Picture books are used in our maths lessons often. They can help to create rich learning experiences in which the children are able to link mathematical concepts to the story occurring in the book.

Picture books in mathematics examine big ideas through imaginative story-telling. Picture books in mathematics examine big ideas through imaginative story-telling. They can motivate students by:

stimulating curiosity and interest in mathematical concepts
providing a platform for mathematical discussion where prior knowledge, conjecture and hypothesis can take place.
provide a ‘so-what?’ rationale for the learning, generally through the exploration of a ‘real-life’ mathematical conundrum. (MAV 2020)

Some of the books below are probably familiar to your family and may even have a place on your bookshelves. It is amazing how the mathematical concepts your children are engaging with at school are regularly evident in our everyday lives. The books below are some of the many examples that teachers use within their lessons, you may like to read them with your children at home focussing on the mathematical concepts that occur within the narrative.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Every child should experience this wonderful, cumulative story, with its brightly coloured pictures of the tiny but greedy caterpillar that eats his way through one apple, two plums and three pears before turning into a beautiful butterfly.

This book introduces sequencing, number sense, number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and predictability.

How Many Legs

This book has got legs--the question is, just how many are there? In this zany, laugh-out-loud counting book, little readers are challenged to figure out how many legs there would be in a room if lots of many-legged friends showed up.. Can you keep track of all the wacky, multiple-legged "guests" that turn up on the page? Maybe or maybe not, but you'll sure have a hoot along the way.

This book provides a context for exploring different number combinations to match a total.

One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab

If one is a snail and two is a person ... we must be counting by feet!

This is a fantastic story to stimulate children's counting skills and could be used in any primary classroom.

The discussion may include skip counting and other rich mathematical discussion promoting additive and multiplicative thinking.

Press Here

PRESS HERE, MIX IT UP!, LET'S PLAY! and now SAY ZOOP! Collect all four interactive books from Herve Tullet!

Press Here is the irresistible invitation offered to readers to push the yellow button on the cover of this title - and triggers a magical journey of colour, imagination, and virtual interactivity - all the more remarkable that this adventure has all occured on the flat surface of the simple, printed page.

This book gives a child a perfect opportunity to figure out patterns of action and to predict outcomes.

Mr Archmimedes’ Bath

Every time Mr Archimedes has a bath with his friends, the water overflows. Somebody must be putting extra water in the bath. Is it Kangaroo? Or is it Goat or Wombat? Whoever it is, Mr Archimedes is going to find out.

This book explores volume and capacity. It gives a child a perfect opportunity to figure out patterns of action and to predict outcomes.

Counting on Frank

Frank loves to calculate things. He knows how many humpback whales would fit in his house. He knows how long it would take to fill his bathroom with water. But can Frank guess the number of jellybeans in the jar?

Shoes from Grandpa

When Grandpa decides to buy Jessie a new pair of shoes for winter, the rest of the family join in with offers of new socks, skirt, blouse, sweater, coat, scarf, hat and mittens.

This book explores the concept of size and time.

One Hundred Hungry Ants

Hi dee ho! It's off to a picnic we go!

One hundred very hungry ants hurry to sample the delights of a picnic, but marching in single file seems too slow for 100 empty tummies.The smallest ant of all suggests they travel in 2 rows of 50, four rows of 25 . . . and the division begins.

One Hundred Hungry Ants is not only a spirited and whimsical story, but also serves as an enjoyable visual introduction to math.

Sophie’s Prize

Sophie has just won $100 in an art competition. What will she do with the money? Will she spend it or save it? What would you do? Not only a picture book to be enjoyed in its own right, Sophie's Prize encourages mathematical thinking in a realistic situation to promote engagement, problem posing and solving, motivation and confidence in mathematics for your children. The book also includes ideas for mathematical activities associated with the book.

The Waterhole

Down to the secret waterhole the animals all come. As seasons bring forth drought and flood, they gather there as one. United in their common need, their numbers swell to ten, But hidden deep amongst the trees lie ten times that again! The Waterhole is an ingenious fusion of counting book, puzzle book, storybook and art book - an exhilarating journey of discovery, from the plains of Africa and the Jungles of the Amazon to the woodlands of North America and the deserts of outback Australia.

Uno's Garden

This playful counting book for the very young is a celebration of nature and imagination. Specially adapted by Graeme Base, the gorgeous illustrations guide children as they learn their numbers, discovering a whole menagerie of surprising and delightful creatures along the way.

Which One Doesn’t Belong?

Every colourful page of Christopher Danielson’s children’s picture book, Which One Doesn’t Belong?, contains a thoughtfully designed set of four shapes. Each of the shapes can be a correct answer to the question “Which one doesn’t belong?” Because all their answers are right answers, students naturally shift their focus to justifications and arguments based on the shapes’ geometric properties.Which One Doesn’t Belong? is a powerful, flexible resource that can be used to provoke lively discussions and deep learning about shapes with students of all ages.

Sarah, Mathematics leader

Scholastic Book Club