I Spy and Where’s Waldo? get a revolutionary twist in this “fun, eye-opening” ( Booklist ) young readers edition on how to fully engage your brain to think critically and creatively. What would you say if I told you that looking at art could give you the confidence you need to speak up in class? Or that learning the history of donuts could help you think like a super spy and train like the CIA? smART teaches readers how to process information using paintings, sculptures, and photographs using methods that instantly translate to real world situations and are also fun! With three simple steps (1) How to SEE, (2) How to THINK about what you see, and (3) How to TALK about what you see, readers learn how to think critically and creatively, a skill that only requires you to open your eyes and actively engage your brain. * Written in a conversational tone and full of journal-style prompts...this is a book to be revisited again and again. At each stage, readers are encouraged to become more aware of their initial assumptions and perceptions and the ways those reactions may be skewed or flawed, gently touching on unintentional but automatic biases and judgments. The thorough discussion of clearer, more effective communication transfers to many contexts, and Herman’s note to adult readers sets the stage for use of this book as a whole-family learning experience. An engaging, enlightening interpretation that will lead readers young and old to clearer observation and deeper thought. -- Kirkus Review, starred review This fun, eye-opening reading experience can be used widely across curricular areas. -- Booklist Amy E. Herman is the New York Times bestselling author of Visual Intelligence , the written companion of the program Herman has used for eighteen years to provide leadership training to the FBI, Navy SEALs, NATO, the Peace Corps, Georgetown University Hospital, and executives at Microsoft and Google. The method has helped companies save millions of dollars, solve crimes, and even save lives, and the book has been translated into nine different languages, teaching readers how to sharpen their observation, perception, and communication skills using art. Herman, a self-proclaimed “recovering lawyer,” was also the Director of Educational Development at Thirteen/WNET and the Head of Education at The Frick Collection for over ten years. To learn more about Amy Herman, you can visit her website ArtfulPerception.com. Heather Maclean is a Princeton graduate and the New York Times bestselling author and editor of fifteen books. Named one of the “16 Best Entrepreneurs in America” by Sir Richard Branson, she accompanied the adventurous business legend on a 50,000-mile trip around the world, alternately helping improve the lives of others (designing sustainable development initiatives in South Africa) and fearing for her own life (rappelling out of a Black Hawk helicopter in a Moroccan sandstorm). Heather began her career at Disney, where she had the distinction of being the first person ever to answer Mickey Mouse’s email. When not castle hunting in her husband’s native Scotland, she and her clan of three kids happily reside in Michigan. Chapter 1: Your Brain Is Magic Grab something to write with and something to write on so when you see this symbol, you can play along with the activities and games in this book! CHAPTER 1 YOUR BRAIN IS MAGIC THE HUMAN BRAIN IS A mystery and a marvel. And maybe a little bit magical.* It tells our bodies what to do, consciously and unconsciously. It stores our thoughts and memories, regulates our emotions, and, every once in a while, comes up with really great ideas like antibiotics or waffle cones. MAGICAL (adjective): having the power to make impossible things happen; able to create things, including illusions, without the viewer knowing how. Much like when you practice baseball or the piano, every time you use your brain, you’re improving it. For example, look at the earlier drawing. What do you see? Pretend you had to describe it to someone who couldn’t see it. What would you tell them? Would you tell them half the drawing was in black-and-white and the other half was in color? Would you mention the sketches and numbers on the left side and the colorful splatters that look like paint on the right? Does the illustration remind you of anything? If you’re thinking “a brain,” you’re right. It was meant to look like a human brain. Did any shapes stand out to you? Did you find the same shape on both sides? If you saw the two stars, good for you! Your brain is tuned in to both details and patterns. If you didn’t, go look for them now. Scientists used to believe that the brain you were born with was the brain you were stuck with and that some people were just born with smarter brains. But as people lived longer, healthier lives and technology advanced, scientists were able to learn more about the human brain. And they discovered some startling