Math Books for Teachers
Math Books for Young Adults | Math Books for Children

Geometry from Africa: Mathematical and Educational Explorations. Gerdes, Paulus with a foreword by Arthur B. Powell. Mathematical Association of America, 1529 18th St., NW, Washington 20036: 1999. xv+210pp. $39.95 (paper). 99-62794. ISBN 0-88385-715-4.
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Are you a mathematics teacher seeking new sources for ideas? This book may be just what you are looking for. It is part of the Classroom Resource Materials Series of the Mathematical Association of America. With copious illustrations, the author shows how geometrical ideas are manifested in the work of African artisans, particularly those from the sub-Saharan region of the continent.

Fostering Algebraic Thinking: A Guide for Teachers Grades 6-10. Driscoll, Mark. Heinemann, 361 Hanover Street, Portsmouth 03801-3912: 1999. viii+168pp. $22.00 (paper). 98-51138. ISBN 0-325-00154-5. Index; C.I.P.
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The purpose of this book, according to its author, Mark Driscoll, is to provide teachers with experiences that generate personal reflections about learning and to cause teachers to have a deeper awareness of their own learning theories, which affect the way they teach.

Fostering Children's Mathematical Power: An Investigative Approach to K-8 Mathematics Instruction. Baroody, Arthur J., with Ronald T. Coslick. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 10 Industrial Avenue, Mahwah 07430: 1998. viii+572pp. $49.95 (paper). 98-24187. ISBN 0-8058-3105-3.
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This carefully crafted book is intended for a mathematics methods course for K-8 teachers. It is also an excellent book for parents. The authors cite the following as general aims: to further the reader's own ability to engage in mathematical inquiry, to foster an understanding of how children's mathematical thinking develops, and to promote understanding and reflection about methods of K-8 mathematics instruction.

Learning Through Problems: Number Sense and Computational Strategies, A Resource for Primary Teachers. Trafton, Paul R., and Diane Thiessen. Heinemann, 361 Hanover Street, Portsmouth 03801-3912: 1999. ix+116pp. $14.00 (paper). ISBN 0-325-00126-X.
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This thorough and comprehensive book is designed to assist primary school teachers in teaching mathematics. The book primarily reflects the work of two professors in the mathematics department at the University of Northern Iowa. These professors worked with 30 first- and second-grade teachers, as well as other members of the university's faculty.

Twenty Years Before the Blackboard: The Lessons and Humor of a Mathematics Teacher. Steuben, Michael, with Diane Sandford. Mathematical Association of America, 1529 18th St., NW, Washington 20036: 1998. xi+155pp. $29.50 (paper). 97-74343. ISBN 0-88385-525-9.
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Anyone who teaches mathematics at any level can profit by reading this book. It is not a text, but includes many useful tips on teaching that can be applied to math classes from grades 6 or 7 through the university level. Its humor and breezy presentation make the book good reading--and fun reading!--for any person with some interest in math.

Wonderful World of Mathematics: A Critically Annotated List of Children's Books in Mathematics, 2nd ed. Thiessen, Diane, Margaret Matthias, and Jacquelin Smith. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1906 Association Drive, Reston 20191-1593: 1998. xi+ 355pp. $17.00 (paper). 98-15748. ISBN 0-87353-439-5.
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This is the second edition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' valuable collection of short reviews of children's books with mathematical content, from illustrated counting primers for preschoolers to books of puzzles for eighth graders and other adults. Teachers will find their favorites here, along with titles that are new to them.

Math Books for Young Adults

Dictionary of Mathematical Quotations. Spencer, Donald D. Camelot Publishing Co., P.O. Box 1357, Ormond Beach 32075: 1999. 145pp. 24.95 (paper). 97-3178. ISBN 0-89218-294-6. Index; C.I.P.
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Here is an exceptional and unique book to be used by speakers, teachers, or students of mathematics and by writers who wish to cite quotations about mathematics. There are 976 mathematical quotes that can be found in The Dictionary of Mathematical Quotations. These quotes are attributed to 542 mathematicians and others throughout history.

Famous Problems and Their Mathematicians. Johnson, Art. Teacher Ideas Press, PO Box 6633, Englewood 80155-6633: 1999. xvi+179pp. $24.00 (paper). 98-41449. ISBN 1563084465. Index; C.I.P.
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Famous Problems and Their Mathematicians is an excellent compilation of the more challenging problems one encounters at the end of a chapter in most high school and some junior high school mathematics textbooks.

Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem. Singh, Simon. Walker & Company, 435 Hudson Street, New York 10014: 1997. xviii+315pp. $23.00; $12.95 (paper). 97-20748. ISBN 0-802-71331-9; 0-385-49362-2 (paper). Index; C.I.P.
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Singh presents us with a page-turner with elements of mystery, human tragedy, and suspense! Singh follows all the major developments in mathematics that lead to the eventual solution within the last decade. Starting with Pythagoras, Singh gives us a solid base to develop a rudimentary understanding of the complexities involved.

Magical Maze: Seeing the World Through Mathematical Eyes. Stewart, Ian. John Wiley & Sons, 605 Third Avenue, New York 10158: 1997. xi+268pp. $24.95. ISBN 0-471-19297-X. Index.
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Another enjoyable visit to the world of mathematics guided by Ian Stewart. Using the metaphor of a maze, Stewart leads the reader through a collection of "magical" mathematical discussions. Some topics have been covered in other recent popularizations (including some by Stewart himself), but this chatty, light-hearted book presents several unexpected turns and connections, as should any good maze.

Math Chat Book. Morgan, Frank. Mathematical Association of America, 1529 18^th St., NW, Washington 20036: 2000. Xiv113pp. $19.95 (paper). 99-067970. ISBN 0883955305. Index.
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Frank Morgan's informal Math Chat Book derives from a live call-in TV show, a newspaper column, and a Mathematical Association of America Web site. The great virtue of this small volume is that it is fun to read and may crack open the math/science phobia that grips too many Americans of all ages.

Math Chef: Over 60 Math Activities and Recipes for Kids. D'Amico, Joan, and Karen Eich Drummond. John Wiley & Sons, 605 Third Avenue, New York 10158: 1997. xi+180pp. $12.95 (paper). 96-22143. ISBN 0-471-13813-4. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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This book, combines over 60 activities and recipes to integrate math concepts. The volume has 14 chapters, beginning with the basic information one needs to know when working in the kitchen. The chapters that follow focus on such math concepts as English and metric measurements, length, volume, weight, temperature, multiplication, division, estimation, fractions, percents, the area of squares and rectangles, and the diameter, radius, circumference, and area of circles.

Mathematical Mysteries: The Beauty and Magic of Numbers. Clawson, Calvin C. Perseus Publishing, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge 02142: 1996. x+313pp. $27.95; $17.00 (paper). 99-066854. ISBN 0306454041; 0738202592 (paper). Index. C.I.P.
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Mathematical Mysteries is an intriguing collection of stories about math, simple and complex equations, biographical sketches of famous and not-so famous mathematicians, and paradoxes and puzzles.

Mathematical Universe: An Alphabetical Journey Through the Great Proofs, Problems, and Personalities. Dunham, William. John Wiley & Sons, 605 Third Avenue, New York 10158: 1997. vi+314pp. $24.95. 93-48720. ISBN 0-471-53656-3. Index; C.I.P.
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This book is divided into 15 essays, each of which concerns some mathematics, including an occasional proof, and some history of mathematics. The target audience is persons with a knowledge of high school geometry and algebra. Such a reader is likely to appreciate the expansion of his or her mind from reading the essays.

My Brain is Open: The Mathematical Journeys of Paul Erdos. Schechter, Bruce. Simon & Schuster, 200 Old Tappan Rd., Old Tappan 07675: 1998. 224pp. $25.00. 98-22293. ISBN 0-684-84635-7. Index; C.I.P.
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This biography captures the spirit not only of a remarkable mathematician, but also of the intellectual hotbed that was Budapest at the turn of the century. The book uses Erdös eclectic mathematical interests as a device to explore a variety of disciplines, how they have evolved in recent decades, and how they figured directly in the defeat of the Germans in World War II and the advent of the Information Age.

Why Do Buses Come in Threes? The Hidden Mathematics of Everyday. Eastaway, Rob and Jeremy. WyndhamWiley: New York, 1998. xi+156pp. $22.95. ISBN 0471347566. Index.
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Why Do Buses Come in Threes? Is a fun collection of mathematical problems that have real-life applications and logical solutions. Besides the pure mathematical problems that are present, one section treats the links between mathematics and nature.

Universal History of Numbers: From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer. Ifrah, Georges, and translated from the French by David Bellos, E.F. Harding, Sophie Wood, and Ian Monk. John Wiley & Sons, 605 Third Avenue, New York 10158: 2000. xxii+634pp. $39.95. 99-045531. ISBN 0471375683. Index; C.I.P.
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Open this book at any page, and you are likely to learn something new and flip pages back and forth trying to read more. This sequel to From One to Zero by the same author brings a wealth of knowledge about counting, numbers, and their ethnological and psychological sources.

