Table of contents for Issue 293 in The Week Junior US

The longest government shutdown in US history ended on November 12, after 43 days. The closure began on October 1 when Congress (branch of government that makes laws) could not agree on the annual budget. What happened during the shutdown? About 2 million government workers were suspended without pay. About 750,000 did not work at all, while 1.25 million, including air traffic controllers, military troops, and mail carriers, were considered essential and had to work without pay. On November 1, funding was suspended for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), America’s largest anti-hunger program, which provides money for food for about 42 million low-income people. Beginning on November 9, thousands of flights were canceled due to shortages of airport workers, disrupting travel for more than 5 million people. Most national…

WELCOMING A BABY A southern white rhino was born at Bioparc Valencia in Spain. Zookeepers said the “lively” male calf runs around and brings “immense joy.” His birth is part of an international conservation effort for the endangered species. A JOYFUL SALE Three paintings by artist Bob Ross sold for more than $600,000. The money will support public television, which aired Ross’s hit show The Joy of Painting from 1983 to 1994. Ross, who died in 1995, was a beloved pop culture figure known for his calm voice, positivity, and kind demeanor. AN ONGOING TRADITION In 2016, Wanda Dench sent a text to a wrong number and mistakenly invited a stranger to Thanksgiving dinner. Jamal Hinton, then age 16, got the message and jokingly asked if he should come anyway. She said…

It’s so fun to buy a present for a friend or loved one, wrap it up in colorful paper, and enjoy the look of anticipation on their face when they open it. And when you receive a gift, part of the pleasure is ripping off the wrapping paper to reveal what’s inside. It’s a special moment that adds a little extra excitement to birthday or holiday gifts. But many people worry about the amount of wrapping paper that ends up in landfills. They say there are plenty of other environmentally friendly alternatives—or they choose not to wrap presents at all. What do you think? Should we stop using wrapping paper? Yes—it’s much too wasteful So much wrapping paper can’t be recycled and doesn’t break down naturally. It just ends up…

A new project in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, A aims to improve relations between farmers and endangered Asian elephants. As land along the elephants’ migration routes has been turned into farmland and water in the area has become more scarce, the animals have begun searching for food and water on farms. This has raised the risk of conflict between humans and elephants. ZSL, the organization that runs London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo in England, is now working with an organization in Thailand to try a new approach. Instead of growing crops such as bananas and sugarcane, which elephants love, farmers will be encouraged to grow coffee beans, which elephants don’t like as much. Coffee can also be grown alongside chili peppers and marigold flowers, which elephants tend to avoid. Beehives could also…

With their endless variety of shapes, designs, fillings, and flavors, cakes bring people together and make any occasion special. Dense delights The word “cake” entered the English language in the 13th century, derived from an Old Norse word that referred to small portions of cooked dough. These cakes were often dense and sweetened with honey. By the 1500s, sugar was more widely available in Europe, and cakes became sweeter confections. Cakes made with sugar and imported spices were expensive to make, however, and nobles used them to show their wealth and status. One of the earliest known recipes for icing, published in 1655, called for glazing cake with a mixture of egg whites, sugar, and rosewater. Cakes in the US Native Americans baked maize cakes — also known as “appone”—using…

The Royal Mint, which is the official maker of all coins in the UK, has created a new line of wedding and engagement jewelry made from recycled electronics. The collection includes wedding bands, engagement rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces. Each piece is made using 18-karat gold recovered from old smartphones and laptops. Every year, millions of tons of electronic devices are thrown away. This is known as e-waste. Each discarded item can contain small amounts of precious metals, like gold. At the Royal Mint’s Reformation Metals facility, a special process is used to extract precious metals from the circuit boards inside old gadgets. The wedding collection is part of the “886 by the Royal Mint” brand and includes two types of diamond rings. One type has natural diamonds that are…

Major League Baseball (MLB) announced the winners of its biggest awards of the season on November 13. For the first time ever, the MVPs (Most Valuable Players) were the same pair of superstars who had earned the honors the previous season. The National League (NL) MVP was Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the American League (AL) MVP was Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees. The MVP awards are decided by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, a group of journalists who cover the sport full-time. Two writers from each MLB city participate in the voting process, and both leagues have 30 voters. Every voter ranks players from first to 10th, and a player earns points for each spot on the ballot. The person with the highest…

