A mathphobic boy faces another dreaded evening of multiplication when a monster suddenly appears in his room and offers him a deal he cannot refuse. After a quick signature on a contract, the boy s problems are solved, and his homework is ready to turn in the next day.
At first, everything adds up perfectly. But when the boy s math knowledge is tested at school, his troubles begin to multiply. What did the fine print on that contract read?
In paragraph seven of clause ninety-three, If you don t learn anything, do not blame me!
When the bill comes due, will our hero have the money and the math skill to subtract that wicked monster from his life once and for all?
Danny Schnitzlein, the author of The Monster Who Ate My Peas offers a fresh angle on math anxiety in this hilarious tale, complemented by Bill Mayer s wacky and imaginative illustrations.
"Mayer's vibrant, computer-generated illustrations, replete with gigantic otherworldly grins and mortal eyes stretched tall with fear, will appeal to fans of afternoon cartoons. Outlandish shadows convey the cautionary nature of the tale, while amusing details keep the mood perpetually fun. Narrated in humorous verse, this 'tale of mathematical mayhem' will provide an entertaining addition to math classes and a useful warm-up to tutoring sessions with less-than-enthusiastic students." ?School Library Journal "...an amusing story that begs to be read aloud..." ?Curriculum Resource Center "Bill Mayer's bright, wacky gouache illustrations are every bit as much fun as the story." ?Courier-Times "The artwork in this book is masterful and the poetry enjoyable." ?Book Review Digest
Danny Schnitzlein was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He has two brothers and one sister.
"As a kid I was crazy about dinosaurs. They were my proof that fantastic things could exist, and that meant anything was possible. I loved Dr. Seuss' books and Stoo Hample's The Silly Book. As I got older, I loved The Hobbit, by Tolkien. My parents made sure we had lots of books and took us to the library frequently. My mother often read poetry to us before bed."
In third grade Danny's family moved to Tampa, Florida where he got the writing bug.
"My English teacher, Mrs. Williams, gave us tough writing assignments, but we didn't know we couldn't do them . . . so we did them."
While in high school, Danny captained a boat on the African Queen Boat Ride at Busch Gardens, Tampa. He played trumpet in his high school band and directed the marching band as Drum Major.
Danny studied creative writing at Eckerd College and television production at The University of Florida. He has had several careers before becoming an author, including: television writer, video editor, artist, and painting instructor.
Danny's new book, Trick or Treat on Monster Street, was inspired by a "what if."
"I wondered, what if there was a place where monsters celebrated Halloween completely backwards from the way we celebrate it? As a kid I was nutty about Halloween. I would dress as a monster and visit every street in my neighborhood. Then I'd dress as a different monster, visit all the houses again, and hope nobody recognized me."
Danny Schnitzlein's first book, The Monster Who Ate My Peas, was inspired by Danny's childhood hatred of peas. The book received two state awards: Indiana's 2004 Young Hoosier Book Award, and Virginia's 2005-6 VSRA Readers' Choice Award. The book was nominated for Readers' Choice Awards in Maryland, Missouri, and Pennsylvania and was selected to represent the state of Georgia at the 2004 National Book Festival.
Danny was chosen by the Georgia Department of Education to be part of its "READ MORE" initiative. Pitcher, John Smoltz, recited The Monster Who Ate My Peas for a special dvd. See the clip at http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/pandp/media/gareadsmore.htm
Danny's second book, The Monster Who Did My Math, was based on another childhood phobia. MATH!
"I'd ask my dad to help with my Math homework. He'd get out his 300 pound calculator. (Calculators were big in those days). Then he'd work all the problems without explaining them very well. Or maybe I didn't listen very well. When I took my homework to school the next day and discovered that many of his answers were wrong, my fear of Math increased exponentially."
The Monster Who Did My Math was listed as one of the Best Books of 2007 by both Parent and Child Magazine and Atlanta Parent Magazine.
Danny also writes scripts and songs for children's educational television, including "SALSA," a show which teaches Spanish, and "The Organwise Guys," a program about good health. In his spare time he loves playing guitar, reading, painting, hiking, and seeing movies. He lives in the Atlanta area with his family and their Golden Retriever.
Visit dannyschnitzlein.com to learn more about Danny's books and find out how you can bring Danny to your school!
This review is from: The Monster Who Did My Math (Hardcover)
I love these rhyming kids books and Schnitzlein is one of the best. Just like The Monster who ate my peas, this great fun to read and great art work for the kids as well.
Weather your kid likes math or not, they'll love this book.
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This review is from: The Monster Who Did My Math (Hardcover)
All this young boy wants is to finish his math without agonizing over it for hours. When his fears and dread finally get the best of him he breaks down and signs a contract he shouldn't have. As the monster who came to his rescue continues to "help" he finally discovers his love for adding and subtracting, but will it be too late? Not reading the fine print can get you into quite a bit of trouble, but knowing how to add things up may get this little boy out of hot water.
First of all, look at that cover! The illustrations by Bill Mayer in this picture book are fantastic! Bright and colorful and they simply pop off the page. Secondly, the story...who hasn't wanted a "magic fairy" (or in this little boy's case, a monster) to come and magically take care of whatever homework you can't finish in a short amount of time? I know I had those days as a kid, even as an adult I'll put things off that I'm dreading. Unfortunately for this little boy he signs a deal with a monster who's out to make a little bit of extra money in a very sneaky way. Not only does the story teach children about the fun that can be had with math, but it also teaches them the importance of choices they make. I'm not positive that my son at four years old completely grasps the concept yet, but he does love math as well as the book so I'll keep sharing it with him in hopes he'll catch on.
The Monster Who Did My Math by Danny Schnitzlein is not simply a story about the joy that can be found in addition and subtraction. This is a story that shows children the importance of our choices and those with whom we depend on. As children grow up it's easy to make choices based on what "looks good" or "seems easier", but it's not always quite so clear and often it requires more thought. The Monster Who Did My Math is a story about a little boy getting in over his head and fortunately finding a way out through his careful addition. It's a story that our family will be reading for years to come, not only because we love the illustrations and math but also because of the principles it teaches.
My original review was posted at There's A Book.
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