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Australia Logs Off
A new law passed in Australia on November 29. It will bar kids under 16 from using social media. They will still be able to use some social sites for educational reasons. But they’ll be banned from platforms such as TikTok and Facebook. When the law takes effect, these platforms must prevent young people from logging on. If they don’t, the companies will have to pay fines.
Anthony Albanese is the Australian prime minister. He supports the law. He told reporters, “Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them.”
Not everyone agrees with the law. Meta Platforms is the company behind Facebook and Instagram. In a statement, it called the law “rushed.” Other countries have similar rules. In the U.S., many social platforms require users to be at least 13. But Australia’s law is unique. It requires social media companies to take responsibility for who creates an account. It’s the first law of its kind. Stop and Think! HOW did the writer address multiple perspectives in this story? Why is it important for readers to learn different perspectives on issues?

Australia Logs Off
Australia will bar kids under 16 from using social media, according to a law that passed the Australian Parliament on November 29. Under the law, social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook will have to pay fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million U.S.) if they fail to prevent young people from logging on.
There are some exceptions. Kids will still be able to use some social websites, such as YouTube, for educational purposes. But other social media sites must decide how to implement the ban. They have one year to figure it out. If they fail to comply, they’ll face penalties.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, “Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them.” But not everyone agrees with the law. Meta Platforms is the company behind Facebook and Instagram. In a statement, it called the law “rushed.”
Other countries have similar rules. In the U.S., many social platforms require users to be at least 13. But Australia’s law is the first that requires social media companies to take responsibility for who creates an account. Stop and Think! HOW did the writer address multiple perspectives in this story? Why is it important for readers to learn different perspectives on issues?

Faraway Oceans
Uranus and Neptune are called ice giants, because of their icy cores. But each of these frosty planets may be hiding a deep ocean. Astronomer Burkhard Militzer published his research in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on November 25. He used a computer simulation to model the two planets. The models revealed a surprise: Uranus and Neptune each seem to have a layer of water beneath the clouds in their outer atmosphere. These oceans could be 5,000 miles deep. A NASA mission to Uranus could confirm the presence of the planet’s ocean. The mission isn’t yet set. But on its website, NASA says such a mission may be “a focus of planetary science” in the coming years.

Faraway Oceans
Uranus and Neptune are called ice giants. That’s because of their icy cores. But each of these planets may be hiding a deep ocean.
Burkhard Militzer is an astronomer. He has published new research on these planets. It ran in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on November 25. He used a computer program to model the planets. The models revealed a surprise: Uranus and Neptune each seem to have a layer of water. The water appears to be beneath the clouds in their outer atmosphere. These oceans could be 5,000 miles deep. A NASA mission to Uranus could confirm that the planet’s ocean exists. The mission isn’t yet set. But on its website, NASA says such a mission may be “a focus of planetary science” soon.

Best in Show
Vito the Pug is named winner of the 2024 National Dog Show, in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on Thanksgiving Day. He’s the first pug to claim Best in Show in the more than 20 years since the contest began airing on TV. Vito beat out 1,939 dogs for the honor.

What’s the Word?
If you mindlessly use an electronic device for too long, you might start to experience “brain rot.” The term is the 2024 Word of the Year. Oxford University Press revealed its choice on December 2. A person is said to suffer from brain rot after looking at too much unimportant content online. It’s “one of the perceived dangers of virtual life,” said Casper Grathwohl in a statement. He’s president of Oxford Languages.

Mountain Lion Shift
Mountain lions in Los Angeles, California, are becoming more nocturnal. The shift helps them keep away from people. This is according to a study published in Biological Conservation last month. Seth Riley is a wildlife ecologist. These mountain lions exist “in one of the largest urban areas in the world,” he said in a statement. “That would not be possible if mountain lions weren’t able to adjust to human activity in ways like this.”

Positively Kind
Lena Ford was 7 when she started Arting for You. For this project, Lena collected art supplies and donated them to kids in foster care and homeless shelters in and around her hometown of Marietta, Georgia. “My granny always wanted to give back” to others, Lena, now 15, told TIME for Kids. “I was inspired by that.” Two years later, she launched a small business called Positively Lena. It sells products with uplifting messages, including a book Lena wrote to help kids deal with bullying. “The world can be a really tough place,” Lena says. “My goal is to spread positivity.” She also offers workshops on creative writing, entrepreneurship, and scrapbooking. Part of the money she earns goes toward her charitable efforts.
Lena has another project: Kinship Family Initiative. She and her mom cofounded the nonprofit in 2022. The group helps kids who are being raised by a family friend or a relative other than a parent. This cause is close to Lena’s heart. “My mom and her brothers were raised in kinship care,” she says. One way Lena contributes is by assembling “positivity pouches” packed with school supplies and books. “Honestly, it makes me feel really happy,” Lena says. “And that’s my motivation to keep doing what I’m doing: knowing that I’m making a difference and knowing that I’m making [people] happy.”
Kindness Counts Kindness is powerful. Lena knows this. You probably do too. Think about it: How does it make you feel when someone pays you a compliment or does something nice for you? Now consider this: How does it feel to give a compliment or help someone?
Studies show that giving and receiving kindness are good for our health. They boost our mood and reduce stress. They give us a more positive outlook and help us connect with others. Research also suggests that kindness can be contagious. A person who receives an act of kindness is more likely to show kindness to someone else in return.
“Kindness means just making someone happy,” Lena says. “It can even be something as small as giving someone a compliment: ‘Hey, your shirt looks nice.’ Something just like that can make someone smile. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. You can always just do something small, and it can make someone’s day.”
Party Time Every few months or so, Lena hosts a packing party at a local shop called the Book Worm. “I found that’s the best way to get the community involved,” she says. Kids and teens volunteer their time to pack positivity pouches and Embrace Their Roots kits, which contain African-American hair products for kids in foster care. People are “coming out, they’re having fun, they can invite their friends and family to help,” Lena says of her squad. “All we have to do is tell them instructions.”
Lena hopes more people take action to spread kindness. “If we want to grow up with kind people surrounding us, then we need to be kind to others,” she says. “You never know how [you] can impact someone else.” Inspired? Let Lena’s story inspire you to spread kindness in your own community. Click below for ideas about how you can make a positive difference.

Positively Kind
Lena Ford was 7 when she started Arting for You. She collected art supplies. Then she donated them to kids in foster care and homeless shelters in and around her hometown of Marietta, Georgia. “My granny always wanted to give back,” Lena, now 15, told TIME for Kids. “I was inspired by that.” Two years later, she launched Positively Lena. It sells products with uplifting messages. One product is a book she wrote to help kids deal with bullying. “The world can be a really tough place,” Lena says. “My goal is to spread positivity.” She also offers workshops. She teaches creative writing, entrepreneurship, and scrapbooking. Part of the money she earns goes to her charitable efforts.
Lena has another project. It’s called Kinship Family Initiative. She and her mom cofounded the nonprofit in 2022. The group helps kids who are being raised by a family friend or a relative other than a parent. “My mom and her brothers were raised in kinship care,” Lena says. She assembles “positivity pouches.” She packs them with school supplies and books.
“Honestly, it makes me feel really happy,” Lena says. “And that’s my motivation to keep doing what I’m doing: knowing that I’m making a difference and knowing that I’m making [people] happy.”
Kindness Counts Kindness is powerful. Lena knows this. You probably do too. Think about it. How does it make you feel when someone does something nice for you? How does it feel to help someone? Studies show that giving and receiving kindness are good for us. They boost our mood. They reduce stress. They give us a more positive outlook. And they help us connect with others. Research also suggests that kindness can be contagious. A person who receives an act of kindness is more likely to show kindness to someone else.
“Kindness means just making someone happy,” Lena says. “It can even be something as small as giving someone a compliment: ‘Hey, your shirt looks nice.’ Something just like that can make someone smile. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture.”
Party Time Every few months, Lena hosts a packing party at a shop called the Book Worm. “I found that’s the best way to get the community involved,” she says. Kids and teens volunteer their time to pack positivity pouches and Embrace Their Roots kits, which contain African-American hair products for kids in foster care. People are “coming out, they’re having fun,” Lena says of her squad. Lena hopes more people take action to spread kindness. “If we want to grow up with kind people surrounding us, then we need to be kind to others,” she says. “You never know how [you] can impact someone else.” Inspired? Let Lena’s story inspire you to spread kindness in your own community. Click below for ideas about how you can make a positive difference.

Life in Lava Tubes
Standing in one of Hawaii’s caves, you might think it’s empty. It’s dark, and it’s quiet. Not many plants or animals call this place home. But there’s a lot of life. Most of it you just might not notice. There might be patches of gold, silver, tan, or pink on the cave walls. Shine a light on them, and water droplets make the patches appear to shimmer. These shining splotches of color consist of microbes.
Scientists have been studying these microbes. One reason is that some might be similar to life that once lived on Mars—and maybe still does.
Under the Surface
Many of Hawaii’s caves are lava tubes. They were formed by volcanic activity. After an eruption, hot lava can flow like a river. Over time, air cools the surface, hardening it into black basalt. But underneath, molten lava may still flow. As it drains away below the basalt, it leaves behind an empty tube, or cave.
Lava tubes exist on Mars, too. So scientists wonder: Do rock-loving microbes also exist there? By studying Hawaiian caves, researchers hope to unlock what life might be like on other worlds.
“It’s a good place to start,” Rebecca Prescott, an astrobiologist at the University of Mississippi, told TIME for Kids. She’s part of a team of scientists who have been looking at microbes in Hawaiian caves. They’ve found some species that hadn’t been seen before.
Microbial Cities
Cave microbes have their own ways of surviving their environment. Some get energy from “eating” the rocks (see “Martian Gardens”). Many of these species are ancient, allowing scientists to understand how microbes lived billions of years ago. “When you walk into a lava cave,” Prescott says, “it’s like you’re walking back in time.” Scientists are now learning how groups of microbes communicate. Microbes grow in communities that form a slimy film on cave walls. The organisms within a community can “talk” to one another by sending out chemical signals. This may help them tackle tasks together, such as building these slimy cities.
And microbe communities might communicate with one another, too, helping them all survive. Prescott and her team hope to learn this microbial language and how it helps these tiny cities thrive—on Earth, and perhaps beyond. Martian Gardens Microbes might be important team members on future Mars missions. A one-way trip to the Red Planet could take eight months. Astronauts might need to grow their own food, but not many plants can grow in the planet’s rocky red dirt. Microbes might help. Here on Earth, some microbes break down toxic chemicals in dirt. Others can “eat” rocks, releasing nutrients to make soil more friendly to plants. Scientists think that microbes can do the same on Mars, helping turn the rocky dirt into rich soils for future Martian gardens to grow.

Life in Lava Tubes
Standing in one of Hawaii’s caves, you might think it’s empty. It’s dark. It’s quiet. Not many plants or animals call this place home. But there’s a lot of life. Most of it you just might not notice. There might be patches of gold, silver, tan, or pink on the cave walls. These splotches of color consist of microbes.
Scientists have been studying these microbes. One reason is that some might be similar to life that once lived on Mars—and maybe still does. Under the Surface
Many of Hawaii’s caves are lava tubes. They were formed by volcanic activity. After an eruption, hot lava flows like a river. Air cools it. The surface hardens into black basalt rock. But underneath, molten lava might still flow. It drains away below the basalt. This leaves behind an empty tube, or cave. There are lava tubes on Mars, too. So scientists wonder: Do rock-loving microbes also exist there? Hawaiian caves might unlock what life could be like on other worlds.
“It’s a good place to start,” Rebecca Prescott told TIME for Kids. She’s an astrobiologist at the University of Mississippi. She’s part of a team of scientists. They’ve been looking at microbes in Hawaiian caves.
Microbial Cities
Cave microbes have their own ways of surviving their environment. Some get energy from “eating” the rocks (see “Martian Gardens”). Many of these species are ancient, allowing scientists to understand how microbes lived billions of years ago. “When you walk into a lava cave,” Prescott says, it’s like you’re walking back n time.”
Scientists are now learning how groups of microbes communicate. Microbes grow in communities. The organisms within a community can “talk” to one another by sending out chemical signals.
And microbe communities might communicate with one another, too. This might help them survive. Prescott and her team hope to learn this microbial language and how it helps these tiny cities thrive—on Earth, and perhaps beyond. 
Martian Gardens Microbes might be important team members on future Mars missions. A one-way trip to the Red Planet could take eight months. Astronauts might need to grow their own food. But not many plants can grow in the planet’s rocky red dirt. Microbes might help. Here on Earth, some microbes break down toxic chemicals in dirt. Others can “eat” rocks. This releases nutrients to make soil more friendly to plants. Scientists think that microbes can do the same on Mars, helping turn the rocky dirt into rich soils where Martian gardens can grow.

Air Quality Alert
On November 18, the more than 33 million residents of New Delhi, India, woke up to an ugly surprise. The city was covered in smog. It’s a kind of air pollution that creates a thick, toxic fog. In some parts of New Delhi, air pollution levels were more than 50 times the recommended safe limit, which is set by the World Health Organization. India’s government called the situation “severe plus.” Authorities worked to protect people. Schools closed, and classes for most grades moved online. Construction projects stopped, and nonessential trucks were barred from entering the city. Authorities encouraged people to stay indoors. This warning applied mainly to young children, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses. Smog is especially dangerous for people in these groups. Air pollution is a big problem in Northern India, where New Delhi is located. Much of the pollution is produced by farmers burning their fields before planting new crops. That creates smoke, which blows into cities. Residents are upset about the air quality. Sanjay Goel, who lives in New Delhi, told the Associated Press that “everyone has a sore throat.” Stop and Think! WHY did the writer include a quote from someone who lives in New Delhi? How does a local perspective inform readers?

