Math Talk During ReadingPRACTICE COUNTING BACKWARDS AND GUESSING WHAT NUMBER COMES NEXTSo far, 10, 9, 8, 7 minutes passed. What number do you think we will see next?
Talk about time: What can you do in one minute?
CONNECT THE STORY TO YOUR CHILD’S BEDTIME ROUTINESHow do you get ready for bed? Is that the same or different than the boy?
AFTER READING THE STORY, PRACTICE COUNTING BACKWARDS FROM DIFFERENT NUMBERSLet’s count backwards starting from 8… Now try to count backwards from 13…
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingAFTER READING THE STORY, TIME HOW LONG DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES LASTLet’s time how many minutes it takes you to get ready for bed, or how long it takes you to eat breakfast.
About the MathThe story begins at 10 minutes and counts backwards to bedtime. When reading this counting book, your child can learn:
• We can count both forwards (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) and backwards (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1).
• How to read the numerals: we read 1 as “one,” 2 as “two,” 3 as “three,” etc.
• How long a minute lasts and how many minutes it takes to get ready for bed.
About the Story10 Minutes Till Bedtime is a counting book about a boy who has 10 minutes to get ready for bed. A team of hamsters arrive to help the boy put away his toys, put on his pajamas, brush his teeth, and read a bedtime story. The story and art are hilarious, so that your child will enjoy learning to count backwards.
Words to LearnNUMBER WORDS AND SYMBOLSten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Ten Minutes Till Bedtime by Peggy Rathmann AGE LEVEL 2–4 years
About the Story12 Ways to Get to 11 is a counting book about decomposing, or breaking apart, the number 11 in various ways. Each page shows a different combination of objects, such as nine pinecones and two acorns. The story encourages children to think about counting objects in the world around them.
Words to LearnOBJECTS YOUR CHILD CAN COUNTpine cone, acorn, pitcher, bouquet, sail, anchor, catalog, postcard, triplets, twins, sow, piglet.
About the MathTo count the objects and figure out different ways to get to 11, your child can learn:
• We group and count all the like items together. For example, group and count the peanut shells together and then count all the popcorn pieces separately.
• We need to keep track of which objects we already counted so we don’t count each object more than once or miss any.
• We can break apart a group of objects into smaller groups.
• When we combine those smaller groups back together, we get the total number of objects.
Math Talk During ReadingPRACTICE COUNTING THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS ON EACH PAGE AND PUTTING ALL THE OBJECTS TOGETHER TO FIND THE TOTALHow many pine cones are there? How many acorns are there? How many is that altogether?
EXPLORE COMPARING THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS IN EACH GROUPAre there more acorns or pine cones? How do you know?
TALK ABOUT DECOMPOSING 11 IN A NEW WAYCan you think of a different way to get to 11?
TRY TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO DECOMPOSE OTHER NUMBERSCan you think of two ways to get to the number five?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingCOLLECT OBJECTS AROUND THE HOUSE THAT ADD UP TO 11Let’s see if we can make a group of forks and a group of spoons that add up to 11 altogether.
Then collect objects around the house that add up to another number!
About the StoryIn Actual Size, we meet animals of different sizes. Animals are drawn to scale, so children can see how they measure up to each animal. Each page includes interesting facts and physical dimensions of the animal.
Words to LearnMEASUREMENT WORDSlargest, giant, enormous, heaviest, longest, smallest.
About the StoryAlbert is so excited about the book his sister Wanda brings from the library that he is willing to trade his favorite toys to read it. First he offers Wanda one toy and then adds another. Soon he even adds his pet worms. But Wanda does not want to trade the book for any of Albert’s things. She makes him take them away. Why? That’s a big surprise at the end of the story.
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Words to LearnMATH WORDSfirst, one more, both, plus, altogether.
OTHER WORDSscampered, squeaked, gulped, scurried, interrupted, beamed, trade.
