Interactive Comics

Thirty-two titles from the “DC Super-Pets,” “DC Super Heroes: The Man of Steel,” “Superman,” and “Batman” series are now available as interactive ebooks from Capstone. An additional 28 titles will be released in the fall. There’s a one-time fee for “DC Super-Pets” interactive ebooks ($31.99 ea.) and “DC Super Heroes” ($33.99 ea.), which grants access to unlimited circulation for all students 24/7 in school, at home, or on any mobile device. “Our DC Comics brand of full-color chapter books offers readers the perfect introduction to DC Comics characters and are among Capstone’s most successful and best-selling series,” noted Matt Keller, Capstone’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Librarians can expand their digital collection with the titles kids love without having to worry about hidden fees or circulation limits.”

Math Challenge

WGBH Educational Foundation’s Innovation Math Challenge is for anyone who wants to create fun and engaging math educational media—educators, student teams, gamers, or programmers. Applicants can submit entries of games, math videos, infographics, or manipulatives. The contest challenges individuals or teams to design and create a web-based digital resource between two and six minutes in length related to middle school math and connected to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. The entry should be “engaging, rich in content and context, and go beyond strictly procedural teaching.” The deadline for submission is November 22. Check out the website for more information and contest rules. Up to 100 winners will each receive $1,000.

 In these books, educators will find solid choices to support some aspect of the Common Core State Standards. Most of the publishers have made a noticeable effort to address the standards and relate math to everyday experiences, giving readers connections that help them engage with the texts. These volumes will not fly off the shelves, but teachers will appreciate them as resources to use one-on-one or in small groups; a couple of them would even work well in class discussions.

Preschool-Grade 4

BUSSIERE , Desirée. What in the World Is a Baker’s Dozen?: And Other Interesting Measurements. ISBN 978-1-61783-595-7; ISBN 978-1-61480-742-1.
––––. What in the World Is a Centimeter?: And Other Metric Measurements. ISBN 978-1-61783-596-4; ISBN 978-1-61480-743-8.
––––. What in the World Is a Leap Year?: And Other Time Measurements. ISBN 978-1-61783-597-1; ISBN 978-1-61480-744-5.
––––. What in the World Is a Mile?: And Other Distance Measurements. ISBN 978-1-61783-598-8; ISBN 978-1-61480-745-2.
––––. What in the World Is a Ton?: And Other Weight & Volume Measurements. ISBN 978-1-61783-599-5; ISBN 978-1-61480-746-9.
––––. What in the World Is an Acre?: And Other Land & Sea Measurements. ISBN 978-1-61783-600-8; ISBN 978-1-61480-747-6.
ea vol: 24p. (Let’s Measure More Series). glossary. photos. ABDO. 2013. PLB $22.78; ebook $22.78.
K-Gr 2–These small books cover many  different measurements in a concise fashion. Distance, weight, area, volume, time, and metric measurements are discussed. After an introduction, each topic is given a spread; a description is clearly written in a few sentences on the left and an example appears on the right (e.g., “Amelia’s dad is a teacher. He orders a gross of pencils.”). The color photos are attractive but clearly staged–all the children look like they are in a photo shoot. Each title concludes with a “Fun facts” page, a quiz, and a simple glossary. These books are excellent for their discussion of lesser-known units, such as survey township, gross, eon, grain, league, and cubit, which would even be helpful for students on the older side of the target audience. Valuable introductions for classroom discussion and units about measurements.

CAPOTE , Lori. Monster Knows More Than, Less Than. ISBN 978-1-4048-7947-8; ISBN 978-1-4048-8039-9. LC 2012029715.
––––. Monster Knows Numbers. ISBN 978-1-4048-7946-1; ISBN 978-1-4048-8038-2. LC 2012029716.
––––. Monster Knows Patterns. ISBN 978-1-4048-7949-2; ISBN 978-1-4048-8040-5. LC 2012029717.
––––. Monster Knows Shapes. ISBN 978-1-4048-7948-5; ISBN 978-1-4048-8041-2. LC 2012029719.
ea vol: illus. by Chip Wass. 24p. (Monster Knows Math Series). websites. Picture Window. 2013. PLB $23.99; BD $7.95.
PreS-Gr 1–Cute monsters are the stars of these singsongy books that introduce numbers up to 20, patterns, shapes, and the concept of more than and less than. Readers will be attracted to the cartoon illustrations, which have bright colors, clean lines, and goofy-looking creatures. The texts are light and humorous at times; after all, these are monsters: “Which bumper car should I choose? More tires on one car are flat. Flat tires make the ride so bumpy. I Li-Li-Li-Like that!” Although these books are not very substantial, students will have fun poring over them. Good for one-on-one sharing to support the topics.

