Who Wins? - a review

From time to time, Workman Publishing is kind enough to let me check out their new offerings. Today I take a look at Who Wins?

Who Wins? 100 Historical Figures Go Head-to-Head and You Decide the Winner!

By Clay Swartz, Illustrated by Tom Booth

Workman Publishing Company, 2016

Who Wins? is similar to the Brain Quest games also published by Workman, but Who Wins?, while less portable (it's a larger size and doesn't have a plastic storage box), has two advantages over Brain Quest.

1. From a kid's perspective, Who Wins? is more than just a collection of facts to memorize or use to challenge each other.  It's a "throw down" between historical characters using any of 50 challenges including vampire hunting, babysitting, escaping Alcatraz, and  running a Fortune 500 company - just the type of thing that's likely to appeal to gamer kids. Consider this: would Sojourner Truth's bravery serve her better than Thomas Edison's intelligence when searching out the nocturnal undead?  In short, Who Wins? is cooler than its predecessor, Brain Quest.
2.  From an adult perspective, Who Wins? is a great tool for using critical thinking skills.  Kids must read the short bio of each historical figure; factor in their numerical ratings for Wealth, Fitness, Wisdom, Bravery, Artistry, Leadership, and Intelligence; and argue their positions using facts. Each reader is free to draw her own fact-based conclusion.

The only thing lacking in Who Wins? is the source material for the facts presented. The book's tri-section, spiral-bound format does not offer an easy place to display this information, but it would be nice to see it available online.

So, who wins?  Anyone who plays Who Wins? !

Picture Book Roundup: Books about books edition

Emily Gravett and Suzy Lee - You can't go wrong with these two illustrators' books about books! Both are "novelty books." One features a "burned" hole in the back cover. (Is that the smell of dragon breath?). The other features books within books.

• Gravett, Emily. 2013. Again! New York: Simon and Schuster.

Cedric, a baby dragon, pesters his mother to read his favorite bedtime story again, and again, and again! Cedric's favorite book (about Cedric the Dragon) is included in the fun, and the words change every time his mother reads it.  When mom finally falls asleep, exhausted, baby dragon gets a little too hot-tempered!   Emily Gravett has a unique sense of humor. Expect funny with a surprise ending!

• Klausmeier, Jesse. 2013. Open this Little Book. San Francisco: Chronicle. (Illustrated by Suzy Lee)

Here's a book about a little red book about a little green book about a little orange book, well ... you get the idea. Kids will love this one!