Customer Reviews

Beanstalk: The Measure Of A Giant (A Math Adventure)

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The k-3 children from my school loved this book. It is easy to tie it to the original Jack and the Beanstalk and to kinds of measurement. The very young children realized that Jim had to measure the Giant's head with a measruing tape because a ruler couldn't go around it. They had fun measuring each other with standard and non standard measuring tools after they heard the story.

Written with imagination and humor by Ann McCallum and nicely illustrated throughout in full color by James Balovek, "Beanstalk: The Measure Of A Giant" is a clever picturebook twist on the classic fairy tale of a young man who exchanges the family cow for some magic beans and climbs into a cloud kingdom where he tricks a giant and steals a goose that lays golden eggs. But in "Beanstalk", young Jack befriends the giant. But how can a 20-foot giant and a 4-foot boy get along together? Part of the fun is the use of mathematics to figure out the ratios of human-to-giant sized fun. The illustrations help young readers with understanding the math concepts employed as Jack and his new giant friend solve their seemingly conflict height problems. Also available in a hardcover edition "Bean Stalk" is very highly recommended reading for children ages 7 to 10, and a unique addition Home Schooling curriculums, as well as elementary school and community library collections for young readers.

This book is entertaining, with a story that helps young readers understand ratios and proportions. The story is actually readable as a story, which puts it in a better category than "Pythagoras and the Ratios" by Julie Ellis.

This book is a great way to get my students ready to learn about measurments. It is, however, for lower grades though but for my district it is fine. Great book and I would recomend it for other math teachers.