This is a book full of mysteries to which the reader becomes the detective, and unlike most workbooks, there’s a mystery to solve on each page, with clues, pictures, and advice from the police.
This book is recommended for students in grades 4-12, but if they haven’t worked through this type of puzzle before, they may need a bit of help for the first few. My kids have done puzzles that require similar logic in the past, and they were excited to try these.
They were so excited, however, that they couldn’t decide which one would use the book. Neither wanted the other to write in it because then they could see the answers and not get to solve certain puzzles; so, for the most part, they would read the puzzles and clues on their own, and think through their answers, then come and tell me. I would do the same, and then we would check the answers in the back together. I’d repeat that with the other one later. My Big Helper occasionally chose to write her answers out on other paper so that she could process it as she wrote and still leave the book clear so that her brother could use it.
We could, of course, have done it all together, and I think it would be fun to do that as a family over lunch or dinner, but we’re in a busy season of baseball and competitions, and so I just haven’t quite gotten things together that much – because we would need to be prepared to pass the book around so we could study the pictures as those provide clues for most puzzles. I’ve enjoyed the one-on-one time with both kids, though, and they’re more excited than ever about the mysteries.
The book is also quite affordable at only $8.99, and it would definitely be possible simply to have a book for each of them; however, again, in the busy season we’re in, we just didn’t get that far.
Critical Thinking Detective Book 1 has 32 pages, and each two-page spread features a new mystery, complete with color pictures, clues, and space to write out your logic in determining your answer. Sometimes, the mysteries include witness statements, which add a bit more complication – and fun – to the process.
I’ve really enjoyed the pictures. Things like the height of people and possible color of clothing can be considered from the perspective of witnesses through the availability of the pictures, and that adds another layer of fun to the stories. Some of the graphics are really wacky, too, and I enjoy seeing what the creators have chosen for each person.
One of my children has solved most of the mysteries correctly. She is fairly good at setting aside her preconceived notions about what has happened and relying only on the clues.
The other one, not so much. It is more difficult for him to read that the alleged thief was wearing red or orange and consider the peachy shirt on one person as a possibility, but he has taken this as a personal challenge. He’s really enjoying the challenge of it, even though it’s a bit harder for him, and his logic is always solid, even if his perspective is a bit different than his sister’s.
I personally love the way that The Critical Thinking Co.™ makes logical thinking fun. By working through these puzzles, the kids are learning to separate fact from opinion, to use the process of elimination, and to think step-by-step. These are all great skills to have in life, for sure, but they will also come in handy as they begin studying higher-level math and need to solve more complicated equations and other real-life problems.
I’m happy to share that this is not the only book in the series; there’s a sequel, but there are also similar books for specific subjects like vocabulary and history. We’ll definitely be checking those out, as well!