About the MathAs Albert adds and subtracts different items to trade for the book, your child can learn:
• That adding creates more items and subtracting creates fewer items.
• How to count up the number of items every time Albert adds something else to find out the new total.
• How to count up the number of items every time Albert takes something away to find out how many are left.
• When ready, your child might learn how to read number sentences with the symbols +, -, and =.
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Math Talk During ReadingCOUNT HOW MANY ITEMS THERE ARE IN TOTAL Albert offered Wanda three toys and two more worms. How many things do you think that is altogether? Let’s count and find out.
USE YOUR FINGERS TO SUBTRACT ALONG WITH ALBERTHold up 10 fingers, just like Albert has 10 items. He takes away the cat mask. If we put down one finger, how many fingers will we have left? How do you know?
TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTER’S MOTIVATIONWhy was Albert trying to trade with Wanda? Why didn’t Wanda want any of Albert’s things?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingGATHER 11 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. PRACTICE SUBTRACTION BY TAKING AWAY SOME ITEMS. KEEP GOING UNTIL THERE ARE NO MORE LEFT. ASK: How many did we start with? How many did we take away? How many are left now?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Number/Operations
Albert Adds Up! by Eleanor May AGE LEVEL 3–6 years
About the StoryAlbert Is Not Scared is a book about a mouse’s day at an “amousement” park. Albert seems scared to go on rides that go up and down or left and right. But there is a surprise!
Words to LearnDIRECTION WORDSup, down, left, right, across, through, around, toward, backward, forward.
OTHER WORDSshrieked, tilted, gasped, terrified.
About the MathSpatial words describing direction are used in the story. Your child can learn:
• How to notice the direction in which objects are going.
• How to describe the direction in which objects are going by using words such as around, toward, up, and down.
Math Talk During ReadingPRACTICE USING THE DIRECTION WORDSIs the roller coaster going forward or backward? What direction is the pirate ship moving?
EXPLORE THE ILLUSTRATIONSCan you find the arrow? Which direction is it pointing?
IMAGINE HOW THE RIDES AND CHARACTERS ARE MOVINGLet’s close our eyes and imagine how the ride looks when it goes up. Now imagine how it looks when it goes down.
CONNECT THE STORY TO THE CHILD’S LIFEHave you ever been to an amusement park? Were you afraid of anything?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingThis book includes suggested activities at the end. Try out some of the activities after reading!
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Albert Is Not Scared by Eleanor May AGE LEVEL 4–5 years
About the StoryThis picture book beautifully illustrates a small town throughout the changing seasons. Each two-page spread shows a number of everyday objects, from one to 12, for the child to find. There are many different groups of objects on each page that show the target number, such as seven cows, seven houses, and seven trees. The illustrations can be used not only to teach counting but also to help the child learn addition and subtraction. The last page offers useful material for adults.
Words to LearnAlthough there are no words in the story, your children can learn how to read the number symbols: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
About the MathWhile counting the objects in each scene, your child can learn:
• How to say the counting words from one to 12.
• How to count objects one at a time. This is not so easy because the objects are scattered throughout the illustration and the child must look carefully to find them.
• That the blocks on the left and the written number on the right always show the number of objects to be found.
• That the objects can be seen as separate groups and then added to get the total. For example, your child can see a group of four cows and a group of three, then add them together to get seven cows.
Math Talk During ReadingTRY FINDING THE RIGHT NUMBER OF OBJECTS ON EACH PAGEI see the number five. Can you find five cabooses on the train?
TRY FINDING A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF OBJECTS—NOT THE TARGET NUMBERFor example, in the case of five, there is only one train engine: Can you find one of something in the picture?
PRACTICE ADDING AND PREDICTING. IN THE CASE OF FIVEHow many children are here? How many children are there? How many altogether? How many children will there be on the next page?
TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES AS THE SEASONS PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE BOOKNow it’s winter. What’s different? What are the people doing? What are they wearing?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingChildren can illustrate their own counting book with scenes from their daily life, count the objects on the page, and then represent the number of objects with dots or numerals.
Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno AGE LEVEL 2–4 years
About the StoryBalancing Act is a simple yet engaging story about two mice who create a teeter-totter by balancing a stick on a rock. When a salamander joins them, it creates an imbalance until another salamander balances on the other side. Children can make predictions about what will happen when more and more creatures flock to either side of the stick.
Words to LearnANIMAL WORDSmouse, salamander, frog, bird.
OTHER WORDSteeter-totter, balance, luckily, stepped in.
About the MathBalancing Act is about balancing weight on either side of the teeter-totter. When reading the story, children can learn:
• How the stick becomes balanced or unbalanced, depending on which creatures join the mice.
• Balancing doesn’t depend on the number of animals on either side of the stick. Instead it depends on the weight on either side.
• How to describe and compare weights. For example, the mouse and the salamander weigh more than just the mouse alone.
• We can use tools, such as a teeter- totter or a scale, or measure weight
Math Talk During ReadingMAKE A PREDICTIONWhat will happen when the salamander joins the mice? How do you know?
TALK ABOUT BALANCINGDo you think one side weighs more than the other side, or do both sides weigh the same? How can you make sure that the stick is balanced?
NOTICE THE SYMMETRYLook at this page on the left and look at this page on the right. Do they look the same or different? What makes them look the same or different?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingCONNECT THE STORY TO THE CHILD’S LIFEHave you ever played on a see-saw? What would happen if you sat on one side of the see-saw and the mouse sat on the other side?
Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh AGE LEVEL 2–6 years
About the StoryAs bear and mouse are sharing breakfast, they count objects all around them, such as one giant dragonfly and two sweet apples. As bear counts the various objects, children are invited to count along.
Words to LearnNUMBER WORDS AND SYMBOLSone, two, three, four, five, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
About the MathBear Counts is a counting book that introduces numbers one through five. As children count along with bear, they can learn:
• Each object is counted once and only once.
• The last number we count tells us the total number of objects.
• How to name the counting words in order: one, two, three, four, five.
• How to read the written numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Math Talk During ReadingWHEN YOU COUNT THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS, STRESS THE LAST NUMBER YOU COUNTOne, two, THREE. There are THREE bumblebees altogether.
HAVE CHILDREN SHOW THE NUMBER WITH THEIR FINGERSHow many fish are there? Can you show me the number four using your fingers?
POINT TO THE WRITTEN NUMERAL WHEN READING THE NUMBER WORDThere are five ducks. This is the number 5.
PREDICT WHAT NUMBER COMES NEXTSo far we saw the numbers one, two, three, four. What number comes next? How do you know?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingLOOK FOR WRITTEN NUMERALS AT HOME. YOU WILL HAVE TO HELP YOUR CHILD SEE THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS. SOMETIMES IT’S HARD TO FIND THEMLet’s try to find some numbers in the kitchen! Let’s look carefully.
Bear Counts by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman AGE LEVEL 3–5 years
About the StoryBear introduces different shapes on each page of the bilingual story, Bear in a Square. Whether he’s at home or in the park, there are squares, circles, and other shapes hidden in each scene. The number of shapes increases from one to 10, making this a good story to talk about both shapes and numbers.
Words to learnSHAPESsquare, heart, circle, rectangle, moon, diamond, zigzag, oval, star.
OTHER WORDSqueen, pool, cave, crown, clown.
About the MathWhen talking about the different shapes, your child can learn:
• Each shape has its own name, such as rectangle, oval, and circle.
• Shapes have specific properties that make them different from other shapes. For example, a rectangle has four sides, but an oval has no sides.
• We can recognize shapes that are different sizes and positions. For example, if we turn a rectangle on its side, or every which way, it’s still a rectangle.
• Shapes are all around us!
Math Talk During ReadingTALK ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SHAPESHow many sides does a square have? What about a star?
