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Teaching Multiplication
with Children's Books
Not
long ago, teaching
multiplication largely meant helping children learn their
times tables. That was certainly true when we were children in elementary school. Until recently, learning multiplication was ALL about memorization.
Now, the focus is on helping kids visualize the numbers involved and see the bigger picture of multiplication--like understanding why it's more useful than counting, what the different real world applications are, etc. That's generally the more difficult aspect of teaching multiplication. Luckily that's where fun and clever children's books excel!
These books will
add a blast of fun to your lessons, or if you are a parent, these books
can help supplement the math that your child is learning in school. Multiplication has never been so fun! The list below of math books for kids includes links to buy the books on Amazon. Or, to save 50% or more with our math SALE books.
Best Books for Teaching Multiplication
with links to buy on Amazon
Amanda Bean's Amazing Dream
A Mathematical Story by Cindy Neuschwander, illustrated by Liza Woodruff
(2nd grade - 4th grade) Amanda Bean loves to count but isn't sure about why she needs to learn
multiplication. That
is, until she has a
crazy dream full of sheep on bicycles, knitting grannies, and more. In the dream, she tries to count
the sheep, balls of
yarn, and sweater
sleeves, but she can't count it
fast enough. She then heeds the
advice of the talking sheep and uses
multiplication. When she wakes from her dream
the next morning, she's excited to go to school... and she's ready to finally learn multiplication. (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
The Best of Times
Math Strategies That Multiply by Greg Tang; illustrated by Harry Briggs
(3rd grade - 6th grade) Once
again, Tang has
created a book that shows the benefits of setting
aside memorization and rules when teaching multiplication,
favoring logical and creative
thinking instead. Through
Tang's
bouncy rhymes and Brigg's engaging digital artwork, this book
demonstrates the relationships between numbers and how that relationship
can help
with learning and performing multiplication. "A multiplication book
that really adds up" (School Library Journal) (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
The Lion's Share
A Tale of Halving Cake and Eating It, Too by Matthew McElligott
(1st grade - 3rd grade) In
this beautifully illustrated book, lion bakes a cake,
but each of his greedy friends takes half the cake when it's
passed to them, leaving Lion with only a crumb. Ant feels
bad and offers to bake another cake. The others hear, and not
wanting to look bad, likewise offer to bake cakes for the lion. They each try to outdo each other, promising twice the cakes
promised by the previous guest! Great for teaching multiplication, division,
fractions, and even generosity. (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
2 X 2 = Boo!
A Set of Spooky Multiplication Stories by Loreen Leedy
(2nd grade - 4th grade) 2 x 2 = Boo is a cute Halloween-themed multiplication concept book that works any time of
the year. In short chapters that each focuses on one number (from 0-5),
vampires, witches, skeletons and other creepy crawlies pose and answer
ghoulish questions that not only teach multiplication facts but also
visually illustrate the equation being covered. School Library Journal said, as far as teaching multiplication, it's "an entertaining alternative to rote memorization; it's a
little silly, but it works." (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
Multiplying Menace
The Revenge of Rumpelstiltkskin by Pam Calvert; illustrated by Wayne Geehan
(3rd grade - 6th grade) Rumpelstiltskin
has returned and is threatening to harm the kingdom if he is not
repayed for the gold he spun 10 years ago. The baby that was promised
to him in the fairy tale is now a ten year old boy named Peter and he
is the only one who can get hold of Rumplestiltskin's secret
multiplying wand and save the kingdom. In the process, the reader
learns about multiplying with whole numbers and fractions. This is a fun
book to read aloud when teaching multiplication but
not
as an introduction. (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
365 Penguins
by Jean-Luc Fromental; illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet
(1st grade - 4th grade) A family is baffled when their uncle, an ecologist, keeps sending them a penguin a day. They quickly become overwhelmed trying to care for the increasing penguins and finally use multiplication to organize, feed and care for them.
It's a silly storyline, but the
math lesson is a lot of fun and the retro-style illustrations are really unique! SLJ
points
out
that "the text provides endless
opportunities for word problems"
and Booklist
says
"this is a lively romp from the beginning to the end." If you are teaching multiplication, check this one out. :) (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
One Grain of Rice A Mathematical Folktale by Demi
(1st grade - 8th grade) An
Indian folktale
about clever young girl who out- smarts the greedy
king through
her knowledge of the power of doubling. When Rani does a good deed, the
raja offers to reward her, but all she asks for is one grain of rice,
doubled each day for 30 days. The raja is happy to comply, not
realizing it will amount to enough rice to feed her entire village! Younger children will appreciate the overall story line,
while teachers
of older children can use this in math lessons with kids learning multiplication, especially exponents. (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
The Grapes of Math
Mind-Stretching Math Riddles by Greg Tang; illustrated by Harry Briggs
(2nd grade - 6th grade) The Grapes of Math is another fantastic Tang and Briggs production! This book features 16 spreads that each pose math problems specifically aimed at challenging readers to think creatively and conceptually when solving the problem, rather than simply trying to count the items.
This book helps kids think more creatively when solving problems and helps kids
make the transition from relying on addition to learning multiplication. (more)
click here to see more pages or buy this book
List Continued
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Enjoy the books!
Betsy, Cindy, and Virginia (the teachers/sisters behind this website)
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