Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do! (MathStart 3) [Paperback]

Stuart J. Murphy (Author), Kevin O'Malley (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: MathStart 3

It’s Kangaroo’s birthday, but no one will play with him: not the emu, the platypuses, the koalas, or even the dingos. They all have too many things to do. What exactly are they doing? They’re using multiplication to figure out just how many things they have to do to plan a big surprise for Kangaroo!

Best Children’s Science Books 1997 (Science Books and Films)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Each of these books focuses on a simple math concept: matching, time lines, or multiplication. In the first title, the rhymed narrative tells of a sock's search through the house for its mate. When the two are reunited and a torn heel mended, the pair is whole and wearable. A double-page spread allows children to match pairs of socks. In Get Up and Go, the amount of time spent by a girl in various tasks is visually represented; here, the explanation is not as clearly expressed. Told in rhyme by her dog, the story is interspersed with line graphs that display the number of minutes used for each activity. In Kangaroo, the main character hunts for a playmate and finds that everyone is busy. All of their activities are listed and then multiplied by one through four. Kangaroo soon discovers that his friends are preparing a birthday party that culminates with all of their endeavors adding up to 100. Bright hues of acrylic paint and collage are used in the cartoon illustrations. All of these titles end with helpful hints about using the books to teach additional concepts and are best used in a one-on-one setting.
Marsha McGrath, Clearwater Public Library, FL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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 Boston.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (July 19, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064467120
• ISBN-13: 978-0064467124
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 10 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #211,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Mathematics > Popular & Elementary > Arithmetic
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Math > Fiction
  • #75 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Math > Arithmetic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for learning basic math, February 27, 2002

By 

"chunkya2b" (Millburn, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do! (MathStart 3) (Paperback)

My kindergartner loves this book. We read it every night. She is learning basic addition without even realizing it. I also love that the animals are mostly from Australia including dingos, kangaroos and platypuses.

A great book to pass down or share with friends.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful illustrations, March 28, 2000

By 

Colleen Martin (Eugene, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do: Multiplying (Mathstart) (Library Binding)

Charming story with wonderful illustrations. My son loves to count the "too many things to do" items on each page. We also learn about the fun animals of Australia and how they surprise their friend Kangaroo on his birthday.

5.0 out of 5 stars Intro to Multiplication, June 29, 2011

By 

kp0904 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Too Many Kangaroo Things to Do!: Multiplying (Mathstart: Level 3 (HarperCollins Paperback)) (Paperback)

I am a 3rd grade teacher and I used this book on the introductory day for multiplication. It was an awesome resource. The kids were very engaged and even started to read the repetitive parts along with me. After the book we drew our own pictures that showed multiplication in relation to the story.