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Counting Books

Preschoolers are ready to practice counting objects, both forwards and backwards. They can start to apply counting to everyday life and these counting books also encourage them to see math in the world around them.

Twenty Big Trucks in the Middle of the Street by Mark Lee, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus. What kid doesn't love a good traffic jam? When an ice cream truck breaks down, the pile-up begins and the counting is fun! A young boy on a bicycle offers various solutions to solve the problem and when the jam clears, he gets his sweet reward.

Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell. A family shops for, prepares and sits down together for a meal. I particularly love books that show math in everyday situations such as shopping and cooking. It might even get your little one interested in counting next time you put her in the shopping cart at the grocery store! Plus, I'm all for books that show families having fun together.

Let's Count Goats! by Mem Fox, illustrated by Jan Thomas is a charming, rhyming book about counting goats doing silly things. I've read it many times during story time with the preschool crowd and it never fails to get the kids laughing.

Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light. A boy searches all over an intricately drawn New York City for his dragon. Kids will have great fun searching for hidden objects while they practice counting to 20. This was one of my kids' favorite dragon books.

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins. Be sure to have a plate of cookies nearby when you read this book! Hutchins uses a group of diverse children sitting down for a snack as the setting for a story about sharing and a very simple, early lesson in division. The doorbell starts ringing and as more children start arriving the plate of cookies is divided among more and more kids.

This Is a Book of Shapes by Kenneth Kraegel. It starts off like a simple shape identification book, but soon there is a twist that will make your kids laugh. Emus, porpoises and rhinoceros add in some much needed absurdity and deadpan humor to any preschool math book collection!

Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by John Parra. This wonderful concept book with Spanish words sprinkled throughout is perfect for preschoolers. Colorful, folksy illustrations and rhyming text make it great for story time.

Color Zoo. Lois Ehlert’s signature bold, graphic style is on display with this clever die-cut shape book. As each page is turned a new layer reveals a different animal. On the reverse of each page, the shape is labelled so young kids can discuss which shapes are used to make each creature.

Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins. In this winsome story, two toy dolls build a house out of blocks. When things start to go awry, they cleverly rebuild to keep up with the changing situation. Unit Blocks are probably the best toy for promoting early math learning in preschool aged kids (and beyond).

Cubes, Cones, Cylinders, & Spheres. Tana Hoban has a collection of books that are all worth checking out of the library. Sit down with your child and identify the 3 dimensional objects in Hoban's photographs. We are used to pointing out squares, triangles and circles, but teaching kids about their 3-D counterparts should not be left out of the equation.

Perfect Square by Michael Hall is a popular book in which a brightly colored square transforms when it is cut and rearranged. You will be unable to resist pairing this book with an art project to watch your preschooler explore the ability to transform shapes with a little cutting and tearing.

MORE: Patterning activity for preschoolers

Pattern Books

After reading these books to preschoolers, they will enjoy finding patterns in all sorts of unexpected places!

Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney. Guess where the most engaging patterns are located? Music! I love this book about a boy who starts to beat out musical patterns with two sticks he finds during a breezy day. He taps out the sounds he hears around him in rhythmic patterns. Read it aloud to kids and encourage them to tap out or sing their own musical patterns.

The Line Up Book by Marisabina Russo. Do you kids love to line things up? My boys were forever creating criss-crossing lines of cars and trucks. Next time you step over a long, winding line of toys pat yourself on the back, because your child is learning all about patterning and spatial relationships, important skills for math learning.

A Beautiful House for Birds by Grace Lin. Use the Storytelling Math book series to reinforce a plethera of different math concepts. This series has 20 (as of this writing) books to teach preschools about shapes, measuring, size, counting, spatial relationships, and much more. Lin's book teaches preschoolers about patterns by telling a story about a child decorating a birdhouse.

Pitter Pattern by Joyce Hesselberth. Math is all around us! This lovely little book helps preschoolers see patterns in everyday life. The sound of the rain, the design of a soccer ball, the rhythm of music, and the steps in a dance are some of the many patterns kids will discover in the pages of this charming book.

Rooster's Off to See the World by Eric Carle. This preschool book combines patterning with counting. As they follow rooster in his journey, kids first count groups of animals as they gather to join rooster. Then as each of the groups get tired, they count backwards, setting the stage for future addition and subtraction learning.

