Table of contents for 503 in The Week Junior

George Brady plays the horn with the National Youth Orchestra. Which musical instrument would you like to play well? See how George copes with nerves before a performance on page 11. Summer is a great time of year to spot beautiful, alien-like beadlet anemones in rock pools. What is the strangest creature you’ve ever seen at the beach and why? Find out how to spot them on page 12. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump met in Scotland for talks. What topics do you think they should be discussing and why? You can read about their meeting on page 6. The big debate Should child-free places be banned? Page 10…

On 27 July, the United Nations’ aid chief said “vast amounts of aid are needed” in Gaza. Gaza is a strip of land that borders Israel and Egypt and is home to around two million Palestinian people. The United Nations (UN) is a group of most of the world’s countries that work together to promote peace. What has happened in Gaza? Gaza has been the scene of intense fighting since 7 October 2023. On that day a long-running conflict between Israel and Hamas became much worse after Hamas attacked Israel. Hamas, which governs Gaza, is classified as a terrorist group by the UK Government. Israel said that around 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages (prisoners) were taken from Israel to Gaza in the 7 October attacks. Some hostages are…

Has your family ever been told they can’t go somewhere because children aren’t allowed? Some hotels, restaurants and campsites have a rule that bans children. They say this is because older guests might want peace and quiet on their holiday, with just other adults. However, a group of politicians in France say this spreads the idea that children are a nuisance and counts as discrimination (when a particular group of people are treated unfairly). In Belgium, one in 10 restaurants now ban children; and French politicians don’t want France to go the same way. Yet others believe everybody has a right to relax, and no one should be forced to spend time with children if they don’t want to. What do you think? Should child-free places be banned? Yes –…

Researchers have seen dolphins in Western Australia “wearing” sea sponges on their noses to help them find food. Sponges are underwater animals with no organs. Scientists saw bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay picking up sponges with their mouths, “wearing” them on their snouts, and then using them to stir up sand on the seabed. This helped them to find fish buried in the sand without scratching themselves on rocks. When they found food, they dropped the sponge to eat the fish, and then picked up the sponge again to carry on. Scientists have called the technique “sponging”. It is thought that the behaviour is passed down between generations. Dolphin calves stay with their mothers for three to four years to learn life skills. Holding a sponge while hunting isn’t a…

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that gives a big clue about how our solar system might have formed. For the first time, astronomers (scientists who study space) have spotted the earliest moments of planets forming around a distant star. The young star, called HOPS-315, is like our Sun would have been 4.6 billion years ago, when it formed. HOPS-315 is 1,300 light years away in a part of space known as the Orion Nebula. A light year is the distance light travels in one Earth year. Astronomers used the ALMA telescope in Chile, South America, and the James Webb Space Telescope to zoom in on the area around HOPS-315. They were able to see the formation of the first planets around the star. Stars are formed in areas of…

Issy Wong is really looking forward to The Hundred cricket competition. “It’s really exciting and we can’t wait for the opening match,” she says. Wong plays for London Spirit, one of the eight teams taking part in the annual event. The Hundred begins on 5 August when Wong’s team play Oval Invincibles, who are also based in London. In a game in The Hundred, each team bowls 100 balls. The batting team scores as many runs as possible from the 100 balls, and the winner is the team that scores the most. “There is a fast pace to games and it’s very spectator focused,” Wong tells The Week Junior. “The cricket is part of the entertainment and there’s always something going on. The crowds are always excited to be there.”…

On 16 July, the first trailer appeared for Disney and Pixar’s new animated movie, Hoppers. In the trailer, viewers meet Mabel, an animal-loving student who, with help from some eccentric scientists at her college, transforms into a robot beaver who can talk to other animals. Daniel Chong, the film’s director, describes Mabel’s journey into the animal kingdom as “weird and hilarious”, and inspired by the wildlife documentary Spy In The Wild, in which scientists disguise cameras in model animals to get close to real ones. Mabel is a bit like a spy “because she’s sneaking in” to the natural world, said Chong. The trailer sees Mabel meet animals with different personalities, and save a beaver from being eaten by a bear. Mabel befriends the beaver and bear, and learns about…

