Table of contents for 413 in The Week Junior

During a visit to Kenya last week, King Charles III made a speech where he acknowledged British people’s wrongdoings during Kenya’s struggle for independence in the 1950s. What happened between Kenya and Britain? Kenya came under British rule after Britain invaded eastern Africa at the end of the 19th century. British settlers took control of land that had been owned by groups that had lived there for centuries. Under British rule, many of these people were treated very unfairly. This included being forced to move away from their homes. Eventually, this led to a rebellion against British rule by a group called the Kenya Land and Freedom Army, known as the Mau Mau. Between 1952 and 1960, there was fighting between the Mau Mau and the British authorities, in which…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls. Vote YES if you think fireworks should be banned, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. The aim of the Big debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties. The page is created in association with the English-Speaking Union, an educational charity helping young people discover their voice and realise their full potential. For more information, please see esu.org…

Have you ever looked at a cat’s face and wondered what it is thinking? Well, according to a new study, cats have 276 unique facial expressions, which show how they are feeling. The research was carried out by two scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the US. They visited a local charity’s cat café over several months to record videos of cats interacting with each other. They recorded 53 cats in total, gathering 194 minutes of video footage. The videos were then studied by an expert in animal emotions and behaviour. They found that the cats used 276 different expressions. Each expression was a mixture of different facial movements, which included blinking, licking their nose, opening their mouth or widening or narrowing the pupils of their eyes.…

COMEDY WILDLIFE PHOTO AWARDS FINALISTS…

Did you know that kindness has the power to change the world? World Kindness Day, on 13 November, and Anti-Bullying Week (13–17 November) highlight that everyone can help stop the hurt caused by bullying. What is bullying? Bullying is when one person or a group of people use their power to hurt someone else. The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA), the organisation behind Anti-Bullying Week in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, says people can have power over others for lots of reasons. These may include being older, bigger or stronger; being able to communicate better; or being part of a group when the other person is on their own. Bullying involves using this power to hurt someone with words or actions, and it can happen face to face or online (called “cyberbullying”).…

True kindness can seem small, says children’s writer and illustrator Chris Riddell. “Talking to your elderly neighbour, seeing if they’re all right, doing a favour for a friend, or being there to listen and talk with someone who needs support – it’s those sorts of things that are incredibly important”. Riddell spoke to The Week Junior ahead of World Kindness Day, which is on 13 November. The aim of the day is to encourage people to make kindness part of their daily life, for example by smiling at someone or giving up a seat on the bus. Riddell is one of several illustrators who has drawn pictures for a new book by author Neil Gaiman. What You Need to Be Warm is a poem describing objects and memories that give…

Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 3 Letters Hem Sew 4 Letters Aran Reel Tape 5 Letters Alter Darts Skein 6 Letters Eyelet Sequin Stitch Thread 7 Letters Garment Gingham Remnant 8 Letters Smocking Trimming 9 Letters Mannequin Tailoring Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BROOD CLUSTER COMPANY CONGRESS DROVE FLIGHT FLOCK GAGGLE HERD KNOT PACK PLAGUE PRIDE RABBLE ROUTE SHOAL SKEIN SKULK SWARM TROOP answers…

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 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 The Week Junior to print them in the magazine and digital editions. We reserve the right to edit contributions for length, accuracy and suitability. Ensure you have your parent/guardian’s permission before sending anything to us.…

FARMING AT SCHOOL St Michael’s primary school in Birmingham, England, has started a farm. Head teacher Philip Hynan says he was inspired by holidays he spent on one as a child. Charities loaned animals like alpacas, chickens and goats, and the farm teaches children how to grow food. BELFAST’S GRAFFITI ARTISTS In Northern Ireland’s capital, Belfast, the council is creating graffiti walls for artists to use. Graffiti is street art that is sometimes against the law. However, councillor Gary McKeown says Belfast has had an “explosion in fantastic street art” recently and he wanted to celebrate and encourage it. A FURRY FOSTER MUM Six kittens that were abandoned by their mother are now being looked after by a dog. Two-year-old Teasel the Jack Russell is a pet at Suffolk Hedgehog…

