Great Books

Count the marbles. What’s the opposite of fast? How many pennies make one nickel? Suppose you mix red and blue. What color will you get? Plus patterns, shapes, mazes, opposites, rhymes, "What's Wrong With This Picture?" pictures—and don't forget the Genius Points! Here are 300 questions and answers to build essential learning skills as parents and children work together.Vetted by a panel of America’s highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude

If only all children had someone as friendly and daring as red-haired Ryan the Lion to guide them through all the new learning necessary for successful kindergarten days in the classroom. Cheerful, slightly daffy Ryan can be found on nearly every question card in these two Brain Quest decks--whether he's eyeing some delicious red licorice as he demonstrates numerical concepts ("Which will buy more candy: the penny or the nickel?") or cautiously approaching a bird's nest as he skydives into treetops (in a correct-the-narrative-sequence episode). While kids are bonding with Ryan (and enjoying the cool construction of these slick, bound decks), parents will thrill at the range of fundamental academic skills and common-sense information that their children will pick up from these fun-to-guess cards. It's all here: questions about the alphabet, spelling, vocabulary, counting, spatial concepts, the physical sciences, as well as demonstrations of right from left, safety rules, and names of computer equipment. There also seems to be the perfect balance of "easy" and "hard" questions in this huge sampling. Kids feel both capable and challenged with Brain Quest, and thus stay with these decks for a long time. (Ages 5 to 6) --Jean Lenihan

Join a little mouse named Molly, and watch your child blossom and grow! Help Molly find her way out of the maze. Count the flags in the Fourth of July parade. Plus look-alikes, ABCs, word associations, number games, "All Mixed Up" and "Can You Find Molly?" Here are 300 questions and answers in picture form that will help your child develop essential learning skills and get a smart start.Vetted by a panel of America’s highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude.

What 3 numbers come between 18 and 22? Change these letters around to make a furry pet: a-c-t. How many stars are on the American flag? Plus sums, opposites, time, shapes, places, Grab Bag, and: The toy costs 25 cents. Can you buy it with two dimes and a nickle? Brain Quest Grade 1 quizzes kids on the stuff they need to know when they need to know it, with 750 curriculum-based questions and answers reflecting the latest school standards. Vetted by a panel of America’s highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude.

When the Brain Quest series moves from preschool age to the first-grade set, it transforms from a playful question game into a sort of elementary school version of Trivial Pursuit. (In the spirit of this new grown-up air, there is no longer a cheerful animal guide appearing throughout the decks.) Now, each card features one question from each of five category sections: Reading, Math, Vocabulary, Social Studies & Science, and Grab Bag. The rules are gentle: Playing in teams, with partners, or solo, you can stick to your favorite subject category or play the whole card. Keeping score (they offer three different versions) is optional. Though the framework of the game feels very grown-up, the questions are not out of a first grader's league. A math question asks, "What coin is the same as 25 cents?" A sample science question reads, "Name the force that keeps you from floating in the air." There is much good humor in these questions, and the name references are nicely up to date, though not completely contemporary (Beanie Baby references can be found here, but Pokémon's not mentioned). (Ages 6 to 7). --Jean Lenihan

From toddlers learning their vocabulary with My First Brain Quest to the challenging educational building blocks covered in Kindergarten, Early Childhood gives kids ages 2 to 6 a smart start. Revamped inside and out, each Early Childhood deck features 15% new material, a greater balance of math and reading skills, and more activity cards. In addition, each deck comes with a bound-in parents' guide.

It's never too early to build a child's vocabulary, and the updated My First Brain Quest--designed specifically for 2- and 3-year-olds--is a fun way to get started. The tall, skinny plastic box contains three decks (the cards are attached so they fan out on a hinge) with a total of 400 questions, and a spongy, nontoxic Max toy monkey. The idea is to have the toddler bond with the monkey, so the child associates the cards with playtime! Deck One offers a full day with Max from the time he wakes up until bedtime. For example, a full-page cartoon of Max in his colorful toy-ridden bedroom asks, "Who just woke up? What is Max wearing? What do you see in his room?" The cards break down into smaller illustrations with object and activity identification ("What is Max doing? He's putting on his slippers" or "What is this called? A clock.") We follow Max through breakfast, school, music lessons, and more. Deck Two introduces children to seasonal activities, including trick-or-treating and playing on a snowy day. Deck Three explores the world, following Max from the mall to a picnic in the country to a farm. The Brain Quest series is a wonderful vehicle for parents to play and learn with their wee ones, and paves the way for a lifetime fascination with words. (Ages 2 to 3)

Round the number 551 to the nearest ten. Spell the five-letter word that means the opposite of “wrong.” After Congress approves a new bill, who signs it into law? Plus fractions, plurals, telling time, vowels and consonants, Grab Bag, and science and nature: In what season do bears and other animals hibernate? Brain Quest Grade 3 quizzes kids on the stuff they need to know when they need to know it, with 1,000 curriculum-based questions and answers reflecting the latest school standards. Vetted by a panel of America’s highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude.

When a liquid changes to gas, does it condense or evaporate? Spell the plural of “leaf.” If a truck weighs 3 ½ tons, how many pounds does it weigh? Plus decimals, synonyms and antonyms, plants and animals, the human body, root words, number patterns, Grab Bag, and government: What do we call the highest court of law in the United States? Brain Quest Grade 4 quizzes kids on the stuff they need to know when they need to know it, with 1,500 curriculum-based questions and answers reflecting the latest school standards. Vetted by a panel of America’s highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude.

Where can you see stalactites and stalagmites? In the Civil War, what army was commanded by Robert E. Lee? What’s a quicker way to say “the hat belonging to Pedro”? Plus contractions, ratios, prepositions, time zones, the solar system, similes and metaphors, Grab Bag, and: If Dan and Fran split 30 marbles at a ratio of 1 to 2, how many will each have? Brain Quest Grade 5 quizzes kids on the stuff they need to know when they need to know it, with 1,500 curriculum-based questions and answers reflecting the latest school standards. Vetted by a panel of America’s highest award-winning teachers, and embraced by kids and parents because it flat-out works, Brain Quest opens a world of information and education with its fast-paced question-and-answer format, bright full-color illustrations, and lively attitude.

First launched in 1992, Brain Quest is the curriculum-based learning tool that's helped over 14 million kids get ahead in the classroom. Now, with 50 percent new material keyed to what students in grades 1-7 need to know today, Brain Quest is ready to help a new generation review their current grades and preview the next in a colorful, challenging format that makes learning fun. With bolder colors, new illustrations, full-color icons, and a more energetic design, Brain Quest looks as smart as it is. And of course each Brain Quest deck is still as portable as ever. In the car, at the beach, on the couch-kids can turn to Brain Quest anywhere, anytime. Each title includes: - The most current information across a range of disciplines - Broader and more intellectually challenging questions in all subjects - A better balance between questions kids should be able to answer and those that will expand what they know.

Jam-packed with hundreds of curriculum-based activities, exercises and games in every subject, Brain Quest Kindergarten Workbook reinforces what kids are learning in the classroom. The workbook’s lively layout and easy-to-follow explanations make learning fun, interactive, and concrete. Plus it’s written to help parents follow and explain key concepts. Includes ABCs, 123s, mazes, “paint by letters,” sorting games, phonics, shapes and colors, money, telling time, and much, much more.