Coach’s Name: Jeff Jager Sport: Soccer “He constantly inspires me to give my best and work hard. He doesn’t focus on wins or losses but on our effort and heart. He reminds us that if we keep putting in our best effort, the wins will come naturally. When we make mistakes, he patiently helps us learn and improve. I’m so grateful for his kindness, support, and dedication. He believes in us, pushes us, and genuinely cares about each of us. I truly couldn’t ask for a better coach.”Mahi, 11, Georgia 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.…

Sacred carving The work of art shown at right is a relief (raised image made on a flat surface). It depicts Maat, the goddess of truth and justice, who is identified by an ostrich feather. Spirit guides Several life-size statues depict deities with animal heads, such as Anubis (right). He led dead people to the afterlife, and his head is thought to be a type of Egyptian wolf that lives in the desert and spends time in cemeteries. Divine family This pendant (right) features the trio of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, a famous divine family in ancient Egyptian culture. The gold is a symbol of the skin of the gods, and the blue lapis represents the hair of the gods.…

Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol (Disney Channel) November 27 at 7 p.m. ET (Disney+) This new holiday special is part of a beloved franchise about elves Lanny and Wayne, who prepare homes for Santa’s Christmas Eve arrival. In their latest adventure, the pair are sent on a top-secret mission that doesn’t go as planned. WondLa (Apple TV+) The best-selling The Search for WondLa books inspired this series, which is set in a future where Earth—now called Orbona—is inhabited by alien species. In the new final season, human teen Eva goes on a dangerous mission as she tries to unite two worlds and save the planet. Is It Cake? Holiday (Netflix) The popular competition series is back with a spin-off for the holiday season. Six all-star cake artists, including three…

What inspired this book? I wanted to write a story that would have mystery, murder, and revenge, but I also wanted it to feel like a huge adventure with some comedy and good jokes. Do you relate to any of the characters? Christopher, who watches the world and who loves to be around living creatures, has quite a lot of my childhood self in him. Who’s your favorite creature from the story? I adored creating Jacques—the tiny dragon. He’s small enough to sit in your palm but has enough fire in him to burn down a school. Where do you most enjoy writing? I like to write outside, if I can. I cherish the feeling of being under the sky. Apple or pumpkin pie? Apple! Especially with lots of custard.…

You may have fun traditions with your family, especially during the holiday season. Whether walking through the neighborhood to see the festive lights, baking special treats together, or watching a favorite movie, these traditions can help you feel closer to the people you love. You can also create new traditions together. Here’s how to get started. Take stock of your special times Make a list of your family’s traditions. This time of year, they could include making a family recipe, taking a family photo for a card, lighting candles together, or getting matching winter pajamas. Ask the adults in your family what traditions they remember from their childhoods. They might enjoy reviving their favorites! Brainstorm new ideas Next, gather ideas from your family for new traditions. You could discuss making…

Something you can do to make meals feel special, particularly at the holidays, is to decorate the table. First, look for items that match the season or the colors of the holiday. For Thanksgiving, you could collect pinecones, evergreen branches, and autumn leaves on a walk, then place a few of them at each person’s setting. Or you could make a festive centerpiece by arranging these natural items in a bowl or glass vase with a flameless LED candle. You could also use cardstock or folded paper to create place cards for each person and put it by their plate. Write their name on the front. On the back, surprise them with one reason you are grateful for them.…

We always love receiving letters and photographs from our readers, but the submissions you see at right made us especially happy. After we showcased the publication of Partypooper, the 20th book in Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, in Issue 289, we invited you to send us photos of yourselves holding any of the titles in that series—and you did not disappoint us! We received many more photos than we had space to feature, and we enjoyed every one. We also plan to share the good wishes with Jeff, and we know he will appreciate them too! At The Week Junior, it’s our mission to celebrate reading—so please keep sending us photos of you with your favorite books, along with a quote about why you love them. We’re…

“These books made me laugh all summer—I read the whole series!”Saanvi, 7, California “I bought artypooper from my school book fair the day my magazine arrived in the mail.”Jaeyul, 10, Georgia “I have the whole set of Diary of a Wimpy Kid books!” Brooklyn, 9, Washington “I saw the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book in The Week Junior, so I decided to get it for myself!”Andrew, 10, Alabama “I read Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper!”Ayo, 7, Maryland “I love reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid!”Ethan, 8, Nebraska “The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books always make me laugh!”Aarish, 6, New Jersey “I was excited to see Partypooper featured in The Week Junior!”Allison, 9, Virginia “I like the books because they are full of funny and weird adventures.”Cyrus,…

