Children's Literature

Children’s books featured in Bridges in Mathematics K-5 and available separately.

Note: There are more high quality books available than we’re able to offer directly.
To see additional recommendations please visit the MLC Virtual Bookshelf.

ImageNameGrade LevelItem #Price

by Eve Merriam
This delightful picture book shows all kinds of combinations for 11.

1-3WTG$9.00

by Aileen Friedman
When a tailor sets his 3 children to the task of designing and stitching a cloak, the third son makes a cloak of circles, creating the dilemma in the story. Children are delighted at the solution. A great tool for exploring tessellations and other geometric principles.

1-3ACD$17.00

by Elinor J. Pinczes, illustrated by Bonnie Mackain. 
Joe wants to march in the parade but every time the lines are uneven, he must stand aside.  Determined to solve the problem, Joe rearranges the bugs in his squadron until inspiration and fortitude result in five lines of five -- and Joe fits in at last.

3-5AROO$7.00

by Judith Viorst
Despite his best efforts to save the dollar his grandparents gave him last Sunday, Alexander quickly finds all he has left are bus tokens. A fun tool for exploring the value of money.  Paperback.

2-4AUTBR$7.00

by Lillian Hoban
Arthur wants a T-shirt and matching cap that say “Far Out Frisbees.” The trouble is, he only has $3.78, and he needs $5.00. While earning the money he needs, Arthur winds up with some very interesting arithmetic problems.

1-3AFM$4.00

by Pat Brisson
Benny McBride starts his day with five new pennies and is determined to spend them all. With the help of generous and thoughtful neighbors, Benny arrives home loaded with five simple but splendid gifts.

K-1BEPE$7.50

by Caroline Arnold, illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. 
This book looks at how feathers, body structure, and wings vary from bird to bird.  Readers will learn the mechanics of bird flight from takeoff to landing and discover how wing types meet the survival needs of each species.

3-4BIRDS$7.00

by Ann Whitford Paul
In early American times, almost every house had a patchwork quilt, sewn together from hundreds of pieces of fabric. Each quilt was unique, with different combinations of fabrics and colors and a distinct pattern. But who developed these patterns? And what did they mean?

3-5EHR$7.00

by Arnold Lobel
In winter, spring, summer, and fall, Frog and Toad are always together. Here is a wise and wonderful story for each season of the year.

K-1FTAY$4.00

by David M. Schwartz, illustrated by James Warhola
Discover what you could do if you had the amazing abilities of a frog, an ant, and more. This entertaining book includes a weight ratio comparison appendix with colorful illustrations.

2-4HLAF$17.00

Published by Kids Discover Magazine
Learn about bridge construction from the earliest footbridges to towering suspension bridges. Includes full color photographs and in depth descriptions of bridges from around the world.

2-4KDB$9.00

by David M. Schwartz, illustrated by Steven Kellog
Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician is back -- and ready to explore the invention of length, weight, and volume measurements.

1-5MTM$7.00

by Nancy Kelly Allen, illustrated by Adam Doyle. 
One day, Farmer Worth notices a little tree growing where nothing has ever grown before.  He gives it organic fertilizer and finds out that money really does grow on trees. 

3-4OUD$7.00

by Elinor Pinczes
An enterprising ant suggests different formations for 100 ants to travel in rows to get to a picnic faster. This simple story told in verse is an excellent way to introduce factors of 100 and to spin off entertaining mathematical activities.

1-3OHHA$7.00

by Joy N. Hulme, illustrated by Carol Schwartz. 
From one one-ton whale with one strong tail to ten squirmy squids squirting ten inky trails, colorful sea creatures lead children from simple counting to squaring numbers.

1-5SEASQU$6.00

by Cindy Neuschwander, illustrated by Wayne Geehan
To earn his knighthood, Radius must find and rescue a missing king.  Sir Cumference, and his mother Lady Di of Ameter, give him a circular medalion (a protractor) that he uses to find his way through a maze of many angles.

2-6SCGK$7.00

by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian
Children will love this engaging true story of Wilson Bentley and his fascination with snowflakes. Equipped with a camera and microscope attachment, Bentley reveals two important truths about snowflakes: no two are alike, and each one is astonishingly beautiful.  Hardcover.

2-4SFB$16.00

by Marilyn Burns, illustrated by Debbie Tilley 
Mr. and Mrs. Comfort are having a family reunion.  Mr. Comfort starts cooking up his famous spaghetti and meatballs, while Mrs. Comfort carefully arranges eight tables and 32 chairs so that everyone will have a seat... but the guests arrive with their own seating plans.  This book uses wit and humor to draw children into thinking about area and perimeter.

2-5SMFA$17.00

by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illustrated by Tyson Smith
A newly illustrated rendition of the classic tale of Emery Raccoon who invites 328 friends to lunch. Emery quickly discovers his greatest friend isn’t one of the invited guests.

2-4TTNF$15.00

by David Birch, pictures by Devis Grebu
An Indian potentate receives a service from a wiseman and insists on repaying the favor. The wiseman requests the familiar mathematical puzzle of the chessboard, on whose first square is placed a single grain of rice, on whose second square is placed two grains, four on the third square, and so on.

4-6TKC$7.50