Math + Art > numbers

Here’s something you need to know about Sally (the inspiration for this blog): she was married to a math teacher and her three sons grew up to become math teachers. So I figure it’s only appropriate to include math stories every now and then. Here’s one that will hit the shelves in about 10 days (estimation is a useful math skill!).

Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers 

by Rajani LaRocca; illus. by Chaaya Prabhat 

32 pages; ages 3-6

Charlesbridge, 2021

theme: math, art, holidays

Bina had three big brothers: Vijay, Siddharth, and Arjun.

Like big brothers everywhere, they sometimes annoyed her – but Bina loves them anyway. So when the Hindu festival, Raksha Bandhan grows close, she decides to make her brothers some bracelets. They will be the perfect gift to celebrate the close relationship that ties them together as siblings. So Bina decides to buy beads to make the bracelets. Vijay loves blue but hates the color green. Siddharth loves green but can’t stand orange. And Arjun loves orange but is oh-so-tired of blue. 

What I like about this book: This story integrates math by using colors and patterns. With only enough money to buy the beads her brothers love, Bina has to figure out how to make bracelets that are fun and include more than one color. Rajani also includes Back Matter (yay!) with information about the festival and a math exploration activity.

I caught up with Rajani a couple weeks ago and asked her One Question:

me: What made you so passionate about math - and so passionate about sharing

it with young people through your books?

Rajani: I love that math truly is everywhere, that we use it all the time to solve everything from simple, everyday problems to incredibly complex ones. There is a beauty to math that fills me with wonder. I love writing books that, I hope, inspire young people to think about math with a sense of discovery and fun.

Beyond the Books:

Make some patterns using two colors of beads or blocks – or even splats of paint. Like Bina, you might do alternating colors (green-blue-green-blue). What other kinds of repeating patterns can you make using only two colors? Here’s one to get you started: green-blue-blue-green-blue-blue…

Instead of colors, what other ways can you create patterns? Use different senses. Create some patterns you can see (shape? French fries vertical or horizontal?). Create patterns you can hear (drum beats? notes?). Create patterns of texture (sandpaper-smooth? different textures of cloth?)

Rajani is a member of #STEAMTeam2021. In addition to practicing medicine, she writes award-winning fiction and nonfiction books for children. Some of her titles this year include: Red, White, and Whole, Much Ado About Baseball, and Where Three Oceans Meet – plus more on the way! Find out more about her and her books at her website, www.rajanilarocca.com

We’ll be joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Spooky Facts

Halloween is steeped in legend and tradition. Story has it that a man named Stingy Jack was thirsty, but didn’t have enough money to pay for a soda (yep, like any folktale, the teller gets to choose the details). Anyway, Jack convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks. Then Jack then put the Devil-coin into his pocket, along with a silver cross that kept the Devil from transforming back. He tricked the Devil a few more times, and each time he made the Devil promise to never claim his soul. So when Jack died, he wasn’t fit for heaven, but couldn’t go the other way. So he ended up roaming Earth with only a burning coal to light his way. He put the coal into a turnip to serve as a lantern. From then on, he became “Jack o’ Lantern.” To this day, people carve scary faces into turnips, beets, potatoes – even pumpkins – to scare away scary Jack and any other spirits of the night.

Weird But True Halloween: 300 Spooky Facts to Scare You Silly
by  Julie Beer and Michelle Harris
208 pages; ages 8-12
National Geographic Children’s Books, 2020

Unlike Irish folklore, this book is filled with facts. Three hundred freaky stats, tidbits, and trivia about Halloween. Did you know that there is an underwater pumpkin carving contest? Or that the U.S. Defense Department has a zombie apocalypse plan? That there are more Halloween emojis than there are states in the US of A?

I’ll bet you didn’t know that Halloween is also National Knock-Knock Joke Day. So if you’re feeling too old to dress up in costume and beg for treats, you can knock on your neighbors’ doors and share a good joke.

Knock Knock!
Who’s there?
Ice Cream.
Ice cream who?
Ice cream every time I see a ghost!

Your Turn:

Get ready for Halloween by digging up a few of your own facts and legends. Here’s one place to find some, and here’s another

When you do carve your pumpkin, save the seeds for roasting. Here’s how.