On November 13, Blue Origin became the second private space company to successfully recover a reusable rocket. The rocket, called New Glenn, launched two spacecraft for NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, which aims to put humans on Mars. SpaceX became the first company to recover a rocket in 2015 and has done it nearly 600 times since then. New Glenn is named after NASA astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. It stands 321.5 feet high and is built to make 25 trips. Rockets, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build, were traditionally used once and then discarded. A reusable rocket saves money, reduces waste, and lowers the cost of space travel. About nine minutes after New Glenn launched, it returned to Earth and landed upright on a…

The US Mint, which creates America’s coins, had made its final batch of pennies, ending 232 years of production of the one-cent coin. What happened? On November 12, a ceremony to retire the penny was held at the Philadelphia Mint in Pennsylvania, one of four US locations where coins are made. Brandon Beach, head of the US Treasury, hit the button to strike the final penny. The coins minted at the ceremony will be auctioned off for collectors. Why was the penny retired? The Treasury, which oversees the US Mint, had announced in May that it would stop producing new pennies once it ran out of the blank sheets of metal the coins are made from. President Donald Trump had previously called for an end to penny production. He had…

As the top executive at Macy’s Studios, Carolynn Kolinsky oversees the organization of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. She spoke to The Week Junior about producing the world’s largest parade, now celebrating its 99th year. How would you describe your job? From the balloons to the performers, I make sure everything comes together on time. What goes into creating the Thanksgiving Day Parade? We work on it all year long at a studio in New Jersey. The team involves about 50 painters, carpenters, sculptors, and engineers. We start with sketches of floats, then build 3D-printed models, and the balloons are hand-painted. Every float is made so it can fold down to fit through the Lincoln Tunnel into New York City and then be reassembled at the…

Although flamingo imagery is common in Florida, the species has been largely absent from the state for 100 years. Now new sightings of the birds have led researchers to believe they may be returning to Florida for good. Scientific evidence suggests that flamingos are native to Florida. However, the flamingo population in Florida declined drastically in the late 1800s due to hunting. Flamingos and other bird species were given more legal protections in the 1900s, but by 1956, there were only about 43,000 adults remaining from an initial population of 168,000. The flamingos were nesting in four places, a decrease from 29 locations in the past. Flamingos struggled to reestablish a home in Florida because of the high salt concentration in the water from years of human construction and farming.…

For the first time ever, three Asian small-clawed otter pups were born at the Virginia Zoo. Their mom Elbe and dad Jilin are part of a breeding program to boost the population of the world’s smallest otter species. ● LIFESPAN: Up to 12 years in captivity ● HABITAT: Streams, rivers, and marshes in Asia ● SIZE: 10 to 15 inches long, less than 10 pounds ● DIET: Crustaceans, mollusks, fish, insects, reptiles ● FUN FACT: In zoos, these otters are often seen “juggling” small rocks between their front paws.…

The largest and most complete stegosaurus fossil ever found was dismantled, moved, and put back together at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City. During the carefully coordinated process, scientists documented each fossilized piece of the dinosaur, which is named Apex, for use in future research. Apex, an armored, plant-eating dinosaur that lived about 161 million years ago, was discovered in 2022 when a paleontologist (scientist who studies the past through fossils) named Jason Cooper noticed a bone jutting out of a rock on his property in Colorado. Cooper eventually uncovered 254 of Apex’s bones, which is about 80% of its full skeleton. Missing bones were filled in with 3D-printed and sculpted pieces, and the 11-foot-tall, 27-foot-long creature was mounted on an armature (metal frame) for…

Steve Emt  AGE: 55 SPORT: WHEELCHAIR CURLING “Curling is like golf—you cannot beat it. You can’t go on a golf course and hit 18 holes in one. It’s impossible. Curling is the same way. You’re not going to shoot 100%. That carrot of perfection is always in front of me. That’s what I love. I need that drive.” Kendall Coyne Schofield  AGE: 33 SPORT: ICE HOCKEY “The beauty about hockey is that we’re in a team sport. Mistakes will happen, but we have teammates there to back us up. And what we do, we do together.” Oksana Masters  AGE: 36 SPORT: PARA NORDIC SKIING “My favorite thing about cross-country skiing is that you’ll never see the same loop the same way twice because the snow changes so much. You have…

Prehistoric Planet—the natural history series made by experts from the worlds of wildlife films, science, and Hollywood—is returning with a new installment. Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age looks like a typical nature documentary, but it features animals made using computer-generated 3D imagery. It give viewers the feeling they’ve traveled back in time to see life on Earth during the Pleistocene epoch (about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago). The series hits Apple TV+ on November 26. During the Ice Age, animals on Earth were mainly mammals. Despite the time period’s name, there were cold and tropical regions. Executive producer Mike Gunton told The Week Junior it was a “phenomenally interesting time in the history of the planet” because many creatures and habitats in the world today were established in that era.…

Once Upon a Katamari is a puzzle action-adventure game. It was recently released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game is part of the Katamari Damacy series, which began in 2004. It was created by Japanese developer Keita Takahashi, who was inspired by Japanese children’s ball-rolling games. In the original game, the roller was a tiny prince, the son of the King of All Cosmos. After the king smashes the universe to bits, it’s up to his son to create giants balls that form new stars and planets. All the Katamari games are based on the same idea. You start with a small, sticky ball that you roll around the colorful game world. As it moves, it picks up little items such as paper…

Beezus and Ramona By Beverly Cleary “This story is told from the point of view of Beatrice, nicknamed Beezus. She has a little sister named Ramona, who is incredibly annoying. Ramona is just plain exasperating! This story is all about the relationship between Beezus and Ramona and their sibling fights. You will come to love these characters that treasured author Beverly Cleary brought to life!”Sophie, 9, Washington Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Word ladder To change the word DARK into the word MEAT, use each clue to fill in a word that is only one letter different from the word before it. If you get stuck, try solving from the bottom up. DETOURS Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every single square without crossing itself. For squares with signs, you may only enter at the arrow’s base, and you may only make a turn in the direction of an arrow shown. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) STEPPING STONES Each figure hides the seven-letter name of a kind of meal. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once.…

1 The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City was first held in which year? a) 1924 b) 1934 c) 1944 a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 True or false? Baseball player Shohei Ohtani has won four MLB MVP awards. True ☐ False ☐ 3 Researchers believe flamingos are reestablishing a home in which US state? ______________________ 4 The Smith Island cake is the official dessert of which state? a) Maryland b) Colorado c) Missouri a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 5 In the book The Poisoned King, what is the name of Christopher’s dragon friend? ______________________ 6 True or false? There are about 300 billion pennies in circulation, but they cannot legally be used as money. True ☐ False ☐ 7 What is the name of the prince’s…

November 23, 1936 First issue of Life magazine published On November 23, 1936, Life magazine began under Henry Luce, who had founded Time in 1923. Life had been a humor title in the 1880s, but Luce reimagined it to consist mostly of photographs that allowed readers “to see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events… and be amazed.” At its peak, Life had 8 million subscribers. It published weekly until 1972 and ceased publication in 2007.…

Created in 1959, Snow Canyon State Park is known for its scenic red rock sandstone cliffs, dunes, and lava flows. Its unusual features include petrified sand dunes, which turned to stone over millions of years, and ancient petroglyphs (images carved into rock). The park makes up part of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, which was established to protect the desert tortoise, a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. Coyotes, roadrunners, jackrabbits, peregrine falcons, and large lizards known as Gila monsters may also be seen along the trails.…

Jonathan Losos Professor of biology, Washington University in St. Louis Ever had a cat stand on you and rhythmically push down one front paw then the other? Kneading, or “making biscuits,” is something kittens (and lion and tiger cubs) do while nursing, probably to stimulate milk flow from their mother. Adult cats may do it to deepen their bond with humans. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about Washington University in St. Louis at washu.edu.…

Scientists in China created a cassette tape that could store every song ever recorded using DNA (a chemical found in every living thing that contains all the information about how it should grow). DNA has been called “nature’s hard drive” because it can store vast amounts of data. The team printed synthetic (humanmade) DNA onto the tape and loaded data onto it. A 300-foot section of tape has the capacity to hold more than 3 billion songs. The scientists hope the technology could one day replace large data centers that use a lot of electricity.…

On November 11, a new scoring record was set in women’s college basketball when Grace College racked up 172 points in a game against Ohio Christian University. Grace, located in Indiana, competes in a league that is part of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), an association that oversees small colleges. However, the record covers the NAIA as well as the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), the organization that oversees most college sports teams. The previous women’s record, held by Grambling State University and Oklahoma Baptist University, was 159 points. Grace uses a style of play known as the Grinnell system. It relies on constant, full-court pressure, frequent substitutions, and quick possessions. Head coach Dan Davis said that in each game, he wants his team to attempt more than…

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York City has opened its first major Egyptian exhibition in 12 years. Divine Egypt brings together nearly 250 objects to explore how the people of ancient Egypt imagined and represented their gods and goddesses. It is on view until January 19, 2026. The ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River more than 5,000 years ago. Most exhibitions on ancient Egyptian art focus on one period from the civilization’s 3,000-year existence, but Divine Egypt has items from its entire history. There are thought to be more than 1,500 Egyptian deities, and they were often depicted as humans, animals, or a mix of both. The curators (organizers) of the show were Diana Craig Patch, who oversees Egyptian art at the Met, and…

Cool Runnings PG (Disney+ or rent on other major platforms) “This movie was inspired by the real Jamaican bobsled team from the 1988 Winter Olympics. It follows Derice, a fast runner who dreams of going to the Summer Olympics. But during the qualifying race, another runner trips and causes a big crash, and Derice loses his chance to compete. Instead of giving up, he decides to start a bobsled team and becomes the driver. His best friend Sanka, who is very funny, becomes the brakeman. The other team members are shy Junior and competitive Yul. This movie is hilarious and teaches you not to give up.” Sean, 8, California Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Ashley Mackenzie (Yearling) This sequel to the blockbuster Impossible Creatures picks up shortly after that novel ends. Christopher, a young boy from modern-day London, is summoned to the Archipelago, a magical group of islands, for another mission. Here, in this home to mythical beasts, dragons are being mysteriously killed. Jacques, Christopher’s old dragon pal, explains that only an outsider to their realm can be trusted to investigate. Meanwhile, Princess Anya Argen has a riddle of her own to unravel. Her father has been framed for poisoning her grandfather. She must prove her dad’s innocence and stop the true murderer from gaining the throne. Christopher and Anya’s quests collide, and they find themselves battling a mutual enemy together. Despite coming from very different worlds, they form…

Holes By Louis Sachar (Yearling) In this 1999 Newbery Medal winner, a teen is falsely convicted of stealing and is sent to a camp, where he has to dig holes. It’s “about the power of friendship when the odds are stacked against you,” said Merri V. Lindgren of Cooperative Children’s Book Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Ages 10 and up The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe By C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins) “This 1950 adventure story has themes of good and evil,” Valerie Coughlin, a school outreach librarian in Hoboken, New Jersey, said about the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. “The world-building is very accessible, making it a good fantasy read for younger readers.” Ages 8 and up The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton (Penguin) This 1960s coming-of-age novel centers…

Ingredients FOR THE CAKE: ● Butter or cooking spray● 1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour● 1 cup sugar● ¼ cup Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder● ½ teaspoon salt● 1 teaspoon baking soda● 1 cup cold milk or water● ⅓ cup vegetable oil● 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar● 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract FOR THE FROSTING: ● 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips● ½ cup half-and-half (for a nondairy icing, substitute ⅓ cup cold water) Instructions 1. Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch round pan with cooking spray or butter, then line the pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment with cooking spray or butter. 2. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.In a separate bowl, whisk…

Have your dinner for dessert A new line of Oreo cookies was inspired by Thanksgiving dinner. Each sandwich cookie is covered in fudge that’s infused with one of six flavors: turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato, creamed corn, caramel apple pie, or pumpkin pie. The feast of flavors earned mixed reactions on social media, with one commenter saying turkey cookies are a step “too far,” while another said, “This sounds disgusting. I wanna try them.” Packs of 12 cookies in a giant Oreo-shaped tin sold out online within a week. Which pet is the speediest eater? Move over, Joey Chestnut—there’s a new competitive-eating champ on the scene. In Bangkok, Thailand, 187 dogs and 236 cats competed over two days to see which one was the speediest snacker. Held during…