Measurement Books

Preschoolers can understand relative size and enjoy learning words to describe how big, small, long or short things are.

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni. Lionni's classic picture bookdoes more than show how an inchworm outwits hungry birds, it introduces kids to the concept of measurement in a fun way.

Leaves to My Knees! by Ellen Mayer, illustration Nicole Tadgell. Camille's interactions with nature while she spends time outdoors raking up the leaves gives her the opportunity to make observations about relative size and measurement.

You Rule! by Rilla Alexander. Okay, this isn't exactly a numbers measurement book, but it is so wonderful, I couldn't resist including it. The colorful, bold, graphic illustrations on each page accompany text which asks unorthodox measuring questions like "How much do you know?" "How kind are you?" “How strong are you?” Each question offers a selection of answers and some do include measurement words like "gigantic" or "infinity." Use the book as a supplement to studying math measurements and boost your child's exposure to the vocabulary of social-emotional learning.

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Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. I know, it sounds crazy to set up a lemonade stand in the snow, but these young entrepreneurs will not be dissuaded. This book teaches counting, addition and subtraction as well as predicting. Your kids will be singing a catchy little tune, setting up their own stand, and sorting their change by the time you finish reading.

Zero the Hero by Joan Holub, illustrated byTom Lichtenheld. Who knew a math picture book could be so joyful? Zero proclaims himself a hero, but the other numbers just aren't buying it so Zero goes on a mission to prove himself. Kids learn the concept of zero and why it's important. This is a fun book to spend some time over, with lots of clever dialogue and asides in speech bubbles.

The Chicken Problem by Jennifer Oxley; Billy Aronson. I don't mean to sound like a snob (it just comes naturally, ha ha ha) but I didn't know about the PBS show, Peg and Cat, which leads me to the chicken and egg problem... which can first the book or the show. The book... I think? Anyway... Peg and Cat like to solve problems and one day when the chicks get out of the coop, there are a lot of problems -- math problems -- to solve.

Two of Everything by Lily Toy Hong, is a fun way to teach about doubling. In this mathematical folktale, a man finds a large pot in his garden. When he uses it to store his purse of gold coins, he discovers the pot’s magic properties. The couple use the pot to increase their wealth and double everything they own, including themselves.

Lifetime: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. This nonfiction math picture book is an interesting look at numbers in the animal world. Cross-disciplinary learning is one of the most effective ways for kids to explore their passions. Number-loving kids will enjoy reading about animals and nature-loving kids will start to connect to the mathematical world.

How Many Jelly Beans? by Andrea Menotti, illustrated by Yancey Labat. Kids are fascinated by very large numbers. It can be hard to grasp just how big a thousand is, let alone a million. In the narrative, a couple of kids try to one up each other on the number of jelly beans they will eat. A giant fold out page illustration demonstrates exactly how many they would need to eat should they actually get 1 million jelly beans. (I'm getting a stomach ache just thinking about it.)

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? (Mr. Tiffin's Classroom Series) by Margaret McNamara, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Students in a classroom learn about skip counting, addition and estimating quantity by comparing how many seeds are in each child's pumpkin.

This Plus That: Life's Little Equations by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace. Sometimes you need a break from concrete mathematical problem solving! This book is not going to teach your kids how to calculate 7 + 6, but it may just help them see that adding things up is bigger than counting. After reading this book, take a break from numbers and come up with your own "lifestyle calculations!"

Each Orange Had 8 Slices by Paul Giganti Jr., illustrated by Donald Crews. Bold graphics turn simple word problems into fun problem solving math calculations.

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst, illustrated by
Ray Cruz. Money is a terrific everyday tool to teach math and this picture book will help you along. Check out how coins can help with sorting and skip counting! Alexander's grandparents give him a dollar and he has to figure out how to spend it wisely. Sure, there are some outdated items like phone booths, and a dollar doesn't go quite so far anymore, but that's all part of the fun.

Pigeon Math by Asia Citro, illustrated by Richard Watson. Math is fun when it is also hilarious! Citro's clever and wacky narrative follows the chaos that happens when trying to count pigeons that won't stay still. The concept of unstable quantities and may be unfamiliar to kids before reading Pigeon Math, but surely they will want to learn more afterwards!

