Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading.
Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect! Obviously, this year, events may look a little different. But, there are still ways to celebrate.
Starting Monday, May 4, 2020, and through Sunday, May 10th, I’ll be sharing a children’s book here to encourage a love of reading. If you’d like to print off some activity pages related to Children’s Book Week, click HERE. For more information and resources related to Children’s Book Week, click HERE.
COOL MATH
50 Fantastic Facts for Kids of All Ages
By: Tracie Young and Katie Hewett
Published: March 3, 2020
Publisher: Pavilion Children’s
Non-Fiction
I have never been great at math. If it relates to shopping and discounts or cooking and baking then I do just fine. It’s the bigger concept math that I have a harder time with. Amazingly, all three of our children are excellent at math. It’s likely thanks to their father who is in the financial business.
I was intrigued by this little book full of math facts because I thought it might come in handy when I have to sub in a math class or even with our daughter who is schooling from home like the rest of the country right now.
My aunt and uncle are both retired math professors and I feel like I have heard them say the beginning quote before in our conversations.
The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.
Stan Gudder, American mathematician
This is exactly what this book does for us non-math people. The book begins with a timeline of the history of math starting in 30,000 BC when the Palaeolithic people record numbers on bones. The timeline continues to 1514 when the “+” and “-” sign is first used. Finally, the timeline ends in 2003 when the Poincare conjecture relating to 3-D spaces is proven after first proposed in 1904.
The first fun math fact is one I first heard when subbing in the elementary level. This trick is helpful when multiplying by 9s. It is a way to learn your “9” math facts by putting down the finger you are multiplying by 9. So, if you are doing 9×4, you would bend the left index finger down and then the fingers you have left show….36. 9×4=36.
When my daughter read through the book, she liked the math fact that shared how to convert a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit or Fahrenheit to Celsius. This example also shares facts about the hottest temperature ever recorded and the invention of the Fahrenheit scale.
Does your child have trouble with calculating angles of a triangle? There is a good example for that. I know with subbing in math, probability is a tough concept to teach to kids. There is a great lesson on probability in the book.
You can even find algebra, trigonometry, coding, and statistical examples to help explain how to solve equations. Remember your math teacher reminding you about the “order of operations”? Yes, there is good stuff in this book about that math fact too.
This is a handy little book and one I think will be staying in my subbing bag for those days when even I, as the teacher, need a refresher on a lesson. I like how it offers another way to explain the math fact with a little history behind it too. The illustrations are fun, the colors are bright, and everything is explained in a fun and understandable manner. Like, when you go to the doctor, and you want your diagnosis in layman’s terms? That’s how this book is. If I can understand the concepts explained in this book then anyone can!
To purchase a copy of COOL MATH, click the photo below:
Other books you might like:
Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Children's Book Week, Children's books, Katie Hewett, Kid Konnection, math, non-fiction, school, STEM, Tracie Young