Learning and Teaching

Find mathematics where you least expect it—in your child’s books!

Maths turns up in the most unexpected places! You'll find it somewhere between the covers of almost any book— picture story books, novels, mysteries, biographies, legends, and adventures.

Storybooks provide a wonderful opportunity not only to build literacy skills, but also maths understanding. Books with maths concepts woven into the pictures and storylines can develop children's mathematical thinking and introduce many maths concepts such as numbers, shapes, patterns, and measurement. Asking questions and making observations about the maths found in picture books can support children’s curiosity and enjoyment of mathematics.

Like many engaging pieces of children’s literature, picture story books involving maths contain fun and interesting storylines. Many are based on topics kids love. Look closely and you'll soon start finding maths in everything you read. 

Below is a list of just some of the picture story books that contain different mathematical concepts. Click on the link to view a description of each of the books on Good Reads.

Adding and Subtracting

Quack and Count by Keith Baker

Rooster’s Off to See the World by Eric Carle

Elevator Magic by Stuart J. Murphy

One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab by April Pulley Sayre and Jeff Sayre

Albert Adds Up by Eleanor May

Counting

Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno

Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell

Eric Carle’s 123 by Eric Carle

Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert

Zero is the Leaves on the Trees by Betsy Franco

Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh

How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Hippos Go Berserk! by Sandra Boynton

Measurement and Size

Who Eats First? by Ae-hae Yoon

Just a Little Bit by Ann Tompert

Balancing Act by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Next to an Ant by Mara Rockliff

Inch by Inch by Leo Leonni

The Growing Story by Ruth Krauss

Patterns and Algebra

Anno’s Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno

Two of Everything: A Chinese Folktale by Lily Toy Hong

Mr. Noisy's Book of Patterns by Rozanne L. Williams

Shape

The Shape of Things by Dayle Ann Dodd

Have You Seen My Monster? by Steve Light

Circus Shapes by Stuart J. Murphy

The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns

Mice on Ice by Eleanor May

Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Thong

When a Line Bends, a Shape Begins by Rhonda Growler Greene

Spatial Relations

Albert is Not Scared by Eleanor May

Inside, Outside, Upside Down by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Mary Peterson

Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayres

Where's Spot? by Eric Hills

The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle

Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins

Over, Under, and Through by Tana Hoban

Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins

List source: https://dreme.stanford.edu/news/children-s-books-foster-love-math