Make up your own Knock-Knock Jokes to tell when you head out on Halloween night. Who knows? You might start a new tradition in your neighborhood.

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match

Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match
by Karen Rostoker-Gruber & Rabbi Ron Issacs; illus. by CB Decker
32 pages; ages 4-7
Apples & Honey Press, 2015

With less than two weeks to Hanukkah, it's time to polish the menorah, lay in a supply of candles, find that yummy sweet potato latke recipe you used last year, rescue the dreidel from the goat ... and squeeze in some time to read a new story.

I love the way this one begins: Donkey's legs shook so hard he could barely stand. Tonight, on the second night of Hanukkah, Farmer Kobi had invited Polly to his farm for a date.

Farmer Kobi's farm is part of a moshav, a cooperative farming community in Israel. On this, the second day of Hanukkah, he is a bit late finishing up his chores and the animals are worried because Polly could show up any minute. Things are under control, though, because the sheep have checked on the baa-baa-ghanoush and it's ready.

Things seem to go well until Farmer Kobi heads to the kitchen, leaving Polly in the sitting room with his animals. She thinks they should be outside, not hanging around the dining room table. Things come to a head when Polly storms out, snapping that if she wanted to be with animals she'd go to the zoo.

She was definitely not the perfect match, the animals decide. Before they can feel too sorry for Farmer Kobi there's a knock on the door... Has Polly returned? Will Farmer Kobi meet his match? Will they get to eat the falafel balls and latkes before all the food gets cold?

Karen Rostoker-Gruber is pretty busy getting ready for the holidays at her home, but was gracious enough to answer Three Questions when I dropped in via email.

Sally: Why did you want to write this book?

Karen: I had written a story earlier called "Farmer Ted's Dinner Date" to follow my first book, Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo. For a number of reasons, it ended up on the back burner until I talked with my Rabbi, Ron Isaacs. He told me that there were a lot of Jewish values in the story, so I did a lot of thinking.

A lot of my family members live in Israel and some live on the most famous moshav there--The Nahalal Moshav.  There are no children's books about life on a moshav, so I contacted my cousins in Israel and asked them to send me photographs of the tractors that they drive, the houses that they live in, the clothes that they wear, animals that they have, and things that they keep in their pantry. Then I rewrote the book. The editors loved the story, but they wanted the date to take place during Hanukkah.

Sally: You really play around with language. Talk about the word play.

Karen: When my daughter was about 3 or so, I began the quest for the purr-fect puns for my characters. If I was working on a cat book, I'd look through the whole dictionary and list words like purr-fect, purr-fectionist. If it was a book with a cow, I’d jot down  moo-vies or moo-ve over. In "Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match," I needed puns for geese, goats, and donkey.  First I write the dialog as if people were talking, making sure that it flows easily and is not labored, then I stick in animal puns where I can. 

Sally: Favorite Hanukkah food?

Karen: My mother’s latkes. We have them every Hanukkah.  I used to help her make them, now my daughter helps her. Here’s what you need:

pound bag of Yukon gold potatoes (wash--don't peel them)

1 1/2 onions

3 eggs

1/4 cup matzo meal

1 tsp baking soda

Shred the potatoes. Then take 1/3 of all of the potato shreds and turn them into mush (a food processor works well).

Mix together the 2/3 shredded potatoes and the 1/3 mush with 3 eggs, 1/4 cup matzo meal, pepper to taste, and 1 tsp baking soda.

Put the oil in a frying pan and get it hot. Then use a tablespoon to measure out each latke, and fry until it’s brown it on both sides. Put latkes on a paper towel to drain.

You can find out more about Karen and her books at her website.  Review copy from the publisher.

Last-But-Not-Least Lola and the Cupcake Queens

Last-But-Not-Least Lola and the Cupcake Queens
by Christine Pakkala; illus. by Paul Hoppe
168 pages; ages 7-10
Boyds Mills Press, 2015

OK - you caught me! I'm trying to squeeze one more Halloween book in before I start thinking about turkey and pies - but with that pumpkin on the cover, who can blame me! Pumpkin pie is my all-time fav - and the only kind I ever make.

We met Lola last year, around Earth Day. She still ends up at the back of the line and gets called on last... all because her last name starts with Z. But in this new installment, we discover there is no problem so small that Lola can't make it bigger with a fib, a whopper, a "ball-face lie".

