From the time humans first ventured out to explore the world, they have looked to the night skies to navigate their way. The precise placement of the stars combined with the brilliance of human imagination have created memorable pictures in the sky with the use of two simple symbols, the dot and the line. Now it is your turn to explore and navigate dots--- to the far corners of each page of the Greatest Dot-to-Dot Super Challenge - Book 8, where undiscovered sights and hidden treasures await. In the Greatest Dot-to-Dot Super Challenge - Book 8, puzzle designer, David Kalvitis, carries on his tradition of skillfully utilizing dots to create the most amazingly complex and artistic dot-to-dot puzzles to ever hit the market.
In 2000, as the world entered a new millennium, so did the traditional dot-to-dot puzzle. Designer, David Kalvitis, took simplistic, obvious connect-the-dots, which historically had been created for young children, and created the first dot-to-dots specifically designed for an older puzzler. What do these books offer that the children's books don't? The most obvious difference is found in the numbers. Kalvitis's puzzles are made up of hundreds, and at times thousands of plotted points to navigate. Another significant difference is the variety of types of dot-to-dot puzzles. The groundbreaking use of guides such as symbols, letters, words, coordinates, arrows and even compass directions adds excitement to the traditional puzzle and creates uniquely complex and interesting challenges. But Kalvitis says there are two additional key elements critical in maintaining that older audience's enthusiasm.
The first element is surprise. Half the fun of completing a puzzle is wondering what the final image will be as you work. "The most intriguing thing about the designer's work is the way the puzzle solver is directed to draw long lines in unexpected places that completely unbalance any preconceived ideas about what is being depicted," states reviewer Eleanor Heldrich of Children's Literature, about the Greatest Dot-to-Dot Books.
The second element is the visual. The final pictures must be appealing to the eye. "Each puzzle is a work of art in its own right. When you complete a puzzle, you are rewarded with images that are themselves often surprisingly vivid." writes Major Fun Award director Bernie DeKovan in his review. One adult fan in an email to Kalvitis wrote, "I'm inspired by the skill with which you make a bunch of dots turn into something beautiful!" Surely a treasure worth exploring.
When these crucial elements are combined, it is easy to see why older kids and adults seek out and enjoy these remarkable dot-to-dot puzzles every bit as much as young children. Kalvitis says, "I'm absolutely amazed at the different ways people have discovered for using my books, from brain exercises for Alzheimer's and dementia to physical therapy to teaching math and geometry." USA WEEKEND Frame Games author, Terry Stickels, states "Recent research now supports the use of puzzles and games to keep our minds sharp and flexible as we age, and seniors are responding to Kalvitis' dot-to-dots as a great new puzzle alternative." Indeed, keeping her mind sharp is important to Louise, of Brandon, Florida, I like to keep my mind active. Kalvitis' puzzles have now been added to my selections of fun 'mind exercises.'"
Adventurers of all ages are always looking for something new, not just to file away but to spread out and explore. From creatures in the deepest oceans to the far reaches of outer space, the treasures found on each page are mapped out to perfection. So grab a pencil, unfurl a dot-covered map and set out to unearth the buried treasure hidden on every page of The Greatest Dot-to-Dot Super Challenge - Book 8
