{"id":22795,"date":"2014-01-20T22:53:45","date_gmt":"2014-01-21T02:53:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=22795"},"modified":"2014-01-20T22:53:45","modified_gmt":"2014-01-21T02:53:45","slug":"review-of-bedtime-math-by-laura-overdeck-illustrated-by-jim-paillot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=22795","title":{"rendered":"Review of Bedtime Math, by Laura Overdeck, illustrated by Jim Paillot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Bedtime Math
\nby Laura Overdeck<\/p>\n

A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late<\/em><\/p>\n

illustrated by Jim Paillot<\/p>\n

Feiwel and Friends, New York, 2013. 86 pages.
\nStarred Review
\n2013 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>: #6 Children’s Nonfiction<\/p>\n

I already talked about Bedtime Math on my blog<\/a>, when it only referred to a website. Then I used the book in my Every Child Ready to Read program, \u201cFun with Math for Parents and Preschoolers<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

I am tremendously excited about Bedtime Math, because I discovered how wonderful it is years ago, when my second son was about five years old. I\u2019m not sure how it started, but he began asking for math problems at bedtime. (It might have been when I told him that when he turned six, his age plus his age would equal his brother\u2019s age, and his age *times* his age would equal my age. His next question was, \u201cWhat\u2019s times?\u201d One week later, his brother asked him \u201cWhat\u2019s 16 times 4?\u201d and he figured out the answer in his head!)<\/p>\n

Anyway, this started a stretch where I\u2019d make up math problems for him at bedtime, after reading three books, when he was tucked in and cozy in bed. He learned the magic words I was NOT able to resist that would extend bedtime on and on: \u201cJust one more math problem, Mommy, please!\u201d<\/p>\n

The problems in Bedtime Math<\/em> are much better and more fun than the simply numerical problems I made up for my son. Each two-page spread has a fun scenario, followed by related math problems, one for \u201cwee ones\u201d (involving counting), one for \u201cLittle kids,\u201d and one for \u201cBig kids.\u201d You can also get problems from their website or app.<\/p>\n

The categories used are \u201cExploding Food,\u201d \u201cWild Pets,\u201d \u201cExtreme Vehicles,\u201d \u201cSports You Shouldn\u2019t Try at Home,\u201d and \u201cReally Odd Jobs.\u201d
\nFor example, after telling us about squirt bottles for ketchup (\u201cSquirting ketchup is also more fun than throwing a tomato: While a tomato smacking into something might explode and make a mess, ketchup already is<\/em> a mess.\u201d), here are the problems listed:<\/p>\n

Wee ones:<\/b> If you squirt 3 squirts of ketchup on a hot dog, and then 1 more squirt on your friend\u2019s head, how many squirts did you fire off?<\/p>\n

Little kids:<\/b> If you line up some burgers and squirt ketchup on the 1st burger, then every 3rd burger after that, which burger in the lineup is the 4th burger to get squirted?<\/p>\n

Big kids:<\/b> If you squirt 2 cups of ketchup, and each cup used 14 tomatoes, how many tomatoes\u2019 worth of ketchup did you just squirt?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I am excited about Bedtime Math! May the Math Madness spread! Laura Overdeck says in the Introduction:<\/p>\n

Bedtime Math\u2019s goal is simple: to make math a fun part of kids\u2019 everyday lives, not just something found only in homework assignments. Math should be as beloved as the bedtime story\u2026.We never hear people say \u201cEwww, a book at bedtime?!\u201d Likewise, there\u2019s absolutely no reason to say that about math. Numbers are beautiful, and kids love attention. Bedtime Math<\/em> just puts the two together. With that, let the games begin.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

bedtimemath.org<\/a>
\nmackids.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Nonfiction\/bedtime_math.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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