One Riddle, One Answer (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Linda S. Wingerter (Illustrator) "Long ago in Persia, there lived a powerful sultan..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Fanciful Persian motifs and patterns set the mood for this original tale. When the sultan rejects all of the plans of his self-serving advisors to find a husband for his daughter, the princess suggests that perhaps she could pose a riddle. A smart and well-educated young woman who loves numbers most of all, Aziza creates a clever conundrum and then travels around the kingdom to find the man who can solve it. Just as she is about to give up hope of finding the perfect husband, a young farmer solves the riddle, explaining his answer to her satisfaction. While most children under third grade will not understand fully the mathematical solution of the riddle, which involves place value, fractions, and multiplication, readers of all ages will appreciate the gorgeous acrylic paintings that feature a broad palette of colors, including every imaginable shade of blue and purple. Playing with perspective and pattern, the artist and author have created a fairy-tale world in which numbers appear in the clouds, on the sides of horses, and even in the sands of the desert. It is a world in which the pursuits of the mind are as important to young princesses as they are to young princes.-Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Thompson chooses her riddle wisely, it presents a challenge for her audience, yet perspicacious readers can solve it by themselves. -- Publishers Weekly, Feb. 19th, 2001 Publishers Weekly, Feb. 19th, 2001 Publishers Weekly, Feb. 19th, 2001 Publishers Weekly, February 19, 2001

the marriage plot is as old as the hills, but Aziza's intelligence and the lovely illustrations make a pleasing example. -- Kirkus Reviews, December 2000

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1st edition (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590313355
• ISBN-13: 978-0590313353
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #610,095 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, September 21, 2007

By	Amy V 123 "Amy" (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

My daughter brought this book home from her school library and asked me to read it to her. It is a great story about a girl who loves numbers. And perfect for me to read to her since I am an accountant. I really like that the book is about a woman who is good at math, and it takes her a lot of time to meet a man who can match her mathematical genius. It is a cute story with great illustrations.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great children's literature book with a math theme!, April 7, 2003

By A Customer

Beautifully written and illustrated, this is an outstanding book for uses in the upper-elementary grades to accompany a lesson on properties of whole numbers (the multiplicative identity, in particular), place value, and problem solving, in general. I used it with my course for prospective elementary teachers and they loved it. I know that children will love it as well. It also supports gender equity in mathematical ability.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's math and more!, February 26, 2002

By	Bettie Fisher (Dexter, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Young Aziza, the sultan's daughter, has been educated in all things, but her favorite subject is numbers. When the time comes to marry, how to choose her husband? A riddle, of course. A riddle with only one answer. She travels throughout the country searching for a man who can answer her riddle. An astronomer, a soldier, and a merchant all try, but fail. Just as Aziza is about to give up a farmer comes to the caravan to try to answer the riddle. This humble man knows the answer and becomes her groom. A detailed explanation of the riddle follows the story. The illustrations are beautiful. A great story, gorgeous pictures, math - what more could you want!