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(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Wayne Geehan.
Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter use their burgeoning knowledge of fractions to thwart some thieves ripping off merchants at the Fracton Faire. As always, Neuschwander's medieval-set math lesson goes down easy, in part because readers are learning right along with the characters rather than having to sit through a lecture. Geehan's jewel-toned acrylics capture ye merry olde mischief.
32 pp.
| Putnam
| September, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-399-17633-3$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Deborah Marcero.
Tinderella, used to sharing with twin Cinderella, can solve any fraction. When both girls attend the ball but leave one shoe behind, Tin suggests their fairy godmom "double" the prince. Cin and Charming rule the kingdom; their lesser-known twins win math awards and have quadruplets. Ink, gouache, watercolor, and digital illustrations create a cartoonlike fairy-tale setting for the silly but satisfying math-centric takeoff in peppy rhyme.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Billy Aronson.
In the PBS Kids stars' latest "problem" book, a teenager orders half a pizza pie from Peg's Pizza Place (Peg: "What in the world is half a pie?"). This serviceable, overstuffed introduction to the concept of adding halves is based on a Peg + Cat television script and illustrated with what look like (but aren't) stills from the animated show.
64 pp.
| Disney/Hyperion
| September, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4847-2636-5$9.99
(3)
K-3
Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series.
This spinoff series' first entries feature lively speech-balloon conversations with energetic illustrations to match. In Keller's quirky book, seven blades of grass and one dandelion discover they're growing but in different ways. Santat delivers a raucous math lesson, as four animal friends attempt to share three cookies. Willems frames each story with a brief, humorous exchange between enthusiastic readers Elephant and Piggie. Review covers the following Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! titles: We Are Growing! and The Cookie Fiasco.
40 pp.
| HarperCollins/Tegen
| September, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-237054-9$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Eric Comstock.
Pizza night at Charlie's house goes awry when a slice vanishes into thin air. Charlie, who's pictured with a pie-chart torso, plays detective, using deductive reasoning and fractions to narrow down his suspect list. Written with numerals and presented graphically, fractions fit quite neatly into the playful mystery. Retro, mid-century-styled illustrations feature clues and math concepts.
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
David Clark.
When Dr. Brok steals 5/9 at an auction and disguises it as a multiple of itself, young fraction freak George builds a gadget that reduces fractions to their lowest terms. This introduction to simplifying fractions is that rare book about math that's as entertaining as it is instructive. Clark's parodic illustrations feature heightened characters reminiscent of Monty Python creations.
48 pp.
| Enslow/Elementary
| January, 2014
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-4247-6$23.93 New ed. (2005)
(3)
K-3
Ready for Math series.
Mathphobes may doubt Wingard-Nelson's promise: "Get ready to discover math...made easy!" Yet her concise explanations, clear examples, helpful diagrams, and clutter-free pages do make for friendly introductions to (or reviews of) math concepts. Illustrations, often humorous, help break up the text. There's nothing groundbreaking going on in these updated, retitled editions, but students and teachers will find the volumes useful. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Ready for Math titles: Ready for Addition, Ready for Division, Ready for Fractions and Decimals, Ready for Multiplication, Ready for Subtraction, and Ready for Word Problems and Problem Solving.
64 pp.
| Enslow
| January, 2014
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-4252-0$27.93 New ed. (2008)
(4)
4-6
Easy Genius Math series.
These serviceable retitled books are primarily designed for upper-elementary and early-middle-school students who need help with fundamental math skills and concepts. Each volume covers twenty-eight topics, with one topic per double-page spread. The pages are overcrowded and the cartoonlike illustrations resemble clip art, but the math content is comprehensive, and the instructions, examples, and definitions are clear. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Easy Genius Math titles: Algebra and Pre-Algebra, Decimals and Fractions, Division and Multiplication, Geometry, Ratios and Percents, and Subtraction and Addition.
104 pp.
| Enslow
| February, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-3780-9$23.95
(3)
4-6
Ace Your Math Test series.
Each reference book provides explanations, definitions, examples with step-by-step solutions, samples of various question types with answers, and test-taking hints for twenty-four sequential mathematical procedures/operations. With only four pages and two test questions dedicated to each skill, the series is not intended for thorough practice and drill but offers a useful refresher. Multiple design elements make the content digestible, even for the math-phobic. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Ace Your Math Test titles: Addition and Subtraction, Fractions and Decimals, Geometry, Multiplication and Division, Percents and Ratios[c1], and Pre-Algebra and Algebra.
32 pp.
| Millbrook
| September, 2011
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-8225-7881-9$16.95
(4)
K-3
Math Is Categorical series.
Illustrated by
Brian Gable.
Cleary starts with pizza slices as an example of fractions in action. He also talks about cooking ("Fractions come in handy / if you ever help with baking. / You'll see them in the recipes / for breads and cakes you're making") then touches on terminology (numerator, denominator). Information is limited, but it's an entertaining starting point.