Betcha! Murphy, Stuart J. Harper Trophy, 10 E. 53 Street, New York 10022: 1997. 32pp. $14.95; $4.95 (paper). 96-15486. ISBN 0-06-026768-2; 0-06-446707-4 (paper). C.I.P.
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This text presents a colorful challenge posed by two young boys who set out to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar. The boys turn estimating into a little game. Visual ways of multiplying and estimating are shown: The number of rows in a bus, times the numbers and people in each row, equals the number of people on the bus; the number of lanes of cars, times the number of cars in each lane, equals the total number of cars on a road. The mathematical moral behind this challenge is that the process of visual estimation and multiplication will reinforce and benefit a more exact process of counting, adding, and multiplying.

Big Numbers and Pictures that Show Just How Big They Are. Packard, Edward. Millbrook Press, 2 Old New Milford Rd. Brookfield, CT, 06804: 2000. 32pp. $16.80. 99-32242. ISBN 0761315705. C.I.P.
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Young children always seem to be fascinated by large numbers. This colorful and enjoyable book develops that fascination, step by step, by powers of 10. The book shows the quantity of largeness with a common environment, by comparing the concept of time with long distance, so that 1,000 days is almost 3 years and 100,000 miles is halfway to the moon. Large numbers are simplified with the use of exponents (e.g., 10⁶ = 1,000,000). The author demonstrates largeness and smallness at the same time by using peas and sand.

Can You Count to a Googol? Wells, Robert E. Albert Whitman & Company, 6430 Oakton Street, Morton Grove, 60053-2723: 2000. 30pp. $14.95. 98-49759. ISBN 0807510602. C.I.P.
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The author of this volume does an excellent job of providing concept-oriented strategies. Students will be enlightened by the eye-catching vibrant and colorful illustrations related to everyday life experiences. The book could be used across the curriculum in any instructional program, to enhance inquiry learning as well as critical-thinking skills. As you read this book, you see practical application skills such as sorting, counting, working with sets, and multiplying come alive.

Count on Math: Activities for Small Hands and Lively Minds. Schiller, Pam, and Lynne Peterson. Gryphon House, Inc., P.O. Box 207, Beltsville 20704-0207: 1997. 330pp. $19.95 (paper). 97-13558. ISBN 0-87659-188-8. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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This book is an activity-oriented program for use by teachers or parents teaching three- to seven-year olds about math. Detailed instructions are provided for all of the activities presented.

Counting on the Woods. Lyon, George Ella. DK Publishing, 95 Madison Avenue, New York 10016-7801: 1998. 32pp. $15.95. 97-34117. ISBN 0-7894-2480-0.
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Lavishly illustrated with color photographs, Counting on the Woods is a delightful book for adults to share with young readers. The large-size format with hard cover is ideal for reading aloud to a small child. The book features a walk in the woods and what was found there. The text is written as a poem, counting from 1 to 10.

Elevator Magic. Murphy, Stuart J. Harper Trophy, 10 E. 53 Street, New York 10022: 1997. 32pp. $14.95; $4.95 (paper). 96-5672. ISBN 0-06-026774-7; 0-06-446709-0 (paper). C.I.P.
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This nicely illustrated text makes use of a visualization of the number line in the form of an elevator going up and down and stopping at various floors. Basic subtraction is shown as the youngster moves from floor to floor with his mother.

Exploring Numbers. King, Andrew. Copper Beech Books, 2 Old Milford Road, Brookfield 06804: 1998. 32pp. $20.90; $5.95 (paper). 97-41605. ISBN 0-7613-0722-2; 0-7613-0733-8 (paper). Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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Making Fractions. 97-41603. ISBN 0-7613-0723-0.
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These two short collections of easy-to-carry-out projects in whole numbers, fractions, decimals, etc., for fun math games will be an enjoyable supplement to any early-math class. Each book starts with simple, color-coded, step-by-step instructions and activities and works towards more challenging projects. Each stresses the game-like involvement, fun, curiosity, and visual and manipulative skills of early-math students.

MathArts: Exploring Math Through Art for 3 to 6 Year Olds. Kohl, MaryAnn F., and Cindy Gainer. Gryphon House, Inc., P.O. Box 207, Beltsville 20704-0207: 1997. 255pp. $19.95 (paper). 96-17571. ISBN 0-87659-177-2. Index; C.I.P.
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This book is very much in tune with the development of a toddler. In it, 200 activities address creative, basic math concepts such as matching, sorting, patterns, sequence, order, one-to-one correspondence, spatial relations, recognizing numbers, number values, counting, and measuring.