People like to celebrate special occasions with fireworks. As rockets of all shapes and sizes are lit, the sky explodes with colour, the sound of fizzing and whizzing fills the air and the boom of explosions ensures plenty of people “oohing” and “ahhing” below. This year, you might have gone to an official display or maybe you know some adults who bought fireworks and held a miniature show from a back garden. However, although they can be fun to watch, fireworks can be dangerous if not used correctly, and the loud noises can be frightening for people and animals. Some people want them banned altogether, whereas others think there should be stricter rules about when and where they can be used. What do you think, should fireworks be banned? Yes…

When he was seven years old and off school with chickenpox, Simeon Graham began watching YouTube videos to teach himself to juggle. It was the beginning of a passion and, eight years later, he holds three different Guinness World Records: most juggling catches in one minute using five balls (423); six balls (396); and seven balls (378). The 15-year-old tells The Week Junior that juggling helps him to relieve stress. “If I’ve had a long day at school, I can just come home, put my headphones in and juggle, and I’m in a whole different world,” he said. Learning the skill – and becoming one of the very best at it – has taught him patience and determination. These qualities have helped Simeon, who lives in Birmingham, England, with his…

Madagascar pochards, thought to be the world’s rarest duck, have returned to Lake Alaotra in Madagascar for the first time in 30 years. The birds were raised in a breeding programme at Lake Sofia, 186 miles away. Experts want to learn more about the ducks. • LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Around three years.• HABITAT: Shallow freshwater lakes and marshes in Madagascar, Africa.• SIZE: Between 42 and 56 centimetres. DIET: Mostly insects and dragonfly larvae.• FUN FACT: Male pochards have white irises, giving them the nickname “the white-eyed duck”.…

You might have heard the theory that a meteor (a giant rock from space) wiped out most life on Earth, including many dinosaurs, 66 million years ago. However, scientists have come up with a reason why this caused so many species to go extinct. Previously, scientists had argued that the meteor strike caused wildfires, earthquakes and tsunamis (giant waves), which destroyed habitats all over the planet and made it impossible for many creatures to survive. However, the new report suggests that more attention should be given to another effect of the meteor – the trillions of tonnes of dust that were sent flying into the atmosphere. This dust would have swirled around in dark clouds, blocking out the Sun and causing temperatures around the world to drop dramatically. Plants, which…

The Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL) is the highest level of club basketball for women in the UK. The 2023/24 season started recently and from now until May, there will be lots of exciting action as the best teams and players compete to become WBBL champions. Caledonia Gladiators, Cardiff Met Archers, Durham Palatinates, Essex Rebels, Leicester Riders, London Lions, Manchester Giants, Newcastle Eagles, Nottingham Wildcats, Oaklands Wolves and Sheffield Hatters are taking part. They play each other twice and the winning team in each match gets two points. The team with most points after all the games have been played wins the WBBL Championship. The top eight teams then contest the play-offs, where they have the chance to win three games and take the play-off title. London Lions won the…

Have you ever wondered how animated films are made? Animation is a way of telling a story using drawing, models or puppets, instead of real people. These are photographed again and again, each time in a slightly different position. When lots of these photos are shown in a sequence, your brain blends them together and thinks the image is moving. Animations used to be made with drawings or paintings but now most are made with computer-generated imagery (CGI). You can find out more about how the experts make the magic at Manchester Animation Festival (MAF). It runs from 12 to 30 November in Manchester, England, and there are film screenings, workshops and talks about fantastic films. Some of the events are online, if Manchester is too far away to visit.…

Planet Earth III Available now on BBC iPlayer The third series of the David Attenborough nature documentary is back. The eight episodes travel to 43 countries in six continents to show the wonders of life on Earth. Episode 3, Deserts and Grasslands, reveal how baboons, giraffes and ostriches survive in unexpected ways. The Marvels In cinemas from 10 November. Certificate 12A This one is for older readers. Captain Marvel’s powers get tangled with fellow superheroes, Ms Marvel and Captain Monica Rambeau. Together they must team up and save the universe as a group, The Marvels.…