Geometry and Patterning Math Picture Books

These books about patterns, shapes, symmetry and other geometry concepts are excellent supplement materials for any math lesson at home or in the classroom.

The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns, illustrated by Gordon Silveria. This geometry picture book explores shapes and angles, and is good supplementary material for a classroom geometry unit. A triangle continues to add angles to his "body." His greediness transforms his shape into something new.

Round Trip by Ann Jonas is a fascinating look at reflection and symmetry. The book is meant to be read forwards, then turned around and read upside down. Your kids won't be able to stop studying this fascinating math picture book, examining how the mirrored images created two stories.

MORE: Symmetry Math Art Project for Kids

Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker. Tangrams are a wonderful hands on way for kids to learn about geometry. In this story about two shape-shifting fox fairies, kids see tangrams in action and will be motivated to create their own pictures with the traditional puzzle shapes.

Six-Dinner Sid by Inga Mooe is a well-read book in our house. Sid is a cat who has six owners, gets six dinners, has six names and has to go to the vet six times. Patterning and simple counting are seamlessly woven in to the narrative. Kids won't even realize they are strengthening their math skills!

Follow the Line (series) by Laura Ljungkvist is a classic picture book in which a single line creates a multiple number of scenes. While it may not seem like your typical math book, the illustrations reinforce spatial concepts and geometry. Plus, it's just really cool!

Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy is a lovely look at the symmetry all around us, from animals and words, patterns on fabrics, and more. Kids are introduced to the concepts of horizontal, vertical and even rotational symmetry. End notes explain the concept further, as well as give activity suggestions.

Math at the Museum by Group Majoongmul, illustrated by Yun-ju Kim. A family decides to visit a museum where they gaze upon masterpieces and learn the hidden mathematical principles behind their compositions. Numerous famous artworks are highlighted and the book includes hands-on activities kids can explore after reading. Be sure to visit your local museum, too!

MORE: Math Art Picture Books

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes is a gorgeous introduction to the world of mathematical spirals in nature. Short, charming poems identify both common and mysterious spirals in the natural world, drawing kids into the lyrical text. Be sure to go out for a nature walk afterwards.

MORE: 21 Beautiful Math Art Projects for Kids

Measurement and Telling Time Books

Learning about units of measurements, whether it's length, width, or volume is important for mathematic-based subjects like engineering. Measuring and telling time both require a knowledge of fractions and these books make math learning fun.

Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story from Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. We all know that cooking involves a lot of math, and this book is a nice way to introduce just why math and proportions are important to recipes. There aren't a lot of historical fiction picture books that you can also use to teach math so grab this one!

A Second is a Hiccup by Hazel Hutchins, illustrated Kady MacDonald Denton. In this whimsical rhyming picture book about measurements, Hutchins compares units of time to ordinary human moments, like hiccups, a song, or time spent in pretend play. Kids will no doubt want to measure how long their own actions take to compare to the examples in the book, which would be a fun way to incorporate this book into a measuring unit lesson plan!

An Oak Tree Grows by G. Brian Karas. What's 200 years in the life of an oak tree? This beautiful book helps kids explore long stretches of time, relative size and how the world changes as time passes, even if you can measure by two centuries!

How Long or How Wide? A Measuring Guide by Brian P. Cleary, illustrated by Brian Gable. Part of the Math Is CATegorical series, this rhyming, humorous nonfiction book is a comprehensive look at measuring lengths. Kids will learn about the metric system and U.S. units of length. The illustrations feature animals using measuring tools to size up and compare items in the world around them. The Math Is CATegorical series also has good math books about time, fractions, patterns and more.

I am collaborating with The Measured Mom on this math education series. Hop on over to get some quality ideas to help kids continue to love math in K - 2 and avoid the "I'm no good at math!" complaint.

MORE SIMPLE MATH FUN:

• Number matching game for kindergarteners
• Math practice for kindergarteners with Double Shutter

The post 23 Math Picture Books that Are Never Boring! appeared first on What Do We Do All Day.

Believe it or not, some of the best gifts are toys and games that nurture a love of math. For kids who already love math these gifts are a treat. However, for kids who haven't yet found joy in math, the right game or activity has the potential to encourage them to think about the subject in new ways.

