Picture Books (Math): The Penguin Lady and The Great Divide

Math and reading can go hand–in-hand, even when a book is not directly about math.  Sylvan Dell makes it easy by combining math and science in their books in a natural and appealing manner. Two of the new titles for Spring 2012 are The Great Divide  and The Penguin Lady.  Each focuses on applying different math skills and building science knowledge while advancing literacy.  These titles are interactive and fun-to-read.

The Penguin Lady (by Carol A. Cole)

Penelope Parker experiences life with penguins—first hand!  As a birthday gift, she receives a penguin from the Galapagos Islands.  Then, her sister sends her two Rockhopper penguins from Argentina.   Next, three  Chinstraps penguins from Antarctic come waddling up to her door.  The narrative continues with a new group of penguins, from four to ten, arriving from another part of the world.   Inside and outside, Penelope has penguins everywhere causing mischief and havoc!   

The illustrations (by Sherry Rogers) are colorful and humorous.  Each two page spread offers an opportunity to count the penguins and discuss their behaviors.   One of the most informative aspects of the book is learning about all the different species of penguins and places they are from—both warm and cold.  Children can find these places on the map, discuss differences in size (another math opportunity), and compare/contrast different species.  A FREE 52-page teaching guide is available which includes extension activities in adding, math games, science, and language-arts.   I recommend The Penguin Lady for ages 2-7.

The Great Divide (by Suzanne Slade)

Written in rhyming quatrains, children are introduced to the concept of division and to the animal group names.   Here is a sample:   

Sixteen shiny river toads,

in a sunny spot,

gather round four puddles.

How many in each knot?

Six rambunctious rhinos

making quite a splash—

three mommas with their babies.

How many in each crash?   

Children interact with the book by solving each riddle and identifying the name associated with each animal group.  For instance, groups of toads are called knots and rhinos are referred to as crashes.  Younger children can count the animals/groups and discuss sound devices (important for early reading skills).  Many of the riddles include alliteration (rambunctious rhinos) and all have end rhymes (splash/crash).  Brainstorm other words with the same beginning sounds or rhymes. 

The illustrations (by Erin H. Hunter) beautifully capture each group of animals in their natural habitats.  Children can talk about where the animals live as well as compare/contrast the different environments.   A FREE 56-page teaching guide is available which includes extension activities in multiplication, division, science, and language-arts.  I recommend The Great Divide for ages 6-10. 

This post is linked up with Math Mondays at love2learn2day and Nonfiction Monday at Rasco with RIF.

Picture Book (Math & Science): Multiple on the Fly (by Suzanne Slade)

Summary of Math on the Fly (by Suzanne Slade):

Multiply on the Fly demonstrates that math is a relevant part of our every day experience.   Readers are treated to an insect safari, viewing commonly known bugs like grasshoppers, butterflies, and ladybugs as well as lesser known insects like pirate bugs and spittlebugs.   Each two-page spread illustrates a multiplication riddle, such as:  

Four lovely Luna moths

Rest upon a pine.

Each one spans three inches.

How long is the luna line? 

Underneath the riddles is a multiplication problem. For the aforementioned rhyme it is 4 x 3 = ?  Young listeners are prompted then to solve the problem.   There are three ways to approach, depending on the developmental level of the child(ren).   First, count out the items being multiplied and connect it to the multiplication problem.  Second, count by one of the numbers represented in the problem, like 3’s or 4’s.  The final stage is for the child to be able to look at the page and know right away the answer. 

Evaluation:

Author Suzanne Slade has fashioned a wonderful combination of math and science, fostering an appreciation for the little things of nature.   She use rich adjectives and verbs to describe the physical features and daily activities of insects.  Her high spirited rhymes, which effectively use rhyme and alliteration, are engaging and enjoyable.  Erin E. Hunter (illustrator) has beautifully captured the insects in their habitats.  Her brilliant illustrations draw young readers in to the world of insects. 

Teaching Opportunities:

One of the things I appreciate most about Sylvan Dell publishers is their mission to make math and science exciting and applicable.  To further that mission, they create a FREE teaching guide for all their titles that include activities and ideas for extending the book.  For Multiple on the Fly, you will want to check out their 41-page color guide by clicking HERE.  You are sure to find many activities your child(ren) or students will enjoy! 

                                                                                          

This post is linked with Non-Fiction Monday weekly round up, hosted this week at The Children's War blog and Math Mondays at love2learn2day.  

                                                                                          

More Math Trade Books for Home or Classroom Learning

Greg Tang Math Series (ages 3-13) by Greg Tang

As I went through several books in this series with my 9 year old, I observed that he was engaged and enthusiastic.  The illustrations are vibrant and interactive.  Ideally, these books could be used as a warm up before a math lesson or as enrichment at home or school.  My son and I just cuddled up together and went through them.  He was thrilled each time he solved a riddle successfully (and almost always before I could).  Because the pictures are essential, these may be harder to modify to a whole class setting unless the pictures could be viewed through an overhead.  They could be used for small group activities though.  This series would be a wonderful addition to a classroom or home library for independent reading. 

Math Fables.  Highlighting the numbers 1 to 10, there are short, rhyming poetic verses focused on counting as well as behaviors such as cooperation, friendship, courage, and appreciation.  Animal and insects are used in the illustrations.  Each number is shown in multiple ways to build up the concept of adding.  For instance, for the number 8 there are 5 groupings and short poems to show that 5+3, 4+4, 7+1, 6+2, and 8+0 all equal 8.  The same format is followed for the other numbers using the proper addends.  There is also a Math Fables Too.

The Best of Times.  Using simple rhymes, strategies for multiplying any number with zero through 10 are provided.  This book introduces techniques for how to multiply bigger numbers quickly.  Also, the connections of multiplication, addition, and division are illustrated.  For instance, when multiplying a number by 5, it is suggested to round 5 to 10 and, then, cut it in half.  So if you have to solve 24 x 5, you could instead multiply 24 x 10 = 240/2 = 120.  Another example shows how multiples of 8 are doubles three times.  So 6 x 8 would be:  6 + 6 = 12   12+12 =24  24+24= 48.  Similar strategies are given for each number 1-10. 

Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food & The Grapes of Math.  My son was most engaged in this problem solving rhymes and pictures.  Each two-paged layout includes an amusing poem in rhyming couplets and a corresponding picture.  In the poem, there is a clue for how to count the items the most efficiently by grouping them and multiplying or adding.  My son was challenged by these, but he had a great amount of success which was confidence building for him. There is an answer key in the back in case you get stumped. 

                  Math Start Series (ages 3-9) by Stuart J. Murphy

The Math Start Series is broken up into three levels, each with about 20 titles.  At the author’s website, books can easily be identified based on level and skill.  I reviewed two books in this series The Sundae Scoop and Let’s Fly a Kite.  The Sundae Scoop is a story centered on combinations.  There are aspects of addition and subbtraction as well.  In Let’s Fly a Kit, symmetry is explored through several real-life scenarios.  The storytelling is just a means to an end.  The real benefit for children is to see that math is relevant in everyday situations.  Since these are not stories you will likely read over and over (unless you are a classroom teacher), I’d suggest using the library to utilize these books.  I found that a large portion of this series was readily available at my local branch. 

How High Can a Dinosaur Count?  (ages 7-9 ) by Valorie Fisher

This selection is not a part of a series, but I feel it is worthwhile to mention.  Each two page spread has a problem solving riddle and a picture.  Using one or more mathematical operations, students can work out the riddles (usually in their heads).  In the back of the book, there are additional questions for each picture that can be utilized to practice thinking skills.  This book is ideal for a child on a second to third grade math level.