COCCA , Lisa Colozza. Bar Graphs. ISBN 978-1-61080-911-5; ISBN 978-1-61080-936-8; ISBN 978-1-61080-961-0. LC 2012030944.
––––. Graphing Story Problems. ISBN 978-1-61080-914-6; ISBN 978-1-61080-939-9; ISBN 978-1-61080-964-1. LC 2012033603.
––––. Line Graphs. ISBN 978-1-61080-912-2; ISBN 978-1-61080-937-5; ISBN 978-1-61080-962-7. LC 2012033982.
––––. Pictographs. ISBN 978-1-61080-913-9; ISBN 978-1-61080-938-2; ISBN 978-1-61080-963-4. LC 2012032954 .
––––. Pie Graphs. ISBN 978-1-61080-915-3; ISBN 978-1-61080-940-5; ISBN 978-1-61080-990-0. LC 2012033598.
––––. Tally Charts. ISBN 978-1-61080-916-0; ISBN 978-1-61080-941-2; ISBN 978-1-61080-966-5. LC 2012031090.
ea vol: illus. by Kathleen Petelinsek. 24p. (Math Explorer Junior: Making and Using Graphs Series). charts. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Cherry Lake. 2013. PLB $28.50; pap. $12.79; ebook $28.50.
Gr 1-4–Each book begins with an introductory chapter (“What Is a Bar Graph?”), then provides three examples, and finishes with a summary section. An activity that can be printed from the publisher’s website follows each example; some ask students to make a graph, while others suggest that they use what they have learned to answer questions. The instructions are clearly written and the exercises are often lighthearted. For example, kids are asked to create charts or graphs of things such cows, clouds, pets, and number of books read. Pie Graph is the most challenging volume since creating the right wedge sizes is typically a difficult undertaking. However, the book delivers a solid explanation. The appealing layout features bright colors and a mix of graphs, illustrations, and color photos. These titles are activity-driven (even more exercises can be found in the final chapters and through the websites listed at the back of each volume) and can easily be incorporated into lesson plans.

LOUGHRAN , Donna. Carnival Coins: How Will We Count Our Money? ISBN 978-1-59953-552-4; ISBN 978-1-60357-521-8.
––––. A Day at Mini-Golf: What’s the Length? ISBN 978-1-59953-556-2; ISBN 978-1-60357-525-6.
––––. Herding a Hundred: Counting the Sheep. ISBN 978-1-59953-547-0; ISBN 978-1-60357-516-4.
––––. Look for Them: Where Are the Shapes? illus. ISBN 978-1-59953-550-0; ISBN 978-1-60357-519-5.
––––. On the Playground: How Do You Build Place Value? diags. ISBN 978-1-59953-549-4; ISBN 978-1-60357-518-8.
––––. Picnic Fun: Hot Dog Operations. ISBN 978-1-59953-548-7; ISBN 978-1-60357-517-1.
––––. Ship Shape: Making Ships Fly. diags. ISBN 978-1-59953-554-8; ISBN 978-1-60357-523-2.
––––. Tending the Tide Pool: The Parts Make a Whole. ISBN 978-1-59953-555-5; ISBN 978-1-60357-524-9.
––––. Time Ticks By: How Do You Read a Clock? ISBN 978-1-59953-551-7; ISBN 978-1-60357-520-1.
––––. Toy Tally: How Many Toys Are There? ISBN 978-1-59953-553-1; ISBN 978-1-60357-522-5.
ea vol: 24p. (iMath Series, A). charts. further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. Norwood. 2013. PLB $21.27; ebook $21.27.
K-Gr 2 –This subset is a busy mix of language arts and math. The texts have short sentences, and most of the titles engage readers with a story. Each book begins with “iMath Ideas,” which introduces a concept, poses a math problem, and provides strategies for getting the answer, encouraging students to evaluate which method is strongest. Every volume ends by reiterating the same “iMath Ideas.” Additional sections include a “Discover Activity” and an informational section that connects the math discussion to science, history, or art. Each book ends with a “What Comes Next” page that gives ideas for expanding on the concepts presented and an “Additional Notes” section that provides answers to the various problems. Photos, charts, illustrations, and diagrams decorate the pages. At times, there is so much going on that the math might become lost for this young audience. For example, it seems almost random that “ligers” and “tigons” are discussed in Picnic Fun. Do not expect intense computational practice. This comprehensive set of CCSS resources may work well with reluctant math students.

