Table of contents for Issue 289 in The Week Junior US

As people across the US took to the streets to protest the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration, colleges and the media have also pushed back against the government. What were the protests? On October 18, a No Kings Day of Peaceful Action took place in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Organizers said nearly 7 million people participated in about 2,600 events to protest the government. (It’s called No Kings Day because many people think Trump is acting like a king with total power rather than the leader of a democracy.) In New York City, 100,000 protesters filled Times Square and other areas, while in Chicago, Illinois, people filled 22 city blocks. More than 6,000 protesters gathered in Indiana, a state Trump won in the 2024 election. People marched,…

SpaceX’s Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, had a successful test flight on October 13. The rocket was launched from Texas and flew for more than 66 minutes, meeting all of its objectives before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. It was the 11th test for a Starship rocket and the second successful one. NASA, the US space agency, has said it plans to use a Starship rocket to send astronauts to the Moon’s surface, possibly in 2027.…

As children get older, they often have more freedom to walk home from school, bike to a friend’s house, or take the bus to sports practice. Although this frees up time for parents, they still want to know whether their kids made it to their destination safely and on time. That’s where tracking apps and devices come in handy. A study in the Journal of Family Psychology in 2023 showed that about half of parents said they track their children. While many parents like the reassurance of knowing where their children are, many others feel tracking invades kids’ privacy. And many kids, especially older ones, say they don’t like it. What do you think? Should parents track their children? Yes—it’s a win for everyone If parents use a tracking app,…

A group of more than 40 researchers has published a study saying that trying to solve climate change with “geoengineering,” or attempting to cool the planet artificially using scientific techniques, could damage the environment. Geoengineering sparks debate because of concerns about the risks. The researchers looked at five ideas that are being considered for Antarctica and the Arctic. One involves creating underwater “curtains” to stop warmer water from reaching ice sheets and melting them. They said this would be “extremely challenging” to achieve and could harm ocean wildlife. Another idea was scattering glass beads across Arctic sea ice to reflect sunlight and slow melting. The team said the beads could be toxic to wildlife. One of the best-known ideas involves spraying special particles into the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect sunlight…

Rising along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina within the Appalachian range, the Great Smoky Mountains are among the oldest in the world. History and location The Smoky Mountains (the “Great” was added later) formed between 200 million and 300 million years ago. The mountains, with peaks ranging from about 850 to 6,643 feet high, were originally named “Shaconage” by the Cherokee people, which means “place of the blue smoke.” This refers to the blue mist that can be seen above the peaks and is caused by natural chemicals emitted by plant life. Within the mountains is a national park that occupies 522,427 acres between Tennessee and North Carolina. It has been named a United Nations World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve (learning place for sustainable development).…

For many years, scientists have wondered whether different people perceive color the same way. Does a deep red look the same to one person as it does to another? While it’s not certain how people experience color, a new study found that our brains react to it in the same way. For the study, 15 people had a type of scan called an MRI of their brain activity while they looked at shades of red, green, and yellow. The team of researchers found that each color triggered a particular pattern of activity in the subjects’ brains. With those patterns, they developed “maps” of the brain activity that each color produced. Using the maps, the team was able to reverse the experiment. By tracking a subject’s brain activity, the researchers could…

On October 18, the 2025 MLS (Major League Soccer) regular season came to an end. All 30 teams took the field for what is known as Decision Day. Coming into it, most of the 18 spots in the MLS Cup playoffs were filled, but four Western Conference teams were competing for the last two. Many postseason seeds (ranks) also had to be determined. The team with the best regular-season record was the Philadelphia Union, who play in the Eastern Conference. They had 66 points (earned through wins and ties), while FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF both finished with 65. Cincinnati had more wins, so they ended the season in second and Inter Miami finished in third. In the Western Conference, San Diego FC, a club that debuted this season,…

Coach’s Name: Addy De Jesus Team: WOGA XCEL (gymnastics) “Coach Addy is such a great coach! I’ve had her for two years, and she always is pushing us to be our best and more. She even makes conditioning fun by chatting and encouraging us. She always believes in us to work hard and never give up. I’ve learned and mastered so many new skills thanks to her! Coach Addy always helped me when I was struggling and got me stronger to move up levels. She is so inspiring, fun, and motivating.” Meera, 11, Texas To nominate a Coach of the Week, send your coach’s name, photo, sport, and team to hello@theweekjunior.com. Include your name, age, state, and a few reasons why your coach is great.…

Special award The Silver Snoopy (right) is an award NASA astronauts give employees in the aerospace program for their contributions to flight safety and mission success. The pins have been handed out since 1968. Character statues Charles M. Schulz lived and worked in Santa Rosa, California, for more than 30 years. Visitors can find more than 120 large statues of Peanuts characters spread throughout the local area. They were originally created for a public arts project. Stage musical Peanuts inspired the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, which opened in New York City in 1967 and was performed on Broadway in 1971. A revised version of the show returned to Broadway in 1999 (above).…

Star Wars: Visions (Disney+) There is a new season of this animated series that tells stories from Star Wars films and spin-offs in anime style. The latest shorts include tales about a rogue bounty hunter, a rebel princess protecting a child from the Empire, and a blind Jedi battling the Dark Side. Willow: Diary of a Mountain Lion (PBS) This new documentary special follows a fierce mountain lion as she raises her six cubs in a remote forest in Montana’s Sapphire Mountains. Filmed over 10 years using 150 hidden cameras, it shows behaviors that have never been caught on camera before. Stitch Head (In theaters) The popular Stitch Head graphic novels, a twist on the classic Frankenstein monster story, inspired this new film. It centers on a small creature who…

What inspired this story? I envisioned many dramatic ways that a birthday party could go wrong, and for Greg, I decided that the worst thing for him would be that his family forgets his birthday. Where do you get your ideas for each book? At first, I wrote about things that happened to me. Over time, I started to rely more on my imagination. Did you have a favorite genre while growing up? I enjoyed realistic fiction, and I liked Judy Blume’s books. How would you describe Greg in three words? Hilariously flawed individual. Where do you write? Sometimes I write in a nearby cemetery, sitting under a tree. No one can find me there, so I get a lot done!…

Vanessa Brantley-Newton, a best-selling author and illustrator whose books celebrate all cultures, has worked on several critically acclaimed picture books, including We Shall Overcome, The King of Kindergarten, and Becoming Vanessa. Whitney Gardner is an awardwinning author and illustrator of young adult and middle-grade novels, including her most recent book Free Piano (Not Haunted). Gardner worked as an art teacher and a school librarian before taking up writing and illustrating. Chris Raschka is a best-selling and awardwinning illustrator of more than 50 books for children, including his latest project: I Hear the Snow, I Smell the Sea. He won the Caldecott Medal, a prestigious honor, for his picture books The Hello, Goodbye Window and A Ball for Daisy.…

In this issue of The Week Junior, we bring you news about two exciting milestones in the world of arts and literature. Our cover story celebrates the publication of Partypooper, the 20th book in Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. If you’re a fan of these books, we invite you to congratulate Jeff by following the instructions in the box titled “Celebrate the Wimpy Kid Series!” on page 23. It’s also the 75th anniversary of Peanuts, and exhibitions about the comic strip are taking place at museums around the country. If you get to see one, send a photo, a few sentences about what you saw and why you liked it, and your first name, age, and state to hello@theweekjunior.com. This week we also announce that entries for…

“I made The Week Junior’s broccoli cheese melt with my mom. It was yummy! It’s my new favorite sandwich!”Kabir, 9, Washington “I checked out Pocket Bear from the library after seeing it in The Week Junior. I’m loving the characters!”Dakota, 9, Massachusetts “I really enjoy trying to perfect the quiz at the end of The Week Junior.”Thomas, 9, New Hampshire…

1 With the release of Partypooper, how many books are there in Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series? a) 10 b) 20 c) 30 a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 True or false? Female proboscis monkeys have larger noses than males do. True ☐ False ☐ 3 Scientists recently found that which style of music can help people with motion sickness feel better? a) Sad b) Joyful c) Soft a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 4 What is the name of figure skater Ilia Malinin’s special jump that includes kicks and a twist? 5 In what year did Great Smoky Mountains National Park officially open to the public? a) 1920 b) 1930 c) 1940 a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 6 True or false? MacKenzie Scott gave Morgan…

Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the first mountaineering team to reach the top of Mount Everest, died on October 16 at age 92 in Nepal. Kanchha made history on May 29, 1953, as one of 35 team members helping Sir Edmund Hillary and his guide Tenzing Norgay reach the summit of Everest, the world’s tallest mountain. Kanchha was born in 1933 in the village of Namche, Nepal, near the foothills of Mount Everest. At age 19, he began working as a porter on the mountain, carrying 60 pounds of equipment, fixing ropes, and scouting the trail. He stopped working on Mount Everest in 1970 but continued to work as a guide elsewhere. Climbing Everest is considered one of the most challenging feats in mountaineering, and Hillary and Norgay’s…

At least 49 communities along the southwest coast of Alaska are recovering after Typhoon Halong struck the area, causing major damage and displacing 2,000 people from their homes. A typhoon is a powerful tropical cyclone (storm that moves in a circular, counterclockwise motion) that occurs in the Pacific Ocean. What happened? The typhoon originated in the Philippine Sea and dumped record rainfall on Japan before heading east, toward Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, on October 8. The storm’s wind gusts of up to 100 miles per hour caused floodwaters to rise to record-breaking levels and more than 36 homes in a single village to float away. Residents lost access to power, cell phone service, and clean water, and one person was killed. The region is vulnerable to damage because it is located…

Ameya Desai, age 11, from San Jose, California, is the middle school winner of the 2025 Student Podcast Challenge sponsored by National Public Radio (NPR). Her podcast, Far From Home—Shikata Ga Nai, was recognized for its powerful storytelling about US history. She is a returning champion, having also won in 2024. Desai’s path to podcasting began at age 9, when she won a local library writing contest with a short story about her grandfather’s forced migration from Uganda in 1972. She later turned it into a podcast called Far From Home: Sugarcane Fields on My Mind, and entered NPR’s contest. Desai became one of five fourth-grade winners. “Podcasting captures the subject’s voice and emotions in a way that no words on paper can express,” she told The Week Junior. After…

Scientists have discovered that male proboscis monkeys’ massive noses help create the unique calls they make to communicate with one another. Proboscis monkeys are found only on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. They live alongside rivers and in swampy mangrove forests. The species is named for its most prominent facial feature— “proboscis” means something that sticks out of an animal’s head. Male proboscis monkeys have remarkable noses, which are so long they often hang over the animal’s mouth. Females have much smaller noses than the males do. With the help of their noses, the males have a loud trumpet-like call, known as a “bray.” They make the sound by pushing air out through their noses, with their mouths shut. The nose creates an echo chamber for the sound,…

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of Asian water monitors at city parks and canals in Bangkok, Thailand. Although some people think of the large lizards as a nuisance, social media has helped them become popular tourist attractions. ● LIFESPAN: 12 to 20 years ● HABITAT: Riverbanks and swamps in Asia ● SIZE: 7 feet, 50 to 75 pounds ● DIET: Small mammals, reptiles, and insects ● FUN FACT: Like snakes, monitors have forked tongues that help them “smell” and track prey.…

Listening to music can help people with motion sickness feel better, according to new research—but it depends on the type of song you play. Motion sickness is feeling dizzy or nauseated when you’re traveling by car, boat, plane, or train or during other movement. About one in three people are very likely to get motion sickness, but almost everyone gets motion sickness if the movement is strong enough. Children between the ages of 2 and 12 are more likely to feel ill than adults, but no one knows why some people struggle with motion sickness and others don’t. Scientists do know that people get motion sickness because their senses are sending different messages to their brains. In a moving car, for example, your eyes tell your brain you’re moving because…

A competition series that brings a famous fantasy world to the kitchen is coming back for a second season. Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking challenges chefs to create desserts inspired by the Potterverse. As with the first season, it is hosted by twins James and Oliver Phelps, who played Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter films. Season two makes its premiere on Food Network on November 2 at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes will air on Sundays and be available to stream on HBO Max and Discovery+ the following day. Wizards of Baking is filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, on the sets where all eight Harry Potter films were made. This season, the competition takes place in locations that include the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, the Potions…

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a new action role-playing game (RPG). It was recently released for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It is the second game in the Legends series, following Pokémon Legends: Arceus in 2022. It is also a sequel to Pokémon X and Pokémon Y from 2013. Legends Z-A is set in Lumiose City, which is similar to Paris, France. You play as the newest recruit of Team MZ, the squad of young Pokémon trainers who protect the city. Their rivals are the Rust Syndicate, who are led by Corbeau, a poison expert with mysterious plans. As the game begins, Lumiose City is being developed into a place where humans and Pokémon can live peacefully side by side. Pokémon run free in local wild zones, which are…

1998 The year Jeff Kinney began writing down his ideas for Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2007 The year Diary of a Wimpy Kid was first published 70 The number of languages the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books are published in, with Hindi being the most recent 900+ The number of weeks at least one book from the series has been on The New York Times bestseller list 2010 The first year a float of Greg Heffley, the main character in the series, was part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2015 The year Kinney opened his own bookstore, An Unlikely Story, in Plainville, Massachusetts 7 The number of movies that have been made based on the book series…

Crisscross Each of these words associated with a talent show fits into this grid. Can you find where each one goes to complete the grid? 4 letters BAND MIME SONG 5 letters DANCE EMCEE MUSIC SKITS STAGE 8 letters AUDIENCE 10 letters INSTRUMENT PERFORMERS REHEARSALS 13 letters ENTERTAINMENT VENTRILOQUISM ALL THE SAME Each answer contains the letters B-A-T. Those letters have been placed for you. Can you figure out the words? (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) 1. Small source of electricity 2. Gymnast in a circus 3. Place for a bubbly washup 4. Discussion between opposing candidates 5. Big seabird that’s sometimes used to describe a burden Spot the difference These two pictures of the Statue of Liberty appear to be the same, but take a…

“This summer, my friend and I held a lemonade stand at a local farmers market. I made fresh-squeezed lemonade with the help of my dad. We wanted to donate some of the funds to So Others Might Eat (SOME), a nonprofit organization in Washington, DC, that helps people get access to food, clothing, housing, and job training. We also sold cookies and stickers. We collected almost $250 for SOME.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear about it at hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Reading sparks a lifetime love of learning, gets kids on track for success, and helps them identify and follow their passions. There are stories in The Week Junior that speak to every child and inspire them to keep reading. Give The Week Junior and save 67% off the cover price. For only $1.96 an issue, less than the cost of a full-size candy bar, your child can be inspired to read every week! Plus, if you subscribe today, your child will receive a free puzzle book! Order online at theweekjunior.com/halloweenor scan to subscribe…

A WINNING BIRD The tawny frogmouth is flying high after being named Australia’s 2025 bird of the year. The nocturnal bird, found only in Australia, has finished second in the online poll three times and won by a large margin this year. The contest was “really joyful,” said an official. A BIG LABUBU One House Bakery in California has put a new twist on the Labubu craze by making a 7-foot-tall version of the popular doll out of bread. The 300-pound creature, named LeVanVan, took weeks to bake and build and is a huge hit with customers. “It’s the funniest-looking creature ever,” said the bakery’s owner. CRUSHING A GOAL Natalie Grabow, age 80, learned to swim at age 59—and is now the oldest woman to finish the Ironman World Championship in…

October 28, 1886 Statue of Liberty is dedicated On October 28, 1886, President Grover Cleveland (1885–1889 and 1893–1897) dedicated the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. The 151-foot statue was a gift from France to celebrate 100 years of America’s independence and to commemorate the alliance between the two countries. It was originally named “Liberty Enlightening the World.” Today, about 4 million people visit the Statue of Liberty every year.…

Białowieża National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Europe. It is located within the Białowieża Forest, which once covered most of the continent. This forest is home to elk, wolves, deer, and lynx, as well as more than 900 plant species and trees that have been growing for as many as 350 years. Białowieża National Park is also known for having the largest population of free-roaming European bison in the world. The bison are most often spotted during the autumn and winter. On guided tours, visitors can also birdwatch, hike, bike, and ride horses.…

Adam Ari Pack Professor, University of Hawai’i at Hilo Dolphins and whales breathe air. After surfacing from a dive, they exhale old air and inhale new air through their blowholes, which connect to their lungs through their nasal passages. The record time for holding their breath was set by a Cuvier’s beaked whale at 3 hours and 42 minutes! Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about Adam Ari Pack’s work at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-AdamPack.…

Food waste is a major problem worldwide. A new handheld device helps address the issue by keeping food fresh longer. EcoLoc uses ultraviolet (UV) light to reduce microorganisms (tiny living things) that cause food to spoil and kills bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Deṅsigned by scientists in Sweden, EcoLoc can extend the life of fresh fruits and vegetables by almost a week. It attaches to the lids of food containers that are included with the device and functions at the touch of a button, without using any chemicals.…

The 2025–26 figure skating season began on October 17 in Angers, France, with the ISU (International Skating Union) Grand Prix de France, an event featuring the world’s best skaters. This is an especially big season for the athletes as they look toward the Winter Olympics in February. The Grand Prix series has six competitions in October and November. Skaters compete in two of them, and the top performers across the series go on to compete in the Grand Prix final. There are four divisions in the Grand Prix: men’s singles, women’s singles, ice dance, and pairs. In France, two-time world champion Ilia Malinin of the US was a standout in men’s singles. He finished in first, more than 40 points ahead of Adam Siao Him Fa of France, who placed…

October 2 marked the 75th anniversary of Peanuts, the popular comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz. Exhibitions that pay tribute to Peanuts history and humor can be found at several museums in the US, including the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California, which is honoring the milestone. Peanuts comic strips ran in newspapers from 1950 until 2000, and Schulz’s characters and stories also inspired animated TV shows and films. As fans know, two of the main characters are low-key but determined Charlie Brown and his imaginative beagle, Snoopy. Benjamin L. Clark, the curator (person who chooses art) of the Schulz Museum, told The Week Junior that people are able to see themselves and people they know in Peanuts and that Schulz “found interesting and funny ways to…

The Amazing Digital Circus (Netflix) “This series has sharp and silly humor, colorful animation, and a mix of lighthearted moments and dark twists. It follows six humans who are stuck in a virtual circus and each have a unique avatar. Pomni, the newest one there, is a nervous jester. The characters are guided by Caine, a computer ringmaster who creates bizarre challenges and adventures. If someone loses their grip on reality, they might turn into a monster. There are hidden clues and bits of lore scattered throughout the show, making you want to rewatch it to spot things you missed—which I often do!” Jakob, 11, Pennsylvania Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) This is the 20th book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and it’s one of the funniest. Greg’s birthday is coming up, and he doesn’t have any plans for it yet. His mom is busy getting ready for a pie-baking contest at the church, and whenever he tries to talk to her about a party, she doesn’t have time. Greg thinks the contest is a ploy to get him to the church, where his family will be waiting for him with a huge surprise party. On the morning of his birthday, he skips going to the businesses in town that give kids free birthday perks and rides his bike to the church to spy on his family. When he gets there, he realizes…

If you enjoy sketching, doodling, and drawing, we invite you to use your skills to enter our sixth annual Winter Cover Contest. We are holding a competition to select artwork for the cover of an upcoming issue of the magazine. As you prepare to draw, think about what kind of image would delight readers when they get their copy of The Week Junior in the mail. Follow the steps below to apply, and good luck! Step one: Be creative Use the page at right to create a cover design. Entries must be original, hand-drawn, and not generated or altered by artificial intelligence. Each submission will be judged on creativity, originality, and how well it reflects the winter theme and spirit of The Week Junior. Try to picture your artwork on…

The squirrel that water-skis Twiggy the water-skiing squirrel made a big splash at the Carolina Classic Fair in North Carolina, where she showed off her sporty skills to delighted crowds. Pulled behind a remote-controlled boat, Twiggy demonstrated water safety in a tiny life vest and performed tricks like turning a full 360 degrees on the skis. The fair called it the “wildest, furriest show on water.” Twiggy’s trainers, Lou Ann and Chuck Best and their son, Chuck Jr., have also taught miniature horses, French poodles, and a toad to water-ski. Lifelike dinosaurs for sale Thirty-one animatronic dinosaurs at an amusement park are looking for a new home. The New Jersey park, which will close in November, has posted online that it is selling a 29-foot-long“housebroken” stegosaurus and a “well-loved” life-size…

Sanam, a 10-year-old from California, enjoys helping others. Sanam’s good deeds include volunteering at a dog shelter, making cards for sick children, and donating food to people in need. To celebrate The Week Junior’s fifth anniversary in 2025, we’re asking readers to share five good deeds they’ve done. Have you helped a neighbor or a friend or performed a kind act? Go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to download a form like the one shown at right. Fill it out, then have an adult email it to us at hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the submissions on this page in future issues. RIDDLE OFTHE WEEK What has many teeth but can’t bite? A comb IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views, and photos to hello@theweekjunior.com. We want to hear from you! To have…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Cuevas School: Carden School of Fresno “Mrs. Cuevas is the best teacher. She helps us learn and grow. Sometimes Mrs. Cuevas lets us do fun projects, such as when we were learning about maps and we made our own landform maps out of salt dough. She makes an ordinary day amazing. Mrs. Cuevas can also be funny when she gives us examples of what not to do in class.”Aidan, 8, California Nominate your teacher for Teacher of the Week! Send your reason for the nomination, a photo of your teacher, and your school’s name and address to hello@theweekjunior.com.…