The Quiz Book About Me and You! Helaine Becker. Toronto, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2015. 95 pp., trade pbk., $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4431-4300-4. Subject Headings: Personality tests for children-Juvenile literature. Child psychology-Miscellanea. Personality-Juvenile literature. Individuality-Juvenile literature. Grades 2-6 / Ages 7-11. Review by Tanya Boudreau. *** /4

excerpt:

Are you a one-of-a-kind number 1? Or a mysterious number 8? Using the chart below, add up the number value of the letters of your first, last, and middle names (if you have them!). If your sum is two or more digits- for example, 125 - add those numbers together (1+2+5=8). You may need to do this again to get a single digit. The final one-digit figure is your secret soul number.

There are 29 quizzes in this bright pink paperback book. The two girls on the cover and the many girls that appear inside the book appear older than the audience for this book, but the quizzes are fun to do and involve writing, math, drawing, and dreaming. The first quiz is entitled “Who are You?”. The black and white drawing shows a huge smiley face filled with words. The directions state that the first three words that pop-out to you are the words that best describe your personality (I saw ambitious, honest, and curious). The next quiz is four pages in length. After answering 10 multi-choice questions about everyday situations, the reader tallies her score to discover her personality traits. The first drawing quiz is about how you draw a swirl. Depending on how the swirl is drawn, it supposedly says something about how you view the world. A quiz about body language involves activity, and the quiz called “The Strangest Journey” asks open-ended questions which reveal things like how content you are with life and what you value most.

     These quizzes are not to be taken seriously (“Are You Actually a Mermaid?”), but doing them is an entertaining way to pass some time alone or with friends. The quizzes won’t reveal anything concrete (except maybe your horoscope sign and your Chinese astrological sign), but they help get girls thinking about themselves because most girls will either agree or disagree with many of the quiz conclusions!

     I would not recommend The Quiz Book About Me and You! for a public or school library because it will undoubtedly get written in, but it would make a fun gift for a girl who enjoys quizzes like those found in fashion magazines.

Recommended.

Tanya Boudreau is a librarian at the Cold Lake Public Library in Cold Lake, AB.

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