Table of contents for 453 in The Week Junior

Tens of thousands of Russians have been moved to safety from the Kursk region in Russia after Ukrainian forces launched an attack across the border between the two countries. This is the first time Russia has been invaded since 1941. What happened? On 6 August, Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region, taking Russian forces by surprise. After nearly a week of fighting there, Ukraine’s top military commander said on 12 August that they were in control of 1,000 square kilometres of Russian territory. The governor of Kursk said that at least 12 civilians (people not in the armed services) had been killed and 121 more were injured. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia had launched almost 2,000 attacks from Kursk so far this summer and that this behaviour deserved…

When Chris Skelley was five years old his parents took him to his first judo class. He says they’d hoped it would “help me come out of my shell”. At 17, Skelley’s eyesight began to deteriorate and at 19 he was told he had oculocutaneous albinism, a condition that affects eyesight. Skelley had to stop playing rugby, which he loved too, but he carried on with judo and in 2021 he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. This year, he will be competing as part of Team GB at the Paris Paralympics. Skelley admits he still gets nervous before matches but he does have a secret weapon – his lucky pants. “I’ve got to wear them at every competition,” he tells The Week Junior. And for all budding…

A new study has suggested that vaccinating badgers could be a good way to get rid of bovine TB (see panel) once and for all. Bovine TB is a disease that can spread to cattle (cows) from badgers and a vaccine is a medicine that trains the body to fight off an infection. Farming rules mean that cattle that have or might have bovine TB must be killed for human safety. For many years, badgers have been culled (when animals are killed to bring down the population) in England to help fight the spread of the disease. Not everyone thinks culling badgers is right (Wales and Scotland don’t do it) and the new study offers hope that the disease can be prevented medically instead. Over a period of four years,…

Snails are in a group of animals known as gastropods. “Gastro” means stomach and “pod” means foot – these animals are just a stomach on a foot. They move slowly because they have one big foot but no legs to power them. They eat plants so they don’t have to be quick hunters, and carrying a big shell on their backs slows them down. The shell protects them from predators so they don’t need to run away either. 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…

A team of scientists have suggested a way to protect endangered species on Earth – by sending frozen samples of skin cells to the Moon. Cells are the tiny units that make up all living things. Experts at the American Institute of Biological Sciences have suggested storing the frozen samples in a special facility. There are already facilities like this on Earth, including Svalbard Global Seed Vault, north of Norway (see panel). Some seed banks are created to help with research but the lunar facility (the one planned for the Moon) would be used to bring wildlife species back if they went extinct. The cell samples from animals would be kept safe using a method called “cryopreservation”. This is when living cells or tissues are stored at extremely low temperatures…

First things first. Favourite video game? A Hat in Time, where you do everything from solving a murder on board the Owl Express, to working for a cat crime lord in a vast subway network. What’s your favourite thing about the book? I’m especially proud of the relationship between Lori and Shoelace. It wasn’t planned but it came about during writing – like Lori and Shoelace themselves were telling me how close they were. This is your first published book. Are you planning others? Sequel’s almost done! There’s sooo much other stuff I wanna write, including something listed on my laptop as “Weird Cool Dragon Novel” (not the final title, though maybe it should be?). What did you want to be growing up? The plan was to become THE WORLD’S…

Some simple tips can help you to take the best photos possible with a phone. Start by looking after your device. The camera lenses on the back can get dusty or smudged from being in a pocket or bag. A gentle wipe with a soft cloth (or even a T-shirt) will clean the lenses. Avoid zooming in too far, which can make pictures less sharp and a bit pixelated (blocky-looking). It’s often better to move yourself or your phone closer to the subject. To make your photos as sharp as possible, tap on the screen to focus your camera on an object or person. Try to hold your phone with two hands rather than one, or rest it on something flat like a table or wall to steady it. If…

An island near Plymouth, England, has gone on sale complete with a private beach and some unusual extras: 15 ghosts. Drake’s Island was named after Sir Francis Drake, a famous sailor from the 16th century. The current owner, Morgan Phillips, bought the island in 2019 for £6 million. The ghosts are said to be former military men and apparently they aren’t scary. Phillips says, “They are here to protect us. That’s what they did when they were alive and that’s what they’re still doing.”…

