Super Puzzles and Fun

Alison Mews is co-ordinator of the Centre for Instructional Services at
The Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Based on the “Puzzles and Fun” section of Chickadee magazine, this
book consists of puzzles such as mazes, match-ups, crosswords, and
dot-to-dots, as well as jokes and games. Given that the book is meant to
be written in (and so will not be reused), the price seems unjustifiably
high. That said, the book is beautifully produced. Children will be
eager to explore the pages and complete the puzzles. The puzzles
themselves are of the excellent quality we’ve come to expect from Debi
Perna of Chickadee, with activities for sorting and classification,
letter and number recognition, and other educational goals. The paper
stock is of good quality and the binding is quite sturdy for a large
paperback. This, however, gives me further cause for concern. As a
librarian and parent, I am uneasy about encouraging a small child to
mark up a book that looks more like a student text than a workbook.

A lovely book, but two issues of Chickadee magazine would find your
five dollars better spent. Not a first-choice purchase.