NOTICE THE DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN SHAPESHow do you know this is an oval? How is it different from a circle?
TALK ABOUT THE OTHER SHAPES IN THE PICTUREWhat other shapes do you see, besides the hearts?
PRACTICE COUNTING THE NUMBER OF SHAPES ON THE PAGEHow many circles can you find?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingFIND SHAPES AROUND THE HOUSE OR ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSELet’s look around. Do you see any triangles? What do you notice about this one? Why is it a triangle?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Bear in a Square by Stella Blackstone AGE LEVEL 3–4 years
About the StoryChanges, Changes is a whimsical, wordless story about a man and woman who build a house out of blocks. When the house catches on fire, they build a fire truck. The couple continues to rearrange the blocks and build new structures until they make a new home.
Words to LearnNAMES AND PROPERTIES OF SHAPEScylinder, rectangle, triangle, curved, straight.
About the MathBy examining the shapes and their spatial arrangement, your child can learn:
• To identify and name shapes like cylinder, triangle, and rectangle.
• To describe some properties of shapes, like the four sides of a rectangle, or the roundness of a cylinder.
• To use relational words to describe where the shapes are located, such as under, over, left, or right.
• To notice symmetry in the pictures.
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE THE SHAPESWhat do you notice about this shape? Do you know what this shape is called? What does this part look like?
TALK ABOUT HOW THE SHAPES ARE DIFFERENT AND THE SAME.Point to two different shapes and say: Look at this one and that one. How are they the same and how are they different? How do you know?
EXAMINE WHERE THE OBJECTS ARE LOCATED IN THE ILLUSTRATIONSWhat do you see below this shape? Where is the man located?
FIND EXAMPLES OF SYMMETRYDo you see that this half of the house looks the same as that half? We can say the two halves are symmetrical.
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingASK THE CHILD TO MAKE STRUCTURESLet’s use these blocks to make a beautiful house.
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins AGE LEVEL 3–6 years
About the StoryA family encounters different shapes when they spend a day at the circus. Elephants march around in a circle, horses make a triangle, monkeys make a square, and bears make a rectangle. Children can look for these shapes and more throughout the beautiful illustrations.
Words to LearnSHAPE WORDScircle, triangle, square, rectangle, side, corner, round.
OTHER WORDSringmaster, stilts, tame, acrobat, twirling, aglow.
About the MathAs the circus animals make different shapes, your child can learn:
• The names and properties of the shapes. For example, circles are round.
• How to compare different shapes. For example, while a square has four sides, a triangle has only three sides.
• If you make a shape bigger, smaller, or turn it around, it’s still the same shape. For example, a square turned on its corner is still a square.
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE THE NAMES AND PROPERTIES OF SHAPESWhat is this shape called? How many sides does it have?
NOTICE HOW SHAPES COME IN DIFFERENT COLORS, SIZES, AND ORIENTATIONSThis shape is turned on its side. Is it still a triangle? How do you know?
TALK ABOUT HOW THE SHAPES ARE SIMILAR AND DIFFERENTHow is the rectangle different from the square? How are they the same?
CONNECT THE STORY TO YOUR CHILD’S LIFEHave you ever been to the circus? What other acts do we see at the circus?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingLOOK FOR SHAPES ALL AROUND YOULet’s look around the room. What shapes do you see?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Circus Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy AGE LEVEL 3–6 years
About the StoryColor Zoo presents pages with cutout shapes that can stack together to create different animals. When the child turns a page, one shape is removed and a new animal is magically revealed. For example, the square and triangle stack together to make a mouse’s face, but when the square is removed, the child sees a fox!
Words to LearnSHAPE NAMES AND PROPERTIEScircle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, heart, diamond, octagon, hexagon, sides, corners, round.
About the MathColor Zoo is a shape book. While exploring the various shapes over various readings, children can learn:
• The names of the various shapes, such as oval, octagon, and hexagon.
