We've Got Your Number

Gr 5–8—This book kicks off with a fantastic definition of math as an art and a living subject, which, in the right hands, could be great fun. Divided into topics that are unexpected for a math book, the text shows that numbers surround us wherever we are: "From Here to Infinity," "Bizarre Shapes, Weird Spaces," "The Living World," "Everyday Life," and "Language of the Universe." There is also a lot of history, with some really mind-blowing facts; "Try This at Home" boxes to get budding mathematicians thinking; quotes from famous minds; and, for even more fun, page numbers in base 10 and base 16. All of these features, plus the silly cartoons and brightly colored pages, add up to a lot of clutter. Kids already in love with math will find much to wonder at and figure out here; those who are not as enamored with digits are unlikely to be won over.—Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN