The Puzzler's Guide to Oregon - (Puzzler's Guides) by Jen Funk Weber (Paperback)

“Discover Oregon, the true puzzler’s way,” the back jacket states in Jen Funk Weber’s children’s book, The Puzzler’s Guide to Oregon: Games, Jokes, Fun Facts & Trivia about the Beaver State. ~ What ~ This seventy-two-page booklet targets eight-to-twelve-year-old children and readers who like learning about Oregon via word puzzles, tessellations, language codes, games, and more. After a guide of four animals with solving tips, there are sixty pages about the Pacific Northwest state that include crosswords, word searches, mazes, letter switching, and matching as well as jokes and trivia. With a variety of puzzles and games to do, the topics of Oregon involve not only iconic places in the abundantly green state but also its animals, foods, state symbols, products, and facts. Some examples of the puzzles are Agate Hunt, Cave Marvel, Lighthouse IDs, Sand Dollar Search, Oregon Grown, Rockhound, The Lay of the Landmarks, and Nature’s Bonsai. The ending has thirteen pages of answers and a Certificate of Membership to the Puzzler’s Club. ~ Why ~ What third to seventh grader doesn’t like doing puzzles? This is a terrific way to learn about the state of Oregon while having fun and being engaged. I appreciate the eclectic yet educational subjects discussed and the fun and silly jokes. I loved the games about Marionberries, myrtle wood, weird Portland, and school mascots. ~ Why Not ~ Since the book has a mix of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) challenges, it contains easy to hard puzzles for its age group, so some may get frustrated trying to figure some out and look to the answers in advance. Others may wish there were more content about a topic that is barely mentioned, but the reader could be prompted to research more on their own. ~ Wish ~ Since I live in Salem, Oregon, I wish the book mentioned that my city is home to the state capitol and that Willamette University is known as the oldest college in the Western United States. I hope more books like this are being designed for all the states in America. ~ Want ~ If your child wants to be educated about Oregon while doing fun puzzles and mazes, this one will not only delight young ones but teach adults a thing or two. I plan to donate my copy to a local library. Thanks to Turner Bookstore and the author for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.