• The properties of each shape. For example, squares have four sides that are all the same length.
• How shapes can be combined to make images. For example, the heart and circles together make the face of a deer.
• How to compare different shapes. For example, an octagon has eight sides while a hexagon has six sides.
Math Talk During ReadingNOTICE HOW THE SHAPES ARE PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENT ANIMAL ON EACH PAGEWhat shapes make up the mouse’s face?
EXPLORE HOW THE SHAPES ARE SIMILAR AND DIFFERENTHow is the rectangle different from the square? How are they the same?
TALK ABOUT THE NAMES AND PROPERTIES OF SHAPESWhat is this shape called? How many sides does it have? How do you know?
OBSERVE THE DIFFERENT SHAPES THAT MAKE UP OBJECTS ALL AROUND YOULet’s look around the room. What shapes do you see?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingMAKE YOUR OWN ANIMALS OUT OF SHAPESLet’s cut out some triangles, squares, and circles. What animal can we make if we put them together?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert AGE LEVEL 3–5 years
About the StoryEric Carle’s 123 is a counting book. We meet different animals on each page as we count all the way from one to 10. Each page also includes dots that match the number of animals.
Words to LearnCOUNTING WORDSone, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
About the StoryEach page of Fish Eyes introduces a different number of bright, colorful fish. Children can describe the different features of the fish and count their eyes to find out how many are on the page. A little brown fish also introduces the idea of simple addition.
Words to LearnNUMBER WORDS AND SYMBOLSone, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
About the MathChildren can practice counting and simple addition in Fish Eyes. While reading the story, children can learn:
• Each fish is counted only once and each fish is matched with only one number.
• The last number of fish we count tells us the total number of fish.
• How to read the numerals 1, 2, 3, etc., and how to connect these symbols to the number of fish they represent.
• When we add the little brown fish, we get one more than the total number of colorful fish.
Math Talk During ReadingWHEN YOU COUNT THE NUMBER OF FISH, STRESS THE LAST NUMBER YOU COUNTOne, two, three, FOUR. There are FOUR striped fish.
POINT TO THE WRITTEN NUMBER WHEN READING THE NUMBER WORDThere are seven flipping fish. This is the number 7.
TALK ABOUT THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE FISHWhich fish is the longest? Which fish is the shortest? How do you know?
PRACTICE ADDING ONE MOREIf we add the little brown fish, how many fish will we have altogether?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingEXPLORE COUNTING EVERYDAY OBJECTS AT HOME AND HAVE CHILDREN SHOW THE NUMBER ON THEIR FINGERS How many crayons are there? Can you show me the number of crayons using your fingers?
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE THE SHAPESWhat do you notice about this shape? How many sides does it have? Are all the sides the same length?
TALK ABOUT THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SHAPESThis shape is called a rhombus and this shape is called a square. How are they different? How are they the same?
NOTICE HOW THE SHAPES KEEP THE SAME NAME, EVEN WHEN THEY LOOK SMALLER OR BIGGERDo you see how this oval is small and this one is big? But we call them both ovals!
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingLOOK FOR SHAPES IN YOUR HOMELet’s go on a shape hunt! How many parallelograms can we find around us?
About the StoryA little girl loses her monster in the fair. As she tries to find him, she sees different shapes all around her. From the octagons on the merry-go-round to the hexagons on the fun house, children will enjoy spotting the shapes. The book is challenging and needs to be read more than once, but it is fun.
Words to LearnSHAPE WORDSoctagon, rhombus, hexagon, kite, quatrefoil, trapezium, parallelogram, curvilinear triangle, heptagon, trapezoid, pentagon, nonagon, decagon, crescent.
About the MathHave You Seen My Monster? introduces children to a variety of shapes. As they look for the shapes, children can learn:
• The names of the various shapes, especially the more complex shapes: quatrefoil, trapezium, curvilinear triangle.
• The properties of each shape. For example, hexagons have six sides and heptagons have nine sides.
