(4) 1-3 All Aboard Math Reader series. Illustrated by Mernie Gallagher Cole & Mernie Gallagher Cole. Young Gary Graff hates family reunions--until his offhand observations give his math homework purpose (e.g., he makes a bar graph to show which lunch dish is most popular). Despite some clunky dialogue, the cartoonishly illustrated story works because Bader injects humor into her lessons, for example, to help Gary do his homework, his cousins furtively figure out which relatives dye their hair.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 All Aboard Math Reader series. Illustrated by Tamara Petrosino. For their cat show, some kids think of ways to group their ten cats--by size, by eye color, etc.--but there's always a disruption within the groupings, and the kids have to think of another way to classify the cats. Finally, all ten wear themselves out chasing a mouse and fall asleep. The flat cartoons make the groupings clear, and, although the plot is clunky, the simple language makes the sorting concept accessible.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 1-3 All Aboard Math Reader series. Illustrated by Chris Demarest. A soccer team coached by a math teacher calls itself the Fractions and has fractions as jersey numbers. During tryouts, practice, and a game, the players learn about fractions from situations that they encounter: e.g., the sixteen kids must equally divide up eight oranges. The math aspect of the book seems forced, but the pleasant story and loose, bright illustrations will satisfy kids at the target reading level.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam