Published in July 2020 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, Dozens of Doughnuts pairs perfectly with doughnuts and munchkins (both the edible and no non-edible kind).
Happy #NationalDoughnutDay!
A Math Meetup and A Magical Multiplication Puzzle Book
The Original Area Mazes: 100 Addictive Puzzles to Solve with Simple Math―and Clever Logic! features area mazes puzzles created by Ryoichi Murakami and Japanese puzzle master Naoki Inaba. These puzzles have a sudoko puzzle feel. However, in addition to using logical thinking, the solver of Area Maze puzzles uses two mathematical ideas over and over. The first idea is the area of a rectangle is length times width. The second idea involves the relationship between factors and multiples (although it's not necessary to use this mathematical language in order to solve of course).
One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab
The magic here is that the positive feeling the book gives the students carries over into our inquiries about how to make up the different numbers in other ways, even when we move away from the animals to representing them, with Cuisenaire rods or written equations. Seeing different ways of representing numbers is an important part of our learning, but the book allowed us to visit this again without it seeming like ‘more of the same’: we were not dealing with raw numbers, but with feet on sand.
Magic Emerges from a Cookie Fiasco
I didn't realize until researching this book that Mo Willem's Elephant and Piggie series is done, finished, finito. What?! Say it ain't so.
Sorry, it is so. However, you can still get your Elephant and Piggie fix by reading Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat. In this book within a book, Mo Willem's iconic duo make a cameo as they introduce and reflect upon Dan Santat's story The Cookie Fiasco. The Cookie Fiasco provides opportunities to explore both division and fractions.
Ladybugs/Ladybirds make for Math/Maths Book Magic
Aren't ladybugs magical? Did you know that these adorable polka-dotted crimson creatures are only called ladybugs in the U.S.. In the U.K., and other English speaking countries, they're called ladybirds. Ben Orlin, wrote and sketched some math-related differences between U.K. and U.S. here on his awesome blog, Math with Bad Drawings. Here's an example of... Continue Reading →
Multiplication as Scaling with a Multiplying Menace
In The Multiplying Menace, Rumpelstiltskin returns, demanding repayment for the gold he spun for a princess (who's now Queen). Rumpelstiltskin requests that the Queen's son, Peter, works off the debt. Threatening to increase the pest population and decrease the kingdom's livestock if repayment is not made. Peter must figure out how Rumpelstiltskin's magical stick works to save the kingdom.
Life is No Fun When You’re a Remainder of One
It's a joy to read stories written well in rhyme. However, crafting a good story is hard enough, much less one that uses good rhyme. And writing a good math story in rhyme, even harder. Here's a rhyming math picture book that's definitely worth a read. The Book Written by Elinor J. Pinczes and illustrated by Bonnie MacKain, A... Continue Reading →
A Magical Pot Makes for Math Book Magic
Happy (almost) Halloween! It seems like the number of trick-or-treating opportunities doubles each year along with the size of the candy bars. Although children enjoy this candy growth pattern, this week's math picture book shows us that doubling can get a bit out of control. The Book Two of Everything was written and illustrated by Lily... Continue Reading →
McElligott’s Bean Thirteen is Math Story Magic
Happy #mathbookmagic Monday. And happy #mathstorytellingday! Last week pick was the Lion's Share, a tale about doubling and halving. And this week you'll be seeing double, since I've chosen a book by the same author. The Book Bean Thirteen was written and illustrated by Matthew McElligott. I first learned about this book while exploring McElligott's website... Continue Reading →
Math Book Magic 