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Poetry in Motion

March 9, 2018

Can your surroundings ignite your creativity? JUAN FELIPE HERRERA thinks so. Herrera was the first Mexican-American U.S. Poet Laureate, from 2015–2017. Growing up, he moved many times. Each new environment sparked ideas. His new book, Jabberwalking, is aimed at helping…

United States

The Kid in Charge

February 26, 2018

Many kids have been bullied. Fifth grader Dom Peters decided to do something about it. He ran for office. On January 8, Dom, 11, was sworn in as Oregon’s first Kid Governor, at the State Capitol, in Salem. Fifth graders…

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Athletes Who Don't Quit

February 16, 2018

Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports is a collection of tales about 11 female athletes who overcame challenges and never gave up. Chapters focus on athletes like gymnast Simone Biles, surfer Bethany Hamilton, and track-and-field legend Wilma Rudolph. These athletes’…

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Cave People, Unite

January 22, 2018

The animated film Early Man tells the story of Dug, a caveman who lives a happy life as part of a Stone Age tribe. But Lord Nooth, from a Bronze Age tribe, wants to take Dug’s land. To save his…

Health

All One Blood

January 11, 2018

Nana Kwabena was in and out of the hospital as a kid. He was born with sickle cell disease. It is a blood disorder that can be passed from parents to their children. Kwabena’s brother, Kwame Baffoe-Bonnie, died of the…

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United States

Gravity Assist

December 9, 2017

When Jack Davis, 9, looks up at the night sky, he doesn’t see just the stars. He sees his future. The fourth grader lives in New Jersey. He has a deep interest in outer space and the alien beings he…

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Beyond Apperances

December 4, 2017

The beloved children’s book The Story of Ferdinand was first published more than 80 years ago. Now it’s been reimagined as an animated film, Ferdinand. The movie hits theaters on December 15. It tells the story of a kind and…

Arts

Winter 2017 Book Reviews: Part One

November 13, 2017

Title: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Author: Rick Riordan Reviewed by: TFK Kid Reporter Aanand Mehta Genre: Fantasy Number of pages: 432 pages What’s the basic story line? Magnus Chase, the son of Frey, god of peace…

Arts

Winter 2017 Book Reviews: Part Two

November 13, 2017

Title: Saving Marty Author: Paul Griffin Reviewed by: TFK Kid Reporter Christopher Nguyn Genre: Fiction Number of pages: 195 What’s the basic story line? Eleven-year-old Lorenzo Ventura, a.k.a. Renzo, lives with his mom and grandfather on a peach farm.…

Arts

Field Guide

November 6, 2017

Hatchet is a survival story. When 13-year-old Brian, a city kid, survives a plane crash, he must learn to live in the wilderness. The classic tale hit bookstore shelves 30 years ago. In celebration of its anniversary, a new edition…

Arts

King of the Court

November 6, 2017

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a 7-foot-2-inch activist, actor, film producer, and best-selling author. He’s also a six-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer. But before all the awards and fame, Abdul-Jabbar, now 70, was just a shy kid from…

Arts

New Destinations

October 29, 2017

Author Jeff Kinney likes to make people laugh. He kept that goal in mind while he was writing his latest book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway. The story features more antics of middle schooler Greg Heffley and his…

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A Ghostly Tale

October 23, 2017

Want a bone-chilling Halloween read? Grab a flashlight and curl up with Olive and the Backstage Ghost, by MICHELLE SCHUSTERMAN. The creepy tale gives new meaning to the term stage fright. The main character, Olive Preiss, can’t perform when her…

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Haunts for Halloween

October 23, 2017

Author WILLIAM ALEXANDER loves reading ghost stories. He won the National Book Award for his first novel, Goblin Secrets. His new one, A Properly Unhaunted Place, tells another spooky tale. But it’s also about friendship, courage, and history. In the story,…

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A Magical Lesson

October 11, 2017

Malala Yousafzai, 20, has fought for girls’ right to education for more than eight years. In 2014, Malala was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. Malala was 17 at the time, making her the…

Science

Into the Eye

October 3, 2017

Whipping wind and hammering rain take hold of the aircraft, rattling its passengers. Stomachs drop. The radar screen goes fuzzy. This would frighten most people. But flight director Jessica Williams remains focused. Williams is a hurricane hunter. She works for…

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Arts

Playful Poetry

September 29, 2017

Even kids who claim to hate reading poetry will have a hard time resisting CHRIS HARRIS’s debut collection, I’m Just No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups. The book is filled with silly, witty,…

Opinion

Should Grades Be Eliminated?

September 27, 2017

Some schools are giving letter grades an F. In their place, students will get detailed descriptions of their progress. Critics argue that grades don’t say much about which skills a student has mastered. After all, grades cover a combination…

Arts

The Music Maker

September 25, 2017

Yannick Nézet-Séguin (pronounced nay-ZAY say- GHEN) conducted some of the world’s most prominent orchestras before joining the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2012, at the age of 37. He has become famous for his youthful energy, and for his passion for getting…

Technology

Girl Code

September 15, 2017

When Reshma Saujani founded the nonprofit organization Girls Who Code in 2013, it was a group of 40 students in New York City. Her mission was to inspire girls to pursue jobs in technology. Now, Girls Who Code offers free…

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