Whether you’re an avid reader or not, there’s something satisfyingly cozy about the idea of curling up in front of the fire (or heater) with a book and a warm drink. As the forecast continues to tease that winter weather will soon be upon us, Mathnasium would like to recommend some of our favorite math-based storybooks for you and your child(ren) to snuggle up with this holiday season!
Ages 3-5: Sometimes We Do
Sometimes We Do is a picture book written by Omowale Moses, a math educator and local advocate from the Boston area. This book isn't a set of tasks such as counting the seven carrots on the page. Instead, it captures the casual creativity that comes from having math conversations with your kids throughout the day. Together the main character, Johari, and his father chat about size, number, amount, recipes, and family chores.
Buy directly from the publisher here
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Ages 4-8: Absolutely One Thing
Big brother Charlie guides little sister Lola through the rules of numbers as they trek to the store to pick out a toy. Younger readers will enjoy correcting Lola’s faulty number sense, while older readers can join Charlie in embedded calculations, such as: how many stickers does Lola have left after sticking five on the pavement, three on a tree, two on her shoes, one on her brother and one on the dog? (Answer: zero.) Although the pages are chock full of digits, a well-paced plot, sibling humor and funky illustrations make for a breezy read.
Buy directly from the publisher here
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Ages 8-12: Sir Cumference and all the King’s Tens
Join Sir Cumference and the gang for more wordplay, puns, and problem solving in the clever math adventure about place-value and counting by tens. Sir Cumference and Lady Di planned a surprise birthday party for King Arthur, but they didn’t expect so many guests to show up. How many lunches will they need? And with more guests arriving by the minute, what about dinner? Sir Cumference and Lady Di count guests by tens, hundreds, and even thousands to help young readers learn place-value.
View the full collection of Sir Cumference books from the publisher here
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Ages 12-16: Really Big Numbers
In the American Mathematical Society's first-ever book for kids (and kids at heart), mathematician and author Richard Evan Schwartz leads math lovers of all ages on an innovative and strikingly illustrated journey through the infinite number system. By means of engaging, imaginative visuals and endearing narration, Schwartz manages the monumental task of presenting the complex concept of Big Numbers in fresh and relatable ways.
Ages 17+: Zombies and Calculus
Zombies and Calculus is the account of Craig Williams, a math professor at a small liberal arts college in New England, who, in the middle of a calculus class, finds himself suddenly confronted by a late-arriving student whose hunger is not for knowledge. As the zombie virus spreads and civilization crumbles, Williams uses calculus to help his small band of survivors defeat the hordes of the undead. Along the way, readers learn how to avoid being eaten by taking advantage of the fact that zombies always point their tangent vector toward their target, and how to use exponential growth to determine the rate at which the virus is spreading.
Buy directly from the publisher here
Or
Ages 18+: The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus
How do you apply game theory to select who should be on your Christmas shopping list? What equations should you use to decorate the Christmas tree? Will calculations show Santa is getting steadily thinner―shimmying up and down chimneys for a whole night―or fatter―as he munches on cookies and milk in billions of houses across the world? In ‘The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus’, distinguished mathematicians Hannah Fry and Thomas Oléron Evans demonstrate how applied mathematics are interwoven throughout our everyday lives by explaining mathematical concepts through the very merry motif of Christmas.