer over-graze (eat too much of) the young shoots of suckering aspen – the food that the caterpillars need to survive. Pet rabbits Around 20% of pet rabbits in the UK could be suffering from a painful ear disease that causes deafness. The Royal Veterinary College says rabbit owners should look out for rabbits being less active than usual, scratching their ears or pulling away if their ears are touched.…

Playgrounds exist all over the world as places where children can enjoy themselves by climbing, jumping, sliding and swinging. However, today’s playgrounds have changed completely since they first appeared nearly 180 years ago. What were early playgrounds like? The first playgrounds were set up in public parks in Berlin, Germany, in the 1850s. They were simple piles of sand known as “sand bergs”. The idea of special areas for children to play soon spread around Europe and to the US. The first official playground in the UK was in Manchester, England, in 1859. The idea of early playgrounds was for children to get plenty of exercise so they would grow into strong, hard-working adults. They were often in public parks, with separate areas for girls and boys. At the beginning…

Featuring more than 3,600 athletes from 48 European countries, the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) is a sporting competition like no other for youth athletes. The recent seven-day event in Maribor, Slovenia, saw teenagers compete in a range of sports, including skateboarding, swimming, tennis, volleyball and 3x3 basketball. Great Britain had 39 athletes taking part across five sports: road cycling, mountain biking, swimming, judo and artistic gymnastics. The youngest Briton was 13-year-old gymnast Ellie Lewis from Bridgend, Wales. In total, Team GB won 24 medals – seven golds, 10 silvers and seven bronzes. Theodora Taylor, 14, was one of the best performers, winning a gold medal in the women’s 50 metres freestyle swimming, plus four silvers in other swimming events. Jonas Rushworth was another successful British athlete, winning gold as…

If you think history only lives in books, prepare for a surprise. This summer, Warwick Castle, in England’s Midlands, is bringing the past to life with a whole range of spectacular events. Over the summer, the castle’s woodland theatre is putting on the Horrible Histories Wicked Warwick show. The hilarious Horrible Histories team will whizz through 1,000 years of Warwick Castle‘s incredible past. Audiences will meet the colourful characters who have lived there and discover the terrible truth behind the turrets. Wars of the Roses Live! is a jousting show based on a real-life civil war – a conflict that takes place between groups in the same country. For more than 30 years in the 15th century, two families – Lancaster and York – fought fiercely for the English throne.…

Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Illustrated by Steven Lenton (Macmillan Children’s Books) Cousins Middy and Nathan are obsessed with magicians: the kind that perform in swirling cloaks and pull rabbits out of hats. Middy loves practising her magic tricks to perfection; Nathan is a showman who loves sensation, spectacle and being on stage in front of an audience. When the Blackpool Tower dramatically vanishes during a show by the world-famous illusionist Perplexion – the “Legend of Magic” – the two young magicians set about trying to get it back. Soon, they’re lost in Las Vegas without much more than a stick of rock and a spangly cape to help them on their unusual quest. Told from the point of view of the cousins, as well as by the perplexed Las Vegas police chief…

Crossword Read the clues carefully and write the answers into the grid. Across 1 Feathered friend (4) 3 Sachet used to make a cuppa (3,3) 8 Baby frog (7) 9 Boat paddle (3) 10 Mouth cleaner (10) 13 Bedside timepiece with a buzzer (5,5) 17 European deer (3) 18 End of a foot digit (7) 19 Kebab stick (6) 20 Antlered deer (4) Down 1 Gnaw, nibble (4) 2 American cowboy show (5) 4 Female sheep (3) 5 Puss in ___, pantomime (5) 6 Land around a house (6) 7 Opposite of top (6) 11 Box that hides a curtain rail (6) 12 Doctor Who’s arch-enemies (6) 14 Joint between the foot and leg (5) 15 Land that is nearest the sea (5) 16 Wooden shoe (4) 18 Item of…

Name: Persephone “The lollipop lady at my school is amazing! Her name is Mrs Pask and she has been helping children from the Twyn Primary School in Caerphilly, Wales, cross the road safely for eight years. Now Mrs Pask is retiring because she would like to spend some more time with her granddaughter. She comes in the morning at 7.35, then she comes back at the end of the day to help us all over again. She is always smiling and friendly. In my class everyone said that she was the best lollipop lady ever. Thanks Mrs Pask, for all your help!” 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…

Teacher’s name: Ms Raymond School: St Lawrence C of E Junior School, East Molesey, Surrey “Ms Raymond is the biggest football fan (Everton supporter) and she makes our work fun by relating it to sport. She always uses interesting and fun examples to make the lessons more enjoyable and never makes our work more difficult than it has to be. My whole class thinks she is the best!” Evan 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 four-legged animals are helping fight wildfires in Chile? □ a) Horses □ b) Goats □ c) Cows 2 True or false? King Charles was recently represented as a steak and kidney pie. □ True □ False 3 How is Cambodia’s soon-to-be prime minister related to the current leader? 4 Great Britain’s coastline, including islands, is roughly what distance? □ a) 2,000 miles □ b) 8,000 miles □ c) 12,000 miles 5 True or false? David Barber is the Royal Swan Maker. □ True □ False 6 Which breed of dog is being trained to protect lambs from eagles in Scotland? 7 In which country were playgrounds first set up in the 1850s? □ a) Germany □ b) Denmark □ c) The UK 8 True or false? The sticky…