The Math Book for Girls and Other Beings Who Count [Paperback]

Valerie Wyatt (Author), Pat Cupples (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Books for Girls

This entertaining title in the Books for Girls series shows girls -- and boys, too -- that math is part of everyday life. They can try the math puzzles and activities to see for themselves how useful -- and how much fun -- math can be. They will also meet real women who use math in their jobs every day. Kids can learn why fractions are important when they bake a cake, develop spatial visualization skills by building a geodesic dome big enough to play in, use geometry to design unique wrapping paper, discover how grids simplify drawing pictures, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-A useful book to enliven math studies and ground them in the real world. Nora (short for Natural Observation Research Activator) first appeared in The Science Book for Girls and Other Intelligent Beings (Kids Can, 1997) and now returns as "a newfangled fairy godmother" who relates everything to math. The tiny teacher begins with measurement, proportion, area, and patterns and then helps her young student plan a birthday party, complete with tangrams, secret-code invitations, 3-D shapes, symmetrical decorations, and a cake. The one problem Nora doesn't solve is how the girl can collect on her brother's debt, although she does suggest a game of probability to help settle the score. Step-by-step activities help readers understand the concepts presented. Sidebars about women who use math in their careers (a zoologist, veterinarian, architect, interior decorator, computer programmer, archaeologist, etc.) further emphasize the importance of math in everyday life. An endnote offers ideas and suggestions for adults working with children both at home and in school. A detailed glossary, answer key, and index are included. Illustrations and diagrams throughout make this a clear and easy-to-use resource for some different and fun perspectives on the subject.
Nancy A. Gifford, Schenectady County Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Scientific American

Are you looking for a new answer to the homework-induced question, "What do I need math for, anyway?" If so, this book is worth a peek. Guided by a newfangled fairy godmother, Nora (short for Natural Observation Research Activator), readers are led through mathematical games and activities that highlight the different uses of math around us. For example, readers are shown how to determine the area of an object--Nora's carpet, which she wants to spray with cat repellent. Readers have to figure out if Nora has enough spray to cover the entire carpet. (She also decides to spray herself, in the process showing us a trick for finding the area of irregular shapes.) Nora helps kids make connections between mathematics and art through projects that explore proportions, patterning and symmetry. She also presents other mathematical concepts, such as graphing, probability and codes. The book inspires young readers with short profiles of 15 women who have interesting careers (such as veterinarian, architect, fabric designer, and cryptographer) in which math is an essential tool. Though not intended exclusively for girls (as the title says, it is also for "Other Beings Who Count"), the book is written specifically with girls in mind. Therefore, some of the activities (especially in the section "All Dolled Up") may not appeal to boys or to girls who aren't thrilled by "girly" stuff. But the book serves a very important purpose. Sometimes even very talented girls are turned off by mathematics for reasons that have nothing to do with their mathematical ability, and so it is important to help girls forge lasting connections between mathematics and what goes on in their own worlds. This book does just that.

Joan Silberlicht Epstein --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550745840
• ISBN-13: 978-1550745849
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,094,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NOT just for girls!, January 1, 2007

By 

Lorel Shea (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Math Book for Girls and Other Beings Who Count (Paperback)

I bought this book for my daughter who isn't always excited about doing her math. She read it cover to cover in one sitting! Her older brother then swiped it and became engrossed in it himself!

This picture book is a great way to show kids that math can indeed be both fun and useful. It's an interesting blend of fiction and non-fiction. The real-life math sidebars demonstrate how scientists and others use math in their work. There is a cute story around which math facts are presented. The book's "Math fairy" who goes by the name of Nora, is a memorable character with much enthusiasm for her subject. The concepts are not delved into deeply, but there is enough there to give the reader a clear idea when topics such as symmetry, probability, and moebius strips are discussed. I'd say that the book is most appropriate for kids operating at the 3th-6th grade level in math.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it, December 10, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Math Book for Girls and Other Beings Who Count (Paperback)

I think it's great because it really gets into math and how much you need it. I love Nora, she is so fun she really shows you how to get down into many fun activities like to see how big your foot would be if you were a giant, and how to bake a cake!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For pre-teen girls, October 17, 2001

By 

Fred Camfield (Vicksburg, MS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Math Book for Girls and Other Beings Who Count (Hardcover)

I bought this book for a grand-niece. The reading level depends on the intellectual level of the child, but it is generally for pre-teen girls. It is organized as an activity book for young girls having small parties with their friends, with mathematically related activities. It would probably appeal to some children and not to others.