The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids by Danielle Hall is perfect for those looking to add some fun to their everyday routine. Teachers and parents will love these "brain-busters" as much as the kids! I'm headed into my 22nd year teaching HS English, Spanish, & ESL; even though it states the book is best fit for kids ages 9-12, my high school students (ages 14-17) will also love these. There's really something here for everyone!
In addition to its colorful pages and recurring characters, this book is filled with nearly 200 riddles, puzzles, brain teasers, and challenges of various types and levels of difficulty, including an answer key. Whether kids do one puzzle a day by themselves or a bunch in one sitting with friends, their critical thinking, problem-solving, math, and reading skills are sure to improve. The more they do, the better they'll get, and they won't even realize all the learning taking place because they'll be having so much fun!
The decision to begin the book with a short "how-to" guide is probably my favorite part of the overall design. Danielle Hall didn't just throw a bunch of riddles and brain teasers into a book and call it good. She really took the time to explain "the how" and "the why" behind them. She provides tips and strategies for solving, as well as examples and hints in the form of warm-ups, so readers know what to expect before diving in. Giving this information beforehand, will help kids be more successful as they make their way through the book. In my opinion, this introductory material is what makes this book better than others of the same genre.
Without hesitation, I give 5 out of 5 stars to The Challenging Riddle Book for Kids by Danielle Hall. It is the perfect choice for any home or classroom library. It fits nicely in a backpack, on your nightstand, and even your coffee table! I highly recommend this book to parents, teachers, tweens, and teens, as well as to families and those looking to improve their critical thinking skills. The material is engaging and creatively presented, the recurring characters are diverse, and the scenarios are fun and relatable. The variety of puzzles and varying levels of difficulty make this a book everyone can and will enjoy. As Danielle Hall says, "Happy puzzling!"
Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful. :-)