The shortlist for the Older Fiction category contains books that will transport you to a tropical land in Costa Rica or a hot summer in Australia. They examine serious subjects, like child poverty, which affects millions of children in the UK, as well as bullying and young carers who help to look after their sick relatives. However, the characters and stories here always offer hope. They will make you think about important issues, make you laugh as well as cry, and certainly make you want to share what you have read with someone else. The Letter with the Golden Stamp Onjali Q. Raúf. Illustrated by Pippa Curnick (Hachette Children’s Group) Audrey cares for her sick mother and her siblings. Is there a way to get some help for them? Shipwrecked…

Merry Christmas in August The town of Bridlington, in Yorkshire, England, is planning to celebrate Christmas on 6 August. Bridmas Day will feature festive favourites – including Santa, elves, a Christmas tree and a pantomime dame. The train that transports tourists along the seafront will become a Santa Express for the day. East Riding of Yorkshire Council came up with the idea of Bridmas – which was first celebrated last year – to show that Bridlington is more than just a summer destination. Who says Christmas can only happen once a year? Telescope spots an owl in space A space telescope has spotted what appears to be the eyes and beak of an inquisitive owl, staring back down at Earth. Astronomers (scientists who study the stars, planets and universe) have…

Most weeks, when we plan the magazine, it’s fairly obvious which stories we should be covering in the news. This week, of course, we knew it would be the Lionesses on the cover but there have been some other fantastic sports achievements, which you can read about on page 20. For example, Lottie Woad won the Women’s Scottish Open – and it was her first tournament as a professional golf player. Amazing! We also only had room for a little mention that Nigeria won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title, and that the British and Irish Lions rugby team beat Australia 29-26 in a thrilling match. It’s certainly been an exciting week for sports fans. By the way, do you enjoy playing video games? There’s an exhibition at…

On 24 July, thousands of people gathered in Habima Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, calling for an end to the war in Gaza. The protesters wanted Israel’s government to reach a deal with Hamas that stops the fighting and brings home hostages. These are people that Hamas took by force from Israel on 7 October 2023, some of whom are still being held in Gaza. One of the protesters told BBC News that many Israeli people are against what is happening in Gaza. He said he hoped for an end to the war and to see a new government in Israel that would “strive for peace with our neighbours, including with the Palestinians”.…

FRUIT FANS This year, the UK’s blueberry crop has increased by nearly a quarter after the warmest spring on record. More than 5,000 tonnes of blueberries are expected to be harvested by the end of August. That’s an increase from around 4,100 tonnes of blueberries at the same point last year. SURFING DOGS On 27 July, about 30 dogs and their owners took to the waves in Dorset, England at the UK Dog Surfing Championships. Part of the Dog Masters Festival at Branksome Dene beach, this year was the sixth surfing tournament. The top prize went to a whippet called Margo and her owner Carl Barnes. CELEBRATING CREATIVITY On 14 July, 26 young writers performed their work live on stage at the Quays Theatre in Salford, England. They were winners…

The idea to learn the horn, a brass instrument, came from George Brady’s mum. George, who is now 17, had lessons with his mum from the age of eight. He said, “I was really lucky that my mum is a horn player. ”Now George plays with 160 teenage musicians in the National Youth Orchestra (NYO). He was helped by a training programme called NYO Inspire, which offers pupils opportunities to play music. George loves being in an orchestra. ”You’re sharing music with the people on the stage with you, and also with the audience, and I think that connection is really exciting,” he tells The Week Junior. From 6 August, George is joining NYO’s Beyond tour, performing in Birmingham, Suffolk and at London’s Royal Albert Hall. They will play music…

A new campaign called Go WILD for Hedgehogs has been launched this summer, aiming to help people look after local hedgehogs. It’s run by Hedgehog Street, a group formed by two charities – the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society. The campaign is asking people to create a wild patch in their garden. The idea is to provide natural insect food and nesting materials for hedgehogs. Creating a wild patch is very easy. All people need to do is choose a small area in their garden and leave it undisturbed. Hedgehog Street wants people to upload photos of their wild patch and record the location online. After that, the area can be left alone. There’s no need to mow the grass or pull up any…

