Being utterly hopeless at both maps and mazes, I think I have completed roughly 3 of the puzzles in this book (and I probably cheated on those!) The idea that these are for kids is complete rubbish. Enjoy the incredibly inventive and varied illustrations and the story, and try not to get too frustrated at how difficult these puzzles are!
I bought this book when I was in elementary school. I still haven't solved the final puzzle (which is the only one WITHOUT A SOLUTION IN THE BACK AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!)
Spent a lot of time trying to solve the final mystery, and then was given a completely different answer by the secret hidden answer key - I'm wondering if the makers made a mistake, actually. Which would be surprising given how much effort they put into the rest of the puzzles. A mixed bag of them, some were easy when I was a kid, some still stump me at 31 - genuinely deserves the warning message on the front cover. Still a favourite, as the world-building, if simple (all the countries are named after food, which I didn't get as a kid), hints at something larger than the book. A real world I'd like to explore. And all the storylines are interconnected. Something something time travel????