It's nearing Halloween and she and her friends are trying to decide on costumes. Usually, Lola's mom sews her up something cool, but this year mom is too busy sewing dresses to sell for her blossoming home business. So when a friends mom scores three cupcake queen costumes, it's awesome. Except - there are four friends. And when Lola gets caught in a lie, her friends start wondering just who can trust whom. Add to that a school play with lots of lines Lola is sure to forget, and the difficulty of admitting you're wrong, and you've got a recipe for a delightful book.

Today is Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and we're hanging out with other MMGM bloggers over at Shannon Messenger's blog. Hop over to see what other people are reading.  Review copy provided by publisher.

Happy Recycled Holidays!

'Tis the season for ribbons and wrappings. So instead of reading book reviews, why not make some recycled art? This collage is made from tissue paper, gift wrap, a bread bag, some ribbon, and a piece of cardboard from a used-up spiral notebook. I think there's a bit of glitter sprinkled in there, too.

You don't have to make trees. I did because that's what I see when I look outside my windows: trees. But maybe you see snowmen. Or kids on sleds. Or ice skaters and hockey players. Or scarlet macaws and passion flowers.

Make some glue (1/2 white glue, 1/2 water), grab a brush, tear some paper, and let the season inspire you.

Shooting at the Stars ~ the Christmas Truce of 1914

Shooting at the Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914
by John Hendrix
40 pages; ages 3-7
Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2014

"One hundred years ago, a horrible war began. It was the biggest conflict the world had ever seen."

theme: history, hope

In this fictionalized retelling, John Hendrix imagines the Christmas Truce of 1914 told from the perspective of a young British soldier, Charlie. The story is based on letters and interviews with real soldiers who were in the trenches during that period of time. But Hendrix tells it through a letter Charlie writes to his mother. Charlie tells about how close they are to the Germans - only 30 paces separated the trenches between the warring sides. He tells about the mud, and how hard it is to keep his feet dry. And he tells about the miracle of that first Christmas eve on the front, when Germans and British soldiers put down their weapons for a day of peace.

What I like about this book: though fiction, it sticks very close to the letters and stories told by soldiers from that night. It underscores the things both sides had in common: their songs, their faith, their deep love of Christmas, and how sharing chocolate and a good game of football (or soccer, as we call it) can bring people together. The story always leaves me wondering how they could go back to shooting at each other the next day, but Hendrix takes care of that. Soldiers follow the orders, but they just can't seem to shoot straight...

I also like the author's note at the back, along with a photo from the Christmas Truce of 1914 and a glossary.

Beyond the Book: For kids who just can't get enough history, head over to history.com for more info about the Christmas Truce. If you're wondering whether they really did play soccer, check out this letter written from the trenches in France by a British general. H documents the troops laying aside their arms, exchanging gifts, and playing that oft-cited Christmas game.

Listen to John McCutcheon sing Christmas in the Trenches and check out this bit of footage from the film, Oh! What a Lovely War.

Play a game of winter soccer. Invite friends and neighbors over for a post-Christmas dinner game of soccer, even if it means stomping down the snow so you can kick a ball. Don't be too serious about choosing teams or how many players are on a side. If you don't have a soccer ball, don't worry. Neither did the soldiers in WWI. They used empty tins, but you can wad up all that used wrapping paper and tape it and tie it into a ball.

Then, when you're cold and wet, make some hot cocoa. The soldiers shared their chocolate bars, but you can have your own cup. Sharing marshmallows is optional.

Today we're joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Review copy provided by publisher.

Chik Chak Shabbat & Latke the Lucky Dog

If you are looking for some good books to share for Hanukkah, check these out.

Chik Chak Shabbat
by Mara Rockliff; illus. by Kyrsten Brooker
32 pages; ages 3-7
Candlewick Press, 2014

One Saturday morning, just like every Saturday morning, a delicious smell wafted from apartment 5-A.

themes: friendship, multicultural

This wonderful aroma tickles Tommy Santiago's nose, tempts Signora Bellagalli, tantalizes Mr. Moon, and brings smiles to the Omar family. Because they know it is Goldie's wonderful slow-cooking stew she calls cholent. And they know that they'll be invited to share the Shabbat meal.

