Did you know that April is math awareness month? Why not take some time to explore some fun arithmetic books with your young reader today! Here's a handful to get you started:
Bedtime Math and
Bedtime Math 2: This Time It's Personal by Laura Overdeck, for ages 3 to 7
Each of these books contain over 100 kid-friendly math problems on topics such as jalapenos, submarines, roller coasters, flamingos, missing socks, and glitter. After spending time with either of these books, kids will discover that math surrounds them in their everyday lives.
The Wing Wing Brothers Math Spectacular by Ethan Long, for ages 3-7
In this picture book, The
Wing Wing brothers put on a show complete with their silly antics that illustrates how to compare numbers, add, and subtract. These guys are absolutely hillarious!
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbably Life of Paul Erdos by Deborah Helligman, for ages 3 to 8
This juvenile biography tells about the life of Paul Erdos, who grew up in Hungary during WWI. He He was fascinated by numbers from an early age, and by the time he was 20, he was known as "The Magician from Budapest".
Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D'Agnese, for ages 6 to 9
Here's another juvenile biography about a mathematician. Leonardo Fibonacci was a 12th century mathematician who discovered the numerical sequence that was named for him.
Zero the Hero by Joan Holub for ages 6 to 10
In this picture book, Zero believes that he is a hero, but the counting numbers think he is worthless until they get into trouble with some Roman numerals, and only Zero can help
7 X 9 = Trouble and
Fractions = Trouble by Claudia Mills, for ages 7 to 10.
In
7 X 9 = Trouble, Third-grader Wilson struggles with his times-tables in order to beat the class deadline, which will be an ice-cream party. In it's companion book,
Fractions = Trouble Wilson struggles with with fractions and, much to his embarrassment, his parents sign him up to work with a math tutor. These two easy chapter books are great choices for transitional readers making the leap from early readers.
That's a Possibility by Bruce Goldstone, for ages 7 to 10
Colorful photographs and interactive examples introduces children to the ideas of something being possible, probable, or impossible. It contains easy-to-understand, fun scenarios such as dice rolling and bowling, complete with questions about probable outcomes and simple explanations. Plus the gumball machine on the front cover looks really cool too!
I just read two picture books that are great for building early literacy skills. And what is interesting about these two new bird birds, they are both by first time authors!
The other is Early Bird by Toni Yuly. Here, Early Bird likes to wake up early every day so he can catch his worm. Flaunting through the yard in search of breakfast, simple text describes his actions. Then when he realizes he would much rather share his breakfast with the worm, the story takes a turn to a happy ending. Large bold illustrations and font make for a perfect opportunity for little ones to practice narrative skills where they in turn can tell their grown-ups the process of the story from beginning to end.
