An A-Maze-Ing Farm Adventure

There's only one way out. Will you find it? Or will you get confused in the corn? Hung up in the hay? Detoured by the dairy cows? Get ready for an A-MAZE-ing Adventure through all sorts of farms!

“The A-maze-ing Farm Adventure by Jill Kalz, illus by Mattia Cerato (Picture Window Books, 2010). Combining map-reading skills with creative problem-solving (finding the way through a variety of mazes), counting activities with reading a key and following directions, this book is fun and appropriately difficult for children ages four through eight. There are many types of farms represented, offering an opportunity to talk about many of the ways farmers raise crops and live their lives in different parts of the world. From a dairy farm to an apple orchard to a rice paddy to a pig farm to a truck farm, various animals, types of equipment, and farm buildings are good for seeking-out and talking-about. It's an excellent activity book and teaching tool for a variety of uses ... and all about farms!”

Presenting a series of colorfully illustrated mazes, each volume of Jill Kalz and Mattia Cerato's "A-Maze-ing Adventures" series (Picture Window, 2010; K-Gr 3) focuses on a different locale (amusement park, farm, school, and zoo). The detailed spreads featuring clean layouts present thematic scenes (e.g., "Field Day Frazzle" or "Baffled in Band" in An A-Maze-ing School Adventure)--with plenty of particulars to explore and obstacles to navigate--along with simple instructions, a map key, and a compass rose. In addition to finding their way from a starting point to the finish, readers are told to seek out hidden objects, count up items, determine directions ("Which is farther south-the guitar or the harp?"), and more. Answer keys are appended, along with additional resources. Use these interactive volumes to reinforce map-reading and navigation skills. _all_fun_and_games.html.csp-- "Curriculum Connections"
Maze twists and turns are delightfully expressed in these unique books. Each entry captures the hustle and bustle within a popular setting. The selections all feature an identical introduction and offer guidelines for the double-page puzzles. A hidden animal or student strategically placed within each maze provides another reason to explore. A compass rose and a pictorial key enhance each busy scene as readers are encouraged to answer directional questions and to search for specific items. Chatty phrases bounce through each title: "Too dark to see? Not for the skunks, ocelots, and other nighttime creatures that live here!" (Zoo Adventure). Though there's much to discover, the bright, digital cartoons remain uncluttered. They featured children from a variety of backgrounds, but there's not much variation in the characters' size or stature. Though the answer keys are not comprehensive, there's plenty to pore over in these titles.-- "School Library Journal"
-- "Children's Literature Network blog"

Jill Kalz is the author of more than 70 children's books. Her picture book Farmer Cap (Picture Window Books) was a finalist for a 2008 Minnesota Book Award and the winner of the Readers' Choice Award and an AEP Distinguished Achievement Award. Jill also writes short stories and poetry for adults. She works as a children's book editor and lives in Minnesota with her charismatic dog, Tuckerbean.

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