Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom! (MathStart 1) [Paperback]

Stuart J. Murphy (Author), Chris L. Demarest (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: MathStart 1

The yellow cars beep! The red cars vroom! As Molly plays with her big brother’s toy cars, readers will see and recognize patterns, an essential first step in learning to reason from the specific to the general. But can Molly put the cars back in the right order before her brother returns?

 

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-This fine offering introduces the concept of patterns. Kevin has red, yellow, and blue cars that he always lines up in a special way on his shelf. His little sister Molly wants to play, but is told she is too young. Of course, she takes a turn the second Kevin leaves the room. Overhearing the "vrooming, crashing, and beeping," Dad and Mom remind her that she must put the cars back on the shelf exactly the way Kevin left them. This allows her several opportunities to arrange the vehicles in different ways. This clever book not only gives young readers the opportunity to identify color patterns, but also has the added bonus of a repetitive story, complete with sound effects. Whenever the children play with the cars, some variation of the refrain "VROOM VROOM zoomed the red cars. BEEP BEEP honked the yellow cars. CRASH CRASH banged the blue cars" ensues. Primary-color cartoon illustrations depict the family, a playful pooch, and plenty of toy-car action. Two concluding pages provide discussion questions and activities to reinforce the math as well as a few suggestions for further reading. However, many children will enjoy this book simply for the story and the colorful pictures.
Jackie Hechtkopf, Rose Ruth Freudberg Memorial Library, Washington, DC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Like all Murphy's MathStart titles, this lively picture book uses a story from a child's daily world to teach a basic math skill. Here the math is pattern recognition, and the story combines sibling rivalry with hands-on play. Molly loves playing with cars, but her brother, Kevin, tells her she's too young. He lines up his 12 cars--four red, four green, four yellow--in special order on the shelf and tells her not to touch them while he's gone. Of course, she does play with them (Vroom! Beep! Crash!), and every time someone comes in, she lines up the vehicles in different sequences, until, finally, she gets her own sets of cars to add to the game. At the back are practical suggestions for adults and kids to find patterns on the pages and make their own patterns with pebbles, buttons, coins, and kitchen utensils. Demarest's clear, simple pastel pictures express the fun of playing with cars as the vrooming action reveals the patterns in everyday things. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (January 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064467287
• ISBN-13: 978-0064467285
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 9.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Baby-3 > Basic Concepts > Colors
  • #63 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Activities & Toys
  • #87 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Baby-3 > Basic Concepts > Counting

More About the Author

Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, he has a strong background in design and art direction. He also has extensive experience in the world of educational publishing. Drawing on all these talents, Stuart J. Murphy brings a unique perspective to the MathStart series. In MathStart books, pictures do more than tell stories; they teach math. Stuart J. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Evanston, Illinois.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun with Patterns!, July 30, 2000

By 

Marie Summers (Alta Loma, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom! (MathStart 1) (Hardcover)

Children will identify with the backdrop story of a little girl who wants to play with her big brother's toy cars. Her mom and dad try to help her out by putting the cars back in the same special way her brother keeps them (of course, they don't get it right). Finally, she gets the pattern right in the nick of time, and her parents give her a set of her own. The math idea of patterns is the basis of this book, and there are suggestions at the back of the book to help instill the concept.

The bright, simple illustrations enhance the book in a happy way.

I will be looking for more books in the same series.

You have to like a book with an onomatopoeia for a title.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beep, Beep, Vroom, Vroom, October 18, 2001

By 

Robin Randall (Atascadero, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom! (MathStart 1) (Paperback)

I used this book as a follow-up to our math patterning unit in my Kindergarten class. As I read the book, the students manipulated unifix cubes to copy the various patterns throughout the story. It was a great hit and certainly a good review of the patterning concept.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read!, February 27, 2001

By 

Karen "Mom of 3" (NY,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom! (MathStart 1) (Paperback)

My children LOVE this book. Don't think that because this is a "math" book it will be uninteresting! The repetition of the car sounds (beep beep, vroom vroom, crash crash) holds even my 1 and 3 year olds attention. It is fun to read and the author gives you some ideas in the back of the book to try while reading the book. You can read it for fun or point out patterns, colors, or even talk about sharing or asking permission. It is a wonderful book for a boy or a girl. I am giving this book as gifts because my girls enjoy it so much.