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portrait of Jacob Riis

TFK Library

Jacob Riis

June 7, 2018

Jacob Riis (May 3, 1849—May 26, 1914) was a photojournalist who documented the lives of poor New Yorkers in the 1890s. He published the photographs in his book How the Other Half Lives. The pictures shocked Americans and inspired a…

World

Driving Change

June 6, 2018

Ten women in Saudi Arabia made history this week. They were issued driver’s licenses. Until now, women were banned from driving in Saudi Arabia. It was the only country in the world that did not allow women to drive.…

Video

United States

Can You Spell "Champion"?

June 4, 2018

Karthik Nemmani took an unusual path to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. But on May 31, the 14-year-old walked out as its champion. Karthik didn’t win his regional or his county spelling bee. In the past, that would have…

Time Off

All Kinds of Minds

June 1, 2018

Imagine. Tinker. Create. Successful inventors have long followed these steps. In her new book, Calling All Minds, Temple Grandin explores the history and science behind many of the world’s most groundbreaking inventions. She told TFK that her goal is to…

United States

NFL's New Anthem Policy

May 30, 2018

The National Football League (NFL) announced a new policy on May 23 in response to protests during the national anthem: Teams whose players kneel in protest during the national anthem will be fined. The policy says players have the right…

Video

Time Off

Hanging Up Her Helmet

May 25, 2018

Race-car driver Danica Patrick is a legend. In 2008, she became the first woman to win an IndyCar race. Now she’s retiring from the track. Patrick’s last race will be at the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day 2018. During Patrick’s…

Time Off

A Solo Journey

May 25, 2018

The latest Star Wars film has arrived in theaters. It’s called Solo: A Star Wars Story. The film is set 10 years before the original Star Wars movie, which was released in 1977. Solo follows intergalactic pilot Han Solo. Solo…

portrait of Thomas Jefferson

TFK Library

Thomas Jefferson

May 25, 2018

Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743–July 4, 1826) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He drafted the Declaration of Independence, served as the country’s first secretary of state, and was elected the third U.S. president. As president,…

Health

Bug Off

May 23, 2018

For many Americans, spring and summer mean more time outdoors­—and lots of bugs. In fact, diseases spread by insect bites have tripled in the United States in recent years. That’s according to a new report by the Centers for Disease…

Video
Prince Harry Marries Meghan Markle

World

The Royal Wedding

May 21, 2018

Millions of people around the world watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19. The ceremony was held at St. George’s Chapel, at Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England. Markle made headlines when she walked down the…

Time Off

Girl on a Mission

May 18, 2018

At the start of Amal Unbound, a new novel by Aisha Saeed, 12-year-old Amal is content with her life in Pakistan. She loves learning and dreams of being a teacher when she grows up. But Amal’s dreams are crushed when…

Health

Wiping Out Trans Fats

May 16, 2018

On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a plan to rid the world’s food supply of trans fats. These unhealthy substances have been linked to chronic illness. The WHO is a United Nations agency that works to promote good…

World

Preparing for Peace

May 14, 2018

The United States and North Korea are preparing for historic peace talks. The talks will take place next month in Singapore. President Donald Trump will meet with the North Korean leader. His name is Kim Jong-un. It will be the…

Video

Time Off

Bringing History to Life

May 11, 2018

Who was Albert Einstein? Or Amelia Earhart? What about Joan of Arc? You can learn all about these and other historical figures in a new series on Netflix: The Who Was? Show. The sketch-comedy series premieres on May 11. It’s…

Environment

An Epic Eruption

May 9, 2018

On May 3, Hawaii’s Big Island experienced a major volcanic explosion. The volcano Kilauea pushed lava and toxic gas from its vents and opened fissures, or cracks, beneath a nearby residential neighborhood. On May 4, the seismic activity caused a…

Video

Science

The Science of Summer Fun

April 30, 2018

Walk up a set of stairs. Sit in a pool of rushing water, and look down at the slide before you. Push off— whoosh! —and let gravity take it from there. This year, more than 85 million people around the…

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Spanish

United States

A Plan for Parks

April 27, 2018

The National Park Service (NPS) has backed down from a controversial plan. It has decided not to double admission prices at 17 popular national parks. Instead, it will raise fees by $5 at 117 parks across the United States. In November, the NPS announced that it…

Arts

8 Questions for Amanda Gorman

April 27, 2018

In 2017, Amanda Gorman, then 19, was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate. She spoke with TFK’s Brian McGrath about how poetry can give voice to a new generation of leaders. Has poetry always been a part of your…

World

A Prince is Born

April 27, 2018

Britain’s royal family has a new member. Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, welcomed their third child on April 23. The couple presented the baby to photographers just seven hours after his birth. Prince William said they…

World

End of a Dynasty

April 27, 2018

For the first time in almost 60 years, Cubans will have a president who is not a member of the Castro family. President Raúl Castro (above, right) formally stepped down on April 19 and the Cuban government appointed Miguel Díaz-Canel…