Customer Reviews

The Case of the Smart Dummy (Mathnet Casebook)

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The jokes fly fast and furious in this case where a suitcase containing a dummy is switched for one full of loot. The dummy, Charlie McShtick and the ventriloquist, Edgar Bergman are the central characters as Mathnet detectives George Frankly and Pat Tuesday use mathematics to solve a series of crimes. The mathematics used is that of a connected graph where the graph tour is used to prove innocence and point out the potentially guilty parties. Of course, the villain has the last name Snerd.
My oldest boy who is now ten enjoyed the book immensely. He liked the story line and how the mystery was solved. The only problem was that the jokes about Edgar Bergan and his ventriloquist dummies referenced events before his time.
This book is a true treasure in that children can solve a mystery, laugh at the jokes and learn mathematics all at the same time. I also laughed and groaned my way through it.

I am coordinating a Math Event at our school. I am very interested in presenting the Mathnet series books to our 3-4th grade readers and their parents. Is there any way these and books like them are available for parents to buy? I understand that they seem to be out of print. I think they are a fantastic way to have children who enjoy reading to encorporate math skills as well.