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