Book review: Brain training for clever kids with Buster Books
The children’s imprint of independent publisher Michael O’Mara has a colourful array of brilliant activity and colouring books, all designed to provide both entertainment and education in a fun format.
Age 6-10:
Quiz Book for Clever Kids Compiled by Lauren Farnsworth and illustrated by Chris Dickason
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHeads down, pencils at the ready… here’s an exciting quiz book that will put your children’s knowledge to the test and provide hours of fun.
This beautifully-produced book has over 600 brain-busting questions designed to set the grey matter in motion and make even the cleverest kids put on their thinking caps.
There are ten different kinds of quiz to keep everyone on their toes, from odd one out and guess the rest to word jumbles, missing words and general knowledge. Each set of questions can be tackled on its own but are divided into sections and (be warned!) get steadily harder as the book progresses.
At the end of every section, there is a space to record how many questions you got right and you can work out your scores by checking answers at the back of the book.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnd to give kids the inspiration to get stuck in, compiler Lauren Farnsworth reveals that children’s brains are actually more powerful than a grown-up’s…
So enjoy a family quiz night in… if you dare!
(Buster Books, paperback, £4.99)
Age 8-12:
Word Searches for Clever Kids Created by Gareth Moore and illustrated by Chris Dickason
Word searches are the ideal challenge for clever kids… and there are over 1,000 of them to spot in this amazing little book.
The 150 puzzles are divided into four levels of difficulty and again get tougher as the book progresses. A ‘Time’ line is provided at the top of every page so that children can record how long it took to do each puzzle and all the answers are at the back so you can take a sneak peek if needs be.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLike all the books in this series, Word Searches for Clever Kids is perfectly sized as a travelling companion to keep boredom at bay during long journeys.
Don’t leave home without it!
(Buster Books, paperback, £4.99)
Age 8-12:
Crosswords for Clever Kids Created by Gareth Moore and illustrated by Chris Dickason
And who can resist a good crossword? Take the perfect puzzle challenge with over 130 crosswords, again divided into four levels of difficulty and getting progressively tougher.
There are hours of absorbing entertainment and achievement to be enjoyed as you move on from beginner and intermediate to the heady heights of advanced and ace puzzler.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe ideal book to increase concentration skills, knowledge and logic… and to keep youngsters out of mischief!
(Buster Books, paperback, £4.99)
Age 7-12:
Colour With Mum by Emily Golden Twomey, Jessie Eckel, Hannah Wood
How about a gorgeous colouring book that youngsters can share with mum?
Colour With Mum invites mothers and their children to work together, side by side, to create beautiful pictures… and it means mums will no longer have to steal their children’s colouring books to get their colouring fix!
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdEach spread in this large, inventive book features two pictures – one more complex than the other but both sharing the same theme. Choose from a desert palace or a woodland palace, the northern lights or an Arctic adventure, high-class hats or simple accessories, shimmering stars or pretty planets.
The large, spiral-bound format enables artists to open the book so the sturdy pages are completely flat. All you have to do then is decide who tackles which picture, tear out the finished masterpiece complete with box for artist’s signature, and decide whose picture will take pride of place on the fridge.
The perfect gift for competitive kids… and creative mums!
(Buster Books, paperback, £9.99)