This month, it is 80 years since the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. These bombings led to the country’s surrender and brought an end to the Second World War. They are the only times that nuclear weapons have ever been used in a war. What is an atomic bomb? Atomic bombs use nuclear energy, which is produced by splitting tiny particles within atoms (the basic building block of any substance). This was new technology in the 1940s. These very powerful weapons were developed as part of a secret US-led programme called the Manhattan Project, between 1942 and 1945. Why were the bombs dropped? The Second World War (1939–1945) ended in Europe after Germany surrendered in May 1945. However, the Allies (a group of countries including the UK and…

Nigeria women’s football team Nigeria beat Morocco 3-2 to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title for the 10th time. Lottie Woad The 21-year-old English golfer won the Women’s Scottish Open, held in Ayrshire. It was Woad’s first tournament as a professional golf player. Tadej Pogacar Pogacar, who comes from Slovenia, won the Tour de France cycle race on 27 July. He was also the champion in 2020, 2021 and 2024. British and Irish Lions On 26 July, the British and Irish Lions rugby union team beat Australia 29-26, scoring a try in the last minute. The Lions have now won the series between the two teams.…

This summer, the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) is taking over Birmingham with a season of four shows starring young people. NYMT offers music and drama workshops for 10 to 23-year-olds across the UK. Birmingham Hippodrome is hosting the season’s first three shows: Fame: The Musical (rated 12+), Lightning Boy and Tuck Everlasting. NYMT’s final show of the summer will be Carousel, an immersive outdoor production at the City Academy. The artistic director of NYMT, Chris Cuming, told The Week Junior that rehearsals started in the Easter holidays. Everyone had a week to practise together and they will be doing lots more rehearsals in the run-up to their shows. Tuck Everlasting is based on a children’s book by Natalie Babbitt. It’s about 11-year-old Winnie’s journey with the mysterious Tuck family,…

Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical Available now on Disney+ Frozen the Musical has lit up stages in London and New York. This recording of the musical brings its stunning special effects to screens. As well as songs from the Frozen movie, the musical has 12 extra songs. The Strange Chores Available now on CBBC/iPlayer This comedy follows two teenage warriors, Charlie and Pierce, and a ghost girl called Que. Charlie and Pierce must complete weird chores and tasks to rid the world of vampires and werewolves.…

What is your favourite myth from the book? The Land of Eternal Youth – Tír na nÓg. It’s a poignant tale, blending hope, promise, love and much colour. It feeds and enchants the imagination. Where is your favourite spot to write? It is, as Celtic hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill, might say, the place of The Music of What Happens. It might be a quiet or bustling café; my living room with the sunlight just right; or in my head as I walk or run in nature. You call yourself a bàrd. What does that mean? The word bàrd in Scottish Gaelic translates as poet, but many makers of verses now and in the past also used their skills to tell stories and sing. Each year a new poet is crowned…

A new gallery at The Story Museum in Oxford, England, is celebrating stories in video games, from Space Invaders in the 1970s to the hits of today. It’s called The Story Arcade and visitors can play the games, explore a Side-Quest Trail, create their own game artworks and play board games too. Video games in The Story Arcade include The Lost Words, a beautiful puzzle game set inside a young girl’s diary, and Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, a musical adventure game. One of the people who helped plan the new permanent gallery is author and games writer Sharna Jackson, whose Saltsea Chronicles is one of the featured games. Jackson says, “It’s really good that games, and writing within games, is being recognised by The Story Museum. It’s great for young…

Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. APPLE BAGEL BALL BOWL BUTTON CIRCLE COIN COOKIE DISCUS FRISBEE LOOP MARBLE PEA PLANET PLATE SAUCER SEQUIN SPHERE TURNTABLE WHEEL Shortcode Eight letters of the alphabet have been replaced by numbers. Crack the code to find the words. Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 4 letters BABY GIRL PRAM 5 letters DOLLY DRESS PROPS STYLE 6 letters BARBIE OUTFIT 7 letters CLOTHES PLASTIC PRETEND TALKING 9 letters ACTION MAN REALISTIC Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is the sum of the numbers…