Air Quality Alert
On November 18, the more than 33 million residents of New Delhi, India, woke up to an ugly surprise. The city was covered in smog. Smog is a kind of air pollution. It creates a toxic fog.
In some parts of New Delhi, pollution levels were more than 50 times the recommended safe limit set by the World Health Organization. India’s government called the situation “severe plus.”
Schools closed to keep students safe. Most classes moved online. Construction projects stopped. Trucks were barred from entering the city. And authorities encouraged people to stay indoors.
Air pollution is a big problem in Northern India, where New Delhi is located. Much of it is produced by farmers burning their fields before planting new crops. That creates smoke, which blows into cities.
People in New Delhi are upset about the air quality. Sanjay Goel lives there. He told the Associated Press that “everyone has a sore throat.” Stop and Think! WHY did the writer include a quote from someone who lives in New Delhi? How does a local perspective inform readers?

Apeeling Artwork
How much would you pay for a banana taped to a wall? That question was on everyone’s mind at Sotheby’s, the New York City auction house, on November 20. The artwork was auctioned to the highest bidder. Final price: $6.2 million. Maurizio Cattelan, an Italian artist, first displayed the work in 2019. It became a viral sensation. It made people question “what we define as an artwork,” says David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s.
Cattelan’s banana from five years ago is, of course, long gone. The artwork is intended to be refreshed every few days. What was sold “is not the banana itself,” says Galperin, “but a certificate of authenticity.” The certificate allows the owner “to reproduce this banana and duct tape on their wall as an original artwork by Maurizio Cattelan.”

Sweater Weather
On November 12, a staffer at London’s Natural History Museum caps off the T. rex’s winter outfit. Each year, the famed animatronic dinosaur dons a snazzy new sweater for the holiday season.

Kids Connect: Jatnna Recio
What inspired your community service work? I was vice president of student council in eighth grade. Our goal was to help our community become cleaner. How did the cleanups work?
We started with our school. That motivated us once we saw the impact we could have. Then we got permission to clean up the parks across the street. We also tried to encourage people to clean up after themselves. There was a lot of litter around that could hurt children who were playing in the parks. What have you learned from performing community service? It’s taught me to think before I do something. Instead of littering, I try to find the nearest garbage can. If I can’t find a garbage can, I’ll hold on to my trash. It has also helped me encourage people my age to throw out their trash instead of expecting someone else to clean it up for them. Know a kid who’s doing something cool or newsworthy? Nominate them to be featured in TIME for Kids! Send us your suggestions at tfkeditors@time.com. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Deep-Sea Danger
The ocean is full of amazing creatures. It’s also full of plastic. There are about 171 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the sea, according to a study published in the journal PLOS One in 2023. That’s bad news for marine animals, such as deep-diving whales. They can mistake the plastic for food and eat it. How do whales mix up plastic and prey? A team at the Duke University Marine Lab, in Beaufort, North Carolina, has been looking into this question. The team has just published research that explains why some deep-diving whales get confused. It all comes down to echolocation: a natural process that allows whales to “hear” objects in the darkest depths of the sea. Hunting by Sound, not Sight
Some types of whales, including sperm whales and beaked whales, hunt in the deepest parts of the ocean. There’s little light at those depths, so it’s too dark for the whales to see. But they can hear. To navigate their surroundings, deep-diving whales use sounds produced by echolocation. First, the whales make a sound, and then they listen. They hear echoes bouncing off of nearby objects. These echoes allow the whales to hunt. The echoes bounce off of prey animals, like squid, and they bounce off of objects that are not edible, like garbage. The scientists found that garbage and prey cause similar echoes. To the whales, they “sound” the same. That can trick the whales into eating trash. The scientists gathered items such as bottles, bags, and rope. All of these have been found in the stomachs of whales. The team bounced sounds off of these objects at frequencies similar to those that echolocating whales use. A machine measured the strength of each echo. The team then compared these echoes to those produced off the bodies of prey animals. The echoes from the plastic items were similar in strength to those returned by prey animals. Greg Merrill, a marine biologist, is the lead author on the study. He was “kind of unsurprised” by the results. “We knew they were eating [the garbage],” he told TFK. “There had to be a reason.” Finding a Solution
Eating garbage is dangerous for whales. The plastic can build up in their stomachs, preventing food from passing through their bodies. This can be deadly. “Plastic pollution impacts animals that are so far away from our daily lives,” Merrill says. “This problem is really big.” Everyone can play a part in reducing plastic pollution. “People need to make real changes in their daily lives, and then advocate for the types of solutions that we need to address this issue,” Merrill says. Advocacy can be as simple as writing to your mayor or governor, he says, or asking your school leaders if they could “make decisions that are more sustainable.”
Many kids are passionate about marine life. Freddie Slater-Reynolds, 7, is one of them. The study makes him feel “worried” about whales. He shared his advice for people who want to keep trash away from wildlife: Don’t litter. “Throw it in the garbage bin,” he says.
Above and Below Beaked whales and sperm whales are deep-sea hunters. They dive thousands of feet to find food. But not all whales use echolocation to hunt. Some stick closer to the surface. The humpback whale, like those pictured here, sometimes uses a technique called lunge feeding. The whale opens its mouth wide and surges through a school of fish or krill. If you’re lucky enough to witness a whale’s vertical lunge, you’ll see the huge animal’s head rise above the surface.

Deep-Sea Danger
The ocean is full of amazing creatures. It’s also full of plastic. There are about 171 trillion pieces of plastic in the sea. That’s according to a study published in the journal PLOS One in 2023. This is bad news for marine animals, such as deep-diving whales. They can mistake the plastic for food.
How do whales mix up plastic and prey? A team at the Duke University Marine Lab, in Beaufort, North Carolina, has been looking into this question. It has published research explaining why some deep-diving whales get confused. The problem all comes down to a process that allows whales to “hear” objects in the deepest parts of the sea. This process is called echolocation.
Hunting by Sound, not Sight Some types of whales hunt deep in the ocean. These include sperm whales and beaked whales. There’s little light where they hunt. It’s too dark for the whales to see. But they can hear. They use echolocation to swim through their surroundings.
First, the whales make a sound. Then they listen. They hear echoes bouncing off of nearby objects. These echoes allow the whales to hunt. The echoes bounce off of prey animals, like squid. And they bounce off of objects that are not edible, like garbage. The scientists found that garbage and prey cause similar echoes. That tricks the whales into eating trash.
The scientists gathered pieces of trash, like plastic bottles and rope. These things have been found in the stomachs of whales. The team bounced sounds off of these objects. They made sounds at frequencies similar to those that whales use.
A machine measured the strength of each echo. The echoes from the plastic items were similar to echoes returned by prey animals. That’s confusing for the whales. Greg Merrill is a marine biologist. He led the study. Merrill was “unsurprised” by the results. “We knew they were eating [the garbage],” he told TFK. “There had to be a reason.”
Finding a Solution Eating garbage is dangerous for whales. The plastic can build up in their stomachs. Everyone can play a part in reducing plastic pollution. “People need to make real changes in their daily lives, and then advocate for the types of solutions that we need to address this issue,” Merrill says. One way is by asking school leaders if they could “make decisions that are more sustainable.” Many kids are passionate about marine life. Freddie Slater-Reynolds, 7, is one of them. The study makes him feel “worried” about whales. He shared his advice for people who want to keep trash away from wildlife: Don’t litter. “Throw it in the garbage bin,” he says. Above and Below Beaked whales and sperm whales are deep-sea hunters. They dive thousands of feet to find food. But not all whales use echolocation to hunt. Some stick closer to the surface. They eat different things. The humpback whale sometimes uses a technique called lunge feeding. This technique is shown in the picture here. The whale opens its mouth wide. It swims quickly through a school of fish or krill. If you’re lucky enough to witness a whale’s vertical lunge, you’ll see the huge animal’s head rise above the surface.

Undead Adventure
TFK Kid Reporter Meyer Ballas read The Last Kids on Earth: The Graphic Novel and interviewed Max Brallier, its author. Read Meyer’s thoughts below. The Last Kids on Earth: The Graphic Novel is an illustrated version of the first book in Max Brallier’s best-selling Last Kids on Earth series. The original book came out in 2015. Now, along with illustrator Brian Churilla, Brallier has given graphic-novel lovers an opportunity to connect with this story. The book takes place in a town called Wakefield during a zombie apocalypse. It’s written from the perspective of 13-year-old Jack Sullivan. Brailler told TIME for Kids that he likes the end of the world as a setting because there are no rules during the apocalypse. “As a kid, there are always rules everywhere,” he said. “If it’s midnight and you want to go outside, you can’t. But if the world was ending—‘Oh, we can!’” Jack takes advantage of this setting and tries to make the zombie apocalypse more fun. He teams up with his friend Quint and the school bully, Dirk Savage. Jack’s most dramatic quest is to rescue the girl he likes, June del Toro. He believes that June needs a hero. But when he finds her hiding out in their school, she clearly doesn’t need to be rescued. Instead, Jack and his crew recruit her to join them. When they attempt to leave in the morning, a giant monster—Jack calls him Blarg—is waiting for them outside. Do they make it out alive? Brailler said he likes to think of The Last Kids on Earth as “an adventure series first,” as opposed to a horror series. “There’s scary stuff to it—there are monsters and zombies,” he said. “But what I really hope is that it’s a big adventure story: the action, the comedy, with a little bit of horror.” Brailler achieves this goal. I really enjoyed the comedic action. My favorite part is when Jack daydreams about June. I would recommend this book for comic-book lovers who enjoy comedy, action, and monsters.

Magical Moments
Wicked —now in movie theaters—imagines what happened before Dorothy fell into the Land of Oz. Based on the hit Broadway musical, the movie stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as witches Elphaba and Glinda. Marissa Bode plays Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister. Like her character, Nessa, Bode uses a wheelchair. She’s the first actress with a disability to play the part. Bode started acting when she was 8. She began using a wheelchair at 11, after a car accident. “It’s definitely given me a lot more understanding and empathy of humans in general,” she says. “With Nessa, I relate to her in many ways, particularly her wanting to find a sense of community.”
Wicked is about celebrating people’s differences. That theme is meaningful to Bode, who says being cast in the movie was a dream come true. Her favorite moment on set? Flying. “I loved being in the air,” Bode says. “Being on wires isn’t something I do every single day! So that was a lot of fun, and that felt very magical to me.”

Magical Moments
Wicked, now in movie theaters, imagines what happened before Dorothy fell into the Land of Oz. It’s based on the hit Broadway musical. The movie stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as witches Elphaba and Glinda. Marissa Bode plays Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister. Like her character, Nessa, Bode uses a wheelchair. She’s the first actress with a disability to play the part.
Bode started acting at age 8. She began using a wheelchair at 11, after a car accident. “It’s definitely given me a lot more understanding and empathy,” she says. “With Nessa, I relate to her in many ways.”
Wicked is about celebrating people’s differences. That theme is meaningful to Bode. She says being cast in the movie was a dream come true. Her favorite moment on set? Flying on wires. Being in the air “felt very magical,” Bode says.

The Inside Story
Based on a novel of the same name, the new movie Out of My Mind is about Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy. This affects her speech and movement, so she isn’t given the same opportunities as her classmates. A teacher sees Melody’s potential and moves her into mainstream classes. Melody is excited to show everyone what she can do.
Phoebe-Rae Taylor, 15, plays Melody. As a person with cerebral palsy, she says she relates to her character’s struggle. “Melody is put into this box because of her disability,” Phoebe-Rae told TFK. “She finds a way out of that and gets other people to see her—not by her disability, but by her intelligence and her personality.” Out of My Mind is out now on Disney+.

The Inside Story
The new movie Out of My Mind is based on a novel of the same name. It’s about Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy. This affects her speech and movement, so she isn’t given the same opportunities as her classmates. A teacher sees Melody’s potential and moves her into mainstream classes. Melody is excited to show everyone what she can do. Phoebe-Rae Taylor, 15, plays Melody. As a person with cerebral palsy, she says she relates to her character’s struggle. “Melody is put into this box because of her disability,” Phoebe-Rae told TFK. “She finds a way out of that and gets other people to see her—not by her disability, but by her intelligence and her personality.” Out of My Mind is out now on Disney+.

Friends in the Wilderness
TFK Kid Reporter Safiyyah Hussain read Off the Map and interviewed Meika Hashimoto, its author. Read Safiyyah’s thoughts below. In her latest novel, Off the Map, Meika Hashimoto takes readers on a gripping adventure in Alaska. Marlo sets out on a canoe trip she takes every year with her mother and dog. But this year, to Marlo’s surprise, her mom has invited Marlo’s ex–best friend, Amos, and his father. Before long, Marlo and Amos find themselves separated from their parents, at each other’s throats, facing life-and-death challenges in unfamiliar territory. With only each other and some supplies, Amos and Marlo must learn to set aside their differences as they work together to survive in the wilderness. Can they do it? A nature lover, Hashimoto knew she wanted to set her story in the Alaskan wilderness, which she had visited prior to writing Off the Map. “It is breathtaking. It is huge. It is a place where, if you get lost, you really, really can get lost,” Hashimoto says. Marlo and Amos’s time in the wild is packed with thrills. But Hashimoto’s favorite parts of the book are the quieter moments: the conversations between Marlo and Amos “about their relationship and what went wrong.” She particularly enjoys when they talk it through, and each realizes where the other is coming from. Off the Map is a perfect combination of adventure, peril, and heartfelt moments. Hashimoto hopes the story will encourage readers to expand their love for nature and dive into experiencing the outdoors—just like Marlo and Amos do.

