Pandora in Puzzlevale – The Secret Town

We meet Pandora initially as she embarks on a summer holiday with her parents – all the usual hurdles to navigate appear present: the parents are arguing in the front about the route and driving abilities, they are both suggesting to Pandora that she should extract herself from her book and look around her, everyone seems unsure of where they are headed or indeed, why they are going.

This all changes as they miss their turning and end up in the town of Puzzlevale. Pandora’s obsessive reading which had previously been criticised, now comes to the fore, as her ability to read a riddle, navigate a brain bender and plough through a puzzle is urgently needed for the family to find out more about where they are and indeed how to escape.

For those parents who may remember fondly immersing themselves in the classic Usborne puzzle series thirty odd years ago, this new series will seem very reminiscent of the experience they enjoyed themselves once upon a time. And perhaps it is reassuring for all of us to know that somethings do indeed stay the same, and that there is a place for such titles in supporting summer holidays that seem to stretch on forever. Such a title also has an important place for helping to reengage reluctant readers who may enjoy a format they have more control over, or the breaks from ‘reading’ that are offered through the regular puzzles to solve. Certain to be followed by more in the series, and certain to be equally well received by young readers.