MAHANEY, Ian F. Math at the Amusement Park: Representing and Solving Problems. ISBN 978-1-4488-9653-0; ISBN 978-1-4488-9892-3.
––––. Math at the Bank: Place Value and Properties of Operations. ISBN 978-1-4488-9655-4; ISBN 978-1-4488-9894-7.
––––. Math in the Kitchen: Fractions: Fractions. ISBN 978-1-4488-9656-1; ISBN 978-1-4488-9895-4.
––––. Math on Halloween: The Properties of Multiplication and Division. ISBN 978-1-4488-9654-7; ISBN 978-1-4488-9893-0.
––––. Math on the Playground: Area and Perimeter. ISBN 978-1-4488-9657-8; ISBN 978-1-4488-9896-1.
––––. Math with Cars and Trucks: Measurement and Estimation. maps. ISBN 978-1-4488-9658-5; ISBN 978-1-4488-9897-8.
ea vol: 24p. (Core Math Skills Series). diags. glossary. index. photos. websites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2013. PLB $22.60; ebook $22.60.
Gr 3-6–Each volume presents specific concepts. For example, Bank examines saving money and place values, Kitchen discusses fractions, and Halloween explains multiplication and division. Each spread provides a short, clear explanation and then gives an example (e.g., cutting a sandwich, counting candy, or waiting in line at an amusement park). A “Figure It Out” problem on every spread will challenge but not frustrate children (answers are in the back). The examples are clearly explained and include computational basics and problem solving. The color photos are decorative, but do little to help enhance students’ understanding of the concepts. Readers who already have some knowledge of the topics but need further explanation and practice will get the most out of these titles.

MIDTHUN , Joseph. Addition. ISBN 978-0-7166-1432-6. LC 2012031035.
––––. Division. ISBN 978-0-7166-1433-3. LC 2012031042.
––––. Fractions. ISBN 978-0-7166-1434-0. LC 2012035464.
––––. Multiplication. ISBN 978-0-7166-1435-7. LC 2012031036.
––––. Numbers. ISBN 978-0-7166-1436-4. LC 2012031038.
––––. Subtraction. ISBN 978-0-7166-1437-1. LC 2012031040.
ea vol: illus. by Samuel Hiti. 32p. (Building Blocks of Mathematics Series). further reading. index. websites. World Book Publishing. 2013. PLB Price for Set $169.
Gr 3-6 –This series uses a comic-book format to appeal to the target audience. Cartoon narrators guide readers through different  strategies to solve mathematical story problems involving fractions, multiplication, etc. There are some humorous, edgier moments; in Subtraction, for example, seven worms escape the fish hook only to be eaten by a bird (that responds with a “Burp”). The texts move quickly through the concepts, and thus will be most useful for students with established knowledge and/or a teacher nearby to answer questions. Each volume typically ends with a page of additional facts; resource lists; and a page that includes a “Note to Educators,” an index to the strategies introduced in the texts, and a list of “Educator Resources.” For teachers who want to challenge students to consider different methods of solving problems, these books are a must.