Name: Sean “This year I have scored a UK record amount of Accelerated Reader (AR) points. My school started using Accelerated Reader (AR) this year, which awards points for successfully reading and answering questions on the books you read. It also keeps a running total of the number of words you read. We choose books from the library and after reading them we sit an online quiz about the books we read and score AR points depending on the size and difficulty of the book and how well you do in the test. Over the school year 2023/24 I have accumulated 3,570 AR points, read just over 23 million words and 207 books. My AR point score is more than 1,000 points above anyone in the UK, my school confirmed…

“This is me meeting Matt Richards at the Paris Olympic Games after he just won silver in the 200m freestyle. He let me wear his medal too!”Emilia “I went busking with my sister Mabel and our friends Tilly and Lotti. We played our violins in Ilkley bandstand and raised £40 for UNICEF.”Stanley “This is at Comrie Croft in Perthshire. I like to bring The Week Junior on holiday so I have something great to read and puzzles to do.”Grace…

SUPPORTING SCHOOL MEALS In August the Toy-Fu group visited TF Nation, a Transformers convention in England, where it sold Transformers toys, raising £36,000 for the charity Mary’s Meals. Mary’s Meals provides meals for school pupils. Since 2009, Toy-Fu has given £216,000 to the charity. THIS OWL CHICK A one-month-old owl is being raised by hand at the Scottish Owl Centre in West Lothian. The baby owl was abandoned after its father died and its mother left her nest. The centre plans to add the chick, which has yet to be named, to its flying display squad when it is grown up. A YOUNG DIVER On 23 July, 11-year-old Ethan Evans from Worcestershire, England, broke a world scuba diving record by completing 130 dives before the age of 12. Ethan spent…

In 2015, Indonesian model and actress Dian Sastrowardoyo launched a fund giving money to women for their education. She has helped more than 30 women, who studied subjects such as veterinary medicine and computer science. Hundreds of women in Indonesia have also learned how to code, thanks to her scheme. Sastrowardoyo says her work was inspired by an Indonesian activist called Raden Adjeng Kartini, who fought for women’s rights and education more than 100 years ago. She told news service Al Jazeera, “We are opening the horizons of these girls and now many of them have succeeded.”…

Scottish beavers For the first time in 400 years, wild beavers have been born in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park. In the past few weeks, two kits (beaver babies) were born to two of six beaver families in the area. Beavers build dams in flowing water, which can help to restore rivers and wetlands. Red swamp crayfish In parts of France, red swamp crayfish are threatening French native crayfish and damaging plants. Originally from the US, they escaped from a farm and ran wild. Freezing-cold winters usually control their numbers but last winter was unusually warm, so the crayfish population has soared.…

Earlier this year, Malaysia announced plans to give orangutans as gifts to countries that buy its palm oil. The scheme, known as “orangutan diplomacy”, aims to improve the country’s image and show that Malaysia is committed to protecting the environment. Wildlife conservation group WWF said that Malaysia should instead be focusing on protecting orangutans in their natural habitat. What is palm oil, though, why is it so important and what does it have to do with orangutans? What is palm oil? Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil used in up to half of products sold in supermarkets. It is in foods such as biscuits, cake, chocolate and margarine, as well as washing and make-up products like lipstick, shampoo and toothpaste. The reason palm oil is used in…

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.…

Cluedle: The Case of the Golden Pomegranate by Hartigan Browne (Macmillan Children’s) Perfect for mystery fans, the Cluedle books are packed with challenges for aspiring sleuths of all ages. In this instalment, you’ll set sail on the high seas to unravel the case of the golden pomegranate by solving 50 new fiendishly difficult puzzles – including clues to follow, codes to crack and evidence to evaluate. Name That Thing! by Gareth Moore. Illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke (Magic Cat) Stretch your brain power with the 20 picture quizzes in this large-format book, full of lots of beautiful artwork. Part puzzle book and part encyclopedia, it covers a whole range of topics from geography, history nature, science, sport and technology. Puzzle Quest: Secret Island by Kia Marie Hunt (HarperCollins) Ideal for popping…

