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.

Children's Literature for Earth Day

Earth Day is April 22. Here are five books that can get elementary students involved in Earth-friendly discussions and activities.

Peet, B. (1970). The wump world. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
The Wumps lived happily on their small world until the Pollutians claimed it for their own. They build skyscrapers, factories, and highways, sending the Wumps into hiding. Will their world ever be the same?

While it's important to teach elementary students the importance of protecting the Earth, pollution and other environmental issues can be very frightening to them. By setting the story on a fictitious planet not unlike our own, Peet makes the story accessible and less threatening for even students in preschool and kindergarten. A hopeful, yet realistic, ending is important, as it should leave students wanting to help protect the Earth without feeling a sense of hopelessness. However, teachers should take care to make sure that students (especially those in the upper elementary grades) understand that environmental problems do not simply go away over time. This book can be used to set the stage for a unit or project on environmental issues.

Hollyer, B. (2009). Our world of water: Children and water around the world. New York: Henry   Holt and Company.
Most of us take water for granted – after all, it's always waiting for us with the turn of a faucet. Or is it? Children around the world tell us about their lives and give us a dramatically different view of water's abundance and value.

Water isn't a topic that we often include in environmental or Earth Day units, especially in the elementary grades. However, it is an extremely important issue and will become more so in the future. Climate change is already causing mountain glaciers to melt, threatening the freshwater supply of millions of people. Desertification, or the process of land deterioration, is a related problem. Teachers could use the vignettes in this book to introduce upper elementary students (grades 3 and up) to the concept of water conservation. Students could track their families’ use of water over a day or week-long period and then develop a plan to reduce water consumption. In addition, the book provides a wealth of up-to-date cultural information about children around the world, making it a wonderful bridge between social studies, science, and literacy.

Sayre, A.P. (2008). Trout are made of trees. Watertown: Charlesbridge.
How are trout (and bears and people) made of trees? This book leads students through a stream's food web to demonstrate the connections between all living things.

This book is one of the most engaging ways to teach food webs that I've ever seen. Instead of presenting an academic definition and examples, it begins with the engaging statement "Trout are made of trees," which should immediately spark student questions! The collage-style illustrations and simple, short text make this book appropriate for students in the primary grades (K-2), although older students might enjoy it as well. This book would be a wonderful prelude to a field trip to a stream to observe the plants and animals depicted and discussed. Teachers can maximize student understanding by pausing after each two-page spread to discuss and clarify. Urban students may have more difficulty with this text, as it assumes some knowledge of a stream environment. In this case, a field trip to a similar environment or even video clips would be helpful to build the requisite prior knowledge for comprehension. Ultimately, helping students realize that all living creatures are connected in food webs will help encourage environmentally-responsible behavior.

Deedy, C.A. (1991). Agatha's feather bed: Not just another wild goose story. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers.
Agatha loves to tell children about where the silk, wool, and linen in her shop come from. After all, everything comes from something! But when six geese show up at her door after she purchases a new feather bed, she must take her own lesson to heart.

This fun book combines many elements of excellent children's literature: an imaginative and entertaining subject, plays on words, repetition, and rich illustrations. Students in grades K-4 will enjoy the story but also learn about the sources of many everyday items, thanks to the text as well as the illustrations. Teachers can extend the lesson by asking students to identify the materials used to create other everyday objects found in the classroom or at home. It is an entertaining way to introduce the concepts of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources as well as the 3Rs – reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Siddals, M.M. (2010). Compost stew: An a to z recipe for the earth. New York: Tricycle Press.
How can you make compost – a dark and crumbly, rich and sweet treat for Mother Earth? Learn how in this colorful rhyming alphabet book!

Composting is another underrepresented topic in the standard Earth Day activities, yet it is a great example of an easy way to recycle and reuse. Any class involved in a gardening or plant project would benefit from reading this book, but its value doesn't end there. Rather, this book would be useful throughout the elementary grades for a variety of other reasons. Primary students, especially kindergarteners and first graders, will benefit from the rhyming text and use of the alphabet book format – two research-based ways to develop students' phonemic awareness. Older students can focus on the underlying science concept of decomposers and their role in food webs. Students of all ages will enjoy the colorful collages that illustrate the book in the style of Ezra Jack Keats's Jennie's Hat. Teachers might even choose to have students create their own environmental-inspired alphabet book complete with collage illustrations – another form of recycling in and of itself.