Author: Loreen Leedy
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. 2000
Reading Level: ages 4 – 8



In Measuring Penny, Lisa is given an assignment in her math class. She has to measure something in as many ways as possible. Of course, she chooses her dog, Penny. The author cleverly uses this opportunity to teach the difference between standard and non-standard measuring units. Lisa measures Penny and compares her to other dogs to explore measuring units such as inches, centimeters, feet, and non-standard units such as dog biscuits. Her discoveries are shared in the form of tables and graphs. So, you learn little tidbits about other dog breeds, as well as tables and graphs. Later, she and Penny take a journey and measure other things together such as temperature, time, and weight. Their journey make you smile with the turn of each page with its colorful illustrations. In fact, the illustrations are easy to understand and appealing to children. Measuring Penny is an excellent book to begin a measuring unit, and one that will make learning math enjoyable. I wish I had this book when I taught second grade. The book is available in paperback, hardcover, and school & library binding.