Princess in Peril
TFK Kid Reporter Evelyn Peng read The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night and interviewed the book’s author, Steven Banbury. Read Evelyn’s thoughts below. The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night is Steven Banbury’s debut novel. It’s about a young orphaned girl named Evelyn. One Halloween, she escapes from the orphanage, and is found by the legendary Pumpkin King. The Pumpkin King takes her in and dubs her the Pumpkin Princess. Evelyn must learn to live with supernatural creatures, such as witches and werewolves, and she realizes that not everyone appreciates a regular human girl in their midst. Just when she starts to feel comfortable, an evil plot threatens her and her newfound family. To what lengths will Evelyn go to protect her home? Banbury says readers might connect with the book in different ways. Some people who are having new experiences will relate to Evelyn feeling like a “fish out of water, making friends for the first time.” Parents can also relate, perhaps connecting with “the Pumpkin King becoming a father for the first time.” The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night is a heartwarming novel, perfect for readers of all ages, at all times of the year.

Trump Elected
Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election, defeating current vice president Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States. Election results were announced early on November 6, on the morning after Election Day. After his path to victory became clear, Trump addressed supporters gathered in West Palm Beach, Florida. “We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” he said. He then promised Americans, “I will fight for you, for your family, and for your future.” Election Season At press time, Trump, the Republican candidate, had more than 72 million votes. Harris, the Democratic candidate, had around 68 million votes. A few states were still counting ballots. But Trump’s electoral college margin—295 to 226—was decisive (see “Electoral College”). Trump’s win caps an unusual election season. When he began his campaign, he was running against current president Joe Biden. But on July 21, Biden dropped out of the race. Harris, his vice president, became the Democratic nominee on August 5.
Polls predicted a tight race for the nation’s top job. The outcome was expected to come down to seven battleground states. At press time, Trump had won five: Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Arizona and Nevada had not been called. Harris called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him. Later that afternoon, she addressed supporters in Washington, D.C. She thanked people, including her family, President Biden, and her running mate, Tim Walz, of Minnesota. She conceded the election, but said she would continue to fight for her beliefs. “I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions, and aspirations,” she said.
What’s Next Trump will take office on January 20, 2025. He’ll be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. His running mate—Senator J.D. Vance, of Ohio—will also take office that day, as the country’s vice president. It will be Trump’s second time taking the presidential oath of office. He was first elected president in 2016. Four years later, he lost his reelection bid to Biden. Now he becomes only the second presidential candidate in the country’s 248-year history to win nonconsecutive elections (see “Back to the White House”).
Once in office, Trump and Vance will face many challenges. They’ll have to tackle difficult issues, including immigration and overseas conflicts. They’ll also have to address inflation: Throughout the presidential campaign, Americans expressed concern about the high price of groceries and the rising cost of home ownership.
Trump says he’s ready to get to work for the American people. He’ll likely have the support of Congress (see “What did People Vote on?”). On Election Day, Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate. Election results for the House of Representatives were not yet complete. Officials say it will take time to count all of the votes. Electoral College Donald Trump won millions of votes around the country. But a group of 538 people will officially elect him as president. This group is the electoral college. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to become president. At press time, Trump had 295. The states he won are shown in red. Vice President Kamala Harris had 226 electoral votes. The states she won are shown in blue. Some states have not announced their votes. They are shown in gray.

Trump Elected
Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election. He defeated current vice president Kamala Harris. Election results were announced early on November 6, the morning after Election Day. Trump will become the 47th president of the United States. After his path to victory became clear, Trump addressed his supporters. “We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” he said. He then promised Americans, “I will fight for you, for your family, and for your future.”
Election Season Trump was the Republican candidate. At press time, he had more than 72 million votes. Harris was the Democratic candidate. She had around 68 million votes. A few states were still counting ballots. But Trump’s electoral college victory was decisive (see “Electoral College”). At press time, he had 295 electoral votes. Harris had 226. This has been an unusual election season. At first, Trump was running against current president Joe Biden. But on July 21, Biden dropped out of the race. Harris, Biden’s vice president, became the Democratic nominee on August 5. Harris called Trump on Wednesday. She congratulated him. Later, she addressed her supporters. She thanked her family. She also thanked President Biden and her running mate, Tim Walz, of Minnesota. She said she would continue to fight for her beliefs even though she did not win. “I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions, and aspirations,” she said.
What’s Next Trump will take office on January 20, 2025. He’ll be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. His running mate will also take office that day. That’s Senator J.D. Vance, of Ohio. He’ll serve as the country’s vice president. It will be Trump’s second time taking the presidential oath of office. He was first elected president in 2016. He ran again four years later, but he lost to Biden. Now Trump becomes only the second presidential candidate in U.S. history to win nonconsecutive elections (see “Back to the White House”).
Once in office, Trump and Vance will face challenges. They’ll have to tackle tough issues. These include conflicts in other countries and inflation. But Trump says he’s ready to get to work for the American people.
He’ll likely have the support of Congress (see “What Did People Vote on?”). On Election Day, Republicans won control of the U.S. Senate. At press time, election results for the House of Representatives were not yet complete. Officials say it will take time to count all of the votes. Electoral College Donald Trump won millions of votes around the country. But a group of 538 people will officially elect him as president. This group is the electoral college. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to become president. At press time, Trump had 295. The states he won are shown in red. Vice President Kamala Harris had 226 electoral votes. The states she won are shown in blue. Some states have not announced their votes. They are shown in gray.

At the Polls
On November 5, Americans went to the polls. Some waited in long lines to make their choice for who would be the next president of the United States. They also voted for candidates in other races, such as senators and judges, as well as on community measures.
Some people cast their ballot earlier than Election Day, either in person or by mail. As of press time, more than 140 million ballots have been tallied. There are more ballots to count, but the results are in: Republican candidate Donald Trump will be the nation’s next president (see “Trump Elected”). Read TIME for Kids to learn about other aspects of Election 2024.

What Did People Vote On?
Voters cast their ballots for the next president. They choose state leaders, including governors, and city leaders, such as mayors. And voters chose members of the 119th United States Congress, which begins on January 3, 2025. Congress is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The group makes new laws and changes existing ones. In total, 469 seats in Congress were up for grabs: 34 out of 100 seats in the Senate and all 435 seats in the House. Before the election, the Democratic Party had control of the Senate. Republicans won enough races to change the balance of power. When one party takes control from the other party, it is called “flipping” the Senate or the House. At press time, the Republican Party had flipped the Senate. The results for the House of Representatives had not yet been finalized.

Back to the White House
U.S. presidents can serve two four-year terms. Donald Trump’s first term was from 2017 to 2021. He ran for reelection but did not win. Four years after his first term ended, Trump will begin serving again. Trump is only the second president in U.S. history to win nonconsecutive terms, or terms that are not back-to-back. The first was President Grover Cleveland. He served in the White House from 1885 to 1889—and then again, four years later, from 1893 to 1897.

Kids Weigh In
We asked TFK Kid Reporters to share their Election Day thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Here’s what a few of them had to say. Disha Rai, 12, Illinois An election is a chance for people to participate in shaping the future of their community and country. I always find Election Day interesting—one, because I get the day off of school, but more important, because of the energy that makes its way into conversations about how we can make our communities better. Rudrh Nair, 13, Connecticut Election Day is a cause for pride and change. It can also stir up nervousness. On the news, we saw a constant surge of voices. People from all around the world watched anxiously, waiting to see the results that would dictate the fate of the country. Dylan Landaw, 10, New York Election Day is a very important day for America. On that day, voters choose a president to lead and represent our nation. Even though kids like me are not able to vote, Election Day is important for us too. The results will affect the future for all of us.

People Making History
The 2024 election was full of historic moments. Voters chose state and local leaders from many different backgrounds. These include women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Here are a few of many important firsts. (Left to right) Row 1: Kamala Harris: First South Asian and Black woman to run for president on a major party ticket
Bernie Moreno: First Latino—and person of color—elected to the U.S. Senate for Ohio Sarah McBride: First openly transgender person elected to Congress
Julie Fedorchak: First woman elected to serve for North Dakota in the U.S. House Row 2: Andy Kim: First Korean-American elected to serve in the U.S. Senate
Julie Johnson: First openly LGBTQ+ person to represent Texas in Congress
Lisa Blunt Rochester and Angela Alsobrooks: The first two Black women elected to the Senate at once. Rochester will be the first Black senator from Delaware; Alsobrooks will be the first Black senator from Maryland.

Nothing but Net
On October 20, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) ended its season with a nail-biting championship game between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty won its first-ever league title. The 2024 season included other record-setting achievements. The WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 24 years. WNBA games also had their best attendance in 22 seasons. And merchandise raked in the cash. Sales were up 601% from 2023, says a league press release.
With the 2024 WNBA season having made history, the league is poised to expand. It has inspired young athletes around the country. Investing in Hoops Cathy Engelbert is league commissioner. She says the WNBA’s rise is the result of careful investment. There’s “a lot of capital flowing in,” Engelbert told TIME’s Sean Gregory. “Our owners are investing in practice facilities and player experience.”
Powerhouse players are attracting new audiences. Rookie stars—such as Caitlin Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever, and Angel Reese, who plays for the Chicago Sky—have drawn in viewers. And veteran players are showing new fans how competitive the sport is. A’ja Wilson, for example, set two league records this year. The Las Vegas Aces player earned 1,021 points and 451 rebounds during the regular season.
Now the WNBA is looking ahead. Soon, the league will expand. A new team, the Golden State Valkyries, will begin play in San Francisco next year. Toronto, Canada, and Portland, Oregon, expect to see their teams begin play in 2026. Engelbert hopes the league will expand even further. Many cities have said they want their own team.
Next Generation
Caela Ellis is a high school girls’ basketball coach. She works at Cranbrook Upper School, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Ellis says the new attention to the WNBA is great for her players. “From a role-model perspective, WNBA players are really inspiring,” Ellis told TIME for Kids.
Plus, “it’s not just about what they do on the court,” Ellis says. She notes that WNBA players have started businesses and are actively giving back to their communities. Now, Ellis says, her high school players have “a different ceiling when it comes to their dreams.”

Nothing but Net
The Women’s National Basketball Association, or WNBA, ended its season on October 20. It was a close championship game between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty won its first-ever league title. The league set records, too. The WNBA had its most-watched regular season in 24 years. Games had their best attendance in 22 seasons. And merchandise sales were up.
After a successful year, the league is expanding. It’s inspiring young athletes around the country. Investing in Hoops
Cathy Engelbert is league commissioner. She says the WNBA’s rise is due to careful investment. There’s “a lot of capital flowing in,” Engelbert told TIME’s Sean Gregory. “Our owners are investing in practice facilities and player experience.”
Powerful players have been attracting new audiences. Rookie stars have drawn in viewers. One of these stars is Caitlin Clark. She plays for the Indiana Fever. Another, Angel Reese, plays for the Chicago Sky. Veteran players are showing off their skills, as well. A’ja Wilson is one. She plays for the Las Vegas Aces. Wilson set two league records this year. She earned 1,021 points and 451 rebounds during the regular season.
What’s next for the WNBA? A new team will begin play in San Francisco next year. That team is the Golden State Valkyries. And two more new teams will begin play in 2026. One will play in Toronto, Canada. The other will play in Portland, Oregon.
Next Generation
Caela Ellis is a high school girls’ basketball coach. She works at Cranbrook Upper School. It’s in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Ellis says the new attention to the WNBA is great for her players. “From a role-model perspective, WNBA players are really inspiring,” Ellis told TIME for Kids. Plus, “it’s not just about what they do on the court,” Ellis says. She likes that WNBA players start businesses and give back to their communities. Now, Ellis says, her players have “a different ceiling when it comes to their dreams.”

