Tang, Gregg (2001). The grapes of math. Scholastic Press. New York.
Summary:
This is a cute little book that presents math word problems in riddle form. The riddles are challenging and involve finding patterns, grouping, adding, and subtracting. Each riddle had pictures to go with it to help in solving the riddle.
Author: Gregg Tang
Illustrator: Harry Briggs
Illustrations: Were created on computer and incorporate different animals, insects, and food.
Access Features: Answers to Riddles, A Note About Grapes of Math
Grade Level: K-3
Book Design: Book is square with bright colors on cover and is appropriately covered with grape vines. End pages are purple again symbolic of grapes. Each two page spread has a different theme that the text and illustrations follow. Text is written over the illustrations and the subject of the word problem riddle is on the left page. The riddle is on the right page and each riddle has it’s own title.
Writing Style: Text is very children friendly but the riddles are also challenging. These are great brain teasers and it introduces and uses “math language.”
Curriculum: Math
Classroom Use: I think this would be a great resource to use to help learn “math language” and practice word problems and problem solving.
Standards: Math-Understand patterns, relations, and functions; Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems
Awards: N/A
Author Credibility: Tang has a master’s degree in economics and math education. He has also taught Kindergarten through college.
Related Texts: Math-terpieces by Greg Tang; Math Curse by Jon Scieszka; Math Appeal (Mind-Stretching Math Riddles) by Gregory Tang; Math Potatoes: Mind-stretching Brain Food: Mind-stretching Brain Food by Greg Tang; How Big Is a Foot? by Rolf Myller; Fractals, Googols, and Other Mathematical Tales by Theoni Pappas
Response:
This book was so much fun to read. Some of the riddles made me think and took me a while to figure out. The illustrations are really helpful in solving the riddles and the book is so colorful that it keeps you interested. I really enjoyed all the challenging problems.
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1 comment:
Hello Allison,
I actually have this book and use it with my 4th and 5th graders. Most of them (not all of them)enjoy this book a lot. Of course, we get the play on the title and children don't, but that's what makes it appealing to adults who will then introduce it to children.
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