Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles (Scholastic Bookshelf) [Paperback]

Greg Tang (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Scholastic Bookshelf

Let the Scholastic bookshelf be your guide through the whole range of your child's reading experience--laugh with them, learn with them, read with them!
Category: Math Skills

Your challenge is to find the sum
Without counting one by one
Why not count? It's much too slow --
Adding is the way to go!
Make clever groups before you start --
Then add them in a way that's smart!
MATH FOR ALL SEASONS will challenge every kid -- and every parent -- to open their minds and solve problems in new and unexpected ways. By looking for patterns, symmetries, and familiar number combinations within eye-catching pictures, math will become easier, quicker, and more fun than anyone could have imagined!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Believe it or not, math doesn't have to be a torture device teachers use to punish their students. In fact, with a few simple tricks, math can become--dare we say it?--fun! Greg Tang, creator of the popular The Grapes of Math, bestows his considerable wisdom on a slightly younger audience (ages 5 to 8) with Math for All Seasons. This collection of rhyming math puzzles encourages kids to think through problems, rather than relying on memorization and formulas. Each of illustrator Harry Briggs's computer-generated, color-saturated spreads features seasonal treasures such as clusters of tulips or spikes of icicles. Readers study the verse and picture, strategizing and looking for patterns in order to add up the objects without counting one by one. Soon, their eyes and minds will open to consider many ways of problem solving, not just the obvious ones. Solutions and explanations are provided in the back of the book. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Move over, worksheets and pencils! The team behind The Grapes of Math once again proves that posing number problems through verse and vivid pictures is a powerful path to math learning. With titles like "Raining Cats and Frogs" and "Amazing Grain," the poems span the seasons, encouraging readers to look for patterns and symmetry in the playful illustrations. Each poem poses a "how many" question about the accompanying picture of seasonal items, from acorns and hatching chicks to dandelions and icicles. Several creatively convey facts about their timely topics, as in "Not-So-Dandy Lions": "These lions are a stubborn breed-- / There's never just a single weed./ The trouble starts when they get loose,/ They catch a breeze and reproduce!" the simple verse then hints at effective strategies to make counting faster and easier. With 10 dandelions pictured on the opposing page, Tang poses the question "How many plants are still in bloom?" then suggests: "Count by fives the plants you see,/ Then subtract the seedy three!" Briggs sprinkles his computer-generated artwork with fun-loving graphics throughout. Summer-themed poems show a pigeon wearing swim goggles diving into a bird bath and a lemonade-drinking butterfly. Any time of year is a good time to delve into these pictorial puzzles. Ages 7-10.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439755379
• ISBN-13: 978-0439755375
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #66,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Literature > Poetry > General
  • #35 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Math > Arithmetic

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

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Math Made Fun for Everyone....., August 8, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles (Hardcover)

Greg Tang and partner, Harry Briggs are back with another innovative, seasonal counting book that's ready to challenge younger readers. Each clever problem, posed as a riddle, and told in engaging rhyme is enhanced with bold and vibrant, eye-catching, computer-generated illustrations. No more counting the old fashioned, slow way, one by one. Tang and Briggs help kids think creatively by looking for patterns and recognizing groupings. Little ones will feel a real sense of accomplishment as they begin to develop the problem solving skills and tactics they'll use for the rest of their lives. With a helpful hint included at the end of each rhyme to get you started, and a straighforward, easy to understand answer key at the end, youngsters 4-8 won't even know they're working on math problems. They'll just think they're just having fun! For those with older kids, be sure to get this dynmaic duo's first book of mind-stretchers, The Grapes Of Math.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful but only for a time, April 22, 2007

By 

H.M. Fonseca (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles (Scholastic Bookshelf) (Paperback)

This lovely story book is filled with beautiful illustrations and rhyming poetry. Each poem gives a clue to a mystery; the math problem illustrated on the facing page. This book deals mostly with addition and subtraction, making it a useful book for kindergarten and 1st grade level children.

Once my 6 1/2 year old daughter understood how she was to figure out the math problem she began to really enjoy finding the correct answer. Just having to figure out the problem creatively was good for her. She's having a hard time in math, and so I have been looking for fun ways to help her with the subject. This book is the best one I've found so far. But now we've finished all the problems, and therein lies the problem.

Once your child has solved the mysteries there really is no reason to continue reading the book. It's hardcover and presented as a storybook - a creative solution to all the boring math workbooks out ther and the endless repetition of math equations that children find so dull. But gosh I wish it was longer or that it was a workbook. Being able to draw on the pages would really have helped my daughter figure out the problems.

Like the other reviewers I highly recommend this book. The quality is high, the illustrations are cute and the poetry lovely. But plan on giving it to friends, a local library, or your child's school after your child has solved all the problems.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, June 10, 2006

By 

djonn "djonn" (Toronto, On) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful book, an important factor to consider when attempting to interest a child in working with numbers in general and solving equations in particular. The illustrations are eye-catching, the colours are bright, the paper is thick and glossy, and the book is a nice size for parent and child to read together at bedtime. My child has no interest in math, and I found that appealling to her more imaginative side as this book does sparked her curiosity. The method the author has used to pique children's interest in solving basic mathematical problems is creative and engaging.
The reason I have given this book 4 stars rather than 5 is that after going through the book twice or three times and, more importantly, solving the problems, the book no longer held my child's interest. It has been sitting on the shelf untouched for months.