PERRITANO , John. Football Numbers: Graphing Data. ISBN 978-1-59953-566-1; ISBN 978-1-60357-535-5.
––––. Ivy Sue Needs a House: Building with Equivalent Fractions. ISBN 978-1-59953-559-3; ISBN 978-1-60357-528-7.
––––. Looking for Blackbeard’s Treasure: Measuring the Distance. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59953-561-6; ISBN 978-1-60357-530-0.
––––. Mummies in the Library: Divide the Pages. ISBN 978-1-59953-558-6; ISBN 978-1-60357-527-0.
––––. The Mystery Beetle: What’s Multiplying? ISBN 978-1-59953-557-9; ISBN 978-1-60357-526-3.
––––. Pools to Ponds: Area, Perimeter, and Capacity. ISBN 978-1-59953-560-9; ISBN 978-1-60357-529-4.
––––. Seeing Halves: Symmetry in Our World. ISBN 978-1-59953-564-7; ISBN 978-1-60357-533-1.
––––. Space Adventures: Where Does the Time Go? diags. ISBN 978-1-59953-562-3; ISBN 978-1-60357-531-7.
––––. Start the Game: Geometry in Sports. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59953-563-0; ISBN 978-1-60357-532-4.
––––. A Toy Store Summer: Finding Area. diags. ISBN 978-1-59953-565-4; ISBN 978-1-60357-534-8.
ea vol: 32p. (iMath Series, B). charts. further reading. maps. glossary. index. notes. photos. Norwood. 2013. PLB $22.60; ebook $22.60.
Gr 3-4 –These comprehensive CCSS resources have an appealing layout and attractive photos, charts, maps, diagrams, and illustrations. The texts are a busy mix of language arts and math; each volume contains an engaging story line and information that will draw in readers. For example, Mummies combines directions about division with facts about embalming. Every book begins with “iMath Ideas,” which introduce a concept, pose a math problem, and provides strategies for getting the answer. The strategies are reiterated at the end of the book. Questions throughout encourage student engagement. Also of interest are a “Discover Activity” and an informational section that connects the discussion to science, history, or art. Each book ends with a “What Comes Next” page that gives ideas for expanding on the concepts learned and an “Additional Notes” section that provides answers to the various problems. Do not expect intense computational practice; the casual approach may work well with reluctant math students.

REYNOLDS, Mattie. Kids Making Money: An Introduction to Financial Literacy. ISBN 978-1-937529-41-3; ISBN 978-1-937529-37-6.
––––. Saving for the Future: An Introduction to Financial Literacy. ISBN 978-1-937529-42-0; ISBN 978-1-937529-38-3.
––––. Sharing with Others: An Introduction to Financial Literacy. ISBN 978-1-937529-44-4; ISBN 978-1-937529-40-6.
––––. Super-Smart Shopping: An Introduction to Financial Literacy. ISBN 978-1-937529-43-7; ISBN 978-1-937529-39-0.
ea vol: 24p. (Start Smart: Money Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Red Chair. 2013. PLB $23.80; pap. $5.95.
K-Gr 2–These books are meant to teach children about earning, saving, spending, and sharing money. Each one has three chapters and emphasizes the difference between needs versus wants. The texts are written in a bland conversational tone with little to engage children, e.g., “When someone is ready to buy things, there are many ways to shop.”  Fictional characters are introduced to illustrate concepts. For example, in Saving, “Olivia decided to save money for one more month. Then she bought new snow sleds for herself and her brother.” The stock photographs, although pleasant, do not enhance the texts. Except for the opening chapter spreads, the layout typically consists of a photo per page with a paragraph of text underneath.

ROBINSON, Tom. Auto Racing: Math at the Racetrack. ISBN 978-1-61-473406-2.
––––. Baseball: Math at the Ballpark. ISBN 978-1-61-473407-9.
––––. Basketball: Math on the Court. ISBN 978-1-61-473408-6.
––––. Football: Math on the Gridiron. ISBN 978-1-61-473409-3.
––––. Hockey: Math at the Rink. ISBN 978-1-61-473410-9.
––––. Soccer: Math on the Field. ISBN 978-1-61-473411-6.
ea vol: 32p. (Math in Sports Series). charts. diags. further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. The Child’s World. 2013. PLB $27.07.
Gr 3-6–This series does an excellent job of using past and present sports figures to show how statistics can prove a player’s worth. Each book begins with a chapter on “The Basics,” covering the area, perimeter, or length of the court, rink, track, or playing field and other calculations (scoring angles, etc.) that apply to the sport. Chapters that focus on statistics, athletes, and famous competitions follow. Most spreads consist of a few computation questions with explanations of the answers and a large, engaging photo with an informative caption. The problem-solving requires some advanced thinking. Most of the exercises use basic math operations along with calculating percentages (although two errors were found). Numerous charts and graphs compare top players and teams. Students who want to know why their favorite players are the best will love these books.

