Curriculum Poetry Book Review

Franco, Betsy. 2003. Mathematickles! Illus. by Steven Salerno. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.

I found Mathematickles! to have eye catching illustrations – on the front cover as well as on each of the pages, and the actual math problems are very clever and thought-provoking. However, to make sure, I sought expert advice. I asked my third-grade daughter to read and respond to it. She loved the book, and we enjoyed talking about the various equations, how to read them, and how the author, arrived at each answer. Because of Mathematickles! my daughter now knows how to read division problems and multiplication charts.

The personal exercise with my daughter has shown me that this book is a good and fun addition to any classroom or library and can indeed by used as a springboard for discussing many types of math problems. For instance, there are addition and subtraction poems; poems about multiplication and division; and, toward the end, poems using charts, graphs, and fractions. As each of these concepts is introduced and discussed, the teacher can insert numbers into each equation for a smooth transition from the words to numbers; or, they can be used as they are written to reinforce word problems.

Mr. Salerno’s illustrations perfectly complement each math poem, as he and Ms. Franco work through the seasons of the year in poetry and pictures. The cover features a fall scene with wind blowing the leaves around, chased by a girl and a cat. The title is a play on words – a combination of mathematics and tickles. Both the book title and the cover art should serve to entice a student (or teacher) to open the book for further exploration. Once inside, the bright colors with lots of movement depicted will help to keep the reader enthralled as he or she attempts to “solve” the poems.

Using Mathematickles! can bring excitement to, and enjoyment and understanding of, the sometimes difficult world of math. Ms. Franco and Mr. Salerno offer a well-laid-out book that will please children and teachers alike.