Much creativity went into this instructional book for early readers. To this Goodreader, David A. Adler writes like a master teacher. Such impressive Much creativity went into this instructional book for early readers. To this Goodreader, David A. Adler writes like a master teacher. Such impressive writing and teaching!
Adler starts with a winning premise. Human astronauts and their Martain friends, all kids, go about their daily routine.
Automatically, what comes up? There are differences between seconds, minutes, and hours.
When you're traveling through space, what does A.M. mean?
How about P.M.?
Digital clocks predominate in the illustrations, but analog clocks aren't discounted.
FIVE STARS of gleeful appreciation from this Goodreads Reviewer! ...more
Two two friendly, funny robots, Beep and Boots, are the heroes of this book. It's pretty rich that they check their respective heights to find out if Two two friendly, funny robots, Beep and Boots, are the heroes of this book. It's pretty rich that they check their respective heights to find out if they are tall enough to go on all the rides.
Pretty rich! Last I heard, amusement park rides for humans. Only.
Still, the author -- Sital Gorasia Chapman -- made an effort to bring conflict and suspense to this book about height and length.
The pals won't be able to enjoy all the rides together. Not based on their height, since Boots is not tall enough to go on a lot of the rides.
And that, as it turns out, is not the only problem afflicting the robots as they ride on amusement park rides.
FIVE STARS for an entertaining book that teaches math concepts along the way.
I could have lived without the rhymes, especially because the meter of the various verses was not in a pattern that I found pleasing. Still, I liked the overall tone of this book....more
I would respect this book a whole lot more if the front cover didn't lead off with a banner that proclaims "Be An Expert."
Actually, if the publisher oI would respect this book a whole lot more if the front cover didn't lead off with a banner that proclaims "Be An Expert."
Actually, if the publisher of this book had an EXPERT copy editor, the A in "An" would be lowercased. As in, "Be an Expert."
Shame on Scholastic publishers for allowing this book to include "the Expert Quiz." The kids are just learning to read. What a hollow lie! What a way to start dumbing down children!
BASICALLY KIDS DO LEARN SOME INFO
Readers find out there are such things as airplanes, hot air balloons, and rockets.
Okay. I'll rate this book at FOUR STARS.
Apart from the appeal to vanity and empty promise about a kid who can barely read becoming an "Expert," the book isn't bad.
Not for the first time, I'd like to remind publishers, teacher, and parents: Giving out participation trophies may seem like an easy way to make kids like you, but every time you do this you're cheating them....more
Here on Goodreads I just read, for the first time, that the author has publicly admitted to fabricating this story. Therefore, this moneymaker of a puHere on Goodreads I just read, for the first time, that the author has publicly admitted to fabricating this story. Therefore, this moneymaker of a publication has been withdrawn from print.
Which comes as a relief to me, since I strongly disliked this book! To me, it had the ring of falsehood. I read in horrified fascination, as in, "Who would dare to lie about Heaven?"
In addition, what else did I notice about a book that seemed to try way too hard?
Heavy religious beliefs were overlaid onto the boy's experience. As if a great deal of moist bacon grease had been poured over the manuscript, and allowed to set: Picture a few thin pages, covered with a foot of lard in every direction.
I suppose it's always a temptation, when an Evangelical -- or other person with a strong religious agenda -- writes about a Near Death Experience. So tempting to add as much religious teaching as possible! Perhaps this is meant to prevent the "ignorant" readers from making The Big Mistake and landing in Hell for all eternity.
Funny, I never heard of Jesus teaching people to lie . . . for their own good.
What an imaginative premise for this geometry book by Sital Gorasia Chapman!
Beep the robot would love nothing more than to have her own pet, as her frWhat an imaginative premise for this geometry book by Sital Gorasia Chapman!
Beep the robot would love nothing more than to have her own pet, as her friends do.
One night, "Beep wished on all the stars" that she could have a pet to call her very own.
Guess what? The next morning she received a surprise delivery. The package contained circles, squares, triangles, and pentagons. She could use them to make her own robot cat!
Readers aged 5-7 are the intended audience for this imaginative adventure that is also educational. Kids have much to learn from Beep, and how she tries different ways of putting shapes together.
Will she manage to build her robot cat? Will she make a best friend forever?
Here's an approach to learning math that is sooooo kid friendly!
"Subtraction is simple when big bears count, sort, and take away tiny teddies."
PsycholHere's an approach to learning math that is sooooo kid friendly!