• How shapes keep the same name even when they grow larger or smaller or turn around.
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Have You Seen My Monster by Steve Light AGE LEVEL 5–7 years
About the StoryHippos Go Berserk is about one lonely hippo who invites his friends over for a party. The hippos fill the house, go berserk, and then leave in groups until the first hippo is lonely again, missing his 44 friends. Children will enjoy counting the hippos and guessing how many friends will show up next.
Words to LearnNUMBER WORDS AND SYMBOLSone, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
OTHER WORDShippo, berserk, alone, guest.
About the MathHippos Go Berserk is a counting book. While reading the story and counting the hippos that come and go, children can learn:
• How to say the counting words from one through nine forward and backward.
• How to count the total number of hippos.
• How to carefully count each hippo only once, even when some hippos are partially covering one another.
Math Talk During ReadingPRACTICE CAREFULLY COUNTING THE NUMBER OF HIPPOS:How many hippos do you see? Let’s point to each hippo as we count it.
ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF HIPPOS IN ALLWe started with one lonely hippo, and then groups of two and three hippos arrived. About how many hippos do you think we have now? How do you know?
NOTICE THAT THE NUMBER IN THE CORNER OF THE PAGE MAY NOT MATCH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HIPPOSThe number 3 means three more hippos just arrived. We already had three hippos, so how many do we see now altogether on the page?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingPRACTICE RECITING THE NUMBERS IN THE STORY FORWARD AND BACKWARDLet’s count together! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Now backwards: nine, eight, seven, six, five… .
Hippos Go Berserk by Sandra Boynton AGE LEVEL 2–5 years
About the MathThis story introduces children to spatial ideas. As they take a journey with Brother Bear in the box, children can learn:
• To describe the location of objects using spatial words, such as inside.
• To describe the direction of objects using spatial words, such as falling off.
• To name spatial words that are the opposite of one another, such as upside down and right‑side up.
About the StoryIn this simple story, Brother Bear gets in a box that gets turned upside down, taken outside, and put on a truck. Children learn about spatial words when the box goes outside, falls off the truck, and Brother Bear lands right-side up.
Words to LearnSPATIAL WORDSinside, outside, upside down, falling off, right-side up.
Math Talk During ReadingTALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE PICTURE, EMPHASIZING WORDS THAT DESCRIBE SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPSDo you see Brother Bear getting in the box? Where is the box going? How do you know?
CONSIDER OPPOSITESWhat is the opposite of going on the truck? What is the opposite of getting inside the box?
MAKE PREDICTIONSWhat might happen next in the story? If the box is upside down and we turn it around, will it still be upside down?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingTRY WRITING A STORY OF YOUR OWN USING THE SAME WORDSLet’s write our own story using the words inside, outside, and upside down.
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Inside, Outside, Upside Down by Stan and Jan Berenstain AGE LEVEL 2–4 years
About the StoryLet’s Count invites your child to count the animals on each page, from one to 10. The orderly arrangement of animals in rows and columns and the yellow circles on each animal can help your child to count carefully and accurately. The last page introduces many ladybugs—more than 10!
Words to LearnMATH WORDSone, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, little, many.
OTHER WORDSgrinning, toucans, chatty, slithering, fuzzy, toddling, glints.
About the MathLet’s Count is a counting book. When counting the number of animals on each page, your child can learn:
• How to keep track of the number of animals. While counting out loud, your child can touch each yellow circle.
• How to name and read the counting words in order: one, two, three, four, etc.
• That the last number of animals counted represents the total number of animals.
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE COUNTING THE NUMBER OF ANIMALSHow many animals are there?
HELP YOUR CHILD POINT TO EACH ANIMAL OR EACH DOT ONCE AND ONLY ONCE DURING COUNTINGLet’s touch each animal in order as we count slowly: one, two, three…
CONNECT THE NUMBER OF YELLOW CIRCLES AND ANIMALS Are there the same number of yellow circles as animals? How do you know?
