The Choice Carnival: A Children's Adventure into the World of Behavioral Economics (Professor Ponder's Academy of Magnificent Mistakes)

A funny, clever chapter-book adventure about mistakes, choices, and how minds really work. Twelve-year-old twins Lila and Leo couldn't make decisions more differently. Lila leaps. Leo studies the leap. So when a carnival appears overnight at the edge of town — golden archway, mismatched music, a sign that just reads Choose Wisely — they walk through it for opposite reasons, and the trouble starts before they reach the first booth. Professor Ponder's Choice Carnival isn't a place where kids win prizes for getting answers right. It's a place where the rides are built out of the strange, sneaky ways our brains trick us — and the only way out is to get those tricks wrong, notice what happened, and try again. A jellybean jar that bends every guess that follows it. A marshmallow maze that punishes the impatient and bores the patient. A labyrinth where the fear of losing something small makes you cling to it long after you should have walked away. Ten attractions. Ten beautifully magnificent mistakes. One badge waiting at the end for the kid brave enough to earn it. Along the way, Lila and Leo discover the kinds of things most grown-ups wish someone had handed them at twelve: Why the first number you hear quietly shapes every guess that follows Why we finish bad movies, hold losing bets, and keep eating food we don't even like Why "everyone else is doing it" almost never means what we think it means How to make a confident choice when there are way too many options Why losing ten dollars stings more than finding ten dollars feels good — and what to do about it How the same exact fact can feel completely different depending on who says it first A great fit for: Curious readers ages 8–12 who like mysteries, riddles, and strange little lessons Kids who think too fast — and kids who think too much Parents and grandparents who want something worth talking about together after the chapter ends Teachers, librarians, and homeschoolers who want a story kids will actually re-read (each chapter closes with a single question, not a quiz) Professor Ponder's Choice Carnival is the rare chapter book that earns its place on the shelf twice — once for the kid who can't put it down, and once for the grown-up who wishes they'd had it sooner. The midway is open. The badge is waiting. Are you ready to choose wisely?
ASIN: B0GZK8N4GL
VSKU: DBV.B0GZK8N4GL.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Urban, Zachary David
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!