"Subtraction is simple when big bears count, sort, and take away tiny teddies."
Psychologist Jean Piaget discovered the cognitive stage of "Concrete Operations." That's a stage all young learners must go through. In this book, it's done by means of colorful bears being counted.
For instance, here are some very concrete instructions to readers:
Spread out the bears. Sort them so thatr you have six groups of different colors. Each group is called a set.
Excellent! Definitely, I consider this to be a FIVE STAR BOOK.
Masayuki-san is an author and illustrator with an adorable sense of humor, not to mention significant absurdity. Also, he happens to be extremely goodMasayuki-san is an author and illustrator with an adorable sense of humor, not to mention significant absurdity. Also, he happens to be extremely good with math and animals.
Animals arrive by the hundred, whether they are 100 bears, 100 rabbits, or 100 birds. Always they're intent on giving us the most hilarious little parades.
This isn't only a counting picture book but a wild set of intersecting journeys.
Animals wearing strange hats. Talking animals that make uninhibitedly making goofy comments.
In the background there's serene white space, reminding me of why I fell in love with Japan as soon as I landed there for my first of 15 found trips. That buzzing intelligence in the deep Japanese silence, that white space!
And with true Japanese politeness, the text invites learning. Never in a pushy way.
Sometimes the book offers soft-spoken encouragement: “More and more bears! Count them: 32, 33, 34, 35 ....”.
Other times assignments are proposed, never in a pushy way, but so much fun that kids may feel that they really-really want to follow up, like it's their own choice rather than a teacher's or author's demands.
How I miss that Japanese finesse!
“Where is the bear so strong he can carry a piano?”
FIVE STARS FOR A BOOK THAT TEACHES SO INVITINGLY.
And it also reminds me why I miss Japan so....more
In real life this Goodreader doesn't consider mice to be all that adorb. But this book is different. They're like cheerleaders for the Dallas Cowboys,In real life this Goodreader doesn't consider mice to be all that adorb. But this book is different. They're like cheerleaders for the Dallas Cowboys, or some other rowdy team. This book is fun-fun-fun.
Pretty darned fast, readers of all ages can catch on to the premise. Ten highly flexible mice teach simple addition. Each double-page spread reveals an equation, illustrating one way to add up to ten.
With unrelenting creativity, these acrobatic mice form two groups. Take the sum of the numbers in both groups and you'll find a grand way of adding up to 10.
For instance:
- 9 mice swing. - While 1 mouse polishes.
This book is absolutely delightful. I gladly give it FIVE STARS....more
Gently drawn animals, "critters," go through pint-sized adventures."
Rhyming text, always intent on counting, is soothing as well. Here's a sample, takGently drawn animals, "critters," go through pint-sized adventures."
Rhyming text, always intent on counting, is soothing as well. Here's a sample, taken from the page entitled SIX!
The race made us hungry; it's time for a break And there's room at the table for six to eat cake. Laughter and food with friends is like heaven When our plates are all clean we'll see what's up with . . .
Besides counting and cake, what else happens between these covers? The critters might be:
- Reading - Making pancakes - Helping friends - Exploring - Playing pirates - Incessantly learning about numbers.
THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK GOT ME THINKING
ALL critters -- except for us humans, and horses -- aren't they always barefoot?
FIVE STARS for helping young reader. Also for enhancing this adult's sense of the cuddliness built into life....more
What a romantic, beautiful sequence of lush illustrations, then numbers. Nature lovers, especially, may love this book.
What will kids learn? They'll lWhat a romantic, beautiful sequence of lush illustrations, then numbers. Nature lovers, especially, may love this book.
What will kids learn? They'll learn how to count from 1 to 20.
Mainly, they'll see lots of animals, animals that are bright and beautiful and easy to count. (And to me, the seashells on the Count-to-12 page... look very much like animals too.)
Simple and serene, this lovely book can coax young counters to know that, "Numbers are your friends."
To be clear, the author is not saying that. Your friendly Goodreads reviewer is saying that as, smilingly, she rates this book at FIVE STARS....more
These books are as addictive as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Only here we have stealth lessons in rounding numbers . . . teaming up with two clThese books are as addictive as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Only here we have stealth lessons in rounding numbers . . . teaming up with two cleverly named characters, Steward Edmund Rounds and Sir Cumference.
