Are you adventurous, creative, curious? Take this quiz to discover what kind of mind you have, then enjoy reading recommendations for kids and teens from Greater Victoria Public Library’s collections services librarians. For more recommendations for all ages, go to gvpl.ca/yourbrain.
1. Your idea day would be:
a. Working toward a goal, planning an exotic holiday, spending time outdoors
b. Taking an art class, honing your craft, getting lost in thought
c. Reading a non-fiction book, trying something new, working on a passion project
d. Helping a friend, spending time with a pet, enjoying the view
e. Learning about a new friend, setting a personal goal, having a delicious meal with a breathtaking view
2. Choose your ideal literary dinner guest:
a. Peter Pan
b. Anne of Green Gables
c. Nancy Drew
d. The Lorax
e. Winnie the Pooh
3. What clichéd expression are you most likely to use?
a. Back in the saddle
b. Back to the drawing board
c. Don’t judge a book by its cover
d. Bent out of shape
e. Easy as pie
4. What’s your favourite Dr. Seuss quote?
a. “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!”
b. “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
c. “Think and wonder, wonder and think.”
d. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
e. “I would not like them here or there. I would not like them anywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them Sam I Am.”
5. If you were an animal, which would you be?
a. Mountain goat
b. Beluga
c. Cat
d. Elephant
e. Panda
6. What superpower do you wish you had?
a. Fly
b. Make anything out of thin air
c. Time travel
d. Heal yourself and others
e. Make magical potions
7. Which historical person would you like to grab a coffee with?
a. Amelia Earhart
b. Leonardo da Vinci
c. Albert Einstein
d. Mahatma Ghandi
e. Julia Child
8. How would your friends describe you?
a. Is a leader; accepts challenges; has wanderlust
b. Generates lots of ideas; expresses self; sees connections between seemingly unrelated things
c. Asks questions; suggests unconventional solutions; is willing to be wrong
d. Leads an active lifestyle; is community oriented; is mindful to self and others
e. Has drive, passion and willpower
9. Choose your socks.
a. Balloon socks
b. Rainbow and watermelon socks
c. Space socks
d. Orca socks
e. Egg socks
Mostly As: Adventurous Mind
There’s no mountain too tall, no ocean too deep, no cloud out of reach. You grab life by the handlebars and ride the trail with vigor and skillfulness — even through the bumps and rough patches. In fact, you LOVE the bumps and rough patches; they make you feel alive, fuel your hunt for interesting challenges, give rise to opportunities to learn off the beaten path. You are great at setting lofty goals, and also at achieving them. You’ll say yes to surfing in Tofino, trying grasshoppers in Chiang Mai and riding a mechanical bull in Dallas. You are not thrown when things don’t go according to plan; learning through experimentation is one of your strengths. To you, mishaps mark the chance to learn something in an unexpected way.
Recommended Reads:
Kids: The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes by Wade Albert White
The Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld by Terry Pratchett
Teens: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
And Then You’re Dead by Cody Cassidy
Recommended E-Resource*:
Take a chance on a new book with NoveList, which makes reading recommendations based on previous books and authors you’ve enjoyed.
Mostly Bs: Creative Mind
You express yourself best when you create, whether planting dahlias or renovating your kitchen, photographing your hamster or playing electric guitar. You don’t follow a linear thinking process; you embrace happy mistakes; and you’re known for solving problems with unconventional — but effective—approaches. Your ideas have wow factor. They make people stop and think and say “I never thought of it that way.” You love to laugh, live to love (be it golden retrievers, the Canucks or the colour of avocado), and think there’s no better way to learn than learning through play.
Recommended Reads:
Kids: Frindle by Andrew Clements
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
Teens: Literally by Lucy Keating
Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery
Recommended E-Resource*:
Embrace indie creativity and stream movies through InstantFlix, which features a wide collection of films from festivals around the world including Sundance and Cannes.
Mostly Cs: Curious Mind
Why do cows moo? What’s under that rock? Why do identical twins have different fingerprints? Questions are your m.o. You turn over every leaf you encounter; you wonder how to reach the stars; and you marvel at science and philosophy and how almond milk is made. Your curiosity makes you a go-getter. You enjoy the journey of searching for answers, and you welcome the unknown, which presents ever more phenomena for you to explore. Your curious mind means you never stop learning; there’s always something around the corner to spark your interest, illuminate your thinking, and change your mind — and you can’t wait to see what’s next.
Recommended Reads:
Kids: Olga and the Smelly Thing From Nowhere by Elise Gravel
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Teens: Heartless by Marissa Meyer
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Recommended E-Resource*:
Follow your curiosity and log in to Lynda.com. You can take thousands of online courses and watch videos related to photography, travel, leadership, business and more.
Mostly Ds: Healthy Mind
To your way of thinking, a healthy mind and body means a healthy world. You believe every living being plays a role in creating wellness for each other, and you focus your energies on achieving your best self to benefit the world around you. Concern for humanity, animals and the environment are dear to your heart. You thirst for knowledge on how you can help make the world a better place; you see the best in others and encourage them to reach their potential; and you are devoted to healthy, clean and mindful living. Your commitment to balance and respect for others means you are keen to discover new ways to live in harmony and take care of one another.
Recommended Reads:
Kids: Restart by Gordon Korman
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
Teens: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
One by Sarah Crossnan
Recommended E-Resource*: Dive into articles all about the environment with GreenFILE. Get the facts about green living, environmentalism, conservation and more.
Mostly Es: Hungry Mind
Your appetite for life means you seek out experiences that increase joy, challenge your thinking and increase your appreciation for living. Hungry for all life has to offer, you take in new information by the plateful and thrive on trying to make sense of it. You appreciate the delectable things in life — travel to exotic locales, late-night conversations by the fire, gourmet donuts — and have an insatiable thirst for the extravagant and extraordinary. You foster strong friendships fueled by shared passions, tantalizing secrets and joie de vivre. You can be counted on to laugh a lot, achieve your goals and indulge in all life’s treasures.
Recommended Reads:
Kids: This Book is Not Good for You by Pseudonymous Bosch
All Four Stars by Tara Dairman
Teens: North of Happy by Adi Alsaid
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
Recommended E-Resource*: You’ll eat up the information and entertainment available through RBdigital Magazines, which has hundreds of digital magazines.
*Log in with your GVPL library card number and password at gvpl.ca.