The Kid Report: Nothing but Net
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was 3. Once you start, you don’t want to stop! I’m delighted that the world is sharing my excitement for the game and enjoying the WNBA. Watching Sabrina Ionescu almost take down Steph Curry in the three-point contest made me want to just go outside and shoot free throws until my arms fell off.” —TFK Kid Reporter Safiyyah Hussain, 12, Virginia
“Basketball means so much to me. I’m happy the WNBA is finally getting the attention it deserves. Everyone should try to play basketball at least once. It’s a great way to stay active and build relationships.”  —Harper Wolking, 13, Virginia

Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society?
Many people are embracing artificial intelligence, or AI. Tools such as ChatGPT use AI to produce text quickly. Some people find that helpful for school or work. Other AI tools create images or chat bots. But AI isn’t always accurate or reliable. And it comes with risks, especially if used irresponsibly. We asked TFK readers if they think AI is good for society. They made strong points on both sides of the issue. Here are four of their responses. Where do you stand? Rime Lee, 10 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada I believe AI can help in many areas. These include healthcare, education, robotics, and more. Some people might think students could use AI to get answers without putting in any effort. But AI doesn’t just give students the answers. It can help them solve problems step-by-step. That’s a great way to learn. AI also opens up new opportunities for work and creativity. Plus, thanks to AI, we have fun new apps and games to enjoy. Maren Altrup, 10 Springfield, Missouri AI can be good for society in some ways, but it could also go wrong. With AI, it can be hard to know what is real and what is made-up. And students could cheat on their homework. This would not be good, because teachers would not know if students were struggling. Students could stop thinking for themselves and rely too much on AI. Thinking for yourself is important. You need to know how to solve problems. Your brain is a muscle. The more you use it, the smarter you become. Thomas McGibbon, 9
Pelham, New York Artificial intelligence is good for society. Without it, some helpful websites wouldn’t exist. It’s also good because you might have a question and your parents don’t know the answer. Then you can ask AI. I know students can use artificial intelligence to cheat on tests or on their homework. But a lot of schools are able to block those websites so that students can’t cheat. Plus, what’s the percentage chance of AI actually taking over the world? In conclusion, I think that AI is good for society. Ellie McBee, 12 Georgetown, South Carolina In order to generate images, AI bots take images from people and combine them. When I was bored, I used to go on AI sites and ask them to make images of characters from books. I would make these requests using descriptions I read. AI created the images using the work of different artists and art styles. It steals the artists’ hard work. It’s cool to look at book characters that were generated by AI. But it’s not cool enough for AI to steal an artist’s work. The Next Debate: Should kids be allowed to use their phones at school? Email your response to tfkeditors@time.com by January 10, 2025. It might be featured in an issue of TIME for Kids. *Submissions have been edited only for length and clarity. They are not intended to reflect the views of TIME for Kids. Ages are accurate as of the time of submission.

Is Artificial Intelligence Good for Society?
Many people are embracing artificial intelligence, or AI. Tools such as ChatGPT use AI to generate text quickly, which some people find helpful for school or work. Other AI tools create images or chat bots. But AI isn’t always accurate or reliable. And it comes with risks, especially if used irresponsibly. We asked TFK readers to tell us if they think AI is good for society. They made strong points on both sides of the issue. Here are four of their responses. Where do you stand? Rime Lee, 10 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada I believe AI is great, because it can help in many areas. These include healthcare, education, robotics, and more. Some people might think AI is bad for students, because they could use it to get answers without putting in any effort. But AI doesn’t just give students the answers. It can help them solve problems step-by-step, which is a great way to learn. AI is also useful for digital assistance, art design, and other creative tasks. It opens up new opportunities for work and creativity. Plus, thanks to AI, we have many fun new apps and games to enjoy.
Maren Altrup, 10 Springfield, Missouri AI can be good for society in some ways, but it could also go wrong. With AI, it can be hard to know what is real and what is made-up. And students could cheat on their homework. This would not be good, because teachers would not know if students were struggling. Also, students could stop thinking for themselves and rely too much on AI. Thinking for yourself is important, because you need to know how to solve problems. Your brain is a muscle. The more you use it, the smarter you become. But AI isn’t going away. So we need to be careful how we use it. Thomas McGibbon, 9
Pelham, New York Artificial intelligence is good for society because without it, some helpful websites wouldn’t exist. It’s also good because sometimes you might have a question and your parents don’t know the answer. Then you can ask artificial intelligence. I know students can use artificial intelligence to cheat on tests or on their homework. But a lot of schools are able to block those websites so that students can’t cheat. Plus, what’s the percentage chance of AI actually taking over the world? In conclusion, I think that AI is good for society. Ellie McBee, 12 Georgetown, South Carolina In order to generate images, artificial-intelligence bots have to take images from people and combine them. In the past, when I was bored, I used to go on AI sites and ask them to make images of characters I read about in books. I would make these requests using descriptions from the books.
Artificial intelligence created the images using the work of different artists and art styles. It steals the artists’ hard work. It’s cool to look at book characters that were generated by artificial intelligence—but it’s not cool enough for AI to steal an artist’s work. The Next Debate: Should kids be allowed to use their phones at school? Email your response to tfkeditors@time.com by January 10, 2025. It might be featured in an issue of TIME for Kids. *Submissions have been edited only for length and clarity. They are not intended to reflect the views of TIME for Kids. Ages are accurate as of the time of submission.

Trump Wins
Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election. He defeated Vice President Kamala Harris. Results of the November 5 election were announced the following day. Trump spoke to the nation after the polls had closed. His win looked certain. “I will fight for you, for your family, and for your future,” he promised Americans.
Path to Victory Trump was the Republican candidate. He received nearly 72 million votes. Harris was the Democratic candidate. She received more than 67 million votes. A few states were still counting ballots when this magazine was published. The race was close. But Trump’s win is decisive. At press time, he’s ahead in the electoral college. He has 292 electoral votes. Harris has 224. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.
It was an unusual election season. At first, Trump was running against President Joe Biden. But Biden dropped out of the race on July 21. Harris became the Democratic nominee for president soon after. What’s Next Trump will take office on January 20, 2025. There are many issues facing him. These include conflicts in other countries and immigration. Another is inflation. People are worried about the cost of groceries and owning a home.
This will be Trump’s second term as president. He was first elected in 2016. He ran for reelection in 2020. He lost to Biden. It’s rare for a U.S. presidential candidate to win elections that are not back-to-back. Trump is only the second person to do so.
“We overcame obstacles that we never thought possible,” Trump said on November 6.

Mindfulness
What does it mean to be mindful? It means to pay attention to what is happening right now. Try not to think about the past or the future. You can do it anywhere and anytime. Use your senses to help you. Taste.
Take a bite of something delicious. Is it sweet? Is it sour? Focus on the flavor. Touch.
Pick up a small item, such as a pebble. Is it bumpy? Is it smooth? Close your eyes. How does it feel in your hand? Listen.
Put your hand up to your ear. What do you hear? Is it loud or quiet? Far or near? Imagine what is making the sound. Smell.
Find a beautiful flower. Breathe in deeply through your nose. What does the flower smell like?

That Is Awesome
Have you ever seen a hawk? They soar high in the sky. They might make you say, “Wow!” That is the feeling of awe. It is a feeling of wonder and amazement.
Scientists have studied awe. It is a positive emotion. People who seek it out feel more happy. Often, nature makes people feel awe.
Feeling awe is a great way to connect with the world. Anyone can experience it. It can be as easy as taking a walk.
Take an Awe Walk
Go for a walk outside. Ask family members or friends to join you. Pay attention. Look closely at what is around you.
Look up at a tall tree. Stand in the wind. Watch the setting sun. What makes you feel awe? Draw or write it down.

Same Same
Author Jennifer E. Smith and illustrator Leo Espinosa are the team behind The Creature of Habit. Readers of the book meet a large creature and a small one. The large creature does the exact same thing every day. He likes routines. The small one does not. He does something different each day. The large creature thinks this is absolute madness. That is, until he tries something new. Smith thinks the story is relatable. There’s never a time when “trying something new isn’t a little bit scary,” she told TFK Kid Reporter Dylan Landaw. Smith says she’s like the large creature. She thinks most people are like one or the other. Some people have trouble adjusting to change. Others are like the little guy. They’re up for anything. Espinosa says he’s like the big creature, too. But “it’s good to have that curiosity of that little creature,” he says. “That’s when you get out of the comfort zone.” Espinosa had fun illustrating this book. “I can go really silly,” he says, “because they’re imaginary creatures.”
Espinosa and Smith enjoy working together. Their next book is The Creature of Habit Tries His Best. It comes out on November 19.

Let’s Go!
Jaxon Porter, 11, is happiest behind the wheel. He’s too young to have a driver’s license. He races go-karts. “I just love going fast,” Jaxon told TIME for Kids. He races at speeds up to 70 m.p.h. Jaxon started racing at 5 years old. He has been driving for more than five years. He has dreams of going pro. “I’ll be up there soon,” he says. “An IndyCar driver.” Racing Families Jaxon began competing in local go-kart races. They were in Phoenix, Arizona. Soon, he was taking part in national races. Drivers compete against kids their age. Some events have a thousand karts competing. For many go-karters, racing runs in the family. Families spend a lot of time at events. They travel long distances. Many drivers are homeschooled. That gives them time for racing. “It’s a sacrifice for the whole family,” Elysia Porter says. She’s Jaxon’s mom. “But it’s worth it,” she adds. A Growing Sport Audrey Littrell first drove a go-kart at age 4. She has been racing for several years now. “There aren’t many girls in racing,” says Audrey, now 8. But she could be part of a trend. There are few females in professional racing. But younger racers are more used to seeing girls on the track. McKenna Haase heads Youth Racers of America. “Racing is growing a ton,” she says. She’s interested to see how many female racers make it to the pros in the coming years.

Exercise Together
To be healthy, you need to move your body. It can be fun to exercise with others. Here are some great ways to stay fit. Who will exercise with you? Join a team.
Add action to your day and make new friends. Do you like soccer? How about baseball? Find a sports team to be part of. You can learn new skills. Run for a cause.
Charities hold races. Runners help raise money. Is there one in your community? Run with friends or family. Dance it out!
Turn up your favorite music. It is time for a dance party! Wave your arms. Tap your feet. Move your body to the beat. Take a walk.
Walking is a good way to get from here to there. You can walk to school. You can walk to a store or playground. Get those feet moving.

Sixty Minutes
Kids should be active for at least 60 minutes each day. That is what doctors recommend. That adds up to one hour. Can you make a plan to meet this goal? Here are tips. Exercise Plan Look at your daily schedule. When can you make time for exercise? Think about your favorite ways to be active. Which will you do today? Find friends or family members to join you. Let’s go!

A Big Race
The first New York City marathon took place in 1970. It was hosted by New York Road Runners (NYRR). Only 127 runners entered the 26.2-mile race. Now it’s the world’s largest marathon. It’s held on the first Sunday in November. More than 55,000 people finished the run in 2024. A Growing Marathon The New York City Marathon has been run for 54 years. It’s still hosted by NYRR. The race has been canceled only twice: in 2012, following Hurricane Sandy, and again in 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the Kids Kids can get involved with NYRR too. Rising New York Road Runners is a youth fitness platform. It has resources for communities in New York City and beyond. The goal is to help kids build confidence through physical activity. Not a runner? That’s okay. It has fitness activities anyone can join in on.

A New Heroine
In October, Nintendo invited TFK Kid Reporter Nate Rhew to test new game releases at an event in New York City. One of his favorites was Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. Read his review of the game below. The Legend of Zelda is a popular video game series by Nintendo. The first game in the series was released in Japan in 1986. The games are set in the Kingdom of Hyrule. Although Zelda’s name is in the series title, the main character has always been Link. The newest release, Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, is the first in which Princess Zelda is the protagonist. In the game, mysterious rifts begin to form in the ground. They swallow people up. Link and the King of Hyrule have already disappeared. Now it’s up to Zelda to save her kingdom. Eiji Aonuma is the producer of the Legend of Zelda series. “Princess Zelda is on her own adventure,” he told an interviewer. “So the story takes on a different perspective than before. I think that’s why we were able to create something new in terms of the story, as well.” Zelda’s main quest in Echoes of Wisdom is to prevent the rifts from further damaging her kingdom. She also helps other characters complete their quests and solve conflicts. Tri, a fairylike creature who helps Zelda on her adventures, gives her a Tri Rod. This staff gives Zelda the power to create echoes, or mimics of objects. She can use these echoes to build paths, get around obstacles, and fight creatures who get in her way. Satoshi Terada is the game’s director. “I think this Legend of Zelda game is one that’s approachable even for people who don’t play games very often,” he said in an interview. “With this game, you can play using echoes and try out lots of different things. Your individual personality really comes out in how you choose to use echoes in boss battles,” he says. I was drawn to Echoes of Wisdom because of the excitement of exploring the Kingdom of Hyrule from Zelda’s perspective. My favorite part of the game is how players can use their creativity by choosing different echoes to fight battles and get through obstacles. I would recommend this game for players who like to be creative, strategize, and go on adventures.

Time for Your Checkup
Sometimes, you visit the doctor even though you are not sick. This visit is called a checkup. You should have one each year. A doctor will make sure you are healthy and growing. Here is what you can expect to do there. Wait your turn.
The person who brought you tells the office you are there. You spend time in a waiting room. There might be toys to play with or books to read. Get measured.
A doctor or nurse measures your height, weight, and temperature. There is a tool for each measurement. Open wide!
The doctor checks your body. They look at your mouth, eyes, and ears. They listen to your heart. They should explain each step. Ask away.
It is time to chat. The doctor gives you tips for staying healthy. You can ask questions. So can the person you are with. Does everything look okay? See you next time!

Ant Expert
Brian Fisher is an entomologist. That’s a person who studies insects. Fisher works at a museum in San Francisco, California. It’s called the California Academy of Sciences. In April, TFK Kid Reporter Dylan Patel traveled to San Francisco. He met with the famous ant expert. They talked about Fisher’s work. From Plants to Insects
Fisher’s childhood dream was to be a botanist. That’s a scientist who studies plants. He reached that goal. But Fisher started asking questions about the ants he found on botany expeditions. The other botanists couldn’t identify them. Fisher got in touch with an ant scientist to learn more. Over time, Fisher’s interest in the ants grew. So he made a change. He became an entomologist. Helping Out
Scientists must be “motivated, driven, and focused,” Fisher says. He has a goal. He wants to identify every type of ant. He would like to create a family tree of ant species. This will require cooperation from scientists around the world. Fisher’s mission took him to Madagascar. It’s an island off the coast of Africa. He didn’t just study ants there. He also helped people.
Fisher invented a way to farm insects for food. He taught it to people in Madagascar. They use insects to make crackers. The crackers are given to people who need food. Fisher’s ant family tree could open up a new world of insect studies. But if people “nearby are hungry,” he says, it’s more important to work on that first.

Small Subjects
TFK Kid Reporter Dylan Patel is an ant enthusiast. He is also a photographer. He takes close-up photos. Dylan’s subject of choice? Insects and spiders! He shared some of his pictures with TIME for Kids. Read on to learn more about each of his subjects.

Meet a Doctor
Doctors who treat children are called pediatricians. Meet Dr. Jaclyn Dovico. She is a pediatrician. Dr. Dovico used to work at a bank. But she wanted to help kids. So she became a doctor. That was six years ago.
Some people think doctors help only kids who are sick. Dr. Dovico says that is not true. “My job is more than just seeing whether a child is sick,” she says. “It is about how to help kids keep healthy habits.” Good Advice
Would you like to be a pediatrician? Dr. Dovico has some advice. Doctors have to go to college. Then they go to medical school. Be ready to work hard and learn, says Dr. Dovico.
Be ready to get silly. Dr. Dovico sings songs. She makes kids laugh. This helps them feel calm.

Election 2024 Preview
Every four years, Americans decide who will be the next president of the United States. This year, Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. The time leading up to the presidential election will be busy and exciting. We’ve explained some of the words and phrases you’ll need to know. Listen for these terms as the adults around you get ready to cast their vote. CANDIDATE noun: a person who is running for office The winner of the presidential election will lead the United States for the next four years. There are two main candidates for the job: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Both are traveling around the country. They’re giving speeches and talking to people as they try to win votes. Trump represents the Republican Party. He won the 2016 presidential election. He served from 2017 to 2021. U.S. presidents can serve two terms. If Trump is reelected, he will serve in the White House for four more years.
Harris represents the Democratic Party. She’s the U.S. vice president. She serves alongside President Joe Biden. Harris joined the race later than usual. Biden was the Democratic nominee at first. But he dropped out of the race on July 21. Harris became the party’s choice soon after. BALLOT noun: a list of choices in an election Picking the next president isn’t the only important choice American voters are making in this year’s election. U.S. elections operate using a ballot system. A ballot is a list of choices for voters to make. The ballot for this year’s election lists the candidates for president. It lists the candidates for other offices, too. These include judges and senators. Ballots also include issues that affect towns or states, like raising taxes. People can vote yes or no on these issues. Many voters fill in their ballot on Election Day. Volunteers distribute them at polling places, such as schools and libraries. That’s where people line up to cast their votes. But there are other ways to vote. Some people are visiting polling places early. Some are submitting their ballots by mail. These votes count just the same as in-person votes on Election Day. ELECTORAL COLLEGE noun: the group that elects the president In most elections, the person with the most votes wins. When it comes to picking a U.S. president, things aren’t so simple. Even after a winner is declared, it will be weeks before a group of 538 people actually elects the president. This group is the electoral college. Here’s how it works. A state gets electoral votes equal to the number of its members of Congress. Congress includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state gets one vote apiece for its two senators. This never changes. States also get one vote for each of their members of the House of Representatives. That number is based on the state’s population. Washington, D.C., isn’t a state. But it gets electoral votes, too.
A candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win. In 48 states and D.C., the candidate who gets the most votes in the election gets all of that state’s electoral votes. In Maine and Nebraska, electoral votes can be split between candidates. POLL noun: a survey of people’s opinions Political polls are surveys. They’re often done by research or media organizations. These groups contact people by phone, online, or face-to-face. They ask questions to find out what people think about candidates and issues. The answers are used to find trends. Polls aren’t perfect. Sometimes, the group polled isn’t diverse enough. And people don’t always respond honestly. At press time, most polls show Harris and Trump nearly tied. But we won’t know if this is accurate until the election results are in.

Election 2024 Preview
Every four years, Americans decide who will be the next president of the United States. This year, Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. The time leading up to the presidential election will be busy and exciting. We’ve explained some of the words and phrases you’ll need to know. Listen for these terms as the adults around you get ready to cast their vote. CANDIDATE noun: a person who is running for office The winner of the presidential election will lead the United States for the next four years. There are two main candidates for the job: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Both are traveling around the country. They’re giving speeches and talking to people as they try to win votes. Trump represents the Republican Party. He won the 2016 presidential election. He served from 2017 to 2021. U.S. presidents can serve two terms. If Trump is reelected, he will serve in the White House for four more years.
Harris represents the Democratic Party. She’s the U.S. vice president. She serves alongside President Joe Biden. Harris joined the race later than usual. Biden was the Democratic nominee at first. But he dropped out of the race on July 21. Harris became the party’s choice soon after. BALLOT noun: a list of choices in an election Picking the next president isn’t the only important choice American voters are making in this year’s election. U.S. elections operate using a ballot system. A ballot is a list of choices for voters to make. The ballot for this year’s election lists the candidates for president. It lists the candidates for other offices, too. These include judges and senators. Ballots also include issues that affect towns or states, like raising taxes. People can vote yes or no on these issues. Many voters fill in their ballot on Election Day. Volunteers distribute them at polling places, such as schools and libraries. That’s where people line up to cast their votes. But there are other ways to vote. Some people are visiting polling places early. Some are submitting their ballots by mail. These votes count just the same as in-person votes on Election Day. ELECTORAL COLLEGE noun: the group that elects the president In most elections, the person with the most votes wins. When it comes to picking a U.S. president, things aren’t so simple. Even after a winner is declared, it will be weeks before a group of 538 people actually elects the president. This group is the electoral college. Here’s how it works. A state gets electoral votes equal to the number of its members of Congress. Congress includes the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state gets one vote apiece for its two senators. This never changes. States also get one vote for each of their members of the House of Representatives. That number is based on the state’s population. Washington, D.C., isn’t a state. But it gets electoral votes, too.
A candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win. In 48 states and D.C., the candidate who gets the most votes in the election gets all of that state’s electoral votes. In Maine and Nebraska, electoral votes can be split between candidates. POLL noun: a survey of people’s opinions Political polls are surveys. They’re often done by research or media organizations. These groups contact people by phone, online, or face-to-face. They ask questions to find out what people think about candidates and issues. The answers are used to find trends. Polls aren’t perfect. Sometimes, the group polled isn’t diverse enough. And people don’t always respond honestly. At press time, most polls show Harris and Trump nearly tied. But we won’t know if this is accurate until the election results are in.

Crafty Kid
Nine-year-old Christian Ramos, of Hamburg, New York, is a big fan of his local football team, the Buffalo Bills. He’s also into crafting. He has combined these two interests into a service project: making and selling Bills-themed souvenirs for charity.
“We started off with ornaments,” Christian told TIME for Kids. “Then we did bracelets and coozies [sleeves that keep drinks cold]. We did magnets and then a billion other things,” such as keychains and necklaces. He and his mom sell the items online and at craft fairs for $5 each. Bracelets are best-sellers for Christian. He uses red and blue beads for the Bills team colors, adding white letter and number beads to insert “Go Bills” or players’ names or jersey numbers.
Last year, sales topped $1,500, which Christian donated to the Patricia Allen Fund. It benefits patients at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital (OCH), in Buffalo. Giving “makes me feel good,” Christian says. He hopes to make an even larger donation this December.
Helping Kids Christian started fundraising when he was 6. He loves his two cats, Ozzie and Gracie, so his first donation, of $500, went to the cat adoption group Ten Lives Club. That’s where his family got Gracie. The following year, Christian donated to the Patricia Allen Fund. “I wanted to help the kids,” Christian says. Plus, the fund is supported by Bills quarterback Josh Allen, in honor of his grandmother. “He’s my favorite football player,” Christian says. Dr. Stephen Turkovich, president of OCH, says the Patricia Allen Fund is “very much dedicated to critical care,” helping kids recover from injuries and major illnesses. At the hospital, “we try to surround them with a whole team of specialists who are not only fixing them physically but also helping them socially and emotionally,” he says. Donations like Christian’s make this work possible.
Game On Christian’s fundraising goal for 2024 is to “beat last year.” His little sister, Irena, is chipping in. According to Christian, he and Irena spend about 30 minutes a week crafting bracelets and other items for sale. Their mom, Stephanie Ramos, says they sometimes devote more time to the effort. “He really takes advantage when we have real bad snowy weather,” she says. “They just camp out at the dining room table. They’ve got their beads all over the place!” Christian accepts custom orders. “One of our customers wanted me to make, like, four Mahomes bracelets,” he says. Patrick Mahomes is quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. The request makes Christian, a die-hard Bills fan, cringe. “They’re kind of our rival team,” his mom explains. “But he did it for the donation.” Raising money for the children’s hospital is what matters most to Christian. With his sister’s help, he has expanded his product range. “She makes Taylor Swift bracelets,” Christian says. Swifties snatch them up.
By mid-September, Christian had already raised $1,200. This puts him on track to make his biggest donation yet. Inspired? Let Christian’s story inspire you to take action in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can raise funds for a cause you care about.

Crafty Kid
Christian Ramos, 9, lives in Hamburg, New York. He’s a big fan of his local football team, the Buffalo Bills. He’s also into crafting. He combined these two interests into a service project: making and selling Bills-themed souvenirs for charity. “We started off with ornaments,” Christian told TIME for Kids. “Then we did bracelets and coozies [sleeves that keep drinks cold]. We did magnets and then a billion other things.” He and his mom sell the items online and at craft fairs for $5 each. Bracelets are best-sellers. Christian uses red and blue beads for the Bills team colors. He adds white letter and number beads to insert “Go Bills” or players’ names or jersey numbers.
Last year, sales topped $1,500. Christian donated the money to the Patricia Allen Fund. It benefits patients at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital (OCH), in Buffalo. Giving “makes me feel good,” Christian says.
Helping Kids
Christian started fundraising at age 6. He loves his cats, Ozzie and Gracie. So his first donation, of $500, went to the Ten Lives Club. It’s the cat adoption group where his family got Gracie. The next year, Christian gave to the Patricia Allen Fund. “I wanted to help the kids,” he says. Plus, the fund is supported by Bills quarterback Josh Allen. He’s Christian’s favorite player. Dr. Stephen Turkovich is president of OCH. He says the Patricia Allen Fund is “very much dedicated to critical care,” helping kids recover from injuries and major illnesses. Donations like Christian’s make this work possible. Game On Christian’s fundraising goal for 2024 is to “beat last year.” His sister, Irena, is helping. According to Christian, he and Irena spend about 30 minutes a week crafting items for sale. Their mom, Stephanie Ramos, says they sometimes devote more time to the effort. “He really takes advantage when we have real bad snowy weather,” she says. “They just camp out at the dining room table. They’ve got their beads all over the place!” Christian remembers a customer who “wanted me to make, like, four Mahomes bracelets,” he says. Patrick Mahomes is quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. The request makes Christian cringe. “They’re kind of our rival team,” his mom explains. “But he did it for the donation.” Raising money for the hospital is what matters most to Christian. With his sister’s help, he has expanded his product range. “She makes Taylor Swift bracelets,” Christian says. By mid-September, Christian had already raised $1,200. He’s on track to make his biggest donation yet. Inspired? Let Christian’s story inspire you to take action in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can raise funds for a cause you care about.

Forecasting with AI
On October 9, Hurricane Milton became the fifth hurricane in 2024 to make landfall in the mainland United States. Storms like this grow more frequent and more intense. So meteorologists are hard at work forecasting and tracking them (see “Safety First”). Artificial intelligence is playing an important role in that process. AI Advantages For years, meteorologists have built digital models of storms. They use data gathered by planes, satellites, and buoys. These models can take hours to produce updated forecasts.
But AI models use vast amounts of data from previous storms to recognize patterns. They find trends that most humans can’t. And they do so very quickly. This year, AI models made accurate storm-related predictions within seconds, and days in advance.
Matt Lanza is a meteorologist. He’s based in Houston, Texas. In the week before Hurricane Milton made landfall, Lanza says, older models accurately predicted where in Florida the storm would hit. But AI models “probably picked up on that potential outcome a good 12 to 18 hours before,” he says. Those hours can make a big difference to people preparing for a storm’s impact.
The AI program GraphCast predicted that Hurricane Beryl would hit Texas on July 8. A traditional model predicted it would hit Mexico. GraphCast was right. The team behind it won an engineering prize. One of the judges called GraphCast “a revolutionary advance.”
In September, the AI program AIFS predicted Hurricane Francine’s path as the storm hit Louisiana. Its accuracy gave Lanza the confidence to tell his viewers in Texas that the storm likely wouldn’t be an issue for them. “The consistency was incredible,” Lanza says. Room to Grow
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) uses AI in its forecasting. “The sophistication of AI has dramatically improved, and it continues to improve,” NHC deputy director Jamie Rhome told NBC Miami. Despite the technology’s success, there are still hiccups. Lanza says that AI models struggle to predict a storm’s intensity and how much precipitation will fall. That’s why it’s important for meteorologists to use AI along with other forecasting tools. “We’re not turning the reins over to these things and just saying, ‘Make me a forecast,’” he says.

