Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry [Hardcover]

Cindy Neuschwander (Author), Bryan Langdo (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Matt, Bibi, and their dog Riley crawled through the tiny opening first. FWUMP! A secret door suddenly closed behind them . . .

Matt and Bibi use math to escape from a pharaoh's tomb!

When the Zills family is summoned to Egypt to help find the hidden burial site of an ancient pharaoh, Matt and Bibi are locked into an adventure they did not expect. Stuck inside a pyramid with only each other, their dog Riley, and geometric hieroglyphics to help them find their way, the twins must use their math knowledge to solve the riddles on the walls and locate the burial chamber.

Luckily, the two know their stuff when it comes to geometric solids.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4–Matt and Bibi go to Egypt with their scientist parents in search of an ancient pharaoh's mummy. When the siblings are accidentally shut in the pyramid, they decide to explore. Using hieroglyphic clues, they discover that the path to the mummy is delineated by "faces," the flat surfaces of geometric solids. As they find either pictures of solid shapes or the objects themselves, the twins count the faces of the shapes and are guided through the pyramid by relating their answers to the hieroglyphic clues. They find the mummy and a map indicating the way out. Although this book attempts to provide an introduction to solid geometry, the information is not clearly presented. The colorful impressionist cartoons depict the various shapes discussed in the text, but they are not labeled. The plot itself is a stretch: before they leave for Egypt, Bibi says she hopes to learn about hieroglyphics, but as soon as she arrives there, she is expert enough to interpret complex messages. An endnote lists some good activities to help children learn about geometric solids, but the story will leave readers more confused than enlightened. Try Stuart J. Murphy's Captain Invincible and the Space Shapes (HarperCollins, 2001) and Tana Hoban's Cubes, Cones, Cylinders, & Spheres (Greenwillow, 2000) for better introductions to this topic.–Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ
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Review

“The illustrations, by Bryan Langdo, are bright and clever, and there’s a straightforward lesson in geometry built into the promise of Egypt. . . . very young Egyptologists will enjoy the archaeological atmosphere.”—The New York Times Book Review

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805075054
• ISBN-13: 978-0805075052
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lesson Kickoff!, May 6, 2007

By 

Rebbecca Anderson "mom & teacher" (Gautier, MS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry (Hardcover)

I used this book for two separate lesson plans. I made a game board and added game cards based on the book. This quickly became an engaging way to count faces, vertices, and edges. I also used it in 7th grade social studies to add questions about history. BONUS: my 13 yr. old and 10 yr. old thought it was an engaging book!

28 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars math fun, April 17, 2005

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry (Hardcover)

This is a picture book about the Zills family. The family is off on an adventure to hidden burial site of an ancient pharaoh. The twin brothers in the family get stuck inside a pyramid with their dog. They must use math to figure out a way to escape the pyramid. They must use skills to figure out the riddles written on the wall and locate the hidden burial chamber. Will they ever figure it out? Read Mummy Math to find out!

It's one of those special books which children will read without realizing they are learning a mathematical concept.

This is a recommended book for those teacher or parents that want to make math a little more exciting for children.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource, November 24, 2010

By 

Karen L McCoy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry (Paperback)

Mummy Math is an excellent introduction to geometrical faces. Using children's literature to introduce math is a great way to help children become engaged in a lesson.