Probably Pistachio (MathStart 2) [Paperback]

Stuart J. Murphy (Author), Marsha Winborn (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 25, 2000 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: MathStart 2

Nothing goes right for Jack all day long. He can't find his favorite sneakers, he spills milk on his math homework, and worst of all, he gets tuna fish for lunch. Will things ever get better?

Readers will learn how to tell when something is certain, more likely, less likely, or impossible as Jack keeps hoping his streak of bad luck will break. Maybe, just maybe, pistachio ice cream for dessert will do the trick. But will it happen? Considering how Jack's day has been going, PROBABLY NOT!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-2-Jack is having a bad day. Everything goes wrong, from his alarm clock not going off in the morning to his futile hopes of pizza for dinner. The word "probably" is used several times, along with related possibilities, like "usually" and "sometimes." Even though the coach "nearly always" chooses teams a certain way, today he changes his method, and Jack and his friend are separated. With an "even chance" that Mom brought home his favorite ice cream, she pulls out his sister's favorite (but she also had his favorite in the bag). The cartoon illustrations extend the narrative, showing some activities not mentioned in the text, such as Jack spilling milk on his homework. Characters react to the action in dialogue balloons, and the protagonist's thought processes are shown as well. Winborn's characters have excellent facial expressions and Jack's dog has a personality of its own. While Judith Viorst gave readers the classic version of a truly bad day with Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Atheneum, 1972), Murphy uses it to illustrate probability instead.-Sharon R. Pearce, Geronimo Public School, OK

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 6-8. "With Mom, Mondays mean it's probably pastrami. And pastrami is my favorite food in the whole world." Unfortunately for Jack, it's Dad's turn to fix lunch, and that's just the beginning of a bad day. In this MathStart entry, Stuart introduces the concept of probability. As Jack moves through his day, he makes a series of predictions based on good reasoning. As he thinks through the likelihood of each situation turning out in his favor, his thoughts appear in a cloud-shaped bubble above his head. Winborn's watercolors playfully depict Jack's misery as things go from bad to worse, until his bad luck finally ends when Mom brings home his favorite dessert, pistachio ice cream. As in Missing Mittens and other series titles, a closing section has follow-up activities to extend and enrich the lesson, as well as a short list of books with related themes. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (December 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064467341
• ISBN-13: 978-0064467346
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Science & Technology > Mathematics
  • #21 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > Science & Technology > General

More About the Author

Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, he has a strong background in design and art direction. He also has extensive experience in the world of educational publishing. Drawing on all these talents, Stuart J. Murphy brings a unique perspective to the MathStart series. In MathStart books, pictures do more than tell stories; they teach math. Stuart J. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Evanston, Illinois.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elementary probability, October 8, 2001

By 

K. Lenkowski (San Marcos, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Probably Pistachio (MathStart 2) (Paperback)

This is a great book to teach 2nd/3rd grade basic probability. Kids love the pictures and the story line is too cute! A great book to integrate language arts and math.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars probably probability, March 7, 2006

By 

Cathe L. Darcy "teacher" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Probably Pistachio (MathStart 2) (Paperback)

Stuart Murphy makes math fun. Probability is a hard concept for children even though they hear the word quite often. Math needs to be fun and relate to everyday life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Probably Pistachio, September 9, 2005

By 

Avid Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Probably Pistachio (MathStart 2) (Paperback)

A delightful book for introducing the concept of probability. It also provides jumping off places for many other classroom discussions.