Safety First Meteorologists are scientists who study the Earth’s atmosphere and weather patterns in order to make predictions. They can warn people about severe weather events. Ashley Ruiz (above) is a meteorologist. She works in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 2022, Ruiz told TFK Kid Reporter Cash Daniels that one of her favorite parts of the job is “getting out in the community. . . . Meeting the families who saw the forecast and were able to get to safety: It’s amazing, knowing I helped make that happen.”

Forecasting with AI
On October 9, Hurricane Milton hit the Florida coast. It was the fifth hurricane in 2024 to make landfall in the mainland United States. Storms like this have become more frequent and intense. Meteorologists are busy forecasting and tracking them (see “Safety First”). Artificial intelligence plays a big role in that process. AI Advantages For years, meteorologists have built digital models of storms. They use data gathered by planes, satellites, and buoys. These models can take hours to produce updated forecasts. AI models are different. They use data from previous storms to find patterns. They quickly detect trends that most humans can’t. This year, AI models made accurate predictions within seconds. And they did so days in advance.
Meteorologist Matt Lanza is based in Houston, Texas. Older models, Lanza says, accurately predicted where in Florida Hurricane Milton would land. But AI models “picked up on that potential outcome a good 12 to 18 hours before,” he says. Those hours can help people preparing for a storm’s impact.
GraphCast is an AI program. It predicted that Hurricane Beryl would hit Texas on July 8. An older model predicted Beryl would hit Mexico. GraphCast was right. The team behind it won a prize. One of the judges called GraphCast “a revolutionary advance.”
In September, Hurricane Francine hit Louisiana. The AI program AIFS predicted its path. That let Lanza tell his viewers in Texas that the storm likely wouldn’t be an issue for them. Room to Grow The National Hurricane Center (NHC) now uses AI in its forecasting. “The sophistication of AI has dramatically improved,” Jamie Rhome told NBC Miami. He’s the NHC’s deputy director. But there are still hiccups. Lanza says that AI models struggle to predict a storm’s intensity and how much precipitation will fall. So for now, it’s important for meteorologists to use AI along with other forecasting tools. Safety First Meteorologists are scientists. They study the Earth’s atmosphere and weather patterns in order to make predictions. They can warn people about weather events. Ashley Ruiz (above) is a meteorologist. She works in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 2022, Ruiz talked to TFK Kid Reporter Cash Daniels. She said that one of her favorite parts of the job is “getting out in the community. . . . Meeting the families who saw the forecast and were able to get to safety: It’s amazing.”

On the Case
TFK Kid Reporter Vivian Goldhirsh read The Sherlock Society and interviewed its author, James Ponti. Read Vivian’s thoughts below. The Sherlock Society is a book about four kids in Miami, Florida, who start a detective agency. Siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock love mysteries—as does their grandpa, who used to be an investigative reporter for the city newspaper. Alex, Zoe, and their friends study one of his old cold cases, which leads them to a shocking discovery. As the characters sleuth around a massive scandal, readers will feel as if they’re in the backseat of Grandpa’s car. This book is not just a mystery: It’s an experience you can relate to. The writing helps you feel all of the characters’ emotions. The Sherlock Society is the latest page-turner from James Ponti, the best-selling author of four middle-grade book series. Ponti has wanted to be a writer since he was in the fifth grade. He has always loved mysteries. His favorite stories as a kid were about Sherlock Holmes. He also loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler. Before writing The Sherlock Society, Ponti was unsure how to proceed. He wanted his next book to be a mystery, but he didn’t know what the plot would be. “I went for a walk around the lake by my house,” he says. “There are 10 benches on the lake, and I made a rule: I said ‘I’m going to sit at a bench and I’m going to ask myself a question about the book, and I can’t get up until I give a good answer!’” Bench to bench, he got his first draft. The Sherlock Society is an amazing read that you will surely add to your favorite-books-ever list. I did!

Seeking the Truth
TFK Kid Reporter Milo Bhushan read A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall and interviewed its author, Jasmine Warga. Read Milo’s thoughts below. Ever since Rami Ahmed started sixth grade, he’s felt invisible. Having no friends to hang out with, Rami spends his afternoons in an art museum. He waits for his mom to finish work there. When a painting disappears, Rami’s mom is a suspect. So is Rami! With the help of a turtle named Agatha, a ghost named Blue, and a classmate named Veda, Rami must race to clear his mom’s name and his own. It turns out that the thief and the motive are not what they seemed. A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall is the latest book from Jasmine Warga. She’s the author of the Newbery Honor book Other Words for Home. This is her first mystery. When I spoke with Warga, she said she relates to Rami. As a kid, “I really wanted other people to see me,” she says, “but I was scared about being seen in the wrong ways.” Warga wants her readers to know “they deserve to be seen. And sometimes,” she says, “you have to be brave in order to be seen.” A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall is a captivating novel. The characters have to solve the mystery of a stolen painting. But each of them also solves the personal mystery of how to be seen by others. As Warga puts it, “figuring out who you are and where you belong in the world is also a mystery.” Now if only we all had a wise and observant turtle named Agatha to help us figure it out!

What’s That Feeling?
Can you name your feelings? This is an important skill. It is called emotional intelligence. All feelings are normal. Naming them can help you understand them better. You can feel happy.
Some people like tasty treats. They smile or laugh when they get one. These are signs of happiness. What makes you happy? You can feel sad.
Sadness can make you frown or cry. You might not have much energy. Who helps you when you are sad? You can feel anxious.
Do you feel nervous or worried? Squeeze something soft for comfort. Or talk to a trusted adult. You can feel angry.
Anger is a strong feeling. You might put your hands on your hips or stomp your feet. Taking deep breaths can help.

Polaris Dawn
On September 12, Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis made history. They became the first civilians to perform a spacewalk. Past spacewalks had been done only by professional astronauts. During a spacewalk, an astronaut leaves a spacecraft. They do not actually walk: They float in space. This is also called an extravehicular activity, or EVA. Isaacman and Gillis performed an EVA outside the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
“Mission Complete” Their mission was called Polaris Dawn. It was paid for by SpaceX and Isaacman. He’s a billionaire businessman. He and Gillis were two of the Polaris Dawn crew. They traveled to space with Scott Poteet and Anna Menon.
The group set another record. Their trip took them farther into space than anyone has gone since NASA’s moonwalkers. The team came back to Earth on September 15. They splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida. Isaacman radioed to their recovery team: “We are mission complete.” Risky Business Spacewalks can be risky. Astronaut Alexei Leonov did the first one in 1965. His suit overinflated. But he made it back safely. So did astronaut Gene Cernan, the following year. His suit overheated and his helmet fogged up. Isaacman and Gillis had no such trouble. They were outside the craft for less than half an hour. But they were able to test SpaceX’s nimble new spacesuits. The company hopes to use these suits on missions to the moon and Mars.

Walking in Space
When people go on a space mission, they sometimes go outside the spacecraft. This is called a spacewalk. Read about four noteworthy spacewalks in history.
First Spacewalk On March 18, 1965, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov (above) floated outside Russia’s Voskhod 2 craft. His walk lasted about 12 minutes. First U.S. Spacewalk American Edward H. White took his walk on June 3, 1965. He spent 36 minutes outside Gemini 4. First Untethered Spacewalk American Bruce McCandless walked unconnected to the craft on February 7, 1984. It was a “big leap,” he said. Longest Spacewalk On March 11, 2001, Americans Susan Helms and James Voss walked for nearly nine hours. Theirs is still the longest spacewalk.

Take Notice
It is good to understand your emotions. Can you notice how others are feeling too? They may not say out loud how they are feeling. But you can look for signs. Then you can act. A friend is smiling. They are laughing. They are clapping and jumping. Did you guess it? They are happy! (above) This is a great feeling to share. Join them. It is fun to be happy together. A friend is sitting alone. They are frowning and tearful. Did you guess it? This friend is sad. Ask what they need. They might want help from you or an adult. They might want company. Sit down. Then they will not be alone.

Career Values
Young people want a workplace that matches their values. That’s according to a survey. It was done by the National Society of High School Scholars this year. The organization asked more than 10,000 people what they’re looking for in a career. Everyone surveyed was born between 1996 and 2012. The survey found that people in this age group want to work for responsible companies. They want to see employees treated fairly. They also want “work-life balance.”
Many people reported liking the idea of jobs in which they can help others. Nearly half were interested in healthcare. Respondents listed St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as the most desirable place to work. The hospital ranked higher than big companies like Amazon and Google. Many people who are younger than those surveyed are still deciding what they want in a future career. TIME for Kids spoke to one of them: Kayden Estrada. He’s 11 and lives in Pennsylvania. “I want to do what I love,” Kayden said. “And I want to make money.” What are your career values? Stop and Think! WHERE in the article has the author included data? How does it add to your understanding of the story? Correction, October 30: The original version of this story misstated a detail. Survey participants were born between 1996 and 2012, not between 1996 and 2010.

Career Values
Young people want a workplace that aligns with their values, according to the National Society of High School Scholars. The organization conducted a survey from January to March of this year. It asked more than 10,000 people what they’re looking for in a career. Everyone surveyed was born between 1996 and 2012. The survey found that people in this age group want to work for companies that prioritize “fair treatment of employees” and “work-life balance.” They also look for employers with “corporate social responsibility.”
Many respondents like the idea of jobs in which they can help people. Nearly half report being interested in healthcare. Respondents listed St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as the most desirable place to work. The hospital ranked higher than big companies like Amazon and Google.
Many people, especially kids younger than those surveyed, are still deciding what they want in a future career. TIME for Kids spoke to one of them: Kayden Estrada, 11, in Pennsylvania. “I want to do what I love, and I want to make money,” Kayden said. When you think about the future, what are your career values?
Stop and Think! WHERE in the article has the author included data? How does it add to your understanding of the story? Correction, October 30: The original version of this story misstated a detail. Survey participants were born between 1996 and 2012, not between 1996 and 2010.

Hippo Hooray
Meet Moo Deng. She is a baby pygmy hippopotamus. She is three months old. She lives at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. That is in Thailand.
Moo Deng was born on July 10. Her name means “bouncy pig” or “pork patty.” She is always making funny faces. This has made Moo Deng famous online. Her keepers take photos and videos of her. They share them on social media. Many have gone viral. Protecting Pygmy Hippos Pygmy hippos are smaller than other hippos. They weigh only about 500 pounds, fully grown. Other hippos weigh thousands of pounds. Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa. They are endangered. There are only about 2,000 of them left in the wild.
The zoo wants to keep Moo Deng safe. Lots of people travel to see her. Some throw things to get her attention. Workers keep a close eye on visitors. Narongwit Chodchoi is the zoo’s director. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment,” he says.

Snapshot
Here, teams from Boeing and NASA tend to the Starliner spacecraft. It returned to Earth on September 6. It landed in White Sands Space Harbor, in New Mexico. The Starliner arrived without its crew members. They are at the International Space Station. They will return in February.

Unwelcome Object
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a system of caves. It is in New Mexico. In September, a bag of Cheetos was dropped there. It caused problems for cave life. Food and drink are not allowed in the caves. A spilled snack might seem harmless. But “to the life of the cave it can be world changing.” That is according to a park official. It was posted on Facebook on September 6. The Cheetos “formed the perfect environment” for fungus. Much of this did not belong in the cave. Rangers spent time removing it.
The post reminded people that “we all leave an impact wherever we go.”

Historic Hits
Historical Records is the newest podcast from Story Pirates. Each episode turns a person’s life story into a hip-hop song. Broadway actress Nimene Wureh hosts the show. “The purpose is to highlight people who are underrepresented. People who did amazing things in history,” Wureh told TIME for Kids. One example is Claudette Colvin. She is a civil rights activist. She may not be as famous as a president or a sports star. But she changed the world.

Beyond Halloween
Spooky Celebrations Around the World is a new book by Matt Ralphs. It details spooky traditions from different countries. Many cultures celebrate those who have died. But not all these celebrations are scary. They can be joyful and fun, too. Beautiful illustrations show the festivities.
As a kid, Ralphs loved being scared. He thinks most kids are like that. “Lots of people like to be scared, but in a safe way,” he told TIME for Kids. Stories are a great way to do that.
Anyone curious about the world will enjoy this book. “Wherever you’re from, you’ll see similarities of things people enjoy,” Ralphs says.

By the Numbers
This issue of TFK features people who are passionate about their career. Get inspired by these job-related Guinness World Records to find your own path to career success. What record would you like to set one day? 83 Sausages is how many Gavin Reynolds (above), of the United Kingdom, produced in under a minute, to set this world record. That’s one speedy chef! 2,000 Roles is the most that any film actor has had in a career. The record was set by an American actor, Tom London. He appeared in at least 2,000 movies from 1903 until 1959. 87 Years is the record for the longest teaching career, held by Medarda de Jesús León de Uzcátegui, of Venezuela. In 1911, she and her sisters set up a community school. She was 12 years old at the time. 136,887 Miles is the most walked during a career. Over a period of 40 years, Stanley E. Rychlicki, a pipeline inspector in Pennsylvania and New York, often walked more than 20 miles a day.

