R. W. BLAH

          To be honest, I thought that Math Kangaroo was just another Mathcounts. However, I would soon be proved wrong. Mathcounts is mainly based around problem solving in a mathematical way, whilst Math Kangaroo is more centered around logic.           Earlier this spring, on my first practice exam, I got an 87, which is not bad, however, it's far from being a national winner. To be a national winner, I needed to practice a lot more. And I did. I gradually got better the more tests I completed, which reflects the old saying, practice makes perfect.           Now that I am humbly ranked as the 2021 national winner with the 18th score in the competition, I would like to recommend some tricks for you and me on the next Math Kangaroo competition if it is to your interest.           One way to practice is to refine your logic and reasoning skills. For example, Chess or ...

Len was trying to equate the current Princess Cassandra-the caretaker ruler of the kingdom-with the picture his companion had drawn of a wild adventurous tomboy terrorizing the castle guards. “You’d never guess it now. She’s so calm and dignified, isn’t she?” “WHERE THE BLIND, BLUE, BLITHERING BLAZES HAVE YOU BEEN?” the calm and dignified Princess Cassandra demanded.           This is a great example that not everything is what it seems like, and I get to share with you a book that is full of surprises.           The book I read was Ranger’s Apprentice: The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning. This book has a fun and humorous personality with an emotional, entertaining, and exciting plot, while still maintaining a serious attitude. It was written by John Flanagan, an award winning author who has also written many other books. He is the author of Erak’s Ransom, which won the Australian Publishers Associations Book of the Year for Olde...