Think math and counting books are boring? Then you haven’t read these books for kids that not only teach readers how to perform amazing math magic tricks but also turn ordinary counting into a bizarre and mind-bending adventure.
Mathemagic! Number Tricks
Ever been amazed by how “human calculators” can add, multiply, subtract, and divide complex numbers in seconds? Think only geniuses can perform complex equations in their heads?
Think again! In this engrossing how-to book, mathematician Lynda Colgan shows kids the math secrets magicians and mentalists like Max Maven and Criss Angel have used to baffle audiences for years. From a simple finger counting trick that aids kids with multiplication tables to a binary system card trick that lets magicians mentally pluck numbers out of a person’s mind, Colgan imparts a number of “mathemagic” tricks that kids can use in their schoolwork or to entertain their friends.
Where a regular magic book might only reveal the basic math skills needed for each trick, Colgan goes deeper – revealing not only the mathematical principles behind the tricks but also the history behind each mathematical method. Kids will learn how ancient Egyptians developed tables that allowed them to quickly solve multiplication problems and how Leonardo da Vinci used finger tricks to help perform his calculations.
While Colgan’s easy-to-read text and illustrator Jane Kurisu’s cartoonish drawings make this book an engaging read for elementary school kids, readers should know that the methods described are challenging enough for older audiences – and it’s safe to say that more than a few parents and teenagers will be re-reading the book to fully grasp the concepts Colgan describes.
A genuinely fun and challenging book, Mathemagic! offers a good read for kids, parents, teachers, and amateur magicians.
Ten Birds
When ten birds need to cross a river, each constructs innovative and increasingly bizarre methods of getting across – from a pair of stilts to a hot air balloon to a bird-throwing catapult! As the methods grow stranger and stranger, the number of birds left behind dwindles – until readers are left with only one bird, whose simple and straightforward solution to the problem will leave many readers laughing.
Author-artist Cybèle Young’s detailed pen-and-ink illustrations make this story one to remember, as readers watch the photo-realistic birds create ridiculous Rube Goldberg-esque devices out of fans, balloons, wheels, and erector sets. As with all good counting books, kids will enjoy “counting down” the birds as they anticipate what new and eccentric method the next bird will come up with.
While the text is sparse, Young has fun with it, mostly by giving the eccentric birds offbeat names like “Brilliant,” “Extraordinary,” and “Highly Satisfactory” – while the final (and most logical) bird is given the dubious moniker “Needs Improvement.” It’s a fun touch that can lead to discussions on the different ways people value and label genius and the importance of simple solutions.
Find other fun nonfiction and counting books for kids at Funny Reading and Counting Picture Books for Preschoolers, Science Picture Books for Kids, and National Geographic for Kids Books Offer Weird Facts and Stories.
Sources:
Colgan, Lynda and Jane Kurisu. Mathemagic! Number Tricks. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-55453-425-8
Young, Cybèle. Ten Birds. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-55453-568-2
Michael Jung - Michael Jung is a professional writer, children’s literature specialist, and online book dealer whose articles, reviews, interviews, ...
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