Kids Connect: Charlie Zeitlin
Why did you start the podcast?
I was really interested in what entrepreneurs are doing: how they create businesses, how they help people. Eventually, I was able to have great conversations that people wanted to listen to. We have entrepreneurs, social-justice advocates, and people doing positive things in the world sharing their stories. How do you find guests?
I think about what I’m interested in and what people would benefit from hearing. Then I read articles and look at websites. I’ll usually email [potential] guests, and sometimes I’m lucky enough to get a response from them. Did you have any challenges when starting your podcast?
Learning the craft of how to interview people. Sometimes, people think that interviewing is asking a series of questions, but it’s a little more than that. You’re trying to create a conversation, almost a collaboration. Know a kid who’s doing something cool or newsworthy? Nominate them to be featured in TIME for Kids! Send us your suggestions at tfkeditors@time.com. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Saving Sea Turtles
In October 2023, a tiny green sea turtle was admitted to the South Carolina Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Care Center. The patient, which was given the name Ricotta, had gotten tangled in fishing line, and was missing a front flipper and part of its beak. More fishing line was found in the turtle’s digestive tract. It took two surgeries to remove it. And there was a long road to recovery ahead.

Feels like Summer
Summer can be very hot. There is lots of sun. It is a good time to swim and have fun outside. What do you do in the summer? Days are longer.
The sun stays up later in the summer. There is daylight past 8:00 p.m. There is more time to go outside and play. The weather is hot. The Earth is tilted toward the sun during the summer. That makes temperatures higher. A day is usually hottest in the afternoon. How do you cool down? People take a break.
Most schools have summer break. Enjoy the warm weather! Take some time to rest and relax. Storms are more common. You might see lightning or hail in the summer. Storms can be fun to watch. But watch them from inside. It is safer.

Stay Safe in Summer
Summer is fun. But too much heat or sun is unhealthy. Here are some tips for staying safe.
Apply sunscreen.
The sun’s rays are strong. They can burn your skin. Sunscreen (above) can block those rays. Drink water.
Sweating cools you down. But it uses water from your body. So drink up! Seek shade.
It is cooler in the shade. Take breaks from the sun. Sit under an umbrella or a leafy tree. Wear protective clothing.
Hats and sunglasses can block the sun. Loose clothing can keep you cooler. Light colors can too.

Beekeeping Buzz
Meet Kamal Bell. He’s the founder and CEO of Sankofa Farms, in Cedar Grove, North Carolina. He’s also a beekeeper. Bell says bees are “vital” to fruit and vegetable pollination on the farm. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, honeybees pollinate more than 130 types of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Of course, they also produce delicious honey.

Officer’s Best Friend
Matthew Cona, 12, aspires to be a K-9 handler. Here, he speaks with a retired officer about the job. As a police officer in Nassau County, New York, Mike LaSala had partners who didn’t talk. They were covered in fur. Sometimes, they stuck out their tongue and licked him. Okay, LaSala’s partners were dogs. LaSala retired in 2020. But for more than 16 years, he worked as a Nassau County Police Department K-9 handler. That’s a police officer trained to use certified working dogs in the line of duty.

Sensing Spring
When winter ends, spring begins. The weather gets warmer. Plants and animals return. Your senses can help you experience spring. Here’s how. See.
Take a look. You can see lots of animals in the spring. Birds return when weather warms. Baby animals are born. Feel.
You can feel the breeze blowing your hair. The warm air touches your skin. What else can you feel in spring? Hear.
Listen to a spring storm. Rain splashes into puddles. Thunder rolls. After the rain, birds will be chirping. Smell.
Stop and smell the flowers. Many bloom in the spring. Breathe in the fresh air. Does it smell different after rain? Taste.
Strawberries ripen in late spring. Take a bite. They will be juicy and sweet. Radishes and snap peas are ready too. Yum!

Election 2024
A United States presidential election is coming up. Voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, November 5. Some people will vote by mail even sooner. The winner of the election will lead the country for the next four years.
There are two main candidates. One is Donald Trump. He served as president of the U.S. from 2017 to 2021. The other is Kamala Harris. She is the U.S. vice president. She works alongside the current president, Joe Biden. Donald Trump represents the Republican Party. He won the 2016 presidential election. He served for one term. U.S. presidents can serve two terms. If Trump is reelected, he will serve in the White House for four more years.

Kamala Harris represents the Democratic Party. She became the Democratic nominee later than usual. President Biden was the Democratic nominee until July 21. Then he dropped out of the race. Harris became the party’s candidate soon after.
Connecting with Voters
Both Trump and Harris are trying to win votes. The candidates are traveling around the country. They are visiting big cities and small towns. They are giving speeches. And they are talking to voters about their ideas.
Americans must be 18 years old to vote. But everyone should pay attention. Presidential elections are important moments for the country. Election Words campaign: a series of actions to meet a goal; a series of actions that a candidate takes in order to win an election
candidate: a person who is running for office
drop out: to quit
nominee: a person chosen by a political party to be its candidate
political party: an organized group of voters with similar ideas and goals for a country and its government
polls: surveys of groups; places where people vote
term: the amount of time a person can serve in a political position

Watch it Grow
A plant grows in stages. Follow the arrows to learn about a lemon tree’s life cycle. 1. A seed is planted.
Its shell is hard. A seed needs soil to grow in. It needs water and sunlight, too. 2. The seed sprouts.
The shell of a seed breaks open. Roots and a stem come out. This is called germination. 3. The plant grows.
Roots grow into the soil. A stem pushes out of the ground. The plant is a seedling. 4. New seeds are made.
The adult tree grows fruit. The fruit contains seeds. The cycle can start again.

Meet the Candidates
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are the two main candidates for president of the United States in the 2024 election. They represent different political parties. Trump is a Republican. Harris is a Democrat. And they have had different experiences. Read about the candidates below. Kamala Harris was born in California. Today, she lives in Washington, D.C., in a house reserved for the vice president. Donald Trump was born in New York. Today, he lives in Palm Beach, Florida, at a resort called Mar-a-Lago. Harris is the vice president of the United States now. She has served with President Joe Biden since 2021. Trump served as president from 2017 to 2021. He is running for reelection. U.S. presidents can serve two terms. Before she was vice president, Harris was a senator. Before that, she was the California attorney general. Before becoming president, Trump was in the real estate business. He also hosted a reality television show. Harris loves to cook. She says her mother taught her how. She also likes to try local restaurants when she travels. Trump loves to play golf. He owns golf courses all over the world, including 12 in the United States.

Find Your Place
TFK Kid Reporter Disha Rai read Uprooted, and interviewed Ruth Chan, its author. Read Disha’s thoughts below. Uprooted is a graphic memoir that follows the true story of Ruth Chan, the book’s author and illustrator. She tells the story of the biggest change of her life: from freezing winters and tobogganing in Toronto, Canada, to hot summers and super big shopping malls in Hong Kong. Chan writes about her journey, her struggles, and her loathing for chicken feet. Chan faces multiple challenges after she moves to Hong Kong. These include the language, the unfamiliar traditions, and her new school. But she overcomes these struggles. She learns the importance of patience, strength, and persistence. Eventually, she comes to love her new home. Chan now writes and illustrates full-time in Brooklyn, New York. In an interview with TFK, she talked about learning to navigate through the bustling city of Hong Kong. She also mentioned meeting people who are still her friends today. “When we really dig deep in ourselves and we find our courage, and our perseverance, and give ourselves patience,” she said, “we can get through that really hard thing, and we end up okay on the other side.” Uprooted is a perfect mix of humor and heartfelt moments. I asked Chan if she has any advice for those who have been uprooted. She said, “You kind of just have to trust that you are going to make those friends, you are going to get used to where you are. You’re going to learn to love things about this whole new place. Give yourself time!” Did Chan ever learn to love chicken feet? Read Uprooted and find out!

By the Numbers
This issue of TFK features people who go above and beyond to serve their community. Get inspired by these Guinness World Records for community service, and remember: These huge numbers were created one small action at a time. 943,195 People worked on the largest coastal cleanup initiative (above). In 2019, during the annual International Coastal Cleanup event, volunteers from 116 countries removed more than 20 million pounds of trash from nearly 25,000 miles of coastline. 168 Hours is how much time the longest underwater cleanup took. In 2013, 134 divers in Malaysia pulled nearly 7,000 pounds of trash from the seabed. Teams of divers took turns, for a consecutive total of seven days. 50,744 Meals were delivered in one community in eight hours, setting a world record. This 2021 project was completed by three groups in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—Nefsy, Traham Foundation, and the UAE Food Bank—to celebrate the country’s 50th birthday. 70,019 Hours is the highest number of volunteer hours worked by an individual. Viola Cocran volunteered at Slidell Memorial Hospital, in Slidell, Louisiana, from its opening in 1959 until she retired, at 89, in 2012. $53,122 is the most money raised at a lemonade stand in 24 hours. Operated by the Pink Lemonade Stand Challenge on October 8, 2023, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the stand raised funds to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

From Our Readers
Arthur W., 16, volunteers with Feeding San Diego, in California. He has supervised more than 90 large-scale distributions of fresh produce to thousands of neighbors in need. There were once three volunteers at his produce pantry, including Arthur. They served 80 households. The pantry has since expanded to more than 50 volunteers serving more than 1,200 households. —Lei Wang, parent I was invited to my friend’s birthday party. On the invitation, instead of asking for presents, Samyuktha P., 10, asked for people to donate to the Malala Fund. She asked everybody to donate a little bit because [the fund] helps girls and women have a good education. Everybody deserves a good education. Samyuktha made about $320 in donations, and was very happy about her achievement.—Sylvie M., friend
Inspired by TIME for Kids’ Boost Literacy mission, Mariah A., 8, identified a need for students in the Lawrenceville, New Jersey, community to have books to read for the summer. She approached our school principal and counselor about organizing a summer book swap. Mariah received more than 350 donated books, enough for each of our students to take home two books for the summer. Remaining books were donated to other families in the community.
 —Tiffany D’Souza, teacher We love hearing from our readers! Do you know students who are making a positive impact on their community? Share their stories with us. Visit ti.me/stars, or write to us at tfkeditors@time.com.

Feeding Others
When Elaina Johnson was 7, she came up with a plan to feed hundreds of people. “She wanted to make sack lunches” for people experiencing homelessness. That’s what her grandmother Shalynda Lund told TIME for Kids. Each bag held a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. There was a piece of fruit. And there was a drink, chips, and a granola bar. “We went downtown and she handed them all out,” Lund said. “All 400 of them.”
Elaina is now 10. She lives in Broomfield, Colorado. Helping others comes naturally to her. “I saw that there were a lot of people that needed food,” she told TFK. “As soon as I could help, I wanted to help.” Relieving Hunger Around 11% of Colorado residents say they don’t always have enough to eat. They say they can’t afford enough food. That’s according to a survey published this year by the Colorado Health Institute. Of course, hunger is not a problem only in Colorado. “Hunger affects people in every single community nationwide,” Justin Levy says. He’s the executive director of Conscious Alliance. It’s a nonprofit hunger-relief group in Elaina’s hometown.
Levy has known Elaina since 2021. That’s when she and her grandmother went to the group’s national distribution center to help. “What she’s doing is incredible,” Levy says. “She has the drive and the spirit and kindness and compassion to really make a difference.”
Food Hero In July, Elaina was honored by Hormel Foods. The company made her one of its 10 under 20 Food Heroes. The annual award goes to young people who are fighting hunger. Elaina is the youngest person to receive it this year.
Elaina was also honored at a Broomfield City Council meeting. “We really wanted to support her and just make her feel like her city and county [are] behind her,” Heidi Henkel told TFK. She’s on the city council.
Henkel has been impressed by Elaina’s efforts to feed migrants from other countries. Many are kids. Elaina put together snack bags just for them. She and her grandmother delivered the food to local shelters. “She made sure that the kids were feeling welcomed,” Henkel says. “That they had something to call their own.”
“I feel proud,” Elaina says, when asked about her work and the recognition she’s received. “No matter if you’re young, old, short, tall, you can always do something” to help others, she says. 
Inspired? Let Elaina’s story inspire you to take action in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can fight food insecurity.

Feeding Others
When Elaina Johnson was 7, she came up with a plan to feed hundreds of people. “She wanted to make sack lunches” for people experiencing homelessness, her grandmother Shalynda Lund told TIME for Kids. Each bag held a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, a piece of fruit, a drink, chips, and a granola bar. “We went downtown and she handed them all out,” Lund said. “All 400 of them.” Helping others comes naturally to the young Broomfield, Colorado, resident. “I saw that there were a lot of people that needed food,” Elaina told TFK. “At the time, I didn’t understand why.” But she knew she wanted to be part of the solution. She says, “As soon as I could help, I wanted to help.” Elaina is now 10. She remains dedicated to the fight against hunger and food insecurity. Relieving Hunger When a person is hungry, it can be hard for them to concentrate at school or work. Hunger can make them feel cranky or unmotivated. Over time, not having enough to eat can harm a person’s physical and mental health. In Colorado, around 11% of residents say they don’t always eat as much as they think they should. They say they aren’t able to afford enough food. That’s according to a survey published earlier this year by the Colorado Health Institute. Of course, hunger is not a problem only in Colorado. “Hunger affects people in every single community nationwide,” Justin Levy says. He’s the executive director of Conscious Alliance, a nonprofit hunger-relief group based in Elaina’s hometown. Levy has known Elaina since 2021. That’s when she and her grandmother went to the group’s national distribution center to collect food and supplies to help people in need. “What she’s doing is incredible,” Levy says. “She has the drive and the spirit and kindness and compassion to really make a difference.” Food Hero This past July, Elaina was honored by Hormel Foods as one of its 10 under 20 Food Heroes. The company’s annual award goes to young people in the United States who are fighting hunger. Elaina is the youngest person to receive the award this year. Soon after receiving the award, Elaina was honored at a Broomfield City Council meeting. “We just wanted to celebrate her,” council member Heidi Henkel told TFK. “We really wanted to support her and just make her feel like her city and county [are] behind her.”
Henkel has been impressed by Elaina’s efforts to feed migrants who have moved to Colorado from other countries. Many of the newcomers are kids. Elaina put together snack bags just for them. She and her grandmother delivered the food to local shelters. “She made sure that the kids were feeling welcomed,” Henkel says. “That they had something to call their own.”
“I feel proud,” Elaina says, when asked about her work and the recognition she’s received. “No matter if you’re young, old, short, tall, you can always do something” to help others, she says. Inspired? Let Elaina’s story inspire you to take action in your community. Click below for ideas about how you can fight food insecurity.