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STANDARD UNIT BLOCKS

Find it: Amazon

Unit blocks are the classic toy. They provide endless amounts of entertainment, and teach everything from math concepts to physics all the while engaging a child's imagination. Every kid should have a set of unit blocks. No question. This is a great, basic set. Colors can be appealing to grown-ups buying toys, but neutral, unfinished block are the most versatile. Excellent for all ages!

PATTERN BLOCKS

Find it: Amazon

These colorful, wooden pattern blocks are a great math gift that doesn't look like a math gift! This block set offers kids the chance to build skills pattern recognition, matching, sorting, spatial awareness and one-to-one correspondence. Not only can they build designs based on the pre-determined patterns trays, but they can manipulate the blocks to arrange their own designs and patterns, allowing for endless creativity. Perfect for ages 3-6.

SHASHIBO SHAPE SHIFTING BOX

Find it: Amazon

This geometric marvel will mesmerize your kids for hours as they explore all the amazing shapes they can create. The box consists of magnetized puzzle pieces that you manipulate into seemingly endless shapes, drawing upon your spatial awareness and engineering design skills. It also makes a great fidget toy! Ages 8 and up.

SUMOKU

Find it: Amazon

If Scrabble and Qwirkle had a baby who loved math, it would be Sumoku! Players use basic math skills to create patterns and sets in a crossword style format. The best part is there are several variations so the game never gets boring. This has been a family favorite! Be sure to check out more of our favorite math games for kids. Ages 8 and up.

PRIME CLUB

Find it: Amazon

Recommended for kids ages 10 to adult, Prime Climb is an excellent gift for any math-loving family. The game has won a ton of awards and is actually quite easy to learn. Plus, there are different variations of game play and even adults will be surprised at how much they learn and practice their math skills.

COLORKU

Find it: Amazon | Expansion packs

As the name implies, this is a giant version of Sudoku using colored wooden marbles instead of numbers. When your little genius has completed all the included puzzle cards, a card extension deck is also available. Ages 8 and up.

MATH DICE

Find it: Amazon

Need a stocking stuffer for a kid who loves dice games and math? Math Dice are perfect. Although the dice come with instructions for a specific game, that won't stop kids from inventing their own! Don't forget to check out more great stocking stuffer games. Ages 6 and up.

MATH PERPLEXORS

Find it: Amazon

These are not your run-of-the-mill workbooks! Remember those logic puzzles you did as a kid?  Math Perplexors are classic grid logic puzzles but with a math twist. Fortunately, the activity book series offers multiple levels for different grade levels, from easy to expert! Ages 7 and up.

HOW TO BE A MATH GENIUS

Find it: Amazon

Doesn't everyone want to be a math genius? This clever, interactive book covers all things math, and then some. It's surprisingly entertaining. Ages 8 and up.

THE BOOK OF PERFECTLY PERILOUS MATH

Find it: Amazon

This intriguingly named book will spur your child on to investigate math conundrums. Author Sean Connolly frames math problems as precarious and dangerous scenarios. The math problem begins with a story and presents the problem to be solved, advice on how to solve it, and several grid pages as workspace. For example, in "Tornado on Your Tail!" problem solvers must uses clues in the story to figure out how long they have to find shelter before being overtaken by a fast-approaching tornado. The solution to each problem is clearly laid out and explained. A highly entertaining way to practice math. Ages 10 and up.

YOU CAN COUNT ON MONSTERS

Find it: Amazon

My son loved this book and spend hours looking through it! The aim of the book is to help readers understand factoring and prime numbers. It's great for visual learners. The book includes an explanation of how the numbers can be broken down into smaller units and every number from 1 to 100 is given an artistic representation based on its prime number components. Ages 7 and up.

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Why, with math art books of course! When art and math collide the results are mesmerizing and compelling, and these math art books will get your kids hooked. STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and design, and Math) may seem like a trendy topic these days, but creating art with mathematical properties is as old as time.

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Activity Books

These activity books include projects to do at home or in the classroom.

This is Not a Math Book. How do I love this book? Let me count the ways. Inside the pages, kids are invited to draw and explore cool and creative mathematical principles. They draw things in perspective, fool around with illusions and puzzles, create mesmerizing spirals and tessellations. There is plenty of blank paper and graph paper in the back for kids to experiment on their own. I highly recommend this book!