What’s your earliest childhood memory? When my family first moved to the US, my father worked in an aeroplane factory and my mother made frozen pizzas. At night they ran a Mexican restaurant. My earliest memory was sitting in the kitchen watching them cook. What inspired you to write this as a graphic memoir? It gave me space to capture the scope of this epic trip. Best holiday ever? The ones where everything went wrong. Like the time we accidentally left one of our siblings behind at a truck stop… for hours. And the time we went to the beach and my baby brother Alex fell out of the back of the van on to a busy intersection. If you could be Prime Minister for the day what would you…

In October, music star Ed Sheeran received a special award to celebrate the fact that his music had been streamed more than 10 billion times in the UK. That shows how popular music-streaming services are. According to a recent study, 64% of young people in the UK use Spotify to listen to music and 58% use YouTube. This year, streaming services have introduced new features that could change the way you listen to music and watch it. Spotify and YouTube Music have both added ways to swipe your way through a feed of video clips in their mobile apps, showing off new songs and artists, for example. When you like a clip, you can tap to listen to the full song or add it to your collection. Two other streaming…

After 28 years of searching through tens of thousands of snail shells, Professor Angus Davison had never found one with the coil on its left – until now. Davison, who works at the University of Nottingham, in England, found the rare creature near his home. He is studying how snail shells grow and why snails usually coil on their right side. Davison is now looking for another “lefty” snail to mate with this one so he can find out if the coiling side is passed down through snail families or whether this behaviour is just pure chance.…

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 parents should choose your clothes… “Parents should not choose your clothes because if they make you wear something that makes you feel uncomfortable then it’s not nice.” “I can’t choose my clothes because I don’t know what to wear.” “Children should pick. They’re the ones wearing it.” “Parents can have a say, but children should decide.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

• Around 10 million people in the UK buy and set off fireworks each year. Fireworks are used to mark lots of special occasions, including New Year’s Eve and religious festivals like Diwali.• In the UK, they are most popular on and around Bonfire Night on 5 November. This marks the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, a group’s unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Guy Fawkes was the man who set the explosives.• In the UK, only certain businesses can sell fireworks all year round. Members of the public can’t set fireworks off in the street or in public places, like parks.…

Phyllis Latour was sent to work as a spy in France during the Second World War, using the codename “Genevieve”. She pretended to sell soap to enemy German soldiers, all the while discovering what they were up to and where they were based. She would report what she’d heard in coded messages sent back to the UK. She had her codes written on pieces of silk, and once she had used a code, she would hide it inside a shoelace, which she then used to tie up her hair. Once when Latour was arrested, she noticed the German officer “looking suspiciously at my hair”. So she pulled out the lace and shook her head to show the officer there was nothing to hide. It worked but “it was a nerve-wracking…

As some UK rivers swell with autumn rain, Atlantic salmon move upstream to breed. The fish travel from the northern Atlantic ocean and some from the Arctic, where they have lived for about five years. They return to the freshwater parts of the rivers where they were born, swimming against the current and taking huge leaps out of the water to get over obstacles. Soon after they arrive, the salmon lay or fertilise eggs, then they die. Atlantic salmon are about 75 centimetres long, silver, maybe with a pinkish stomach and black dots on their back. A good time to spot them is early in the morning after a period of rain. Find a place with obstacles (like a waterfall) if you can, but be careful to keep away from…

On Saturday 11 November, millions of people across the UK will mark Remembrance Day. The following day, they will come together for special ceremonies to observe Remembrance Sunday. What is Remembrance Day? Remembrance Day, often called Armistice Day, is a chance for people to take time out to remember those who have died in wars. It is always on 11 November. This was the date when, in 1918, the Allies (a group of countries that included Great Britain and France) signed an armistice (agreement to stop fighting) with Germany. This was the first step towards ending the First World War. On Remembrance Day, it is traditional that a two-minute silence is held at 11am. This was the time at which the armistice, which was signed in the early hours of…

