Math For All Seasons: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles

Believe it or not, math doesn't have to be a torture device teachers use to punish their students. In fact, with a few simple tricks, math can become--dare we say it?--fun! Greg Tang, creator of the popular The Grapes of Math, bestows his considerable wisdom on a slightly younger audience (ages 5 to 8) with Math for All Seasons. This collection of rhyming math puzzles encourages kids to think through problems, rather than relying on memorization and formulas. Each of illustrator Harry Briggs's computer-generated, color-saturated spreads features seasonal treasures such as clusters of tulips or spikes of icicles. Readers study the verse and picture, strategizing and looking for patterns in order to add up the objects without counting one by one. Soon, their eyes and minds will open to consider many ways of problem solving, not just the obvious ones. Solutions and explanations are provided in the back of the book. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter