Math

What are math books?
Math books are books that teach students math concepts in a fun and unique way that is, sadly, nontraditional at this point.  Most math teachers are textbook focused and narrow minded.  They do not realize all of the amazing picture books that can help their students transfer their math knowledge into the world around them.  The math picture books make math fun, entertaining, and more easily understood for students.  Many math books aid themselves to different classroom activities.  Most of the time, the child's understanding of math concepts are improved after reading these type of books.

Suggested Texts:

Picture and Information from Scholastic.com

Even Steven and Odd Todd by Kathryn Cristaldi
ISBN#: 0590227157
Publisher: Cartwheel
Year: 1996
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.2
Lexile Measure: 410L
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Main Themes:

• Counting and Numbers
• Family Life
• Early Math

Main Ideas:

• Cousin Odd Todd visits Even Steven.
• Even Steven likes everything to come in even numbers, his pets, library books, and even pancakes
• Odd Todd likes everything to come in odd numbers.
• This makes life a little complicated for these two cousins.  
•  After some minor conflict, they end up happy together
• Good lesson on compensation

Application to Classroom:

• Good for a reading lesson with a subject connection, or it could even be used in math class
• Great exposure to odd numbers especially when the pictures are used (you can count and see that their clothing is odd and even numbered

Information and Picture found at Scholastic.com

 If Dogs Were Dinosaurs by David M. Schwartz
 ISBN#: 0439676126
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Year: 2005
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2
Lexile Measure: 520L
Interest Level: K-5

Themes:

• Ratio
• Proportion
• Scale
• Math

Main Ideas:

•  This is a book full o amazing examples of relative size.  
• The illustrations add a lot to this book, they are funny and literal and they make the mind-blowing math concepts clear.
• This book is concise and easy to follow
• An example: "If your dog were the size of a dinosaur, his dinner would fill your bedroom!" "If the moon were the size of a marble, earth would fit in your hands!"