Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food
Grade 3-6–Tang's seventh entry in a series that includesThe Grapes of Math(2001) andMath-terpieces(2003, both Scholastic) is another winner. Each spread includes a poem consisting of neatly rhymed couplets that first set a scene (I gaze into the evening sky,/Think great thoughts and wonder why) and concludes with a hint or suggestion as to how the objects on the opposing page might most efficiently be grouped to arrive at a sum (When you look up to the heavens,/Try to think in groups of sevens!). There are no overt patterns so that, as Tang says in his author's note, children are challenged to combine numbers in smart ways, not just obvious ways. The book concludes with clear diagrams and succinct explanations providing the solutions. Briggs's computer-generated art is crisp, clear, and delightfully quirky. For example, Sock Hop features a loafer on guitar, work boots on drums, and a high-heeled pump on keyboard. Puzzle-loving kids will pick this up on their own, and teachers could pair it with Jon Scieszka'sMath Curse(Viking, 1995) for an energizing departure from the standard math lesson.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.