In this witty tale, Rounds and Cumference notice that there strangers have camped nearby. Not good. Our guys have good reason to learn how to round numbers, that is, learning how to make accurate counts of the castle's stores of food, supplies, and weaponry. Since they're tasked with helping King Arthur prepare for a serious battle.
Will Rounds II be able to figure out how many bows and arrows they'll have available? How about designing the best possible battle plan? Will Rounds 2 manage to help stave off a potentially disastrous attack?
To give you a sense of the flavor of this delightful book, I'm going to quote from Page 28.
A castle guard peered through an arrow slit. "They're busy as bees down there!" he yelled.
"Busy as BEES?" thought Rounds 2. This gave him an idea.
He rushed to the rampart, shook the skeps, and pushed them over the edge of the wall.
There's no denying it. If you read this math book you're going to have to meet the whole crew: Wilber, Wendell, Willy, Walter, and Woody. You'll see sThere's no denying it. If you read this math book you're going to have to meet the whole crew: Wilber, Wendell, Willy, Walter, and Woody. You'll see slapstick humor and corny pictures . . . all of this being so unabashedly trashy that it's pretty hard not to laugh.
Meanwhile kids are learning math. Important concepts are illustrated:
! Greater than ! ! Less than ! ! Equal to ! ! Addition ! ! And subtraction !
Nonetheless, what kids remember most fondly may be details like how the five, jive ducks spin plates. And send them crashing.
Who cares? Kids will likely find the learning to be irresistible....more
Counting to 100 by Tens? Maybe that strikes you Goodreaders as cerebral, as intellectually promising.
Sigh! Not necessarily. This book is thoroughly loCounting to 100 by Tens? Maybe that strikes you Goodreaders as cerebral, as intellectually promising.
Sigh! Not necessarily. This book is thoroughly lowbrow and slapstick.
It couldn't get any cornier, and yet the cartoon panel-style narration has a certain je ne sais quoi. A certain unabashed zaniness! And this is very endearing.
My favorite quote from this book full of silliness, wrapped around a math lesson:
Willy is the weiner winner! Wendell, Wilmer, Willy, Walter, and Woody all need wider waistbands. All this is accompanied by unsubtle pictures that even I find hilarious!
Definitely, I count this undignified book as a FIVE STAR read....more
The idea behind this counting-practice book seems to be this: Animals make perfect counting companions.
Why would that be? Hello! Pigs can't count.
YetThe idea behind this counting-practice book seems to be this: Animals make perfect counting companions.
Why would that be? Hello! Pigs can't count.
Yet kindergarten kids, and older kids too, do find animals comforting, reassuring, friendly.
When readers feel reassured by the friendly, clean, standardized little fantasy piglets, then it's easier for them to do this strange human activity of counting things.
In this book children open up their imaginations and manage to count from 11 to 20. With help from the cheerful piglets.
Sure, I'll give this book FIVE STARS. Learning matters. ...more
Early readers and counters can find encouragement galore in this friendly, happy book about sparrows who sing.
These softly drawn animals think just liEarly readers and counters can find encouragement galore in this friendly, happy book about sparrows who sing.
These softly drawn animals think just like humans. What a coincidence!
The Singing Sparrows make perfect counting company. The gentle text helps readers to feel familiar with mathematical terms and and gain useful concepts that help with counting.
Addition and subtraction both!
Here's a sample: Sparrows flock and friend. Sparrows like to take baths with friends. They smooth their feathers when they're done. Three more sparrows leave the bush.
FIVE STARS in honor of all those frolicksome children. (Ahem, I mean, frolicksome sparrows.)...more
What a clever, compassionate way to help young math students find their way into their first numerical concepts.
Some folks are afraid of math. They juWhat a clever, compassionate way to help young math students find their way into their first numerical concepts.
Some folks are afraid of math. They just are, for whatever reason. This book combines cuddly-looking young bears with fantastical stories, tiny adventures.
For instance, I'm going into some detail about what's on a typical page. First the quote, then my commentary.
Bears sniff and share. A bear's sense of smell is its most powerful sense. Sister bear sniffs out more tasty berries. Now she has four berries. Her brother has two berries. Which number is bigger? Four is greater than two.
Rather than a dry subtraction problem, see what readers get? A "bear's sense of smell" is such an intriguing idea. And these bears are pictured outdoors in a place that looks as though it smells fresh and summery. The sister bear is wearing a wreath of flowers. While the brother bear is wearing a jaunty hat that he may have made himself.
The whole scene is breathing life. Young readers don't have to hold their breath just because they see numbers here.
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