What I like about this book: I like how Mara Rockliff explains why cholent is such a wonderful Shabbat meal, and how cooking it fits into a day where the world's busyness is put aside. But who makes the cholent when Goldie gets sick? Nobody knows how. Not to worry, say the Omars. They can bring potato curry. It's not cholent, but....

Everyone brings comfort food from their own culture and they set the table and serve it up. It's not cholent, but it tastes like Shabbat all the same. Rockliff includes a recipe at the back.

Latke, the Lucky Dog
by Ellen Fischer; illus. by Tiphanie Beeke
24 pages; ages 2-7
Kar-Ben publishing, 2014

I am one lucky dog! Imagine a mutt like me picked as a Hanukkah present.

theme: holiday, pets, multicultural

Latke's story begins at the animal sheter, when Zoe, Zach and their parents stroll in looking for a dog that's not too big and not too small. They bring Latke home on the first night of Hanukkah and he promptly climbs onto a dining room chair and eats the jelly donuts. That's OK, though, because the kids think he's hungry. "I am one lucky dog!" says Latke.

What I like about this book: Latke gets into new trouble each day of Hanukkah. He unwraps gifts, eats the latkes,chews on dreidels.... but despite his mischief, the kids forgive him because he's still adjusting to a new home. But by the eighth night... Oh, I can't ruin the surprise.

Beyond the books: Oh, definitely cook up some latkes and cholent. Try regular potato latkes first and then, when you're more adventurous, maybe fry up a batch of curried sweet potato latkes. Cholent is the original slow-cooked stew. You'll find a yummy recipe here - it's not Goldie's but it'll do.

Invite friends to bring their favorite "winter comfort" foods to a holiday pot-luck meal. Winter is a good time to invite the neighbors over for food and hot cider and a game of Parcheesi or cards. It's fun to taste what other people love to eat, whether it's macaroni and cheese or black beans and rice.

Learn something about winter holiday customs from a culture that's not yours. A game, a song, a dance, a costume, a decoration, a food or drink... it's fun to learn something new.

Today we're joining PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Review copies provided by publisher.

The Mayflower

The Mayflower
by Mark Greenwood; illus by Frane Lessac
32 pages; ages 4-9
Holiday House, 2014

On September 6, 1620, one hundred and two passengers began their journey on the Mayflower. "The Pilgrims didn't know what to expect when they reached their destination," writes Greenwood. "Before them, only explorers and fishermen had undertaken such a dangerous voyage."

This book is a straightforward telling of the voyage to a new world and answers important questions about what they ate and how they spent their time aboard ship. There's an exciting rescue at sea and a few tense moments when a main beam buckles and water pours in.

What sets this book apart from other tales about the first Thanksgiving is the back matter. There's a timeline from 1620 to 1941, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill to set aside the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving. There's also a long list of books and other resources for curious future pilgrims. Review copy provided by publisher.

Here is the World

Here is the World
by Leslea Newman; illus. by Susan Gal
48 pages; ages 4-7
Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2014

Beginning with the naming ceremony and weekly observance of Shabbat, this book celebrates a year of Jewish Holidays. And published just in time for the beginning of a new year - Rosh Hashana begins Wednesday evening.

"Here are some clouds and a cool autumn breeze. 
Here are the leaves, falling down from the trees. 
Here is the shofar, its sound pure and sweet. 
Here are some apples and honey to eat."

As the seasons turn, the soft, warm illustrations invite us to join in the family's celebrations: Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim, Passover .

There is something for everyone in this book, whether you are celebrating the holidays or seeking information for a school report. There's a great section at the back that includes notes on the holidays and crafts and recipes for each ceremony:  noodle kugel for Yom Kippur, latkes (of course!), a noisemaker for the Purim parade and - for those of you who are still looking for the perfect way to welcome the new year, potato-print cards for Rosh Hashana.

 Today is Nonfiction Monday. Hop over to the Nonfiction Monday blog where you'll find more book reviews. Review copy provided by publisher.

King for a Day

King for a Day
by Rukhsana Khan; illus. by Christiane Kromer
32 pares; ages 6-10
Lee & Low, 2014

Themes: diversity; family; bullying

"Basant is the most exciting day of the year!" It's a holiday filled with feasts and music and parties celebrating the arrival of spring. And many of those people will climb to the rooftops of Lahore [Pakistan]  to participate in kite-flying battles.

