Fraction Action [Hardcover]

Loreen Leedy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1994 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Miss Prime and her animal students explore fractions by finding many examples in the world around them.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Romping through boldly colored panels of art, Leedy's ( A Number of Dragons ; The Furry News ) congenial cast of animal characters helps introduce the concept of fractions. Five brief chapters tell stories as they teach. In the first, for example, Miss Prime explains basic fractions to her class of five. Balancing drawings of geometric shapes divided into sections and such familiar images as half of a sandwich and a pie cut into four pieces, Leedy makes it easy for youngsters to visualize what is meant by the various amounts. Other subjects tackled include sets, dividing objects into equal parts and subtracting and comparing the value of fractions. With mini math problems (answers to which appear at the end) and large doses of humor worked into the text, this classroom-oriented book adds up to sound, instructive fun. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-7. This picture book presents math concepts through five little stories about teacher Miss Prime, possibly a slender hippo, and her multispecies students. Often divided into horizontal panels, the busy pages feature muted, chalk-box colors highlighted with brighter shades. Appearing in word balloons, the characters' conversations form the main text, along with facts seen on signs, blackboards, and overhead projection screens. Concepts include: dividing geometric shapes into fractions, dividing sets of objects into equal parts, cutting fruit into equal shares, and dividing a dollar into fractions. Although most of the concepts would fit into a first- or second-grade unit on basic fractions, the crowded layout and the many concepts presented make it potentially confusing as a classroom readaloud. However, as an introduction for an individual or small group, it could be useful, particularly in the hands of a parent or teacher who designs creative follow-up activities. Carolyn Phelan

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 31 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823411095
• ISBN-13: 978-0823411092
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been writing and illustrating picture books for children for over twenty-five years. Though I majored in art in college, at the time I wasn't sure what kind of artist to be. Fortunately, it turned out that combining words and art to create picture books was a perfect career for me. Most of my books center around a particular topic such as fractions, the solar system, writing, and so on. The characters and story lines help put the subject matter into a meaningful context for young readers.

After growing up mostly in Delaware, I moved to central Florida a couple of decades ago, and currently live with my husband Andy on a three acre property with hawks, herons, and horses (the horses live next door.) We love the rustle of the pines in the breeze, the screeching of sandhill cranes flying overhead, and the chattering of many small birds that come and go as they please.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My five year old LOVED it!, December 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fraction Action (Paperback)

The concepts of fractions are presented and illustrated so joyfully that my kindergarten-age child couldn't wait to read it a second time.

She learned all the concepts in the book effortlessly. Where were books like these when we were growing up?

My eleven-year old got a big kick out of the illustrations, too. Very engaging and entertaining. I plan to order more of Loreen Leedy's books.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars University of Arizona student, November 23, 2004

By 

Pablo Martinez "bigempty_8" (Tucson, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fraction Action (Paperback)

I would highly recommend this book to those teachers teaching children who are interested in math. This book illustrates that math does not always have to be a difficult task, and that there is a lot of fun ways in which young children can have fun learning fractions, and other aspects of math.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for bookworms who struggle with math, March 28, 2011

By 

NewMom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fraction Action (Paperback)

I tutor ESL and am working on math with a 4th grade intermediate-level English Language Learner. She "hates" math but loves books. From the get-go, she asked what the word "fraction" and the word "action" meant, so we had a lot to cover. By the end, she loved this book and asked to take it home. The story is almost comic-book style with paneled pictures. Every few pages there is a math problem which felt more like an action-item to do (so it was great for tutoring/teaching). My student laughed during the book and I was so glad to find a way to teach math to my bookworm student in a fun way that actually taught her fractions in a way she didn't immediately resist.