Lollipop Logic, Book 2 (Grades K-2)

This has about 50 pages of fun work for kids. Our son is a Kindergartner, and he enjoyed it very much.After we finished, I really wished that the author had created more of these books. I would have preferred one 50-page book for each age group (e.g. K, 1st, 2nd, etc.). While some bright children may find it pretty easy, there are a couple more difficult areas in the book for deduction and critical analysis that I suspect most preK's and K's would certainly not get without parents help. Sadly, critical analysis was only 3 pages (one problem/page). I would have loved to see 50 pages of these, they were very fun puzzles to try to solve. These critical analysis exercises are at the very end of the book. They are kind of like I Spy, but with analysis needed to discern the correct answer. Once we finished the 3rd problem, it felt like we only got one bite of a a really good appetizer, and then we were told that the kitchen is closed and... I'm still hungry!!!Yes, it was a book that kept the child's attention; it is more fun with the hidden benefit of learning. Yes, we got through it in only 2 sittings; my son has a very high ability to remain focused when he likes something. He was able to do most the problems without any assistance from me, but he was reading since 2, and he can work at a 4th grade math level. I don't think he is gifted, but he has an amazing memory. So, a highly gifted children may do better than my son with this book.The book is layed out as follows:The first 7 pages are SEQUENCES (i.e. spider constructing it's web, burning candle, hour glass timing out, piggy bank being filled, ballon being blown up, plant growing, spring-board diver diving, pizza being eaten). You order all the pictures in the proper order in which they would sequence with time.The next 7 pages are RELATIONSHIPS. For similar relationships you are given twenty exercises - each with one picture object, then you pick from 3 other adjacent pictures which one has a relationship to the picture given. Example, picture object is a maibox : pick either scissor, letter, or valentines. Next, there are 4 more pages with a box containing about 6 objects that all have a relationship. Below the box there are 10 more objects that you must circle if the object might belong with the objects in the box.The next 7 pages are ANALOGIES. They show you 2 object that have a relationship in a box, then you get a different object that has a similar relationship to one of three objects shown. You must pick the object that best suites the object with a similar relationship as the first 2 objects shown. Example, harp and trumpet in box. A soccer ball is like : (a - football, b - mittens, or c - sheep). Another example, piggy bank and penny in box. A pillow is like : (a - jack-in-the-box, b - feather, c - magnifying glass). I think the author does a good job of changing the kind of relationships of the objects (i.e. type of object, size of object, pattern of object, use of object, etc.).The next 7 pages are for DEDUCTION where I suspect the author is expecting 2nd graders to read the detailed paragraph describing the scene, and characters. Next, with 3 sentence clues given about the objects and the characters, the child must deduce what the relationship of each of the 4 characters is to each of the 4 objects shown. Each character will have a one-to-one relationship with a particular object.The next 7 pages are PATTERN DECODING. Each page has 5 pattern sets. You must align one of 5 objects given on the far right to the pattern on the page that it belongs as the next object in the pattern.The next 10 pages are INFERENCE with varied exercises. The first few excercises will be a complete drawing with a small portion missing. The child must match the missing portion with the proper picture. A couple are puzzle pieces scattered on the page. You must determine what the drawing is. One is a stingray which i think would be pretty hard for most kids. My son said a fish, but did not derive a stingray at first. A few more pages are just matching the pictures that go together. Finally, a few pages provide several partial pictures of objects and you must identify what they are.Lastly, only 3 pages of CRITICAL ANALYSIS. Simply not enough; they were fun, not easy at first, and not enough were given to really feel like you might be able to do well at it without checking the answers.There is a book 3 that the author has created which I will be ordering.In addition, these books may be a little helpful for those trying to expose their children to similar types of examples that they may encounter in a school's gifted testing exam. Other resources exist for preparing for public school gifted testing, but they are much more expensive. These books are available on Amazon, they are produced by Mercer Publishing, as well as, Bright Minds Publishing. Here are a few links to each publisher's product:Practice Test for the CogAT® Form 7 Level 9 (Grade 2*) Practice Test 1Practice Test for the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test® (NNAT®) Level BNNAT2® Practice Test (Kindergarten and Grade 1): (Colored Print)CogAT Practice Test (Grade 2) - (Black & White)OLSAT Practice Test (Grade 2): (With 2 Full Length Practice Tests)

My son is in kindergarten and he loves the lollipop logic set. He completed the first workbook in 1 day, and this one we did a little each day and he was done in a few days. He can't wait to come home from school just to do these.... some of the questions are easy, but others make you think and are more challenging. I was looking for something more than letter recognition and coloring sheets he brings home from school - and i found it!

We are using this series to prep for Kindergarten entrance exams. It is really good for that purpose. Occasionally you get an analogy that just doesn't cut it in 2013--no way will any kid get the one about the stereo and cassette tape--but apart from that it is quite good. My 4yo is able to do most of the problems with ease; a few are challenging. The last section is hard for her (where they identify what would belong to a made up group). I would say this book is best for 4 or 5 year olds. A 6-7 year old would likely find it too easy.

This book is a fabulous, fun resource to get kids thinking about patterns, analogies, deductive reasoning... topics critical to higher order thinking that aren't commonly covered in school but appear in a lot of placement tests. I have a 5 and 3 year old who both love tackling the fun "puzzles" and "games" in this book and feel so proud when they get the answers right! I love these books so much that I bought all 3 versions and we try to do 1-2 activities each night with bedtime reading. They remind me of the brainteasers my mom used with me when I was young.

Excellent for exposing kids to analogies and logic. Short and easy to review with class. Extension to activity can be added by the teacher with very little extra planning.

My 4-year old daughter was so excited to see the book last night and she started working on it with a pen together with her older brother. She is pretty advanced and will definitely take the gifted test next year after entering kindergarten. This is a very good book to get her familiar with the questions and motivate her to think logically. It will be perfect if the pictures are in color instead of being black and white since my daughter is always fascinated by different colors.

This book offers seven different types of logical problem solving. I found it at an appropriate level for my kid who will go into 2nd grade after summer. Some problems need a little coaching, but are short and to the point where a child can stay interested and complete them without undue frustration. Good summer break workbook.

Great for a just turned 5-year old.As there are a number of different challenges, it's more versatile than many of the other books out there.