Twice Upon a Number: More Preschool Math Books We Love
For this week’s Talking Math, we gathered some more of our favorite math books for preschool and pre-kindergarten age kids. Below each book is a link to rent it from KCLS, and a link to buy it on Bookshop through one of our favorite local bookstores. This is not an exhaustive list, so look out for more book recommendations from us in coming weeks!
Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!
written by Art Coulson
illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight
“Bo wants to find the perfect container to show off his traditional marbles for the Cherokee national Holiday. It needs to be just the right size: big enough to fit all the marbles, but not too big to fit in his family's booth at the festival for the Cherokee National Holiday. And it needs to look good! With his grandmother's help, Bo tries many containers until he finds just the right one. A playful exploration of volume and capacity featuring Native characters and a glossary of Cherokee words.”
What it teaches: volume, area, shape recognition, proportional thinking
Why we love it: Bo and his grandmother feel fleshed out, and even when discussing topics like volume and area, it never feels like a lesson. The illustrations are full of life and color. By the end, I found myself rooting for Bo to find the right container for his marbles!
Where Are the Eggs?
by Grace Lin
“The chickens have laid their eggs all over the yard! Mei looks for the eggs, searching next to a watering can, behind a flower pot, inside a wheelbarrow . . . and under a chicken! Go on a springtime egghunt in this playful story about spatial sense.”
What it teaches: counting, spatial reasoning, number sense
Why we love it: This book is written and illustrated by Grace Lin, who illustrated last week’s Round is a Mooncake. It’s equally cheery and fun, and the bright blue sky is a nice change from the dark colors of Round is a Mooncake.
Too-Small Tyson
by JaNay Brown-Wood
illustrated by Anastasia Magloire Williams
“Tyson is the youngest—smaller than his four older brothers and always trying to keep up. But when the family's pet gerbil, Swish, goes missing, it's Tyson to the rescue! Tyson uses his knowledge of doubles, triples, and sizes to figure out a clever way to reach his beloved pet. A playful exploration of proportional thinking, featuring an author letter about the ubiquitous nature of math.”
What it teaches: big and small, proportional thinking, problem-solving
Why we love it: This is such a cute book! Youngest siblings might find a kinship with Tyson, who’s constantly looked down on—until being small becomes important. Brown-Wood, an early childhood professor, definitely brings her expertise here. We also recommend Brown-Wood’s counting book Grandma's Tiny House.
Over in a River
by Marianna Berkes
illustrated by Jill Dubin
“The great rivers of North America are teeming with life and on the pages of Over in a River--from blue herons in the Hudson to salmon in the Columbia, and from dragonflies in the Rio Grande to mallards in the St. Lawrence. Children will "slither" like water snakes and "slide" like otters while singing to the tune of "Over in a Meadow." Read about the snake, beaver, frog, otter, dragonfly, and more that lives along the rivers! Kids love counting books, too! What a delightful way to learn about riparian habitats and geography at the same time!”
What it teaches: counting, proportional thinking
Why we love it: This is a beautiful book with a fun song accompanying it. The back of the book has a ton of additional resources, including information about the rivers in the book, as well as the sheet music for the song. Dubin’s collage illustrations give the whole book a feeling of closeness and fragility. My only wish for this book is that I could feel the texture of the original art.
Again, Essie?
by Jenny Lacika
illustrated by Teresa Martinez
“Rafael wants to protect his toys from his little sister, Essie. Gathering materials from around the house, he builds a wall tall enough and wide enough to keep her out. But will it be strong enough? And what does Essie really want? A playful exploration of physical space and geometry, featuring Chicanx (Mexican American) characters and a glossary of Spanish words.”
What it teaches: geometry, 3D space, spatial reasoning
Why we love it: This is such a cute book, in both the illustration and the dynamic between Rafael and Essie. It reminds me of the mindset I had as a kid when playing with my sibling. Both KCLS and Bookshop also carry ¡Essie! ¿Otra Vez?, with the story in both Spanish and English. I appreciated the “Exploring the Math” section in the back, with additional math activities and online resources.
If you’re feeling generous, SUMM is looking to expand our own library! You can find our book wishlist through Bookshop, an organization that connects readers with the booksellers near them by donating to local sellers.
We work with Ada’s Technical Books and Café, a bookstore in the Capitol Hill neighborhood that specializes in STEM-focused and technical books. We encourage interested families to stop by in person!
