Book Summary- This book explains the process of doing addition problems. It uses pictures, word sentences, number sentences, and different characters to make addition interesting to young children. **Other books by this author: Subtraction- Subtraction Action Multiplication- 2x2 = boo!
How this can be used- This book can be used to discuss/explain/introduce addition properties and also shows different ways to add/check your answer without always using the standard addition algorithm (# + # = # ).
Book Citation- Leedy, L. (1997). Mission: Addition. New York: Holiday House.
1 Hunter
Book Summary- One hunter goes through the jungle without seeing 2 elephants, 3 giraffes, or 4 ostriches, but they watch him as he goes through the jungle. The book helps students to learn how to count by going on an adventure with the hunter.
Book Citation- Hutchins, P. (1986). One Hunter.Greenwillow Books.
The Grapes of Math
Book Summary- Using real life riddles, this book shows readers creative ways to use patterns and combinations of numbers to solve math puzzles quickly and effectively. Rather than rote counting 24 mushroom slices on a pizza, Tang suggests: "Let me give you some advice, / Just do half and count twice." When adding the number of dots on a fan: "Instead of seeing groups of threes, / Count by fives and it's a breeze!"
How can this be used? Each set of pages offers a riddle for students to solve as they read with the goal of using the multiplication facts they now know. Students could also work in pairs to solve the riddles as they are read. The teacher could also read the book first, then give each pair a riddle to solve and present. (Ages 6-10)
Book Citation- Tang, Greg (2004). The Grapes of Math. New York: Scholastic.
One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale
Book Summary - This story is an Indian folktale about a child who requests, for a reward from the raja (king), to receive one grain of rice on the first day, double that on day two, double that on day 3, etc. for 30 days in a hope to feed the starving people of her village. The raja agrees thinking the child is a fool. He soon realizes the error of his thinking and the power of doubling. The child ends up with a billion grains of rice and the raja has none. Great chart at the end of the book showing the actual numbers for each doubling.
How can this be used? The story can be instrumental in introducing powers and, obviously, for multiplication. It is also a good book to integrate an example of good morals and helping others as the child gives the grains to hungry neighbors. After reading the deal the child and the raja make, the teacher could stop and give the students the task of figuring out how who is going to get the better deal and students could vote using their answer. Then the teacher could finish the story and students could rework if needed.
Book Citation- Demi (1997). One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale. New York: Scholastic, Inc.
Rabbits Rabbits Everywhere: A Fibonocci Tale
Book Summary- The townspeople give food to the wizard every day up on the hill. One day the Pied Piper decides that he can grow his own food. The wizard sends two rabbits and the little girl finds them, and every day after finds more rabbits. She finally discovers a pattern; this pattern eventually helps to get rid of the rabbits that were destroying the gardens in the town.
How Can This be Used?: Ask students how we can figure out the number of rabbits that are running around the town. Have them write a number sentence to describe how they could figure out the answer. (Grades 3 - 7)
Book Citation- McCallum, A. (2007). Rabbits rabbits everywhere. Watertown MA: Gideon Kendall.
Mystery Math
Book Summary- Equations need to be equal on each side of the equals sign and so do algebra equations. In an algebra equation, there is a mystery number you need to find, but it doesn’t have to be a scary task. Follow Mandy and Billyas they go on a creepy adventure and use algebra along the way to solve some problems then run into. This book teaches students the ways to solve algebraic equations in a fun, spooky atmosphere.
How can this be used? This is a great book to introduce algebraic equations. You could also use it as a resource for students to go to if they get stuck.
Book Citation-
Adler, David A. (2011). Mystery math: A first book of algebra. New York: HolidayHouse.
Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra
Book Summary: Tess is an 8th grade girl who enjoys math. She factors math in to her daily life to help her solve her problems.
How Can This be Used?: This can be a book in the class that students can read for enjoyment, when they have finished their work. It is geared towards girls and may get girls more interested in math. (Middle school)
Book Citation: Lichtman, W. (2007). Do the math: Secrets, lies, and algebra. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
One is a Snail Ten is a Crab
Book Summary- This book illustrates counting to 100 in a variety of different ways. It allows for inferences throughout the entire story and uses colorful-funny pictures to engage readers. The story counts “feet” of different creatures all the way to 100.
How this can be use- This book would be a good supplemental read and/or integration for mathematics/language arts/spelling. It also could be used for students to see different ways of counting to 100.
Book Citation- Sayre, A. P., & Sayra, J. (2003). One is a Snail Ten is a Crab. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.
The Napping House
Book Summary- There are various people and animals that are sleeping in the napping house and come into Granny's bed to sleep. As the story goes on there slowly builds a pile of people in bed shifting positions and more family members join. Students are able to track how many people are in the bed by counting their feet.This story is humorous and fun when learning addition and subtraction. Book Citation- Wood, A. (2000). The Napping House. HMH Books.
Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream
Book Summary - Amanda loves to count, but it takes her so long because she can only rote count. Her teacher tries to convince her that mulitplying will help, but she is very skeptical. She has a dream where there are so many things to count that she becomes overwhelmed because it will take so long. Amanda learns that multiplication is easy and can help her complete tasks faster.
How can this be used? This book uses great illustrations to suggest additional ways to count in a more efficient manner including grouping, arrays and multiplication. As the teacher reads the book, students could work the problems on a white board. Neuschwander also includes additional tasks at the back of the book with more resources that could be used as post reading tasks for students. (Ages 6-10)
Book Citation - Neuschwander, Cindy (1998). Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream. New York: Scholastic Press.
The Lion's Share
Book Summary - The book begins with a humorous hook for fourth graders - poor dinner manners. The story continues with how the dessert cake meant for the king (the lion) is divided amongst everyone by halving it over and over and how the last few halves are very small and the king does not get any. The ant offers to bake him a cake for dinner the next day. All the other animals think they should bake for him also and it should be double what the previous animal baked. The last animal had to bake 256 cakes.
How can this be used? This is a great story for demonstrating the power of halving and doubling. Good visual for fraction reinforcement. The teacher could read the story once and then during the second reading the students could simulate the splitting of the cake with a sheet of paper and keep cutting it in half as another visual. (Ages 6 and up) Book Citation - McElligott, Matthew (2009). The Lion's Share. New York, NY: Walker and Co.
Patterns in Peru: An Adventure In Patterns
Book Summary- In Patterns in Peru twins Matt and Bibi are visiting Peru with their parent to study the lost city of Quwi. The kids get separated and use the patterns on an ancient tunic to help find Quwi. They must decipher the patterns to help find their way. There is even a note in the book to parents and teachers to extend the concept of patterns from the book. They give possible activities to help with this extensions. The patterns in the book focus on repeating patterns, positional patterns, and growing patterns.
How can this be used? This book is great for introducing more complext patterns, but it also has great ideas for use at the end of the book.
Book Citation-
Neuschwander, Cindy. (2007). Patterns in peru: An adventure in patterning. New York: Henry Holt and Co.
65 short Mysteries You Solve with MATH!
Book summary: This book is a great way to use a real-life situation and help students develop the solution through math. Some problems deal with probability, algebra, area, averages, pythagorean theorem, volume and more...
How Can this be Used?: This book would be a great book to have on hand for warm-up exercises or time filler after a test. The mysteries are short and get kids thinking about the problem. (Grades 3 -6)
Book Citation: Yoder, E., & Yoder, N. (2010). One minute mysteries: 65 short mysteries you solve with math! Washington, DC: Science naturally llc.