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Muppet Helpers

September 27, 2018

When Hanadi was 4, a bomb destroyed her school. Soon after, her family fled their home, in Syria, to live as refugees in nearby Lebanon. Hanadi enrolled in school there but was scared to go. Her experience is not unusual.…

United States

8 Questions for Mandy Manning

September 26, 2018

Mandy Manning teaches immigrant and refugee children in Spokane, Washington. She is the 2018 National Teacher of the Year. TFK’s Lina Mai spoke with her about Manning’s goals as an educator and the potential she sees in every student. 1.…

Time Off

Girl-Powered

September 26, 2018

Girls Think of Everything was first published in 2000. At the time, author CATHERINE THIMMESH didn’t even have Internet access. To do research, she combed through library books, searching for history’s overlooked female inventors. Two decades later, women and…

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Dancing Duos

September 26, 2018

ABC’s Dancing with the Stars: Juniors debuts on October 7. The show pairs 12 celebrity kids with professional junior ballroom dancers. Each duo has an adult mentor. These seasoned pros guide the young dancers through choreographed routines showcasing different dance…

Environment

Rising Waters

September 21, 2018

When Hurricane Florence barreled in from the Atlantic Ocean and landed in North Carolina on the morning of September 14, it wasn’t 90-mile-an-hour winds that officials feared most. It was water. The 400-mile-wide storm brought heavy rain and a 10-foot…

Audio
Spanish

United States

8 Questions for Sonia Sotomayor

September 21, 2018

Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina U.S. Supreme Court justice. She spoke to TFK’s Kio Herrera about her childhood, her career, and her new book. 1. What inspired you to write The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor? I wanted to…

Community

Bye to Bullying

September 21, 2018

Stomp Out Bullying kick-starts National Bullying Prevention Month in October. This year, the group has declared October 1 World Day of Bullying Prevention. On this day, schools around the world unite to end bullying. Students and teachers wear blue to…

World

Record Setter

September 21, 2018

Eliud Kipchoge, of Kenya, shattered the marathon world record on September 16, in the Berlin Marathon, in Germany. He finished the annual 26.2-mile race in two hours, one minute, and 39 seconds. Kipchoge is the first person to run…

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Going Home

September 20, 2018

Louisiana’s Way Home opens in the middle of the night, when Louisiana Elefante’s grandmother rouses her from sleep, puts her in the car, and drives. At first, Louisiana isn’t worried. As she says, “Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas.” But soon,…

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A New Legend

September 20, 2018

North American folklore tells of the mysterious Bigfoot. The apelike creature is towering and hairy, and leaves large footprints. In the animated film Smallfoot, opening September 28, the folklore is reversed: Snow creatures known as yetis talk about the mysterious…

Opinion

Should Plastic Straws Be Banned?

September 20, 2018

People are taking a stand against plastic straws. On July 1, Seattle, Washington, became the first major U.S. city to ban plastic straws. Eight days later, Starbucks announced plans to phase out single-use plastic straws by 2020. More companies and…

World

Jailed for the Truth

September 14, 2018

A court in Myanmar has sentenced two journalists from the Reuters news agency to seven years in prison. Earlier this month, the judge ruled that Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo illegally got hold of secret government documents. The journalists…

Science

Found: Plant-Eating Shark

September 14, 2018

Researchers have discovered a type of shark that eats plants in addition to animals. It is the first shark known to be an omnivore. Bonnethead sharks live in shallow coastal waters of the United States, Central America, and South America.…

Community

Teacher's Pup

September 14, 2018

“Hi, Brody! Hi, Shelby!” Abby Walker says as she enters her principal’s office. Brody, a mix of Labrador retriever, Great Dane, and German shepherd, runs toward her. Shelby, a border collie mix, is also eager to be petted. Abby,…

Audio
Spanish

Business

Inside the Crayola Factory

September 14, 2018

Step into the Crayola factory in Easton, Pennsylvania. Here, humming machines and bustling workers crank out about 180 crayons a minute. In a year, the Crayola company produces nearly 3 billion of the colorful wax sticks. They’re used by people…

Video

Community

Fish for Lunch

September 14, 2018

Salmon burgers, salmon mac-and-cheese, and king salmon corn dogs are served in schools in Sitka, Alaska. In Sitka, it’s easy to hook kids on fish. Fresh and locally sourced, the fish tastes great. Thanks to the Fish to Schools program,…

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Time for Magic

September 13, 2018

Halloween comes early this year in The House with a Clock in Its Walls. The movie is based on the book by John Bellairs. It follows 10-year-old Lewis (OWEN VACCARO, center) who goes to live with his uncle Jonathan (Jack…

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A Historical Adventure

September 13, 2018

What do you get when you mix orphans, the Civil War, and dinosaurs? Dactyl Hill Squad. In this mash-up of historical fiction and fantasy, orphan Magdalys Roca and friends escape the 1863 New York City draft riots on the backs…