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The Cranium Big Book of Outrageous Fun

Illustrations by Gary Baseman



      The Cranium Big Book of Outrageous Fun is part activity book, part board game, part autograph book - and totally fun. I'm not a huge fan of book/game combinations because they often shortchange both the book and the game when they come together. This one is completely different. The game board is as sturdy as any you would get in a standard board game. The spinner is smooth and well balanced and the sand timer is also sturdy and accurate. All the parts store securely inside the book's binder, keeping loose cards and markers from being a problem. Plus, the game is fun for literally all ages since younger children can have the questions read to them without interfering with game play. Our five-year-old daughter had no trouble keeping up with the grown-ups in this game as she sculpted answers, estimated answers, and acted out answers to the lively question cards.

The activity book has all kind of creative, thought-provoking activities like drawing your own comic strip, making up your own words, filling out a fun family tree, and tons more. The write-on-wipe-off pen actually wipes off (a step up from some other wipe-off books I've owned.) The unique autograph book (which slips into its own clear sleeve) has fun questions for kids to have friends answer as they're signing the page. In a world of activity books that don't inspire kids as much as we hoped - this one stands out as a sure winner.

The Book

LB Kids / TimeWarner
September 2005
Paperback
0316011932
Nonfiction / book and game [Age Level: 7+]
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Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Jan Fields
Reviewed 2005
NOTE: Reviewer Jan Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of stories and articles for the children's magazine market.
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