Table of contents for Summer 2025 in OWL

HAPPY HUGS Long hugs release a hormone called oxytocin, which is known as the “cuddle hormone.” Oxytocin calms us down. Hugs also help us feel supported and lower our fears. The International Day of Friendship was established in 2011 with the idea that friendship between people, countries, and cultures can inspire peace and connect communities. Unlikely Animal Bonds Check out the adorable bonds between these critters! RECORD-BREAKING FRIENDS 85 The number of years that Ruth Magee (Canada) and Beryl Richmond (UK) have been pen pals. The pair first wrote to each other in 1939! 9 The most capital cities visited in one day, by pals Adam Leyton and Chris Fletcher (UK). In November 2018, they travelled to London, England; Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Berlin, Germany; Prague, Czechia; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna, Austria;…

RED FOX While the most common colour is red, red foxes can be brown, black, and silver. These critters are known for their bushy tails, which they use for balance. While making sharp turns, they swing their tails to the side to help steer and avoid falling. Red foxes are one of Canada’s most widely distributed mammals. They call forests, grasslands, and mountains home. You’ll also find them in cities and towns. But humans should keep a distance and never feed them. If fed, red foxes can lose the ability to hunt! BEAVER The beaver is Canada’s largest rodent and the second-largest rodent in the world (after the capybara). Beavers are water mammals and spend much of their time in ponds, lakes, rivers, marshes, and streams. While on land, they…

“Rest and relaxation …” Bee muttered as she trudged along. “That’s no way to get ahead.” Bee passed a law-abiding ladybug that was sheltering in a hollow stump. She peered at some mild-mannered mites messing around in the mud and watched a snail inch innocently across the garden path. Only, how was she supposed to prove herself when no one in sight needed f.l.e.a. assistance? Bee had just begun to march on, when— “Wh-wh-whoooah! oof!” She landed right on her bee-hind on a patio stone. “Ew!” Something slick and slimy coated her fur. And a thick trail of goo led from underfoot right to the culprit. “Hey, Snail!” Bee got to her feet and tried out the no-nonsense tone Flea took with lawbreakers. “The one with the shell and the…

BIRD IS THE WORD, PAGE 12 1. cranes 2. blue jays 3. swallows 4. toucans 5. a duck 6. the bill 7. at the talon show GEAR UP!, PAGE 22 1. B 2. A 3. B 4. C 5. A 6. C 7. B  8. C 9. A 10. B SUDOKU ADVENTURE, PAGE 24 Easy: Medium: Hard: SILLY SKETCHES, PAGE 30 1. melting ice cream cone (from below) 2. sandcastle (from above) 3. football (close up) 4. surfboard in the water (from below) 5. acorn (from above) 6. acoustic guitar (close-up) 7. anchor and rope (close-up) 8. pop can (from above) SPOT ME!, PAGE 36 TEXT TIME!, PAGE 37 Blue Phone 1. Want to hang out today? 2. Let’s meet at the park! 3. Want to play soccer? 4. Let’s…

July 20, 1969 Astronaut Neil Armstrong is the first person to walk on the Moon. Armstrong says the famous words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” during the television broadcast of the event. Armstrong and his team stay on the Moon for over two hours, collecting samples and taking photos. July 23, 1904 The ice cream cone becomes popular in the US after being showcased at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. July 27, 1940 Bugs Bunny makes his debut in a short film entitled A Wild Hare. The beloved wise-cracking rabbit is now one of the most famous cartoon characters in the world. July 10, 2008 The Apple App Store launches with 500 apps available to download for iPhone. Today, the App Store features about 1.8 million…

GOING DOWN BELOW WE GO Would you vacation in Middle-earth? Back in March 2023, Airbnb invited guests to stay at the Hobbiton Movie Set, as featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Activities included access to a Hobbit Hole, a banquet in The Green Dragon Inn, and a tour of Hobbiton. To top it off, the price was almost too good to be true! As it was the 10th anniversary of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at the time, the cost of the experience was only $10 New Zealand dollars per night. TRACK THOSE TURTLES MYSTERY SOLVED! What’s going on? That’s the question scientists had about how turtle hatchlings make their way out of the sand. To find out, a team of Australian scientists got…

1 Which of these is not a skateboard trick? a) nosegrind b) octopunch c) stalefish 2 This country hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022: a) Qatar b) Brazil c) United States 3 The point where a hiking trail starts is called a: a) trailnose b) trailhead c) trailopening 4 This swimming move uses both arms coming above the water while legs kick up‑and-down together: a) front crawl b) freestyle c) butterfly 5 Moving a kayak is called: a) paddling b) bowing c) dancing 6 Another name for traditional roller skates is: a) four-rollers b) inlines c) quads 7 This is applied to baseballs to give pitchers a better grip: a) wax b) mud c) chalk 8 Surfing originated in which region? a) Caribbean b) Mediterranean c) Polynesia This type of canoeing takes…

COMMUNITY CLUB Ask a parent or guardian if you can check your local community centre for group sports, activities, or clubs to join for the summer. It’s a great way to stay active and meet some new friends. WRITE ON! Are you full of awesome ideas? Ask a friend or family member to give you some writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. You may even get inspired enough to write your own book! MAKING WAVES Take on a new water sport to beat the summer heat. Learn how to kayak, test out a paddleboard, or master a new swimming stroke. SUMMER REFRESH Give old clothes a fresh look bytie-dyeing them! Start by twisting or folding fabric, then secure it with multiple rubber bands. Next, soak the fabric in…

1 Your friends would describe you as: a) fun b) hard-working c) talented d) always smiling 2 Your favourite food is: a) ice cream b) hot dogs c) peanut butter and jelly sandwiches d) watermelon 3 At the beach, you love to: a) splash in the waves b) swim relay races c) build sandcastles d) boogie-board 4 Your favourite creature is a: a) dolphin b) monkey c) sloth d) shark 5 If you could choose a superpower, it would be: a) underwater breathing b) telepathy c) invisibility d) flight 6 Your favourite kind of book includes: a) lots of humour b) an adventure with a band of cool characters c) alternate universes d) page-turning suspense 7 If you were in a rock band, you would be the: a) guitarist with…

WOULD YOU RATHER eat burnt s’mores OR melted ice cream? WOULD YOU RATHER swim with dolphins OR penguins? WOULD YOU RATHER vacation on Mars OR at the centre of the Earth? WOULD YOU RATHER watch the same movie all summer OR listen to the same song? WOULD YOU RATHER teach a bear to rollerblade OR an elephant to juggle? WOULD YOU RATHER transform into a firefly OR a frog? WOULD YOU RATHER eat nothing but hot dogs OR nachos for the whole summer? WOULD YOU RATHER be best friends with a shark OR a seagull? WOULD YOU RATHER live in a cotton candy house OR a castle of cookies? WOULD YOU RATHER get stuck at the top of a roller coaster OR inside a covered waterslide?…

Why don’t seashells take baths? Because they wash up on the beach! What’s black and white and red all over? A zebra with a sunburn! Where do boats go when they’re sick? To the dock! Where do whales go to listen to music?  The orca-stra! Why does ice cream get invited to pool parties? Because it’s cool! What’s grey, has four legs and a trunk? A mouse on vacation! Where do birds go on vacation? Somewhere cheep! What kind of tree fits in your hand? A palm tree! When do pirates buy their ships? When they're on sail!…

August 16, 1898 Mechanic Edwin Prescott is granted a patent for a vertical loop (or loop-de-loop) roller coaster. The curved coaster is installed at Coney Island, New York. The attraction has more spectators than riders, but a few brave souls give it a go. August 9, 1173 Construction on Italy’s Tower of Pisa begins. Halfway through the build, the foundations shift, causing the tower to lean—and the Leaning Tower of Pisa is born! August 5, 1928 Canadian women strike Olympic gold for the first time at the Summer Games in Amsterdam, Netherlands, winning the 4X100m relay and high jump. August 25, 2006 The tallest living tree is discovered in Redwood National Park, California. The tree is 116 m (380 ft.) tall—almost the height of a 40-storey building!…

How to Train Your Dragon Fly into the fantastical with this live-action remake of the animated hit! On the isle of Berk, Vikings and dragons have been enemies for generations. But when a young Viking named Hiccup befriends a dragon, everything changes. Will their bond bring peace between the two species? Check out this flick to find out! In theatres now. The Bad Guys 2 The Bad Guys are struggling to find acceptance in their new lives as "Good Guys" when they are pulled out of retirement. Suddenly they are forced to do one last job by an all-female squad of criminals. Get in on the action in theatres on August 1! Freakier Friday It’s just another Freaky Friday! In this sequel set 22 years after the original movie, Anna’s…

YOU’LL NEED: • 500 mL (2 cups) fruit• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) sugar or syrup• 500 mL (2 cups) Greek yogurt• 5 mL (1 tsp.) vanilla extract (optional)• 5 mL (1 tsp.) lemon zest (optional)• blender or fork• small yogurt containers or popsicle moulds• craft sticks 1 Blend or mash almost all of the fruit with the sugar or syrup. 2 Spoon the mixture into the bottoms of the containers or moulds. Freeze for one hour. 3 Mix the yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest together. 4 Spoon the yogurt mixture into the frozen containers, filling them just over halfway. 5 Top with the leftover fruit and add a craft stick. Freeze for at least one hour, then pop a parfait out of its container and enjoy!…

You’ll need: • tin can or plastic container• paint• small plants• soil 1 Paint the can or container. Let it dry. 2 Fill the container halfway with soil and then add a plant. 3 Add more soil around the plant. Pat the soil down with your hands. Ask an adult to check for sharp edges on cans. https://myqrcode.com/en/qr/21fbb196 Scan to see a video of a planter being made!…

Awesome Art Check out these awesome drawings. See YOUR work HERE! Send it to owl@owlkids.com. MEET AN OWL READER What’s your favourite mythical creature? A mermaid. Who’s your favourite singer? Sabrina Carpenter. If you could eat only one thing, what would it be? Noodles! What’s your best quality? I’m good at learning languages. I can speak English, Mandarin, and French! What’s your dream career? To be a baker. Cake or ice cream? Ice cream, but I like sorbet better. How do you relax after a long day? Usually by reading a book. The Milky Way or the Great Barrier Reef? The Great Barrier Reef! What’s your go-to smoothie flavour? Mango. WHAT IF … people could fly? MANDY SILLY DREAM I had a dream that a monkey stole my bike! WINNIE Jokes! What are…