Teacher’s name: Mr Elgar School: Abacus Belsize Primary School, London “Mr Elgar is a great teacher because he makes every lesson fun. He’s funny, kind, has so much patience and makes sure to look out for children who might be having a hard time in class. One of our topics this year was the Greeks, and during forest school, he created a Greek Olympics competition! It was so much fun and helped us learn a lot in a really exciting way.” DanDan 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 JOKE OF THE WEEK “What did the chip say to…

“I got caterpillars for my birthday. They turned into butterflies and one landed on me!” Rahela “We completed the crossword in issue 499 all by ourselves on the day it arrived through the post.”Henry and Arthur “I love making things out of cardboard. My mum tries to throw all my cardboard in the recycling, but after reading the article (about a designer who creates things from cardboard, issue 500), I got my hands on more and created some armour.”Kyle “I really enjoyed making the stir-fry (from issue 499) because it was really tasty and my whole family agreed that it was really yummy as well.”Riya We’re proud to be plastic-free The Week Junior is delivered without a wrapper. This decision was made in response to requests from our readers who…

1 What is the name of the island near Venice, Italy, that is being transformed into a peaceful retreat for local people? ☐ a) Poveglia ☐ b) Sardinia ☐ c) Sicily 2 True or false? England beat Sweden in the final of the UEFA Women’s Euro football tournament. ☐ True ☐ False 3 In which island country did scientists rediscover the world’s smallest snake? 4 Which country was the most visited by foreign tourists in 2024? ☐ a) Italy ☐ b) Thailand ☐ c) France 5 True or false? George Brady plays the trombone in the National Youth Orchestra. ☐ True ☐ False 6 What have dolphins in Western Australia been spotted wearing on their noses? 7 The Children’s Peace Monument is in which Japanese city? ☐ a) Hiroshima ☐…

A small island near the city of Venice, called Poveglia, is being transformed into a peaceful retreat for locals, who are hoping to escape the 30 million tourists who visit the city each year. In the 18th century, Poveglia was where people suffering from bubonic plague were sent, to stop the spread of the deadly disease. Later, a hospital was built there but the island was abandoned in the 1990s. It will now become a park that can only be used by people who live in Venice – a famous city built on 118 small islands. A local activist group called Poveglia per Tutti (Poveglia for all) raised almost £400,000 from community donations so they could take over the island for 99 years. The plan is to turn Poveglia –…

On 25 July, Donald Trump flew into Scotland for his first visit to the UK since he became US president for the second time in January. What did he do? The US president travelled to a hotel and golf course – which his company owns – on the country’s west coast. On 27 July, he met Ursula von der Leyen there. Von der Leyen is one of the top politicians from the European Union (EU), a group of 27 countries that work and trade together. The following day, Trump also met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer there. Trump then travelled to another of his properties, on Scotland’s east coast, where he had a meeting with Scotland’s First Minister (head of the Scottish Government) John Swinney on 29 July. What was…

Ana Maria Gonçalves is the first black woman to be elected to the Brazilian Academy of Letters. This is a famous society that was founded in 1897 to promote Brazilian literature and writers. Gonçalves’ most famous book is Um Defeito de Cor (A Colour Defect). It’s set in the 19th century and is about an African woman going to Brazil to search for her son. In 128 years, the Academy has only had five women members and only a few black men. “I’m the first black woman, but I can’t be the only one,” said Gonçalves, who hopes her election will encourage more diversity in Brazilian literature.…

If you’re going rockpooling this summer, you’ve got a good chance of spotting these alien-like creatures. They live on rocky coasts all around the UK. Anemones are a kind of marine invertebrate (creature without a backbone) from the same family as corals and jellyfish. Beadlet anemones attach to rocks using the base of their body as a sucker to stay in place, although they can move very slowly. They can grow to five centimetres in diameter and are usually dark red – although some are green or orange. When the tide is out they look like a small blob of jelly; when they are covered in sea water their tentacles become visible. They use these to sting and draw prey, like small fish, sea slugs and shrimp, into their mouths.…