STEFFORA , Tracey. Math at the Airport. ISBN 978-1-4329-7151-9; ISBN 978-1-4329-7158-8. LC 2012013370.
––––. Math at the Hospital. ISBN 978-1-4329-7152-6; ISBN 978-1-4329-7159-5. LC 2012013371.
––––. Math at the Store. ISBN 978-1-4329-7153-3; ISBN 978-1-4329-7160-1. LC 2012013374.
––––. Math at the Train Station. ISBN 978-1-4329-7154-0; ISBN 978-1-4329-7161-8. LC 2012013379.
––––. Math at the Vet. ISBN 978-1-4329-7155-7; ISBN 978-1-4329-7162-5. LC 2012013380.
––––. Math on the Farm. ISBN 978-1-4329-7156-4; ISBN 978-1-4329-7163-2. LC 2012013381.
ea vol: 24p. (Math on the Job Series). glossary. index. photos. Heinemann. 2013. PLB $21.99; pap. $5.99.
PreS-K–These basic books are aimed at teaching students how important math is in the everyday world. The texts are minimal with one to two sentences per page. For example, “The cashier counts money.” and “The pilot measures how fast.” The color stock photos are attractive (if staged looking) and are successful in aiding reading comprehension. (“The vet counts heartbeats” shows a picture of a man listening with a stethoscope to a horse’s heart.) Although there are no math operations calculated, each book has four pages to questions that encourage readers to practice what they are learning, e.g., “How many toes can you count?”  Answers are provided in the back of every volume. With their limited use and lack of appeal to independent readers, these books are not a necessary  purchase, but they may be helpful in career discussions and as introductions to real-world math problems.

Grades 5 & Up

BRUNNER-JASS , Renata. Designer Digs: Finding Area and Surface Area. diags. maps. ISBN 978-1-59953-574-6; ISBN 978-1-60357-543-0.
––––. Field of Play: Measuring Distance, Rate, and Time. maps. ISBN 978-1-59953-571-5; ISBN 978-1-60357-540-9.
––––. Finding the Treasure: Coordinate Grids. diags. maps. ISBN 978-1-59953-573-9; ISBN 978-1-60357-542-3.
––––. The Garden Club: Operations with Fractions. ISBN 978-1-59953-570-8; ISBN 978-1-60357-539-3.
––––. Hidden Ducks: Describing and Interpreting Data. ISBN 978-1-59953-572-2; ISBN 978-1-60357-541-6.
––––. Save Now, Buy Later: Finding Unit Prices. maps. ISBN 978-1-59953-569-2; ISBN 978-1-60357-538-6.
––––. The Science Olympiads: Proportions and Ratios. diags. ISBN 978-1-59953-576-0; ISBN 978-1-60357-545-4.
––––. Stir It Up: Mixing Decimals. maps. ISBN 978-1-59953-568-5; ISBN 978-1-60357-537-9.
–??––. Winning the Game: Putting Miles in Their Place. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59953-567-8; ISBN 978-1-60357-536-2.
––––. A Year at the Fairgrounds: Finding Volume. diags. ISBN 978-1-59953-575-3; ISBN 978-1-60357-544-7.
ea vol: 48p. (iMath Series, C). charts. further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. Norwood. 2013. PLB $23.94; ebook $23.94.
Gr 5-6–This subset provides an engaging mix of social science, language arts, and math. For example, in Designer Digs readers will get caught up in Anela’s school project that requires her to use equations for finding area to create unusual living spaces. Each book begins with a discussion of strategies and provides several methods for solving the posed problem. Student engagement is encouraged with leading questions. Additional sections include a “Discover Activity” and an informational text section that connects the math discussion to science, history, or art. Photos, maps, illustrations, charts, and diagrams aid in comprehension. Each book ends with a “What Comes Next” page that gives ideas for expanding on the concepts learned and an “Additional Notes” section that provides answers to the various problems. These volumes are not contrived collections of math activities; readers will believe the math is part of the story. This casual and creative approach will be especially helpful to reluctant math students. Overall, a comprehensive set of CCSS resources.

Most of these series will be valuable resources for schools, but few will be appealing to independent readers–except maybe The Child’s World’s “Math in Sports,” which also targets several new standard requirements. However, used one-on-one, in a small group, or even as the basis for a class, these sets can help children learn and practice math concepts. Cherry Lake’s “Math Explorer Junior: Making and Using Graphs” contains clear instructions and can easily be used for a lesson. Elementary students (and their teachers) may find ABDO’s “Let’s Measure More” helpful; the series offers exposure to measurement units not typically found in other books on the topic. PowerKids’s “Core Math Skills” aligns well with the CCSS and can assist strugglers and those needing more practice. World Book’s “Building Blocks of Mathematics” provides problem-solving strategies that will be helpful for students searching for a challenge as well as teachers looking for alternative approaches to the concepts. If looking for a one-stop shop, Norwood’s “iMath” provides a comprehensive set of CCSS-friendly resources that offer multiple strategies to problem solving. The mix of language arts and math will appeal to teachers.