This is the day Malik will fly his kite, Falcon. He will send Falcon into the sky to battle with the kite of the bully next door - the bully who throws stones at his sister and calls names. The bully's kite is huge, but Malik is sure his small, swift Falcon can win the day.

What I like about this book: The artwork is amazing - collages that incorporate lace and fabric and papers. The illustrations draw upon the folk art designs of Pakistan - and the kites are so bright I just want to make one myself. I like the kite battles, and the peek into a traditional celebration that embraces sky and skill.

Beyond the book: It's never too late to make a kite. The bold illustrations may inspire some kite designs - or if not, check out these photos of kites kids made for Basant. You'll find a video of the kite festival here (it's rather long-ish - 8 minutes).

Turn a shopping bag into a kite - just follow these step-by-step directions. Then head out to a park or field and go fly a kite! All you need is a nice day and a bit of a breeze.

 Today's review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy provided by publisher.

Dear Santasaurus...

Dear Santasaurus
by Stacy McAnulty; illus by Jef Kaminsky
32 pages; ages 5 - 8
Boyds Mills Press

Is January 1 too early to start writing to Santasaurus? Not if you're Ernest B. Spinosaurus. Especially if you're Ernest B. Spinosaurus. Because - as much as he tries to be good - naughty just comes easier to Ernest. Like the time he gave his mom a box of chocolates... did she forgive him for the spider that was inside? And then there was that other incident... the one with the remote-control flying pterodactyl.

So, to make sure that Santasaurus knows he's trying to be nice, Ernest writes letters. Every month. He assures Santasaurus that he's being good. Those other things that happen? They weren't intentional. Really. Honest mistakes (in judgement). Forget about that glitter flue incident, says Ernest. And focus on the important thing: the Jurassic Turbo Scooter X9. To prove that his nice behavior outweighs his naughty, Ernest includes a bar graph (something I never thought to include in my Santasaurus letters).

This is one fun book to read. Check out the book trailer below - it will have you laughing ho-ho-ho all the way to the kitchen, where those cookies for Santasaurus are waiting to be frosted.
Review copy provided by publisher.

Dusk

Dusk
by Uri Shulevitz
32 pages; ages 3 - 8
Farrar Strauss & Giroux, 2013

One December day a boy and his grandfather go for a walk. "Winter," writes Uri Shulevitz. "Days are short. Nights are long."

The sun begins to set and grandfather says, "Dusk." It's time to head back home, so they walk back to the city. Along the way they meet a man looking for toys for his children. They meet a woman looking for tomatoes, potatoes, and food for her cat. They meet an alien who speaks in a language no one can understand: "...bedy funnye ikla zdat." (he's from the planet Zataplat)

As they walk into the night, lights come on one by one. It's only then that you realize: this is not just a quiet winter's eve tale. It's a holiday book! There are store windows to gaze into, children's parades, and street scenes galore that show a busy city getting ready to celebrate. Perfect for this time of year.
Review copy from publisher.

Hanukkah in Alaska

Hanukkah in Alaska
by Barbara Brown; illustrated by Stacey Schuett
32 pages; ages 4-8
Henry Holt & Co, 2013

Hanukkah in Alaska can sure be different. For one thing, you've got to watch out for moose - and the girl narrating this story tells us what to do when you live where moose live. You drive slowly, because they can really put a dent in your car. And if one comes by the playground when you're playing - hug a tree! A moose can't step on you if you're hugging a tree.

Now it's the last night of Hanukkah. Dad says, "Let's go outside." But that darn moose has been hanging around all week long, eating the tree. Still, dad says it's OK and they'll stay fa-a-ar away from the moose.

The girl pulls on her thermies and flannel shirt and sweater and snowpants and... finally they head outside. And there, up in the sky, a rainbow of light ribbons shimmering in the air. The northern lights - a Hanukkah Festival of Lights as only the far northern sky can provide. And when the moose interferes, the girl comes up with a special Hanukkah solution. This is a fun read-aloud that will make you want to bundle up and head outside to see what's in your Hanukkah night sky.

Advanced reader's copy provided by publisher.

Papa's Latkes

Papa's Latkes
by Jane BeskinZalben
32 pages; ages 3-6
Square Fish (Macmillan), paperback 2013

Themes: Holiday, diversity, family (and food!)

