Dr. Meryl’s Books
CogAT: 2nd grade
Max Effort's Super Adventures is a groundbreaking series created to promote equity in gifted education by exposing all children to the types of cognitive test questions they might encounter across the CogAT, NNAT, and NGAT assessments. Written by a gifted education expert, this series is designed to give every young learner the chance to feel confident and ready, no matter their background.
This series recognizes the differences in access and familiarity with test formats that often exist between schools. It aims to bridge that gap by introducing engaging and inclusive Max Effort characters and creative challenges that reflect a diverse world. Through fun and relatable adventures, kids will encounter questions and puzzles that help them understand the test format, reducing confusion and boosting confidence.
By exposing children to these test formats, Max Effort's Super Adventures ensures they spend less time figuring out the test mechanics and more time showing their true abilities. It's not about teaching a child to be gifted—it's about empowering every child to succeed by making them feel seen, prepared, and ready to give their best shot, celebrating every child's potential and promoting equity in education.
Thinking Threads: Weaving Creative Thinking into Classroom Conversations is a K–5 Creative Thinking Series designed to infuse creativity into every classroom discussion. Authored by Dr. Meryl, an experienced educator with over 15 years in the field and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, this 18-book collection offers a fresh, innovative approach to elementary education.
Each book in the series—covering ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies for every grade level—provides educators with a wealth of engaging questions, prompts, and activities. These resources are carefully aligned with national academic standards and structured around the four key elements of creative thinking identified by E. Paul Torrance:
Fluency: Generating numerous ideas
Flexibility: Viewing problems from multiple perspectives
Originality: Developing unique, unconventional ideas
Elaboration: Adding rich details to ideas
Empower your students to think creatively and joyfully with practical, ready-to-use tools that make learning an adventure. Thinking Threads helps teachers cultivate classrooms where curiosity thrives, ideas flow freely, and every student learns to see the world through a creative lens.
