Math-terpieces

The Barnes & Noble Review
Math wizard Greg Tang presents an artfully awesome method for learning addition in this colorful picture book illustrated by Greg Paprocki.

From Impressionism to Pop Art, Tang combines classic pieces of fine art with arithmetic to teach kids that grouping objects together means adding faster and easier. In "April Showers," Renoir's painting The Umbrellas provides the visual eye-candy -- along with Paprocki's groups of umbrellas in Renoir's style -- as the author challenges kids to "group UMBRELLAS to make 9, FIVE clever ways would be quite fine." Similarly, "Square Deal" features Piet Mondrian and tells readers that "7's made from SQUARES are great, the different groupings number EIGHT," while Jackson Pollock's Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist) shows children that "you may find beauty of a different kind" as "9's are made with all these SPATTERS, finding SEVEN is what matters!" As usual, Tang also provides an introductory note about the purpose of book along with an answer key in back.

Another Tang math book that brings pizzazz to problems, Math-terpieces will have kids and parents adding like masters! This art/math lesson is bright and simple to absorb, exposing readers to new ways of seeing and thinking. It will certainly help make those homework assignments a breeze.
Matt Warner