Dinosaur footprints found in Canada suggest that different species roamed around together in herds (groups). Some animals today do the same thing: zebras and wildebeest, for example, travel together across the African savanna. Larger groups are safer from predators, such as lions and hyenas. The footprints, which are 76 million years old, were discovered in Alberta, Canada, at Dinosaur Provincial Park. The park gets its name because it contains important dinosaur fossils (impressions or traces of ancient animals preserved in rock). Some of the footprints belonged to ceratopsians, a group of horned dinosaurs including Triceratops. There are 13 tracks from ceratopsians, which scientists think are from five or more individual dinosaurs walking together. Alongside these tracks was another set of footprints, thought to belong to an ankylosaurid, the dinosaur group…

The summer holidays are here and that means spending time outside, seeing friends, reading books and going on trips. It can also mean more time spent on the internet, so it’s important to know how to keep safe when you’re online. Making good choices The internet can be really fun and there are lots of things you can do, like watch videos, listen to music, message friends, play games and learn new skills. However, there are dangers too. Ghislaine Bombusa from Internet Matters (an organisation that helps people stay safe online) says, “Sometimes, strangers might try to message you on a game or social app. You might come across content that’s upsetting or not suitable for your age, like scary videos or fake news. Knowing about the risks can help…

Storyland by Amy Jeffs (Hachette Children’s) You might have heard of Thor, Medusa and Hercules, but in this illustrated non-fiction book, you’ll delve into mythical tales right on your doorstep. Ride stags in magical Scottish forests, sail with Trojan heroes down Britain’s rivers and meet the dragons who sleep in its hollow hills. Vivi Conway and the Lost Hero by Lizzie Huxley-Jones (Knights Of) In the final instalment of this fiction trilogy, Vivi Conway has vanished without a trace. While her friends search for her, she pieces together her memories of being inside the castle of the villainous Arawn. Can they work together to defeat this ancient enemy? Lizzie Huxley-Jones puts a new spin on traditional Welsh legends in this wonderful series. The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner (HarperCollins…

Name: Aurelia Greenwild: the World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson “Intriguing, adventurous and thrilling. A mind-blowingly, awesome adventure – I couldn’t put the book down!” YOUR TURN Please email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If it is printed in the magazine you will receive a Roving Reporter badge. Junior Describe your chosen book in three words, tell us what you liked about it and why you would recommend it to others. Don’t forget to include your name and address.*…

Hello, my name is Olaf Falafel. I’m an author, illustrator and stand-up comedian. My latest book is a collection of jokes called A Poo on a Pogo Stick. I love showing people how to create art inspired by the works of famous artists, plus telling jokes – like this one from my book: What do you call a fly with no wings? A walk! I’m focusing on Brazilian artist Tarsila do Amaral in this issue, because her paintings are so summery. She was born in 1886 and helped to create a new kind of Brazilian art, mixing a modern style with local culture. She often painted landscapes in bold colours with fun, simplified shapes. Amaral celebrated Brazil’s joyful spirit with scenes of colourful plants and buildings. Each summer I visit…

Name: Aditya “I love making comic books. So far, I’ve created nearly 10 comics, including Tanker 1, Tanker 2, and Robin Hood and the Evil Detectives. I enjoy reading comics like Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, and I’m always thinking of new ideas. One day, I decided to sell my comics at school. My teachers and headmaster said yes, so I designed covers, coloured them in, set the price at £2 each, and made posters for my own little bookshop. But I didn’t just want to sell comics – I also wanted to help kids in need. That’s why I chose to give half my earnings to a charity called Little Village based in Wandsworth, London. I sold almost £200 worth of comics, and my parents matched the donation, so…

It’s time to focus on nature The Scavenger Hunt Photo Contest, organised by The Week Junior Science+Nature, is back for its fifth year. The nature photography competition challenges you to find 10 natural treasures from a scavenger hunt list and snap some brilliant nature photos. This year’s theme is “focus on nature”. Ask an adult to upload your favourite photos to the competition website and you could be in line for an amazing prize. The winning photo will be on the front cover of Science+Nature, plus there is more than £1,000 worth of camera equipment and other goodies up for grabs. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/sn-scavhunt WIN A BADGE! 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…