Opening: "Mama made the best potato pancakes in the whole town. 'This Chanukah,' she said, 'I don't feel like making latkes.' So papa said, 'Let's have a latke contest!' "

Why I like this book: How many ways can latke-making go wrong? When the kids try their hands -er, paws - at whipping up potato pancakes, we find out.  Too lumpy! Too oily! Too large! Too small!  But when papa steps into the kitchen the latkes come out just right. There is light (the menorah) and music (O Chanukah) and dreidel-spinning and shiny new frying pans.

Beyond the Book:
Sing! The words and music for "O Chanukah" are in the back of the book.
Make Latkes! Papa Bear's recipe for the best golden latkes is at the back, too. It's a good recipe, but be bold and experiment with blue potatoes, or sweet potatoes. Make apple-beet salsa. Take your latkes where not latkes have gone before ...
Dance! The Hora is a simple circle dance that anyone can do. Here's how.
Roll some candles for the menorah. All you need are some sheets of beeswax and wick. Here's how. 

Today's review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy provided by publisher.

Celebrating Day of the Dead

Today is the celebration of Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead. This celebration, dating back 3,000 years ago, is a time for gathering to remember family and friends who have died. Some families build altars, while others take picnics to the graveyards. However they observe the day, people bring favorite foods, treasured possessions, small gifts, and marigolds to lay on the altar or grave.

Clatter Bash! by Richard Keep. Peachtree, 2004

While El Dia de Los Muertos is a day of quiet respect, it is also a day of noisy celebration. There are picnics, parades, and fireworks. The markets are full of flowers (marigolds) and fresh fruits and vegetables for all the cooking that will be done. There are masks and toys and chocolate skulls.

What I like about this book: I like the way Richard Keep combines his cut-paper art with sounds of the day, turning it into a story that spans a single night. At dusk, a Mexican family has left fiesta offerings in the graveyard. As night falls, playful skeletons rise from their graves. They sing, dance, eat the yummy food, tell stories, and play games. And Keep captures it in sounds:knock-knock, Yak-yak, Chitter-chat... 

In one spread the skeletons sit in a group. Keep's text: "Buenas noches! Storytime! Shiver-jitter, gee!" When they sit down to eat, it's "sip-gulp, chomp-crunch, slurp-burp". As daylight approaches, the skeletons clean up their mess and leave no trace of their "clatter bash" behind as they return to their coffins - until next year.

Beyond the book: So many ways to have fun with skeletons. I've posted ideas for art, food and games over to Archimedes Notebook. And tonight, as you turn off the lights and slip into pj's and bunny slippers, take a listen outside. What do you hear?  

Today's review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. Review copy provided by publisher.

Monstrous Reading for Halloween

Looking for some monster stories for Halloween? Nothing too scary - just something in keeping with the season? How about this pair of books written by Danny Schnitzlein?

The Monster Who Did my Math begins with a young boy who has "...some kind of allergic reaction to multiplication... addition... subtraction." Also long division (the bane of my elementary school career) - and when he wishes for his homework to be done, voila! A monster appears who promises to do his homework for him. All is well and good until the teacher, impressed by his A+ answers, asks him to go up to the board and show how to work out a problem. He can't. When he gets home, he yells at the monster who points to the little print in the contract where, in paragraph seven of clause 93 it says: If you don't learn anything, do not blame me!

Schnitzlein's earlier book, The Monster Who Ate My Peas features a similar deal with a monster: you do the work, I pay a price. In that book the kid won't eat his peas. A monster appears who will eat the peas for a price: the kid's soccer ball.

This veggie-eating monster has hair that looks like spinach, a broccoli-green body, eyeballs that look like brussels sprouts, a squash nose, liver-like lips.... all the things kids everywhere don't like to see on their dinner plate. No matter, this monster eats it all. For a price.

If you need another monster book, grab a copy of  Tara Lazar's The Monstore - where one can buy a monster to deal with problems such as pesky sisters. But there's a catch - isn't there always when dealing with monsters? You can read a full review and interview with Tara here.

Happy Halloween Reading!


The Monster Who Did my Math and The Monster Who ate my Peas are both published by Peachtree Publisher. The Monstore is published by Aladdin. Review copies from the publishers.