Last weekend, my son and I set out on what turned out to be an almost day-long adventure as we traveled all over Utah's Wasatch Front to drop off Christmas Cheer packages to my kids' cousins. Phew! It took us forever! But seeing all the cousins' faces light up as we showed up at their doorsteps (we were masked, don't worry) with something just for them was priceless.
The time I spent with my son, just the two of us, was also great. But he wouldn't come until he'd been promised a non-boring time. And how did I ensure his entertainment? I let him bring two new books along. And he read ONE ENTIRE BOOK out loud to me.
Bwahahaha! I kept thinking he'd get tired and stop reading. But, nope! And he was so sad when the book was over. He told me a few times, "Mom, I really like these kinds of books."
And I told him, "I know you do. That's the main reason I review them."
"Uhhh, it is? Because of me?"
"Yep."
That really surprised him, for some reason.
Hey kids, your parents will do practically anything for you!
Now you're wondering which book he read to me and why he liked it so much, aren't you?
It was this one:
Brain Candy 2: Seriously Sweet Facts to Satisfy Your Curiosity almost didn't get taken on our venture. My son thought it was a book about candy. But once I explained to him that brain candy was synonymous with lots of cool trivia facts, he agreed to pick it up.
Brain Candy 2 talks about insects, lava, space, the Loch Ness Monster, and all kinds of cool things. For instance, on our long drive, I learned that the larvae of certain amphibians feed by tearing off and eating their mother's flesh. Ewww! Gross! But, not to worry, it regrows. However, that bit of trivia brought up a whole new topic between the two of us. Do these kinds of amphibians have the same kinds of sensations to pain that humans do? Are the mother's pain receptors dulled so her kids can gnaw away at her?
The questions you ask on a long car ride.
But seriously, this is one cool book. My son was sad when it was over.
But then he just reached back and picked up the other book we brought, so all was not lost.
The facts are short, with the longest ones only taking up four small pages. All the facts have at least one color photograph with them, so this page is a feast for the eyes, as well as the brain (did you see how I did that play on words with the title there?).
There was one problem with this book, at least in my son's opinion. He wished it had gone into greater detail, instead of talking so briefly about each topic. I explained to him that meant this book did exactly what it was designed to do: help him gain an interest in topics he might not otherwise know about and encourage him to research them more.
Brain Candy 2 is a wonderful book for all ages and contains nothing offensive. This book would make the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who loves learning and/or trivia.
Also, did you know chocolate has been used as a medicine for hundreds of years? I told my son that's why I keep eating it. He just rolled his eyes.
Best for ages: 8-adult
Educational factor: medium high
Moral content: contains nothing offensive
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