Thirty-one Books That Make Math Fun

We believe that it is just as important to practice math with your children, as it is to read with them. Why not do both at the same time? Engaging with children mathematically will help children enjoy and succeed in math.

Choosing books that include math for your child’s reading list is an easy way to incorporate math into reading time. We made a list of some of our favorite math-related books that both you and your children can enjoy. We included books for all different age ranges, with helpful tips for approaching reluctant teens.

These books could also be a great gift idea, as they help children learn while being entertained!

Ages 3-5: Stories and Symbols

For younger children, we chose books with a story or other imaginative component. The books also include basic math concepts, like numbers and counting.

1. "Ten Black Dots" by Donald Crews

2. "One Hunter" by Pat Hutchins

3. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle

6 great books for ages 3-5 which incorporate math.

The children will tend to read these types of books multiple times. This offers many opportunities to practice counting.

4. "Five Little Monkeys" by Eileen Christelow

This story introduces counting backward and subtraction. It follows an easy-to-memorize pattern, making it a book young children can catch onto.

5. "The Grouchy Ladybug" by Eric Carle

Time, size and shape are introduced in this cute story.

6. "100 Hungry Monkeys" by Masauki Sebe

Pictures throughout the book show 100 monkeys. This will begin to help children understand this important number.

Ages 6-8: Imaginative Play

For an age group that loves exploring and playing, we focused on books that included games or used a child's imagination.

1. "Ten for Me" by Barbara Mariconda

This book shows how to use tally marks, show data collection, and make combinations of 10 all through an entertaining story.

2. "Do Not Open this Math Book" by Danica McKellar

6 great books for ages 6-8 which incorporate math.

Obviously, a child's first instinct would be to open the front cover! Once open, they will learn and explore with Mr. Mouse.

3. "Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday" by Judith Viorst

This story focuses on Alexander’s disappearing fortune. As you read, help your child determine much money he has left.

4. "A Million Dots" by Mike Clements

Using a picture book to show what one thousand and one million looks like, gives kids a way to conceptualize larger quantities.

5. "Annika Riz, Math Whiz" by Claudia Mills

A short chapter book that uses a fun character who notices that math is everywhere.

6. "The Sunday Scoop" by Stuart J. Murphy

Who doesn't love ice cream? We love it because introduces the concept of combinations.

Ages 9-11: Humorous Math Tales

This age group starts to delve into many difficult math concepts, such as negative numbers, fractions, and decimals. These books include these concepts in a humorous way to keep children entertained.

1. "Piece=Part=Portion/Fractions=Decimals=Percents" By Scott Gifford

The pictures in this book illustrate “wholes and parts” in a fun way!

2. "Less than Zero" by Stuart J. Murphy

Children are introduced to negative numbers in a way that is easy to understand in this interesting short story.

3. "The Monster who Did My Math" by Danny Shnitzlein

6 great books for ages 9-11 which incorporate math.

This book emphasizes how succeeding at math takes practice and a good attitude!

4. "A Very Improbable Story" by Edward Einhorn

This cute story is about a boy and the cat stuck on his head, discovering that probability is all around them.

5. "How Many Guinea Pigs Can Fit on a Plane?" by Laura Overdeck

If your child ever asked you, “What would happen if …?” , then they will love this book. This book asks some silly math questions, that are sure to give your family a laugh.

6. "Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi — A Math Adventure" by Cindy Neuschwander

This story uses many fun characters with “punny” names. It follows the main character's journey of figuring out how to measure a circle.

7. "What's your Angle, Pythagoras?" by Julie Ellis

This book follows the main character Pythagoras, who always seems to get himself into trouble. On his adventure, he finds a pattern having to do with triangles.

Ages 12-14: Acknowledging their Maturing Minds

This age group is usually too advanced for math to just be a small part of the story. We chose books that are centered on math, but make math fun, not like homework.

1. "Kiss my Math — Show Pre-Algebra Who’s Boss" by Danica McKellar

This book's format resembles a teen fashion magazine while also teaching math concepts.

2. "The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Moonstone"

3. "The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Girl in Grey"

These are the first two books in a four-part series by Jordan Stratford. They take place in an alternate history. The main characters, Ada Lovelace (the world’s first computer programmer) and Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) meet and form a secret detective agency.

4. "How Math Works: 100 Ways Parents and Kids Can Share the Wonders of Mathematics" by Carol Vorderman

5. "Math and Logic Puzzles that Make Kids Think" by Jeffrey Wanko

6. "300+ Mathematical Pattern Puzzles" by Chris McMullen

6 great books for ages 12-14 which incorporate math.

You and your child will have to work as a team to solve these various puzzles, strengthening your child's problem-solving abilities.

Ages 15 and up: Ask their Opinion

This age group should explore math in ways beyond just their high school math class.

At this age, you might not frequently sit down and read with your child. Instead, try choosing a book from this list, and start reading it or even doing the puzzles yourself. After finding an interesting idea or a challenging puzzle, share it with your child. Have them share their opinion or discuss it with you. Exploring these ideas together could help them to get engaged with the book. Try leaving the book in an accessible place, so they can pick it up easily if they want to try themselves.

1. "The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations" by Boris Kordemsky

This puzzle book is a classic and has entertained high school students from around the world for a long time. Add it to your reading list to join in on the fun!

2. "The Teen Money Manual—A Guide to Cash, Credit, Spending, Saving, Work, Wealth and More" by Kara McGuire

3. "The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens — 8 Steps to Having More Money than your Parents Ever Dreamed of" by David Gardner and Tom Gardner

Both of these books will help teens understand managing money, and how to do it wisely.

4. "The (Fabulous) Fibonacci Numbers" by Alfred Posamentier and Ingmar Lehmann

5. "Here’s Looking at Euclid—A Surprising Excursion Through the Astonishing World of Math" by Alex Bellos

6. "Finding Zero" by Amir D. Aczel

6 great books for ages 15 and up which incorporate math.

All of these books explore historical, philosophical and creative aspects of math.

A lot of the authors we included have written several books about math. If you and your child enjoy a book by a certain author, or if you can’t find a particular book, you could try looking for another book by that same author.

Well, what are you waiting for? Grab a book, snuggle up with your child, and start one of your many math adventures together!