by Jackie Friedman Mighdoll

My kids love math – numbers, patterns, logic, coding! Since they were little, I’ve looked for stories that naturally include math concepts. There are plenty of counting books out there, but we’ve found the best math books do more than just count. They provide a variety of ways to engage young listeners and make them think – about the numbers and more. Today I highlight one classic and two new math picture books from Japan, Norway, and India.

The Mathical Book Prize says this is one of the classic math picture books. A wizard gives Jack two magic seeds and instructs him to plant one and eat one. The planted one produces two more seeds, so the following year Jack is able to eat and plant again. Then one year Jack decides that he will plant both (and get food some other way). A nice intro to multiplication! And then there’s subtraction when a storm sets in. And different allocations when a partner and child are added to the mix. For the most basic math, the reader can simply count seeds on a page. But for those curious about more advanced math and economics, it’s all there waiting to be explored. Sample lesson plans are available, too.

This is a book about people as much as it is about numbers. The brightly colored people stand out from the blue-line background illustrations. The art encourages counting while the text encourages us to consider the people as individuals – with stories. “Nine people standing in line. Two of them have important decisions to make. One of them is about to be disappointed. One of them is looking forward to going to the movies with her son.” Each page invites the reader to look carefully and speculate: Who has won the lottery, who will develop a vaccine, who is about to miss a flight? The message is clear – “Everybody counts.”

This is a biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan, an Indian mathematician who produced ground-breaking theorems in pure mathematics. The book starts with Ramanujan’s childhood fascination with the numbers and patterns he saw around him in Kumbakonam. It shows the reader his persistence in reaching and working with the great British mathematicians of the time and his ultimate challenges and successes. For those interested in biography, this book provides insight into India with a glossary that explains clothing terms, geography, caste, and more. For those who are eager to engage with mathematics, the book provides patterns and number challenges both in the pages and in the back-matter.  

Meet Jackie Friedman Mighdoll

Jackie Friedman Mighdoll writes children’s books. She won the 2022 CANSCAIP award for best unpublished picture book and the 2021 award for best unpublished middle grade. She is the co-editor of the World Kid Lit blog. She translates from Japanese to English. In a prior career, she founded a program teaching world languages to children starting with newborns. She loves to travel, read, and eat dessert – especially all together!