My Part in Puzzle a Day Challenge, a Highlights Magazine Book
Why Puzzle Day is Perfect for a Puzzle A Day
When I first learned about Puzzle a Day Challenge, I felt an instant connection. It reminded me of why I created Puzzle Day in the first place. As the founder of Puzzle Day, also known as International Puzzle Day, I have spent years celebrating puzzles with people of all ages. So when asked about writing a foreward for this book, it made sense. I know that Highlights Magazine uses puzzles to share the best with the kids.
Honestly, as January gets closer, people will see this book and think of Puzzle Day too. Whether someone calls it Puzzle Day, National Puzzle Day, or International Puzzle Day, it all comes back to the same joyful moment every year on January 29 when we pause and appreciate how puzzles bring us together. Seeing a book dedicated to daily puzzles for kids felt like a natural extension of everything I believe in.
Sharing Puzzles With Kids in Schools and Beyond
My work has always centered around kids. In 2025 alone, I visited 310 classrooms and connected with hundreds of students virtually. Every time I walk into a classroom, I see the same spark. Kids want to try. They want to think. They want to see what happens when they take a chance on a puzzle that looks a little tricky. That spark is why I do what I do. It is why Puzzle Day exists. It is why I continue to show up for kids year after year.
Why Puzzles Are Important for Kids
Puzzles are important for the younger generation because they build confidence, patience, and creativity. They help kids discover what they are capable of. They encourage problem solving in a way that feels like play. I have seen shy students light up when they solve a puzzle. I have seen classrooms come together as teams. I have seen kids who thought they were not good at puzzles suddenly realize they can do more than they imagined. These moments stay with me and remind me why this work matters.
How Books and Puzzles Work Together
Books and puzzles share that same magic. Some puzzles ask us to pick up a pen and make our mark. Others ask us to use our eyes and follow patterns. Some ask us to imagine. Some ask us to slow down. Books do the same thing. They invite us into a world where thinking is encouraged and creativity is celebrated. When you put puzzles and books together, you get a combination that helps kids see the joy in learning and the confidence that comes from solving something on their own.
My Part in Puzzle a Day Challenge
To be honest, I have only seen a few initial pages of the book, but it's about 60 days before release, so the preview should be here soon. I have been lucky enough to look through a few pages of PDFs shared with me last March by Allison, one of the editors at Highlights. She has been wonderful to work with and her enthusiasm for reaching kids shines through everything she touches. I hope the finished book is as delightful as the pieces I have seen.
People sometimes ask why I have never written a puzzle book of my own, and the honest answer is that nobody has ever asked. Even though I have handmade every puzzle on the PuzzleDayFun site, created more than nine thousand free puzzles online, and write the weekly Brain Bafflers newspaper puzzle, a book has simply never happened. Maybe one day it will, but for now I have only been asked for this foreward.
A Classroom Moment That Reminds Me Why This Matters
One of my favorite moments this year happened in a second grade classroom. A little girl raised her hand and told me she had never finished a puzzle before. She said she was not good at them. I sat beside her and we worked through a simple word puzzle together. When she solved it, she looked at me with the biggest smile and said, “I did it.” That moment is why I keep going. That moment is why puzzles matter.
Why Puzzle a Day Challenge Is Special
Being part of Puzzle a Day Challenge reminded me that puzzles are more than games. They are tools for confidence, creativity, and connection. They help kids see what they are capable of. They help adults stay curious. They bring families together. They make learning feel like play. I am honored to have contributed to this book, published by Highlights Press and releasing on January 7 2025, and I hope it inspires kids everywhere to discover the joy of puzzles.
If you would like to learn more about Puzzle a Day Challenge (ISBN 9781644729694), you can visit your local bookstore or check it out online at Barnes and Noble.