The Best Of Times [Hardcover]

Gregory Tang (Author), Harry Briggs (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Greg Tang takes on the times tables, teaching kids innovative ways to multiply numbers and derive answers WITHOUT memorization.

Four is very fast to do when you multiply by 2.
Here's a little good advice --
please just always double twice!

BEST OF TIMES gives kids an intuitive understanding of multiplication, encouraging them to arrive at answers on their own rather than memorizing the times tables. A child who can multiply by two, for instance, can multiply by four and even eight! Likewise, times six builds on times two and times three.With his common-sense approach, Greg Tang encourages kids to solve problems creatively, building both their skills and their confidence.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The author of The Grapes of Math and Math for All Seasons continues his crusade to make math make sense by taking on the biggest of math bugbears: the multiplication tables!

Greg Tang's proven methods--giving kids tools rather than rules and more memorization--pay off once again, as he uses rhymes and commonsense tricks to walk through the multiplication tables from zero to 10. For example, if you know how to multiply by two ("Two is very fast and fun, quickly double and you're done. What's that you say, be more precise? Okay then, just add it twice!"), then fours ("... please just always double twice!") and eights ("... doubling three times works just great!") should be a cinch. Some of the rhymes are even as clever as Tang's tips: Over a panda pool game, he advises, "Nine is faster to compute if at first you overshoot. Here's a very clever tack, do 10 times and then subtract! What is 9 x 9? It's ten 9's minus 9.... What is 9 x 7? It's ten 7's minus 7."

Tang's text makes for a fun read-along, and illustrator Harry Briggs keeps things interesting with his computer-generated, animal-inspired spreads, with dancing chickens, ice-cream-flinging monkeys, and a fortunetelling cat. Kids won't feel left out of the action either: each section ends with a couple of challenges, and a key in the back spells out all the answers. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly

The team behind The Grapes of Math and Math for All Seasons follows up with a third title for aspiring mathematicians: The Best of Times: Math Strategies That Multiply by Greg Tang, illus. by Harry Briggs. Tang eschews multiplication tables in favor of emphasizing a better understanding of numbers and quantities. Bouncy, rhyming ditties remind kids, among other things, that 0 times anything is zero ("For every problem it's the same,/ zilch or zero is its name!") Briggs's cheery signature artwork, featuring an active menagerie, keeps the concepts clear and the mood light.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439210445
• ISBN-13: 978-0439210447
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,518 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Greg Tang earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in economics from Harvard University and an M.A. in math education from New York University. Greg Tang has taught students of all ages, from kindergarten to college, and has used his problem-solving methods to create successful products and companies across many industries. He lives in Belmont, Massachusetts, with his three children. Greg's web address is www.gregtang.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Of Times - A Wonderful Resource!, October 22, 2002

By 

J. Tam (Ontario) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Times (Hardcover)

As a teacher, this book is a wonderful resource because it does not promote the memorization of multiplication facts, but rather it teaches the reader to problem solve and that there are different ways to approach a problem. As the title suggests, it is full of 'strategies' - when students attempt a mathematical problem of any sort, you want them to have a bank of strategies to draw from. This book is ideal for that. My students enjoyed the playful rhymes, almost musical in a way, as well as the bright, vibrant illustrations of all of Tang's books. Tang has a wonderful way of making math "make sense" for kids. Two thumbs up!

37 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for kids who are struggling to learn their facts!, September 24, 2002

By 

Jean C. (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Times (Hardcover)

I bought this book thinking it might help my daughter learn her multiplication facts. However, for the strategies explained in this book to help, you'd have to be a math whiz, and also know a fair number of multiplication facts to begin with. For example, this is the strategy for multiplying by 6: "Six is pretty quick to do, just multiply by 3 then 2. If this sounds like too much trouble, triple first before you double!" (!!) Now, this might be handy if the book taught an easy way to triple, but the strategy for multiplying by 3 is: "Three is as easy as can be, if you triple what you see. In other words just add it thrice, this simply is one more than twice!" Simple, hunh? I would have given the book 1 star, but I liked the illustrations.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very cute, not practical for learning., March 12, 2009

By 

Trina Miller (Arkansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Times (Hardcover)

This is a very cute book. It has multiplication fact rhymes.

However, if your intent is for learning, this product is not for you. I thought it may help my third grader learn his times tables. It uses complicated wording and formulas.

I'm not sure at what grade level this would be useful. I say if you have a child ages 10 (maybe) and up who just love math, go for it.

Otherwise, leave it on the shelf.