OVAL MAN

Math gets a superhero makeover in this debut picture book about oval- and triangle-shaped aliens in an epic battle over pizza.

Triangularus has one purpose: “He wants to steal your cheese pizza.” But the green alien, made of triangles, has an oval-shaped nemesis. Oval Man will protect the pizza of Earth children on the orders of his wife, Ovalah, president of the planet Ovaliscious. With the help of his loyal dog, Ovaltina, Oval Man travels to Earth to prevent school pizza day from being ruined. Using his power of invisibility, Triangularus tries to steal all the pizza until Ovaltina’s sharp nose uncovers his plot. Oval Man’s quick action takes them all back into space. There’s very little in the way of conflict here—Oval Man wins easily, although Triangularus is still up to no good at the tale’s conclusion. But the plot is secondary to the math and space silliness. For example, Triangularus’ ship is the Right Rocket; the equilateral button turns him invisible; and the queen of his triangle planet is Scalene. Davis’ geometric cartoon art, with its bright colors, adds to the fun comic-book feel, and end pages help young artists create their own oval characters. The goofy use of geometry terms, specific vocabulary, and the travel of both aliens through the Milky Way and the solar system make this an excellent choice for upper elementary geometry classes, where students could explore wacky shapes.

This humorous tale about alien shenanigans should inspire serious giggles.