The Puzzler’s Guide to Alaska: Games, Jokes, Fun Facts & Trivia about The Last Frontier

From West Margin Press

80 pages, Ages 8-12

With 60 puzzles to delight curious minds, The Puzzler’s Guide to Alaska is an interactive introduction to the 49th state for kids 8 and up that’s one part puzzle book, one part natural history guide―and lots and lots of fun!

Meet Nelchina the Caribou, Galena the Porcupine, Zippy the Short-tailed Weasel, and Skilak the Black Bear―four good friends who can’t wait to show you around the beautiful state of Alaska. In this book they introduce all kinds of puzzles and games while telling jokes and sharing trivia about Alaska. Learn about the official state symbols, its biggest features, why Alaska’s called the Land of the Midnight Sun, the animals that live here, glaciers, and much more.

The puzzles mix a variety of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) challenges to exercise different parts of the brain, including mazes, logic and math reasoning, crosswords, word searches, and language codes. When solved, the puzzles’ answers (at the back of the book) reveal facts about Alaska’s flora, fauna, history, and culture.

Perfect for long drives, plane or train rides, meals, and other slow times, The Puzzler’s Guide to Alaska keeps young puzzlers occupied and engaged with all things Alaska. So grab a pen or pencil and get ready to travel to Alaska, the true puzzler’s way!

Buy the book

Bookshop | Amazon

Please note: These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I might earn a small commission. Thank you!

Been There, Done That: Reading Animal Signs

From Arbordale Publishing
Illustrated by Andrea Gabriel

32 pg, 8.5×10, Ages 4-8, Grades K-3
Lexile: 500

Spotting wildlife is a thrill, but it’s not easy. When Cole comes to visit his friend Helena, he can’t wait to see all the wildlife the forest has to offer—and disappointed when all he sees are a few birds. Together the kids set out on a hike and encounter plenty of animal signs along the way. Through observation and her knowledge of animal behavior, Helena helps Cole learn what each of the signs means: something had been there; something had done that.

Buy the book

Bookshop | Amazon | Arbordale

Please note: These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I might earn a small commission. Thank you!

Fun Stuff

Holding an event? Looking for supplemental classroom activities? Like puzzles? These are for you.

• Meet the illustrator: Interview with Andrea Gabriel
• Why this book? Why a book about animal signs?
• Arbordale Publishing
• Teaching activities from Arbordale Publishing
• Real-life animal sign stories:
  • The Leopard
  • Lions, Up Close
  • The Waterhole Wait: Giraffe vs. Lions

Minecraft Puzzle Books

What people are saying . . .

I was pleasantly surprised when I received this. I purchased two of them as gifts for Minecraft lovers. I was expecting a more coloring book cheapie type of thing but and what I got was completely different from that. This is a good quality activity book. I was really impressed. It looks pristine, top notch. I flipped through it and it looks like it has a bunch of activities that would really keep a young kid entertained. I purchased them for 8 year olds so I think they’re really going to enjoy it. I totally recommend this product.

A review of Amazing Activities for Minecrafters on Amazon (from someone I don’t know!)

What’s inside these books?

Well, stuff like this. These are some of the pages in Astounding Activities for Minecrafters.

Please note: These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I might earn a small commission. Thank you!

Animal Crossing Puzzle Books

Comic Books: Sheeba and the Private Detectives

This is one of my favorite projects ever! I got to develop 32 storylines for the Sheeba and the Private Detectives comic book series, and then I wrote seven of the books.

This series, set in Pakistan and targeted to Pakistani students, marries STEM topics with cultural and cross-curricular content and wraps it in a mystery series. Four smart, curious kids–Sheeba, Qulsoom, Majid, and Remi, along with their dedicated pets, Speedy (dog) and Tufaan (donkey)–use brains, books, science, and math to explain strange occurrences, solve mysteries, and fight crime.

The first I’ve seen of the ones I wrote is issue #12, The Case of the Wounded Man.

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Alaska’s Puzzle Bears

From Taku Graphics

Fun puzzles reveal natural history facts about Alaska’s black, grizzly, and polar bears. Warning! Alaska’s three bears can be dangerous. You might laugh your head off at the jokes. The facts might blow you away. The puzzles might do you in. Read at your own risk.

This book is available mostly through Alaska retailers. My local Indie bookstore has them on hand.

This book is now out of print, I’m sorry to say, but I have a few copies. Contact me if you’d like one.

Good Fun Sudoku for Kids and Adults

Have fun and support a good cause.

One book for kids and other beginners. One for grownups and other experienced puzzlers.

Progressively challenging sudoku puzzles interspersed with cat facts and photos. These books support a feline trap-neuter-return program in Columbus, OH, so stray and feral cats can live out their lives in their home territories, receiving care and support, without further expanding the cat population.

Buy the Book

The one for grownups or experienced players: Amazon
The one for kids or beginners: Amazon

Vocabulary Fundamentals, Grade 6+

Strengthen vocabulary skills and raise test scores!

Vocabulary Fundamentals, Grade 6+ provides scaffolded practice on the essential vocabulary skills your students need for academic success. The 42 skill units in grade 6 cover the following: synonyms & antonyms, homophones, prefixes & suffixes, word roots, idioms.

Buy the Book

Bookshop | Amazon

Nancy Drew and Spiderwick Chronicles Activity Books

Media tie-ins for the Nancy Drew and Spiderwick Chronicles movies. Published by Simon & Schuster.

Clueless in Alaska: Know More!

Published by Sasquatch Books.

As a take-home gift, travel companion, or information resource, this full-color, photo-illustrated activity book is both entertaining and enlightening. It’s chock-full of challenging puzzles, fascinating facts, silly jokes, and fun activities.