With the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the need for informational books has increased; math volumes must satisfy both the language arts informational text standards and the mathematics standards. However, publishers need to avoid rushing series to press at the expense of providing educational material that engages young readers. Most of the sets reviewed here can find places in classrooms as solid introductory materials or supplemental resources, but few of them will actually independently pique readers’ curiosity and enthusiasm.

Preschool-Grade 4

BRENNAN, Linda Crotta. Banking. ISBN 978-16147-32396. LC 2012932816.
–––– . Bartering. ISBN 978-16147-32402. LC 2012932817.
–––– . The History of Money. ISBN 978-16147-32457. LC 2012932823.
–––– . Managing Money. ISBN 978-16147-32419. LC 2012932818.
–––– . Payment Methods. ISBN 978-16147-32426. LC 2012932820.
–––– . The Stock Market. ISBN 978-16147-32464. LC 2012932828.
–––– . Supply and Demand. ISBN 978-16147-32433. LC 2012932821.
–––– . Taxes. ISBN 978-16147-32440. LC 2012932822.
ea vol: illus. by Rowan Barnes-Murphy. 24p. (Simple Economics Series). further reading. glossary. index. websites. The Child’s World. 2012. PLB $27.07.
Gr 2-5–This series follows two fictional entrepreneurs, Tomás and Mia, as they learn about money through their successful lemonade stand. The information is solid and the texts are clearly written. The books are presented as separate stories, but a complete picture is formed when they are read as a set. Most of the information is imparted through dialogue between Tomás, Mia, and Tomás’s Uncle Tito, with other characters playing minor roles. Additional facts displayed in dollar-bill text boxes fill in the gaps. For example, “The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, is an insurance program for banks.” Illustrations are pleasing, and readers will enjoy the informal approach. These are top-notch resources for the classroom and great reads for students wanting to start their own lemonade stands.

HUTMACHER, Kimberly M. Hours. ISBN 978-1-4296-8577-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-9350-9. LC 2012004668.
–––– . Minutes. ISBN 978-1-4296-8576-4; ISBN 978-1-4296-9352-3. LC 2012004669.
–––– . Seconds. ISBN 978-1-4296-8575-7; ISBN 978-1-4296-9354-7. LC 2012004670.
ea vol: 24p. (Pebble Books: It’s About Time Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $21.32; pap. $5.95.
K-Gr 1–These rhyming volumes do not teach students how to tell time; rather, they try to help them understand the abstract concept. The books begin by asking what a second, minute, or hour is and go on to explain more about the subject. Each spread contains a clear color photo on the left and a four-line rhyme on the right, which can sometimes be awkward. For example, “Digital clocks have no hands./Only numbers in a line./Minutes come after the colon./Now we can tell the time!” Analog and digital clocks are briefly covered, and remaining pages are devoted to examples of how long a second, minute, or hour is, such as a second passes when “You clap your hands./Stomp your feet./Snap your fingers./Drum a beat.” A few examples are questionable (e.g., Minutes states children can “Practice math” in a minute), but overall they will provide fodder for classroom discussion.

MURRAY, Aaron R. Counting in the Desert 1-2-3. ISBN 978-0-7660-4051-9. LC 2011037459.
–––– . Counting in the Forest 1-2-3. ISBN 978-0-7660-4053-3. LC 2011039556.
–––– . Counting in the Grasslands 1-2-3. ISBN 978-0-7660-4054-0. LC 2011037460 .
–––– . Counting in the Oceans 1-2-3. ISBN 978-0-7660-4052-6. LC 2011038121.
–––– . Counting in the Rain Forest 1-2-3. ISBN 978-0-7660-4055-7. LC 2011039557.
–––– . Counting in the Tundra 1-2-3. ISBN 978-0-7660-4056-4. LC 2011039560.
ea vol: 24p. (All About Counting in the Biomes Series). photos. further reading. index. websites. CIP. Enslow Elementary. 2012. PLB $21.26.
PreS-K–These small books ask children to count to 10. Each number is given its own spread. A colorful photo of creatures, objects, landscapes, or plants on the left faces a large number with a description, such as “Five eggs” or “Two big claws.” The objects to count vary: sometimes children count whole animals, but other times they count parts, such as cactus arms or paws. These titles are so basic that students will have no trouble using them on their own, except for the couple of photos where the animals are close together and one may be missed at first pass. Many of the stock photos are captioned and show natural wildlife scenes. These volumes may give new readers additional opportunities to learn their numbers, but they’re not particularly notable.

