Big Numbers [Hardcover]

Edward Packard (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Uses illustrations of exponentially increasing peas to present the concept of numbers from one to a million, billion, trillion.

--This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-2-Packard and Murdocca have joined forces to explain and illustrate big numbers to children. The result is a vibrant, oversized book featuring two kids and a dog and cat that always have something to say. Beginning with a single pea on a plate to illustrate "one," the book moves to 10, 100, 1000, 10,000 peas, etc. The green pile continues to grow on the plate, spilling over the tabletop, out the door, across the yard, and, ultimately, into a huge mountain of a quadrillion peas. The visual impact is comical and impressive, clearly conveying the idea of large sums. Additional information, in the form of dialogue balloons and insets, can be confusing, as can the illustrations of fleas, sand, mice, and ladybugs used to emphasize distance and size. Numerical powers of 10 are also introduced and children will quickly understand the relationship between the exponent and the number of zeros. Other complicated ideas are conveyed, such as infinity, some more successfully than others. A fun introduction to an interesting concept.
Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

From Booklist

At just over 9-by-13 inches, this book will be a standout on the math shelves, where its very size will hint at its subject: big numbers. A boy and his dog stare at a pea on a plate, then 10 peas, 100 (a small serving), 1,000 (a plate full), 10,000 (a pan full), and so on up to a million, billion, trillion peas (a ball the size of Earth). Starting with a million, the text introduces exponents. Although the scientific notation is more useful with large numbers, the concept might be more understandable if first explained with 10, 100, and 1,000. Still, this is no textbook but a rollicking, cartoon-style expression of big numbers shown in different ways. Besides the ever-expanding pile of peas, children can imagine a billion mice stretching around the world, ten billion bacteria that "could fit in a pea," and an infinite number of pencils, needed to draw "an infinite number of peas." Bright and sassy, Murdocca's line-and-wash illustrations create an atmosphere of fun that could break through all but the strongest math anxiety. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761312803
• ISBN-13: 978-0761312802
• Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #759,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and fun book for kids, April 13, 2000

By 

Timothy L. Amsden (Ramah, New Mexico USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Numbers (Hardcover)

We are in the process of buying our second copy of this book for another grandchild, because we are impressed with the fun but intelligent way it presents for children the concepts associated with big numbers. It is a pleasure to see a book for children that presents fundamental scientific principles with fun and wonder. It's a winner.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, modest success, February 16, 2001

By 

audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Big Numbers (Hardcover)

I was really excited about this book. Peas, peas and yet more peas -- it sounds like a great way to visually present the idea of exponential growth in mathematics. The execution of this idea, however, is only moderately successful.

This is only my opinion and may not be true for all readers, but I found the presentation inhibited rather than clarified the concept. Sometimes two pictures were on the same page and the graphics were very busy -- many characters, inserts and dialogue balloons detracted from the impact of seeing a growing pile of peas. Perhaps you remember the film "Powers of Ten" that showed a couple picnicking and then distanced the camera from them exponentially; that film was elegant and evocative. This was pretty messy. As I said, though, this is my opinion and kids may love it.