MAKE PREDICTIONSWhat number do you think will come next? How do you know?
EXPLORE COUNTING BACKWARDS FROM 10 TO ONEDo you remember what comes before five? Let’s count backwards from 10!
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingTALK ABOUT COUNTING EVERYDAY OBJECTSLet’s count the number of toys on your bed!
About the StoryAlbert is a clumsy mouse who goes ice-skating with his friends one day. His friends make shapes as they skate around the ice. When Albert tries to join them, he’s too clumsy to make shapes the right way. But then… surprise!
Words to Learntriplets, triangle, side, equal, turn, straight, square, circle, oval.
About the MathAs Albert and his friends skate different shapes on the ice, children can learn:
• The names of shapes, such as triangles and squares.
• How to describe shapes. For example, a triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners, but a circle has no sides and no corners.
• Features of shapes. For example, the lines that make up a square have to be straight. They cannot be curvy.
• The essence of a shape does not change if you simply rotate it.
Math Talk During ReadingTALK ABOUT THE SHAPESWhat is this shape called? How many sides does it have? Are the lines straight or curvy?
NOTICE HOW THE SHAPES ARE THE SAME OR DIFFERENTThis shape is called a triangle and this shape is called a square. How are they different? How are they the same?
REVIEW WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE STORYWhat’s Albert doing? Why does his square look funny?
WHEN YOU SEE THE TRIANGLE ON PAGE 8, TURN THE BOOK SIDEWAYS AND ASKIs this still a triangle? How do you know?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingTRY SOME OF THE SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AT THE END OF THE BOOK. IN ADDITION, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN SHAPES USING STICKS, STRAWS, OR BY DRAWING LINES IN SAND OR SHAVING CREAM.Let’s practice making shapes. Can you use your finger to trace a triangle in the whipped cream?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Spatial Relations
Mice on Ice Eleanor May AGE LEVEL 3–6 years
About the StoryThis story happens at a school fair, where families can play various games at different booths. In one booth, a young boy named Eddie tries to guess people’s ages. As different people stop by his booth, we’ll see Eddie use number clues to figure out everyone’s age.
Words to Learnodd, even, more, less, between, older than, younger than, at least.
About the MathMore or Less is a book about comparing numbers. As Eddie tries to guess the age of each person, your child can learn:
• The difference between more or less. For example, 10 is more than 9 but less than 12.
• The difference between odd and even numbers.
• How to use problem-solving skills and clues to make an educated guess.
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE THE IDEA OF MORE, LESS, AND BETWEENName a number less than 10. Name a number more than 7. What numbers are between 7 and 10?
EXAMINE HOW EDDIE USES PROBLEM‑SOLVING SKILLSHow did Eddie figure out Clara’s age? What did he do first?
USE THE CLUES ON EACH PAGE TO MAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS ABOUT THE PERSON’S AGECan you try and guess how old this boy is?
TRY TO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT WAYS TO FIGURE OUT A PERSON’S AGECan you come up with another way to guess Mr. Shaw’s age? What numbers would you start with?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingPLAY A GAME ABOUT COMPARING NUMBERSI’m thinking of a number from 1-20. Can you guess what number I’m thinking?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Number/Operations
More or Less by Stuart J. Murphy AGE LEVEL 6–9 years
About the StoryEach page invites children to count the number of feet that people and different animals have. Children will enjoy counting from one to 100, with silly snails, insects, dogs, and crabs. One important caution: the story talks about the number of animals, but the math is really about the number of feet on each animal. You may need to clarify this (potentially) confusing usage.
Words to LearnCOUNTING WORDSten, one hundred.
OTHER WORDSsnail, spider, crab, beach.
About the MathThis is a book about counting. In this story, children can learn:
• The last number of feet we count tells us the total number of feet on the page.
• When we add one foot of a snail, we add one more to the total number of feet on the page.