NELSON, Robin. Let’s Make a Bar Graph. ISBN 978-0-7613-8972-9; ISBN 978-1-4677-0065-8. LC 2011044696.
–––– . Let’s Make a Circle Graph. ISBN 978-0-7613-8974-3; ISBN 978-1-4677-0067-2. LC 2011045060.
–––– . Let’s Make a Picture Graph. ISBN 978-0-7613-8973-6; ISBN 978-1-4677-0066-5. LC 2011044697.
–––– . Let’s Make a Tally Chart. ISBN 978-0-7613-8975-0; ISBN 978-1-4677-0068-9. LC 2011044875.
ea vol: 24p. (First Step Nonfiction: Graph It! Series). illus. photos. glossary. index. CIP. Lerner. 2012. PLB $22.60; ebook $16.95.
K-Gr 2–These basic books provide step-by-step instructions for creating graphs. Nelson features a set of characters with a task to accomplish. For example, in Picture Graph, three children “wanted to show how many apples they picked.” The instructions are clearly written and the illustrations that support the creation of the graphs are helpful. The photos attempting to show the kids in real-life situations can look a bit staged. Circle Graph is the weakest of the set, as it is too simplistic; the data is too easily divided to give students a full understanding. Each title contains a spread that tests children’s knowledge and another that gives them a recap of how to create the featured graph or more information. The questions require appropriate advanced math thinking and will challenge the youngest in the targeted age group. Overall, these books provide strong simple instructions and will give teachers solid supplemental material when teaching graphing.

RISSMAN, Rebecca. Counting at Home. ISBN 978-1-4329-6694-2; ISBN 978-1-4329-6699-7. LC 2011046705.
–––– . Counting at the Park. ISBN 978-1-4329-6695-9; ISBN 978-1-4329-6700-0. LC 2011046706.
–––– . Counting in the Forest. ISBN 978-1-4329-6693-5; ISBN 978-1-4329-6698-0. LC 2011046704.
–––– . Counting in the Ocean. ISBN 978-1-4329-6696-6; ISBN 978-1-4329-6701-7. LC 2011046707.
ea vol: 24p. (I Can Count! Series). illus. photos. index. CIP. Capstone/Raintree. 2012. PLB $24.50; pap. $8.95.
PreS-K–These bright books encourage readers to count to 20. Each page represents one number and maintains the same word pattern (e.g., “Can you count seven basketballs, scattered around this court?” and “Can you count six tiny shrimp, underneath this rock?”). The pages all have a number line at the top, with an arrow pointing to the featured number. Photos of items, plants, and creatures are imposed on top of background drawings. Unfortunately, the illustrations suffer from lack of variety; on many of the pages the same photos are used repeatedly, usually in different sizes or facing different directions. Children will enjoy counting the objects with an adult, but those reading alone may lose interest quickly due to the repetition.

VOGEL, Julia. Measuring Length. ISBN 978-16147-32792. LC 2012933661.
–––– . Measuring Temperature. ISBN 978-16147-32808. LC 2012933668.
–––– . Measuring Time: The Calendar. ISBN 978-16147-32815. LC 2012933669.
–––– . Measuring Time: The Clock. ISBN 978-16147-32822. LC 2012933671.
–––– . Measuring Volume. ISBN 978-16147-32839. LC 2012933675.
–––– . Measuring Weight. ISBN 978-16147-32846. LC 2012933674.
ea vol: illus. by Luanne Marten. 24p. (Simple Measurement Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. The Child’s World. 2012. PLB $27.07.

Gr 1-3–This series includes historical information and facts about the use of different kinds of measurement; it is not a how-to set. On each spread, short paragraphs face an illustration or photo. The material begins with a history of the measurement. For example, Length explains that “Before people had standard tools for measuring, they used body parts.” The colorful illustrations are pleasant, but do not provide additional information. The short glossaries contain four to six words with pronunciation guides. The volumes stress the importance of standards in measurement and are thorough in covering different systems (metric and U.S. customary systems, Fahrenheit and Celsius, etc.) from around the world. Although these titles are not particularly memorable, they could facilitate good segues into meaningful classroom activities.