Are you looking for something fun to craft? These friendly woolly octopuses are colourful and make great presents. You can tie them to a key ring or a bag, pin them up as decorations or make them bouncy by attaching them to some elastic. The size of your octopus will depend on the thickness of the wool. Thin wool makes thinner plaits and a smaller octopus. The octopuses in the picture are 14 centimetres long and made with double-knit wool. What you need • Coloured wool – thicker wool is easier to handle• Scissors• A ruler• Glue• Sticky tape• Card for eyes• A pen• A key ring 1 Cut a two-metre length of thick wool then wind it into a tight ball for the head. Glue or tape the end…

For people in England and Wales the school holidays are still in full swing. I hope you got to enjoy the sunshine (page 5). It was a good time to try taking some photos of having fun in the sun. We share some useful tips on polishing your photography skills on a smartphone on page 24, although our Photos of the Week (page 16) were taken by readers who already seem pretty good at it! Building new skills is a great thing to do if you’re feeling bored with your usual activities (page 19). I’d never thought of that feeling of dullness as boosting creativity but I like the idea of drawing up a list of things to try, ready to bust boredom when it strikes. We’ve got a couple…

We need your help to decide which book will win our Children’s Choice book award from the entire shortlist of The Week Junior Book Awards. This may be a book that you’ve read or one that you really want to read. The winner will be the book that receives the most votes overall before our deadline on 5 September 2024 at 11.59pm. All Children’s Choice award votes will be entered into a prize draw to win a book bundle worth over £300. Find out more about the shortlisted books and cast your vote at tinyurl.com/twj-vote-2024…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Kirby School: The Study Prep, Wimbledon Village, London “Mrs Kirby is the most kind teacher you could ask for. She is always there to support us and all of her lessons end in laughter. Once we had a whole lesson on Nosy Neighbours, and that lesson will be our favourite school memory for a long time. We will miss her so, so much and will remember her as being the funniest teacher in the world. (We’d also like to mention that she LOVES Jaffa Cakes).” Isabel and Amina 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…

The UK’s galleries and museums are filled with precious art, culture and history. These places give people a chance to see these rare objects in real life and learn about them. Tradition has it that when people go to galleries and museums, they limit their conversations so as not to disturb other visitors. However, some people wonder if it is really necessary for visitors to stay very quiet, especially children. Art Fund has set up the Kids Aloud scheme. The idea is for museums and art galleries to create special time slots during the summer holidays when children can explore and express themselves in their own way. More than 25 museums and galleries in the UK have signed up. What do you think? Is noise acceptable or should art galleries…

This large species of seagull has a reputation as a food thief, but chips are not their usual diet – they are scavengers only if they spot a chance. In the summer holidays, visitor numbers to the seaside swell and opportunities are everywhere. Herring gulls live all around the UK’s coast and islands and you can spot them nesting on cliffs and rooftops. Adult herring gulls are around 60 centimetres long with a wingspan of up to 150 centimetres. They have silver-grey feathers on top of their body and white below, with a white head and yellow bill (beak) with a red spot. The black wingtips at their rear have white spots. Herring gulls look very like lesser black-backed gulls but their legs are pink rather than yellow.…

Native to New Zealand, tuataras have roamed Earth for 200 million years. In 2016, Chester Zoo in England bred tuataras for the first time outside New Zealand. Now, six tuataras live at the zoo and a new home that mimics their native habitat has been built for them. ● LIFESPAN: Up to 120 years.● HABITAT: Forested islands off the coast of New Zealand.● SIZE: Between 50 and 80 centimetres long and weighing up to 1.3 kilograms.● DIET: Mainly insects but they also feed on birds, lizards and sometimes their own young.● FUN FACT: Tuataras have a third eye on top of their heads. The eye might help tuataras detect light so they can work out the time of day or the season.…

If you enjoyed watching the track athletes race at the Olympics, then there is a fun and easy way for you to get involved in running. Parkruns are free events that take place each week all around the UK. They involve a run, jog or walk over 3.1 miles (five kilometres) in an open space such as a park, forest, beach or sports field. Each runner is timed on how long it takes them to finish the course. Some people treat it like a race but most just enjoy being outside and getting exercise with others. If you are under 11 then you must run with an adult. Parkruns are held on Saturday mornings. There are also Junior Parkruns, which happen on Sundays. These are over a distance of 1.2…

Creating a film using stop-motion animation takes a lot of time and effort. You start by making models of the characters and objects in your imaginary world. Whenever you want them to do anything, you photograph them, move them a tiny bit, then photograph them again – and keep repeating this process. When the photographs are put together (several are needed just for one second of film), they create a moving image. Between now and 1 October, the BFI Southbank, in London, will be celebrating this painstaking process with a free exhibition based on the five films produced by LAIKA, a company that specialises in stop-motion animation, or “handmade animation”. LAIKA films include Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link and The Boxtrolls. The displays feature models and props…

by Max Boucherat (HarperCollins Children’s) Lori Mills is two weeks away from turning 12 – and tonight, she’s going to be home alone for the very first time. She can’t wait to have the house to herself: she’ll put the TV on ultra-loud, eat junk food and play video games all night long. When she starts playing her favourite game, Voxminer, something very weird happens. A perfect copy of her own bedroom door appears in the game. Could it be a prank or a glitch? Lori must gather all her bravery, wits and top gaming skills – as well as her special bond with her best friend Shoelace – in order to survive until Mum gets home. Told in Lori’s lively voice, this adventure story combines fun, humour and plenty…

We need your help to decide which book will win our Children’s Choice book award. Scan the QR code or go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-vote-2024 to cast your vote. The winner will be the shortlisted book that receives the most votes overall. You can vote as many times as you like for your favourite book. Cast your vote to WIN PRIZES! All Children’s Choice award votes will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 book bundle. Voting closes at 11.59pm on 5 September 2024. Terms and conditions apply.* The Week Junior Book Awards are brought to you by The Week Junior and The Bookseller, and partners WHSmith, LoveReading4Kids and World Book Day. * Make sure you have your parent/guardian’s permission to vote. If you are the prize winner, we…

Crossword Read the clues carefully and write the answers into the grid. Across 1 Budgie’s house (4) 3 Picnic basket (6) 8 Afternoon refreshment break (7) 9 Goal mesh (3) 10 Round yellow item of sports equipment (6,4) 13 High-rise structure containing offices or flats (5,5) 17 Jar cover (3) 18 Small country house (7) 19 Country next to Norway (6) 20 Footwear item (4) Down 1 Adult kittens (4) 2 Small green or dark purple fruit (5) 4 Large primate (3) 5 Bamboo-eating animal (5) 6 Baby’s noisy toy (6) 7 One in first place (6) 11 Soldier’s greeting (6) 12 Long slender parts of cut flowers (6) 14 Piece of wood used as a doorstop (5) 15 Bus for tourists (5) 16 Village fair (4) 18 Snooker player’s…

Artswork Artswork is a UK-based creative arts charity for young people. The staff find out what young people want and need and work with them to create change. Artswork’s projects focus on helping people into creative careers, making a difference in local communities and creating space for young people to be heard. One recent project included supporting young people as they worked with an artist to create a relaxing garden in a children’s hospital. Ask an adult to help you find out more at artswork.org.uk…

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 magazine and digital editions, and mention on our podcast. 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.…

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 if it’s ok to swim with wildlife. You said… “It’s not fair. How would you feel if a random fish strode into your home, interrupting your life?” “It’s an opportunity to connect with wildlife.” “Animals shouldn’t be disrupted in their habitat. It can cause them stress.” “It should be okay to swim with wildlife, but only if it is supervised by experts.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

1 Where will the next Olympic games take place? □ a) Cardiff, Wales □ b) Los Angeles, US □ c) Berlin, Germany 2 True or false? The Royal Mint wants to recycle electronic waste into jewellery. □ True □ False 3 Which animals were recently surfing at a competition in California, US? ____________________________ 4 Who is the patron saint of hope and impossible causes? □ a) Saint Jude □ b) Saint Michael □ c) Saint Catherine 5 True or false? Judo first started in Japan. □ True □ False 6 How many eyes do tuataras have? ____________________________ 7 What proportion of packaged products on supermarket shelves contain palm oil? □ a) A quarter □ b) Half □ c) Two thirds 8 True or false? The first living creatures sent into…