Table of contents for September 2025 in OWL

BACK TO NATURE COOL SCHOOL Give this school an A+ for originality! A school in India recently added an extension that includes a wave-like roof covered in green turf. That means the classrooms inside don’t look like those found in your everyday school. They have high, curvy ceilings, and the rooms are decked out with huge windows and skylights so students can admire the surrounding landscape while they learn. And the schoolyard outside also has a nature focus, including a sunken grassy spot that can be used as a classroom or for outdoor recess fun. SIT RIGHT DOWN DESIGNER DESK Tired of the way a typical school desk looks? A Mexican company has come up with a cool design. Called the Clever Desk, this creation is made from recycled plastic. It…

LIBRARY LOANER Alex, Mo, and Luke each borrowed a book from the library. Using the clue, figure out the name, grade (6, 7, or 8), and book title for each student. Can you spot 10 differences between these two students? WORD WISE How many words can you make out of the letters below? ALL MIXED UP Unscramble the letters below to reveal the names of school subjects. Then use the letters in the coloured circles to find the secret word. Answers page 32.…

BANANA FRENCH TOAST You’ll need: • butter• ½ a ripe banana• 45 mL (3 tbsp.) milk• 1 egg• 2 mL (½ tsp.) vanilla• 2 mL (½ tsp.) cinnamon• 1 slice slightly dry bread, ripped up• maple syrup 1 Use the butter to grease the inside of a mug.  2 Mash the banana in the mug, then stir in all the other ingredients except for the syrup.  3 Microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, or until the liquid is gone. 4 Let cool and then drizzle syrup on top. IMPORTANT: Not all mugs can be used in the microwave. Look on the bottom for text that says it is safe, or for a symbol with wavy lines on it. EGG-CELLENT OMELETTE You’ll need: • 2 eggs• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) milk• 1 green…

TALK ABOUT IT OWL readers share their advice. “I am starting grade 6 and I’m already feeling overwhelmed. I’m worried about how I will balance friends, homework, and extracurriculars. What should I do?”—TY, 11 “Check what you have to do and then try to make time for a little bit of everything. If it doesn’t work, maybe talk to your parents.”LEVRON “Ask your new teacher about some things that you’ll be doing and what you’ll need for each class. I hope this helps!”BETH “I felt that way, too, when I started grade 6, but it turned out all right. You can always write your worries in a notebook. That helps me.”ADA “Starting a new grade can be very overwhelming. Try making new friends in your class to help you get through…

TV SERIES Pokémon Concierge You’re cordially invited to the Pokémon Resort for another season of this animated series. Haru is embarking on new adventures as the resort’s concierge, with even more Pokémon visiting the retreat. Will your favourite character stop by? Find out on Netflix this month! GAMES Tamagotchi Plaza These virtual pets are taking on a whole new screen! Serve food, make accessories, and even do dental work in this cute and cozy game. Available on Nintendo Switch now! APPS Top Picks Make and learn with these apps. Peak Train your brain with this fun app that’s designed to improve mental skills. Seek Level-up your nature knowledge! Snap pics in nature to identify plants and animals. BOOKS An Immense World By EdYong, illustrated by Rebecca Mills Discover all the…

Write a news story about something real or fake! Did aliens land on Earth? Was a famous painting stolen? We want to know! Enter your news scoop for a chance to WIN! One grand-prize winner will have their story published on the OWL blog and receive an Owlkids Books prize pack! Prizes courtesy of Owlkids Books. https://owlkids.com/contests How to enter: Scan the QR code OR send your story, along with your name, age, province or territory, and your parent’s email address and signature, to: OWL’s Breaking News Contest (address page 31) or to owl@owlkids.com Contest deadline: October 15, 2025 Entrants must be between 8 and 14 years old as of the deadline. Judges will look for originality from all eligible entries. Entries must be accompanied by a parent’s signature. OWL…

September 1, 1985 The wreck of the Titanic is found in the Atlantic Ocean after almost 70 years of searching. With the help of a deep-sea vehicle, oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard spots the ship off the coast of Newfoundland, under nearly 4,000 m (13,000 ft.) of water. September 23, 1846 Neptune is discovered by astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle using the Fraunhofer telescope at the Berlin Observatory. September 28, 1919 The New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies play the fastest Major League Baseball game ever recorded. The teams play nine innings in 51 minutes! September 4, 1998 Google Inc. is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They succeed in their mission to make information on the internet more accessible, and Google becomes the world’s largest internet search engine. BIRTHSTONE FLOWER…

BUG OR BIRD? The hummingbird moth is named after the fast-flying bird for good reason. Like the hummingbird, this moth hovers in front of flowers and uses its long tongue to slurp up nectar. A female tailorbird sews her own nest! She pokes holes in a leaf with her beak and then threads plant fibres or insect silk through these holes to stitch the nest together. NOT A SPOT Dalmatians are known for their black spots. But puppies are born with pure white coats. Their spots don’t develop until a few weeks after birth. The pig-nosed turtle uses its long snout like a snorkel. It pokes its nose above the water’s surface to take a breath. With the rest of its body safely underwater, the turtle remains hidden from predators.…

They’re red-hot, tongue-tingling, and a favourite snack for many—but some parents and schools say spicy chips aren’t for kids. Are these snacks too extreme? Let’s dive in! A debate is heating up over spicy snacks. Some schools in the US have even removed these fiery treats from cafeterias because of concerns about their impact on kids’ health. Experts warn that eating too many spicy chips can lead to issues like stomach aches and even irritation in the mouth. Why are they so popular in the first place? It turns out that spicy flavours can trigger a burst of excitement in your brain! The heat from spicy snacks activates receptors on your tongue that send signals to your brain, which releases feel-good chemicals like endorphins. This thrill keeps some people coming…

Jokes! Why did the sloth cross the road? JUDAH I don’t know, but I’ll tell you when it gets there! SILLY DREAM I had a dream that sheep were counting me to fall asleep! WILLIAM WHAT IF … you smelled things through your eyes? ELLA 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 https://bsky.app/profile/owlkids.bsky.social…

YOUR TURN Bring your A game and send in those purr-fect captions! LAST LAUGH On which day do felines like to play games? Cat-urday! Send us your “Say What?” captions. We’ll print our favourites in an upcoming issue. Fill in the speech balloons, cut out or photocopy this page, and send it to OWL c/o THE BUZZ, 1 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 800, Toronto, ON, Canada M4P 3A1, or submit your entry online at owlkids.com/buzz.…