116 pp.
| Farrar
| June, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-374-36716-9$15.99
(2)
1-3
Illustrated by
G. Brian Karas.
Fractions are giving third grader Wilson (7 x 9 = Trouble!) fits. His parents have hired a tutor, and he'll be humiliated if his friends find out. Mills seamlessly incorporates math explanations into her readable narrative. Subplots involving Wilson's science project and the disappearance of little brother Kipper's beanbag animal add humor and pathos, respectively--all captured in Karas's warm pencil sketches.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| March, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-2199-2$16.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Edward Miller.
The latest Adler and Miller offering, set at a county fair, explains and compares fractions, decimals, and percents. Adler walks readers through converting from one to the other. He also discusses place value and describes when to use fractions versus decimals (4 1/2 pies eaten, 0.300 batting average). Miller's illustrations are crisp and boisterous.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Tatjana Mai-Wyss.
Cow attempts some un-farmlike activities: "One whole cow balanced on a peg, / got a little klutzy and hurt one leg." Fraction problems follow each rhyme: "What fraction of the legs is hurt? What fraction of the legs is not hurt?" It's a well-executed idea, illustrated with lively farm-centric drawings, but the math concept may be beyond the picture book set.
64 pp.
| Enslow
| December, 2010
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-3371-9$27.93
(4)
4-6
Math Busters Word Problems series.
These approachable books examine word problems as found in various branches of mathematics. The texts provide general tips and strategies; twenty-eight topics are then reviewed, with one topic per double-page spread. Pages are overcrowded with text and cheesy photographs of smiley math-doing kids, but the definitions, examples, and instructions themselves are clear. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Math Busters Word Problems titles: Algebra Word Problems, Fraction and Decimal Word Problems, Geometry Word Problems, Graphing and Probability Word Problems, Math Measurement Word Problems, and Multiplication and Division Word Problems.
48 pp.
| Enslow/Elementary
| February, 2009
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-2919-4$23.93
(4)
4-6
Math Word Problems Solved series.
Illustrated by
Tom LaBaff.
Though they don't break any new ground, these volumes do offer appropriate strategies for tackling word problems in specific skills areas using kid-friendly topics and illustrations (though they're a little babyish). Instructions and examples are clear, and a variety of approaches are demonstrated, including looking for key words, finding patterns, using models, drawing pictures or diagrams, and writing equations. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Math Word Problems Solved titles: Amusement Park Word Problems Starring Pre-Algebra, Animal Word Problems Starring Addition and Subtraction, Big Truck and Car Word Problems Starring Multiplication and Division, Fun Food Word Problems Starring Fractions, Space Word Problems Starring Ratios and Proportions, and Sports Word Problems Starring Decimals and Percents.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| September, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-2010-0$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Edward Miller.
This birthday party–themed introduction to fractions covers a decent amount of ground: What's a fraction? What's a numerator? A denominator? How do you compare, add, and subtract fractions? What are equivalent fractions? Adler sometimes crams too much information into a single sentence, but his repeated examples and hands-on activities are effective and pedagogically appropriate. Miller's computer-generated illustrations provide a party atmosphere.
24 pp.
| Candlewick
| November, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-2468-2$16.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Abby Carter.
As guests arrive at Miss Bloom's six-room inn, rhyming couplets track occupancy: "Now ONE room of SIX had a guest for the night. / To fill up the inn would be pure delight." Though the rhythm is occasionally off-kilter, the book provides a high-spirited, creative approach to fractions. Watercolor illustrations incorporate many homey patterns and humorous details.
(3)
K-3
Photographs by
Shmuel Thaler.
This bilingual book explains the relationships among fractions, decimals, and percents. In a format particularly useful for visual learners, each well-chosen example faces a large, striking photo of the featured object, bordered by solid color bars. The Spanish translation is adequate, and the vocabulary used is simple enough to learn.
32 pp.
| Holt
| July, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8050-7665-3$16.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Anna Currey.
Four siblings wish on a star, but only receive a fraction of a wish: four-year-old Petey gets one-fourth of a dollar, two-year-old Joey gets half of a cookie, the eight-year-old twins each receive one-eighth of a bag of marbles. But when they wish for one thing together, their group wish comes true. Currey's illustrations add extra warmth to Napoli's math-minded tale.
32 pp.
| Random
| October, 2006
|
LibraryISBN 0-375-93421-9$11.99
|
PaperISBN 0-375-83421-4$3.99
(4)
K-3
Step into Reading series.
Illustrated by
Lizzy Rockwell.
As Mary Clare evenly divides snacks to share with friends, readers are introduced to basic fractions: "She picks one pear / for two to share. / One-half a pear / for each is fair." The rhyming text and cheerful illustrations don't break any new ground in the math-in-literature genre, but the simple themes--friendship and fairness--will resonate with kids.