Table of contents for December 2023 in OWL

Those are the two words that come to mind when I think of this issue and winter in general! What about you? How do you feel about the chilliest season? Whether you’re a winter or summer person, I think you’ll enjoy the feature about winter on page 12! We’ve got tips on how to make the most of the season. Hint: Not all of it involves going outside! And now that 2024 is almost upon us, we figured this was probably a good time to look back at the past year. Turn to page 22 to see some of the top stories from 2023. Finally, how much do you think about wolverines? Not enough? Often? Regardless, they’re top of mind for us right now! Find out why on page 18.…

Wonka This prequel to the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory follows Willy Wonka as a young chocolatier. Learn how Willy meets his Oompa-Loompas and eventually starts a chocolate factory! Taste the fun on December 15. WarioWare: Move It! Grab your controllers and get ready to wave, wiggle, and move through over 200 microgames! The games are fun to play with friends or by yourself. Available now on the Nintendo Switch. Top Picks Make and learn with these apps. Finch: Self-Care Pet Take care of a digital pet by taking care of yourself! Choose from a variety of exercises, like checking in on your feelings or writing what you’re grateful for. C4K: Coding for Kids Learn the basics of coding and programming by playing fun games!…

Who is that crawling stealthily through the snow and trees? It’s a wolverine! This brown predator is a sneaky hunter that is amazingly well adapted to winter. Its bushy fur is not only dense but hydrophobic. This means that it does an awesome job of keeping the animal’s body dry and warm. The wolverine even has paws that spread out as it walks—this acts as a snowshoe, letting the animal step on top of snow without sinking in. BIG BROTHER The wolverine belongs to an animal family known as Mustelidae. Its relatives include mammals like otters, martens, weasels, and badgers. Like these animals, the wolverine has a body that is long, sleek, and low to the ground. But it is the largest and most muscular member of the family. And…

“It could be good to give your brother space when he’s with his friends. They may even invite you to join them eventually.”SIENNA “My brother ignores me around his friends. When it’s just us, he plays video games with me, talks about comics, and does other stuff. It hurts my feelings that he acts this way around his friends. What should I do?”—EVERETT, 11 “I do this sometimes without realizing. Talk to your brother about how you feel. Chances are, he doesn’t know what he’s doing!”ANNA “Talk to your brother about how his actions are affecting you. Then find something you have in common that you and his friends can bond over.”JOSHUA “Ask your brother why he ignores you. You may just need to talk it out with him.”ZACK “He…

Dear OWL, I have a big family. There are nine people in my family! I am the middle child. I love to read. My favourite foods are tacos, pizza, mac and cheese, and gravy. Yum! —Maria Dear Maria, So great to meet you! It must be fun having a big family. Also, I must say I’m getting hungry after reading about your fave foods! —Melissa, editor Dear OWL, My favourite hobbies are reading and playing with my family. My friends and family make me happy. My favourite foods are tacos and pasta. If I could have a superpower, it would be teleportation. —Avery Dear Avery I’d like to introduce you to OWL reader Maria! You two seem to have a lot in common. One question: Where would you teleport to?…

UNDER THE SLEEEEP WOW Research from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan suggests that octopuses might dream as they sleep! By monitoring the brains of snoozing Octopus insularis, scientists noticed a stage of sleep that features fast breathing, increased heart rate, and pulsating colours across their skin. It seems very similar to human REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, where we do our dreaming. Minus the colour changes, of course! MAPLE NUGGET A lot of super-cool things happened in Canadian sports in 2023. Maybe the best story was when Jamal Murray from Kitchener, Ontario, helped to lead the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA title. Murray became only the ninth Canadian player to win an NBA title, and he definitely didn’t coast his way to this honour. Working alongside Serbian…

Jokes! Why are colds bad at playing tag? LINNAEA Because they are easy to catch! SILLY DREAM I had a dream that the world was upside down and colours were inverted! MADISON WHAT IF … our universe is just an atom in a whole different world? ELLIE CONNECT WITH US Send your jokes, art, photos, silly dreams, and “What If” ideas to OWL. OWL, 1 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800, Toronto, ON, Canada M4P 3A1 website: owlkids.com email: owl@owlkids.com Parents: Find Owlkids on https://www.facebook.com/owlkids https://twitter.com/owlkids?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/owlkidspublishing/?hl=en…

READY TO ROLL … OR RIDE SNOW CYCLE This takes mountain biking to a whole new level. A French company recently unveiled the world’s first electric snow bike, and ski resorts in the Austrian Alps are planning to offer their guests a chance to try out the sweet ride. Called the MoonBike, this snow vehicle is unlike your typical bicycle. Instead of wheels, it has a ski on the front that the rider uses to steer. The bike also has an engine with a battery that lasts about three hours, allowing riders to take an off-roading trip through the snowy mountains. That said, snow cyclists won’t be zipping alongside skiers or snowboarders. Specific trails have been set up for MoonBike riders to keep everyone safe. Hit the slopes! SHAKE IT…

Party Pinball YOU’LL NEED • 4 or more cardboard rolls • large box lid • 2 yogurt cups or paper cups • scissors • glue • paint and paintbrush • marbles 1 Cut cardboard rolls to different lengths. Cut an opening on one end of each of the tubes and glue those ends to the box lid. 2 Glue the remaining rolls on their sides for tunnels. 3 Cut two holes in the box lid to fit the yogurt containers. Drop a container in each hole. Cut four holes on the side of the lid to create small tabs. 4 Paint everything to look like a pinball game. 5 To play, use a finger to flick a marble from a tab and try to get it through one of the holes. Tilt the lid to…