WAXMAN, Laura Hamilton. Cones. ISBN 978-1-61641-872-4; ISBN 978-1-61478-853-9. LC 2012007114.
–––– . Cubes. ISBN 978-1-61641-873-1; ISBN 978-1-61478-854-6. LC 2012007115.
–––– . Cylinders. ISBN 978-1-61641-874-8; ISBN 978-1-61478-855-3. LC 2012007116.
–––– .  Prisms. ISBN 978-1-61641-875-5; ISBN 978-1-61478-856-0. LC 2012007117.
–––– . Pyramids. ISBN 978-1-61641-876-2; ISBN 978-1-61478-857-7. LC 2012007119.
–––– . Spheres. ISBN 978-1-61641-877-9; ISBN 978-1-61478-858-4. LC 2012007120.
ea vol: illus. by Kathryn Mitter. 24p. (Everyday 3-D Shapes Series). glossary. CIP. ABDO/Magic Wagon. 2012. PLB $27.07; ebook $27.07.
K-Gr-2–This series attempts to provide a basic introduction to shapes, but it has mixed results. Each spread has a drawing of happy kids in common places: home, school, playground, etc. The illustrations are pleasing to the eye with good use of color. However, in some spreads the featured shape doesn’t appear often. The volumes consist of rhyming couplets–“Let’s have a party with tea for two./Cube table and chairs for me and you.” The texts focus more on asking readers to find shapes than providing clear definitions; their attempts to be catchy may make it difficult for children to learn much. These titles may be useful for one-on–one work with students, but could confuse independent readers.

Grades 5 & Up

WOODFORD, Chris. Area. map. ISBN 978-1-4339-7433-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-7436-6. LC 2011045528.
–––– . Distance. ISBN 978-1-4339-7437-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-7440-3. LC 2011052766.
–––– .  Height. map. ISBN 978-1-4339-7441-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-7444-1. LC 2011045527.
–––– . Speed. ISBN 978-1-4339-7445-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-7448-9. LC 2011049256.
–––– . Temperature. ISBN 978-1-4339-7449-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-7452-6. LC 2011049255.
–––– . Time. map. ISBN 978-1-4339-7453-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-7456-4. LC 2011052968.
–––– . Volume. ISBN 978-1-4339-7457-1; ISBN 978-1-4339-7460-1. LC 2011045525.
–––– . Weight. ISBN 978-1-4339-7461-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-7464-9. LC 2011045524.
ea vol: 32p. (Measure Up Math Series). diags. photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2012. PLB $26.60; ebook $26.60.
Gr 4-6–This well-written series is thorough in providing details. Each book begins with a page explaining the subject and then continues with additional facts: historical information, tools used for measuring, examples, extremes of the measurement, and measurement units for the U.S. and the world. Text boxes pose calculation questions (answers are given in the back of the book). The problems containing conversion calculations–a necessary skill for students–are especially helpful. Readers will enjoy the fun facts that help them visualize measurements, such as “330 children, standing on top of one another, would reach the top of the Empire State Building!” Color photos and diagrams help explain the concepts and “Hands On” activities conclude each volume. Readers will not seek out these books, but teachers will find them useful to introduce the topics or provide supplemental information.

These series cover some of the basic requirements of the CCSS for mathematics and provide opportunities, at a minimum, to “ask and answer questions about key details in a text.” Enslow’s “All About Counting in the Biomes” and Raintree’s “I Can Count!” provide introductory resources for counting objects, but are not standouts. ABDO’s “Everyday 3-D Shapes,” although catchy and colorful, may have trouble finding an audience. To begin a discussion about time, Capstone’s “Pebble Books: It’s About Time” can help teachers explain the concept, but it does not teach readers how to tell time. The Child’s World’s “Simple Measurement” series has clearly written information, but is not particularly memorable. Gareth Stevens’s “Measure Up Math” is good for older students and provides computation problems. Lerner’s “First Step Nonfiction: Graph It!” is a worthwhile addition to any classroom where young students are being taught to graph. The Child’s World’s engaging and clearly written “Simple Economics” is necessary if teachers discuss these topics. Overall, most series will be useful in classrooms if used one-on-one with students or to introduce or supplement a discussion. However, more engaging material would be more conducive to learning.