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Going
on a family vacation? If one of the children is in the 8-11
age group, then this latest entry in Buster Books’ Brain
Games series is ideal. All the 101 puzzles in this book have
a travel theme and every page also features lively illustrations
drawn by Chris Dickason. These feature various exotic animals
packing cases, having fun on beaches and boarding various
vehicles. It is all sure to put anybody into a summer vacation
mood.
This
is essentially a junior version of the puzzle compendiums
for adults sold by newsagents. It features a wide range of
puzzles from traditional spot the difference, mazes, anagrams,
general knowledge quizzes and word searches to more modern
Japanese favorites such as sudoku, kakuro and futoshiki. Crosswords
are absent and only a few puzzles require more than a pencil
and rubber. Most are tests of logic or math skills rather
than knowledge of trivia which makes them more educational
and more likely to be solvable without too much adult assistance.
Each page has a box at the top where you can write down the
solution time, and at the back are all the answers. The illustrations
make the book look both amusing and attractive, and if the
child does have access to coloured pencils they can be coloured
in, as can a few puzzles. The book is the same format as a
paperback novel and therefore an ideal size for a bag; the
paper is of the cheap, absorbent type that rules out felt
pens and more than a small amount of light rubbing out. Invest
in a good quality white plastic eraser for best results and
don’t use too hard a pencil. At just under a fiver this
is an inexpensive and enjoyable book for any tweener.
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