Early Math Counts

Over the past few years I have explored several children’s books hoping to uncover/discover their mathematical potential.  There are the obvious counting and number books – those that anyone would recognize as books that support math.  Then there are the not-so-obvious choices; ones that reveal patterns, rhythm, prediction, and sequences, but are equally valuable in terms of their math content.

Tana Hoban is one of my favorite children’s authors and I always use her collection to show my students that nonfiction children’s books are as interesting and engaging to young children as story books are.Tana Hoban’s books are filled with beautiful photographs of real people and real things that children will both recognize as familiar and those that are not.  The titles range from Let’s Count to So Many Circles, So Many Squares  and Exactly the Opposite to More, Fewer, Less.

If you’ve never checked out Tana Hoban’s books, you really should.  Most, if not all, are available in the public library, but I have also found them in soft cover for under $10.00 and used for as little as a dollar.  These books would make a great addition to bolstering the math opportunities in your classroom.