Whole-y Cow!: Fractions Are Fun

by Taryn Souders, Tatjana Mai-Wyss (Illustrator)

Overview

Fractions are easy to understand, as well as entertaining, in this unique math concept book. Prompted by a poem and a visual clue, students are asked to answer what fration is illustrated in the cow's antics, starting with halves and progressing into thirds, fourths, eights, and tenths.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781585364602
Publisher:	Sleeping Bear Press
Publication date:	08/24/2010
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	675,906
Product dimensions:	10.30(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2—This appealing book makes a potentially difficult concept a lot of fun. Souders introduces both the concepts of parts of a whole and parts of a group. She uses a cow to help explain fractions with inviting pictures that match the rhyming text beautifully. Answers to the posed questions appear at the back. The last spread contains many elements to practice the math.—Loreli. E. Stochaj, Franklin School, Summit, NJ

School Library Journal

Souders's debut is a funny look at one whole cow who decides to act differently, allowing readers the chance to practice their fractions. Barely passable rhyming couplets tell of her craziness: "One whole cow sat down to play the cello / while eating a daisy that was orange and bright yellow." Questions in a different type then ask readers to identify the fractional parts of the daisy by looking at the picture. Stunt by goofy stunt, beginning with halves, youngsters work their way up to tenths. The final spread gives the answers beside miniaturized versions of the pictures. Combining watercolors with some collage, Mai-Wyss's illustrations make the book come alive. Her cow is wonderfully wacky, and observant readers will enjoy the antics of her three chicken companions. While the artwork makes it easy for children to see and count the fractional parts, there is no instruction given as to what fractions are or how to make/reduce them, making this more of a practice exercise than a teaching tool. Add in the stumbling verse, and this one's a miss. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews