Children's Literature for Math Class

Teachers can struggle to make math relatable and enjoyable for all students. Here are five books that will engage students in math-related concepts.

Franco, B. (2003). Mathematickles! New York: Margaret K. McElderberry Books.
Words + Math + Seasons = Mathematickles! Journey through the four seasons as words, illustrations, and mathematical equations combine to paint delightful images through unique poetry.

Not only are the poems found in the book original, but most of them are also correct in their use of mathematical signs and equations. For example: “Pumpkin – Seeds + Face = Jack-O’-Lantern.” This makes the book a great way for upper elementary teachers (grades 3-5) to extend their students’ conceptual understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The large colorful pictures and relatable concepts make the math concepts a little less intimidating for students. It’s also a fresh take on the changing seasons. Teachers could have students observe their environment (whether it be the classroom, the playground, or on a field trip) and then write math poems of their own.

Fromental, J. and Jolivet, J. (2006). 365 Penguins. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
On New Year’s Day, a family of four is puzzled when a penguin arrives anonymously on their doorstep. As they continue to receive a penguin each day, their problems are multiplied. But who is sending these birds? And why?

This humorous book will have students laughing as they learn basic math skills: addition, multiplication, and even geometry! Younger students (grades 1 and 2) will appreciate the story, but students in grades 3 and up will benefit the most from the math concepts included.  Teachers might have students write number sentences or equations during a read-aloud to review the concepts presented in the book. Students might also enjoy practicing addition or multiplication facts by drawing groups of penguins as pictured in the book. Finally, the story’s end introduces the issues of global warming and endangered species, which could then be used as the jumping off point for a science lesson.

Nagda, A. W. and Bickel, C. (2004). Polar bear math: Learning about fractions from Klondike and Snow. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
This book chronicles the life of Klondike and Snow, two polar bear cubs that were raised by keepers at the Denver Zoo. Each left-hand page details how fractions and other math concepts were used to raise the bear cubs.

This book is a creative way to introduce fractions and their real-world value to students in grades 3-5. Teachers of younger students may choose to omit the left-hand pages and only use the right-hand ones (which tell the cubs’ story) as a read-aloud. Alternating back and forth between the story and the math concepts might be confusing for students, especially if they have not read the book before. I would recommend that teachers planning on using the book to teach math concepts read only the story (right-hand pages) first to students, then incorporate the math concepts (left-hand pages) on subsequent re-readings. 

Pinczes, E. (1996). Arctic fives arrive. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

One day in the Arctic, five snowy owls light on the top of a hill. They are joined by groups of five – polar bears, musk oxen, walrus, ermine, and more – who arrive to view a magical sight.

I’ve shared this book with kindergarten students, who loved the rhymes and silly story. The arrival of each subsequent groups of five led to moans, groans, and laughs among the children. It also provided a terrific opportunity for them to practice counting by fives, which is a skill that primary students must master. However, this book is not without its flaws. First, it is on the long side for young students, as many were squirming and wiggling around before the story was finished. Second, a re-reading of the book in preparation for this post showed a fairly significant discrepancy between the text and illustrations. While the text states that the animals end up on a hill (which isn’t quite accurate as the Arctic tundra is flat), the illustrations show the animals crowding on a very tall iceberg (again, not quite accurate). However, the book overall is still one I’d recommend and use for counting exercises with students in the primary grades if used with modifications as needed (such as building in time for movement such as acting like the animals in the story or only using part of the story).

Smith, D. (2002). If the world were a village: A book about the world’s people. Toronto: Kids Can Press.

Smith, D. (2009). If America were a village: A book about the people of the United States. Toronto: Kids Can Press.
These two books introduce students to economic, social, political, and environmental issues facing the world and country’s population by providing statistics about a village of 100 people.

It can be a challenge to help students (and adults!) understand the extent of issues such as food shortages, poverty, and lack of access to clean water. Part of the reason for this is the huge numbers involved in such statistics. By simplifying to a village of 100, world and national issues are much more accessible. The author provides excellent suggestions for teaching about America and/or developing a sense of “world-mindedness” by emphasizing geography, cultural heritage, and a sense of citizenship. In terms of math concepts, these books provide an excellent real-world context for teaching about rations and fractions, two concepts that upper elementary students often struggle with and question the utility of.