by Dr. Wesley Sharpe

If there’s one school subject that kids complain about most, it’s math. But new studies say kids can eliminate their fears and nurture their math quotient by reading books that integrate simple math into the story line.

According to researchers, reading out loud with your child can jump start your grade schooler’s mathematical thinking and help eliminate the math doldrums. Even children who can’t yet read can benefit when parents read fun and interesting material like the counting and simple numbers books that are published for young children.

Joey Waldrup, a second-grade teacher at Oklahoma City’s Casady School, reads math stories to her students to acquaint them with difficult math concepts. “These books introduce the children to literature, and show them how important math is in the real world. The absorbing stories and illustrations teach abstract math in a way children can understand,” Waldrup said.

For example, the book Money Monster tells the story of monsters going to the pet store to buy a pet. Kids learn about the worth of different coins, counting money, and how much things cost.

Strategies to Make the Most of Math-Related Stories
· Examine the book’s cover and title for hints about the story’s theme.
· If your child can read, read the book to him, then ask him to read it to you.
· Refer back to what your child knows about the characters and help her to recall other information.
· Discuss new math words such as add, subtract, multiply, and divide and post them on the refrigerator or bulletin board.

Math-Loving Titles
Money Monster by Grace Maccaroni and Marilyn Burns (Scholastic). Ten smiling monsters make a trip to the pet store to buy a pet. In this story, children learn to recognize and count different combinations of pennies, nickels, and dimes. Ages 4-6.

How Big is a Foot by Rolf Myller (Dell). How big should the Queen’s new bed be? No one knows. In this book, children learn about measurement. Ages 4-8.

Amanda Bean’s Amazing Dream by Cindy Neuschwander and Marilyn Burns (Scholastic). Amanda Bean counts everything from the books in the library to popcorn in her bowl, but she discovers she can count faster if she learns to multiply. Ages 5-8.

How Much is a Million? by David M. Schwartz (Scholastic). The author explains large numbers to children by comparing numbers to familiar concepts. For instance, if you want to count to a million, it will take you about 23 days. Ages 5-8.

Even Steven and Odd Todd by Kathryn Cristaldi (Scholastic). Children learn basic number concepts in the story of a mismatched pair of cousins with different number preferences. Ages 6-8.

Dr. Wesley Sharpe is a freelance writer and retired school psychologist living in Little River, California.