• How to count by groups of 10 using a crab’s 10 feet.
• How to add smaller numbers of feet to make bigger numbers.
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE COUNTING THE NUMBER OF FEET IN DIFFERENT ANIMALSHow many feet does an insect have? Can you show me with your fingers?
PRACTICE ADDING ONE MOREWhat happens when we add one foot of a snail? How many feet do we have altogether? How do you know?
EXPLORE COUNTING BY GROUPS OF 10If we have two crabs, how many feet do they have altogether? How do you know?
PRACTICE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE A NUMBERHow can you make 40 with people?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingPRACTICE ADDING AND COUNTING AT HOMEHow many feet are there altogether in our family?
MATH PICTURE BOOK GUIDE Math Topic: Number/Operations
One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab by April & Jeff Sayre AGE LEVEL 5–8 years
Math Talk During ReadingEXPLORE THE PATTERNS IN THE STORYWhat pattern do you hear on this page? What pattern do you see?
PREDICT HOW THE PATTERN CONTINUESListen to the pattern: Bubble-bubble-pop, bubble-bubble-pop. Bubble-bubble, what do you think comes next in the pattern? How do you know?
Notice how the patterns are different: Yellow-black-yellow-black sounds different than stripe-dot-dot, stripe-dot-dot.
NOTICE HOW THE PATTERNS ARE EQUIVALENTWhat do these strips on the bottom and top of the page tell you about the pattern?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingAFTER READING THE STORY, CHILDREN CAN PRACTICE PATTERNS BY DRAWING THEIR OWN PATTERN FISHLet’s make our own pattern fish using different colors! What pattern should we make?
About the MathWhile hearing and seeing the patterns in the story, children can learn:
• Patterns repeat in predictable ways. If you listen to the sequence in the pattern, you can predict what comes next.
• There are different types of patterns, such as ABAB (yellow-black-yellow-black) and AABB (chomp-chomp-munch-munch-chomp-chomp-munch-munch).
• The color strips on the top and bottom of the page have the same pattern as the fish.
About the StoryA group of fish swoosh, glide, swirl, and swish throughout the water as patterns surround them. As children hear patterns in the story, they can delight in finding those patterns in the illustrations: wiggle-jiggle-jiggle-float, wiggle-jiggle-jiggle-float.
Children can continue looking for fun patterns until a shark appears and all the fish disappear!
Words to Learnmunch, stretch, spurt, glide, underwater, octopus, float.
About the StoryQuack and Count is about seven ducklings quacking, sliding, and flying in marshland. Throughout the beautifully illustrated story, the seven ducklings form different groups that can be added and always make seven.
Words to LearnMATH WORDSseven, plus.
OTHER WORDSslipping, leap, shore, peek-a-boo, paddling, flapping.
About the MathChildren can practice counting and addition in the story. While reading, children can learn:
• To practice counting a group of ducks that are not always neatly in a row and in fact may be hard to see —a challenging but enjoyable task.
• That a group of objects can be broken up into two groups that add up to the number of the original combined group.
• To explore the different ways two groups of ducklings can add up to seven ducklings.
Math Talk During ReadingPRACTICE CAREFUL COUNTINGBe careful when you count the hidden ducks in the water. Point to each duck as you go along.
PRACTICE SIMPLE ADDITIONHow many ducks do you see on the first page? How many ducks are there altogether? How do you know?
EXPLORE THE STRATEGY OF COUNTING-ONThere are three ducks on the first page. Next we can count four, five, six, seven ducks altogether.
EXPLORE DIVIDING A NUMBER INTO SMALLER GROUPSHow else can we separate a group of seven ducklings?
Try to come up with some of your own questions and comments too!
Activity After ReadingPRACTICE BREAKING UP A GROUP OF OBJECTS INTO SMALLER GROUPSHere are eight crayons. Can we divide them into two groups? How many crayons would go in each group? Is there another way to separate them into two groups?