Vicky Molyneux Molyneux played for England women’s rugby league team in their win over Wales. It was her last game for her country. Her first England game was in 2007. England women’s rugby union team They beat New Zealand 33–12 to win the first WXV1 tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. Tamirat Tola At the New York City Marathon in the US, the runner from Ethiopia won the men’s race (26.2 miles) in a course record time of two hours, four minutes and 58 seconds. Alfie Hewett At the Wheelchair Tennis Masters, the British athlete won the men’s singles and doubles titles.…

The Secret of the Blood-Red Key by David Farr (Usborne Publishing) In the follow-up to The Book of Stolen Dreams, Rachel must follow the trail of Elsa – a young girl who has been illegally smuggled into the Hinterland. Can Rachel find Elsa, and use the key to save her? The second adventure in this series is just as exciting and inventive as the first. Pages & Co: The Last Bookwanderer by Anna James. Illustrated by Marco Guadalupi (HarperCollins Children’s Books) The bestselling Pages & Co series comes to an end in this thrilling final instalment. Oskar, Tilly, Milo and Alessia venture into Arthurian legend to seek out the first bookwanderer, the wizard Merlin. As they journey through a world of myth, can they defeat their enemies and save Pages…

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…

Holly King-Mand is a writer, presenter and campaigner for literacy (the ability to read and write) who loves to inspire children to write. Holly enjoys reading poetry and writing her own to express ideas about the world. Here, she guides you through how to write a brilliant Diwali poem. Diwali is a religious festival celebrated every autumn by several religions: Sikhism, Hinduism, Jainism and some forms of Buddhism. This year it will be celebrated on 12 November with fireworks, candles, sweets and prayers. The word “Diwali” comes from a word in Sanskrit (an ancient South Asian language) – dipavali, which means “rows of light”. Each religion celebrates the occasion for a different reason, but they are all celebrating the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Decide on…

An enormous crowd of Spider-Man fans gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, aiming to break the world record for the most people dressed as the Marvel superhero at a single event. Around 1,000 Spidey fans were summoned through social media by superfan Uki Deane. His goal was to beat the previous world record, which was set by a group of 685 people in Malaysia in June this year. “It’s crazy what Spider-Man causes, it gives me enormous joy,” he said.…

This week’s cover is about speaking out against bullying and being kind to others (page 19). I once stood up to a bully at school on behalf of someone else. Even though it happened years ago and I’m sure everyone else involved has long forgotten it, I am still very proud of how I acted in that moment. That’s the thing about being kind: it makes you feel good. It is also very important, as writer and illustrator Chris Riddell says on page 23. Animals make me happy too. In fact, I’m still laughing at the photo of the runaway tortoise on page 6 of last week’s issue. This week, I am loving the cats on page 10 and the starfish on page 11. Did you know starfish were so…

This year’s national competition for children in care, called Voices, is open for entries. The theme is What Makes Me Different, and entries can be in any written form including poems, raps and newspaper articles, with a 500-word limit. A panel of experts, some with personal experience of the care system, will be judging the entries, and the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by actor Peter Capaldi and former winner Claire Wilden. Capaldi said, “I can’t wait to see the entries and wish all our writers the very best of luck!” Enter at coramvoice.org.uk/voices by 17 December 2023.…

Teacher’s name: Miss Hodkinson School: Menston Primary School, Ilkley, West Yorkshire “Miss Hodkinson is always in a cheery mood and invites others to be the same. She is funny, kind and always cracking silly jokes to make us laugh. When I have a problem, she is always there to jump in and help. When one of us gives a silly answer, she laughs along with us. She made this year outstanding, jam packed with fun and exciting things which has made it for me the best year so far.” Phoebe 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 In which year did Kenya become an independent country? _________________ 2 True or false? Edinburgh is the UK’s first “child-friendly city”. □ True □ False 3 Which country is set to host the men’s football World Cup in 2034? _________________ 4 The 1605 Gunpowder Plot was an attempt to blow up what? □ a) Westminster Abbey □ b) The Houses of Parliament □ c) The Tower of London 5 True or false? Simeon Graham holds three world records. □ True □ False 6 What is the world’s rarest breed of duck called? _________________ 7 What is Armistice Day more commonly known as? □ a) Memorial Day □ b) Remembrance Day □ c) Veteran’s Day 8 True or false? There was once a dinosaur that had a neck that was…