Math Appeal
Author: Greg Tang
Publisher: Scholastic Press, New York 2003
Ages: 7 - 10

Greg Tang is one of my favorite children book math authors. Math Appeal is a book of rhymes/riddles with helpful hints. On the left-hand side, a brain-teaser is presented in picture form. On the right-hand side, the problem and hints to solve it are within the riddle and suggests a variety of ways to solve the problem. In all of his books, he combines problem solving with arithmetic in a fun learning manner. In fact, Tang states he incorporates four concepts, “thinking outside of the box, finding strategic sums, using subtraction to add, and simplifying through patterns and symmetry.” In my opinion, he does just what he says. Meanwhile, you think you’re just having fun reading. Other books by Tang are

Grapes Of Math (introduction to multiplication)(ages 7 – 10)

Math For All Seasons (counting and arithmetic)(ages 5 – 8)

Math Fables (ages 3 – 6)

Math Terpieces (combines math and Art history)(ages 7-12)

Math Potatoes (problem solving combined with multiplication)(ages 8 – 13)

Math Fables Too (uses sciences to get kids attention) (ages 3 – 7)







Cheetah Math: Learning About Division From Baby Cheetahs
Author: Ann Whitehead Nagda
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, New York 2007

Cheetah Math and three other books were written in collaboration with the San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park has been the birthplace for over 130 cheetahs at time of publishing. When some of these cubs have to be “hand raised ,“
they are trained to become ambassadors to greet zoo visitors. In order to train them to become ambassadors, they are matched with a dog which helps train them. The author uses division to develop the true story between the cubs and dogs. If you want to only learn about the training of the cubs, then read only the right-hand side. Otherwise, read the left-hand pages to learn how math was used to care for the cheetahs. What a neat idea! I have to admit that I enjoyed the collaboration between the author and San Diego Zoo, and I learned something new. The other titles which use the same concept include...

Panda Math: Learning About Subtraction from Hua Mei and Mei Sheng

Chimp Math: Learning about Time from a Baby Chimpanzee

Polar Bear Math: Learning About Fractions from Klondike and Snow

Tiger Math: Learning to Graph from a Baby Tiger