An Icy Season
Winter is the coldest season. Some places prepare for icy weather. Here are four things you might see in winter. Snow Water freezes in the clouds. It turns into ice crystals. They fall to the ground as snowflakes. Sleet
If the air is cold, rain turns to ice as it falls. This frozen rain is called sleet. Ice Rain can turn to ice when it lands. This is called an ice storm. This tree looks as if it is coated in glass. Frost
Ice crystals coat the grass. It looks fuzzy. This is called frost. It forms when moisture in the air freezes.

Life in a Cave
Step into one of Hawaii’s caves. It is dark. It is quiet. It is also full of life. But you might not see that right away. That is because most of its life is too small to see. Scan the cave walls. You will not see many plants growing. You will not see many animals crawling around. But you might see splotches of gold, silver, tan, or pink. These spots are made up of microbes. Microbes are living things. They are microscopic. But they grow together to form communities. They might be similar to life-forms that once lived on Mars. Lava Tubes Many of Hawaii’s caves are lava tubes. After a volcano erupts, hot lava flows. The surface of the lava hardens and turns to rock. But underneath, it keeps flowing. As it moves away, an empty tube or cave is left behind. There are lava tubes on Mars. Scientists wonder if microbes can also be found there. Rebecca Prescott is an astrobiologist. She and her team study microbes in Hawaii’s caves. Learning about them might help scientists understand life on other planets. Hawaiian lava tubes are “a good place to start,” she says. Microbe Communities Microbes “talk” to one another. They send chemical signals to others in their community. This helps them work together to grow. There is still a lot for Prescott and her team to learn. “We may find new ways microbes can survive,” she says. This will help scientists understand how microbes thrive on Earth, and maybe beyond.

Animals in Winter
Winter can be cold. Less food grows. Animals get ready for these changes. Here is how they do it. Some animals migrate.
Many birds (above) move to warmer places. So do whales and elk. Some animals hibernate.
These animals are not active. They need little food. Some animals nest.
Animals like skunks make a warm den. Others burrow underground. Soil does not freeze there. Some animals get new fur. The fur of Arctic foxes turns white. This helps them blend in. Other animals grow thick coats.

Cave Animals
Caves are often very dark. Not many things can live and grow in them. But some animals have adapted to this habitat. Read about four of them. Bats (above) use echolocation. Bats make a high-pitched sound. It bounces off cave walls. They use its echo to navigate and find food in the dark. Glowworms are bioluminescent. This means they make their own light. See the blue lights above? Those are glowworms. Blind cave fish feel vibrations. They have no eyes. They can sense changes or movement in the water. That helps them locate food. Olms can survive with little food. These cave salamanders can go years without eating. They cannot see well. But their other senses are strong.

Kindness Counts
Research has shown that adults undervalue the impact of random acts of kindness. They assume that their actions won’t make too much of a difference. But small acts of kindness have a bigger impact than they think. In 2023, researchers Margaret Echelbarger and Nick Epley published a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. It described an experiment they had run to find out if the same is true for kids. Powerful Pencils
The experiment took place at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, in Chicago, Illinois. Researchers spoke with 101 kids who were visiting the museum. With their parents’ consent, the kids were offered two free, museum-branded pencils. They could take both pencils home. Or they could perform an act of kindness: allowing the researchers to give one of the pencils to a stranger. The kid could point out the person who should get the pencil. Before giving away the pencil, the researchers asked the kids to guess how “big” their act of kindness would feel to the recipient. Would the person be happy? Or would the gift feel like no big deal?
Many kids had trouble guessing, says Yanyi Leng, a research assistant who helped with the experiment. Leng told TIME for Kids that some of the children said, “I’d like to give my pencil. . . but I’m not sure how they’re going to feel.”
Happy Results The recipients were happy to receive the pencils. In fact, they were much happier than the givers had predicted. Additionally, the givers reported feeling a sense of satisfaction after doing a good deed. “It speaks to the power of these small, random acts of kindness,” Echelbarger says. “Like, ‘You could have chosen anyone, but you chose me.’” Echelbarger and Epley’s study proves that doing good feels good. This is true for the kid on the receiving end of a good deed as well as for the kid who performs it.
Echelbarger hopes the study will encourage kids to spread kindness, especially in ways that might feel small or unimportant. She says people usually appreciate when someone says hello, holds a door for them, or offers an unexpected compliment. “Those things—we like being recipients of them,” she says. “So we should also do them.”

Kindness Counts
Research has shown that adults undervalue the impact of random acts of kindness. They assume that their actions won’t make too much of a difference. But small acts of kindness mean a lot. In 2023, researchers Margaret Echelbarger and Nick Epley published a study. It appeared in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. It described an experiment they had run. They wanted to find out if kids also undervalue their good deeds.
Powerful Pencils
The experiment took place at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. That’s in Chicago, Illinois. Researchers spoke with 101 kids who were visiting the museum. With their parents’ consent, the kids were offered two free pencils. They could take both pencils home. Or they could perform an act of kindness. The act of kindness was allowing the researchers to give one of the pencils to a stranger. The kid could choose the recipient.
Before giving away the pencil, the researchers asked the kids a question. The kids had to guess how “big” their act of kindness would feel to the recipient. Would the person be happy? Or would the gift feel like no big deal?
Many kids had trouble guessing, Yanyi Leng says. She’s a research assistant who helped with the experiment. Leng told TIME for Kids that some of the children said, “I’d like to give my pencil. . . but I’m not sure how they’re going to feel.”
Happy Results
The recipients were happy to get the pencils. And the givers felt happy after doing a good deed. “It speaks to the power of these small, random acts of kindness,” Echelbarger told TFK. “Like, ‘You could have chosen anyone, but you chose me.’”
Echelbarger and Epley’s study proves that doing good feels good. Echelbarger hopes the study will encourage kids to spread kindness. She says people usually appreciate when someone says hello or holds a door for them. “Those things—we like being recipients of them,” she says. “So we should also do them.”

The Kid Report: Kindness Counts
Whenever I’m out and about, I always thank people for the job they’re doing. At a sporting event, at the mall, or while doing errands, I give workers a fist bump. And I make sure to use their name tags to acknowledge them by name, which always puts a smile on their face.
From what I’ve seen, a little personalized thank-you can really change how people go about their day. They’re always happy when a kid thanks them. I’ve realized that not enough people take the time to express thanks.
It doesn’t take much to give a little gratitude. Try it sometime. I bet you’ll enjoy it, too!

Dog Show
Do you like dogs? Every year, thousands of them strut their stuff in a big contest. It is the Westminster Kennel Club (WKC) Dog Show.
The contest takes place in New York City. The top prize is Best in Show. A judge decides which dog best represents its breed. This year’s winner was a miniature poodle. Her name is Sage. In May, Sage beat six other finalists. Rosalind Kramer was the judge. All the dogs were “excellent, glorious,” she says.

More than 200 dog breeds competed. The show also has a category for young handlers. It is called Junior Showmanship. It is for handlers ages 9 to 18.
Kids Compete In the juniors category, the focus is not on the animal. It is “purely about the child’s handling ability,” Donald Sturz told TIME for Kids. He is the WKC president. “How well does the child present the dog? What is the connection between the dog and the junior handler?” This year, Octavia Stensen won Best Junior Handler. She was up against 103 other juniors. Her dog is a Norwegian buhund named Pineapple.
Taylor Johnson, 17, won third place. Her pup’s name is Spencer. Spencer is an Old English sheepdog. “It is everyone’s dream” to be at Westminster, Taylor told TFK. “We work all year for this.”

Time for Change
Fall is the season between summer and winter. Weather goes from hot to cool. Animals get ready for this change. Plants change too. Leaves change color.
Look at these trees. Some leaves are yellow. Some are red and orange. Soon the leaves will fall. Weather gets colder.
Fall brings cooler temperatures. Time for a sweater! Days are shorter. It gets dark earlier. It is harvest time.
Pumpkins turn orange. Squash are ripe. They took months to grow. Now they are ready to be picked. Animals prepare for winter.
Chipmunks collect food. They store it for the winter. Some animals grow thicker coats for warmth.

Meet the Mutts
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is not just for purebred pups. Mixed-breed dogs can compete in WKC’s Masters Agility competition. In this contest, dogs run an obstacle course. They are timed. Meet two pups who took part in this year’s competition.
Nimble
Nimble (above) is a border collie–papillon mix. She is the first mixed-breed dog ever to win the WKC agility contest. Nimble raced through the course in less than 29 seconds. That is fast! “She really, truly is an amazing dog,” says her handler, Cynthia Hornor. “She did an amazing job and wowed the crowd.” Miles Miles is a rescue dog. He is a mix of several breeds. Christine Longnecker adopted him from an animal shelter in Kentucky. Miles did not win a prize. But he won hearts. Some dog lovers “were calling him the people’s champion,” Longnecker told TIME for Kids.

Ripe for Picking
Each season has its fruits and vegetables. Here are four items that are picked in the fall. Apples
Fall is apple season. You can pick your own at an orchard (above). Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes grow in the ground. They are dug up in fall. Cranberries
Cranberries are tart, or sour. They turn red in fall. Then they are ready to be harvested. Green Beans
Green beans grow on vines. They must be picked before it gets too cold.

Meet Moo Deng
Every move she makes is closely watched. Each new photo taken of her is widely discussed. Her dewy glow inspires fan art and makeup tutorials. Moo Deng, of Thailand, is not your typical celebrity. But she’s certainly being treated like one. Moo Deng is a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, in Chonburi Province. She has wriggled her way into the hearts of millions. Social-media users can’t get enough of her happy face—whether she’s being sprayed with water, being carried by zookeepers, or simply lying on the ground. Born on July 10, Moo Deng was unveiled to the public on July 25. Her name roughly translates to “bouncy pig” or “pork patty.” It was chosen in a vote held by the zoo. Since then, well aware of her star power, Moo Deng’s keepers have shared photos, videos, and memes of the baby hippo. As her popularity climbed, the zoo’s social-media accounts offered more updates for her fans all over the world. Moo Deng—who is almost always eating, sleeping, or being dramatic—has been hailed as a “lifestyle icon.” She has become the subject of fan art and forthcoming merch from the zoo. The Thai Embassy in Tokyo has embraced her. So has makeup company Sephora Thailand, which shared recommendations for blushes to mimic the baby hippo’s rosy cheeks. A Bangkok cafe whipped up cakes in the shape of Moo Deng, who also just got her own Wikipedia page. Pygmy hippos mature to about 500 pounds. Native to West Africa, pygmy hippos are an endangered species. There are only about 2,000 of them left in the wild. Since Moo Deng went viral, visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo have more than doubled. The zoo’s director, Narongwit Chodchoi, says the zoo has installed surveillance cameras to make sure visitors are cooperating with zoo rules. “We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment,” he says.

Candidates Debate
On September 10, presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump met for a debate. It took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was watched by more than 50 million people around the world.
It was the first debate between the vice president and the former president. But it wasn’t the first debate of the 2024 presidential election. On June 27, Trump debated President Biden, who was the Democratic party’s nominee at the time. Biden dropped out of the race on July 21. Harris became the party’s candidate soon after. During the debate, the candidates had to follow rules that were put in place to help things run smoothly. A candidate had two minutes to answer a question. Then the other candidate had two minutes to respond. They had to wait their turn. While one was speaking, the other’s microphone was turned off.
The candidates debated their positions on issues that voters care about, including the economy, climate change, and national security. They also shared their visions for the nation’s future. Harris said she offers “a new generation of leadership for our country.” Trump said his plan will “bring up our worth, our value as a country.” Stop and Think! WHY is it important for news organizations to cover presidential debates?

Candidates Debate
Presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump met for a debate on September 10. It took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than 50 million people tuned in. It was the first debate between the vice president and the former president. But it wasn’t the first debate of this election. Trump debated President Biden on June 27. Biden was the Democratic nominee at the time. He dropped out of the race on July 21. Harris became the party’s candidate soon after.
During the debate, the candidates had rules to follow. Each had two minutes to answer a question. Then the other had two minutes to reply. While one spoke, the other’s microphone was turned off.
The candidates debated on issues that voters care about. These included the economy and climate change. And they shared their ideas for the nation. Harris said she offers “a new generation of leadership for our country.” Trump said his plan will “bring up our worth, our value as a country.” Stop and Think! WHY is it important for news organizations to cover presidential debates?