Math Man might be a barrel of fun, but he’s not going to be teaching readers much math. Marnie’s class is off to Mighty Mart to see a little math in action. Garth, a.k.a. Math Man, is a clerk with a talent for math. (A contemporary fantasy, obviously.) He races about the store, advising shoppers on their purchases: get a quarter of a watermelon, it fits in the fridge better; or to a mother—“There are four Dinkies in that box, ma’am. And you’ve got five kids. How about a family pack of ten . . . two snacks each?” By the end of the story, when the cash registers have gone on the blink and Math Man is adding colossal columns of figures in his head, readers will swoon at his command of all those numbers. Problem is, readers will not be able to do the same, nor do they get any inkling of the mechanics behind the math—a troop of mice play a cameo role by introducing equations into the marginalia, but without an explanation, the equations’ rationale goes begging. Math Man’s value and appeal lies in his enthusiasm, which Bush (Ferocious Girls, Steamroller Boys, and Other Poems in Between, 2000, etc.) conveys through exuberant, cornball illustrations full of mousy fun, but the best that can be hoped for here is a provocation to learn the meat of the math elsewhere. (Picture book. 6-8)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-29308-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
Though marred by an ill-conceived text, this alphabet of countries makes as magnificent a showcase for Adrienne Yorinks’s textile art as Marian Wright Edelman’s Stand For Children (1998) was. Piecing together strips and blocks of cloth that are from, or at least associated with, 26 countries (e.g., part of Kenya is African mud cloth), she creates vibrant collages of pictorial and abstract patterns around stylized political maps; evocative color schemes, plus scattered images of characteristic flora and fauna, convey a sense of individuality for each nation. Wong adds another course to this feast of color with a series of large polychrome initials, each designed to reflect the accompanying art in some way. The single sentence captions are either carelessly phrased or refer to natural features that are not depicted; still, each turn of the page will elicit admiration from viewers. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 1, 1999
ISBN: 1-890817-14-7
Page Count: 64
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This exuberant picture book features rhyming couplets that celebrate growth and change. It is a good choice for reading aloud, or a begin-the-day class chant: “Once I was an alphabet, now I am a book. Once I couldn’t feed myself, now I love to cook.” Leopold captures many milestones young children will recognize. Some they have already passed, moving from infancy to childhood; some may be ahead, e.g., overcoming fear of the dark, or finding a friend. Hubbard uses complementary colors that shimmer on the page, and lively designs with a rhythm and movement all their own. A brave and fetching book, destined for repeat readings, destined to be loved. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-399-23105-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
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