Amazing Math Projects You Can Build Yourself. If you want to include engineering into your math art mix, this is the book for you. I love the 3D building shapes, especially the geodesic dome. There are templates to explore cool topology projects. The text also includes a lot of information about the mathematical concepts in everyday life to ensure kids never look at snowflakes, bridges or patterns the same way again!

MORE: STEM books for kids of all ages.

Math Arts: Exploring Math Through Art for 3 to 6 Year Olds by MaryAnn Kohl. Most of the math art activity books on this list are aimed at kids in the upper elementary grades. But Kohl's book lets you start early. Explore patterns, make numbers, play with shapes and prepare your kids for a lifetime appreciation of the STEAM subjects.

MathART Projects and Activities. The ideas in this book focus on making art with simple math concepts, such as using geometry to create flags, making quilt patterns, exploring symmetry and fractions. Since the math concepts are not advanced, even though it is recommended for grades 3-5, a lot of the projects can easily be adapted for younger kids.

Cool Art with Math and Science by Anders Hanson. This is a series of hands-on math art books, which, to be honest, I think are overpriced. However, the projects in each of them are fantastic, so see if your library has them because they are worth checking out. The series includes flexagons, string art, tessellations and structures. P.S. You can see our tessellations project, perfect for beginners.

Math + Art = Fun by Robin A Ward. This book has a lot of projects you would expect to see, like tessellations, spirals and graphing. There are also 3D activities and seasonal art projects. I liked the symmetry pop-up cards. It is written in lesson plan form and is aimed at teachers.

Math Art Activity Kits

I suffer from a severe case of "I can't get my act together" disease and one of the best medicines for this is a complete kit. I figure it's not a rare disease and many of you will appreciate a good math art activity pack, too.

Geometric Origami Mini Kit: Folded Paper Fun for Kids & Adults! I absolutely adore the projects in this kit! Want to make a hedgehog dado or a stellated octahedron? (Or want to know that those are?) This is the kit for you.

Ultimate Origami Beginners Kit. Most everyone is familiar with origami, but they don't think about the fact that the paper folding technique is actually a form of math art. I like this kit for beginners because it also includes a DVD. As an origami novice myself, sometimes the photos just aren't enough and the videos are very helpful.

P.S. Did you see our origami ninja transforming stars? I even made a video!

Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes was the basis of our experience with the perfect STEM play date. We’ve tried several paper airplane tutorials, but the Klutz book was the absolute best. The paper is good quality, the instructions are clear and there are great extensions and ideas for exploring the engineering of paper airplanes.

MoMA Modern Shapes Lacing Cards. Why not introduce the artistic mathematical beauty of shapes to kids working on their fine motor skills? I love the color and design of these cards. Plus they are from Chronicle Books, one of my favorite publishes of book-related activity kits.

MORE: Shapes activities for preschoolers and Lacing activities for preschoolers

Picture Books

Math Art at the Museum. A family decides to visit a museum where they gaze upon masterpieces and learn their hidden mathematical secrets. Numerous famous artworks are highlighted and there are even hands-on activities kids can explore after reading. Be sure to visit your local museum, too!

MORE: 21 Math Art Projects

Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell. You can't beat beautiful nature photos and mathematics. This book has examples of Fibonacci patterns and  the "golden ratio" in nature. Absolutely gorgeous.

While Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman, is a gorgeously illustrated and poetic introduction to the world of mathematical spirals in nature. Short, charming poems identify both common and mysterious spirals in the natural world, drawing kids into the lyrical text. Be sure to go out for a nature walk afterwards.

Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell. The photos are gorgeous and a great choice for kids who may really love biology and nature but aren't sure how math plays into that. There is information about Benoit Mandelbrot, the man who gave fractals their name, as well as an activity to make your own fractal. I recommend this book for all ages, even adults.

Color Zoo Board Book. Lois Ehlert’s signature bold, graphic style is on display with this clever die-cut shape book. As each page is turned a new layer reveals a different animal. On the reverse of each page, the shape is labeled so young kids can compare which shapes are used to make each creature.

Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert. Tangrams are a wonderful hands-on way for kids to explore geometry. In this story about two shape-shifting fox fairies, kids see tangrams in action and will be motivated to create their own pictures with the traditional puzzle shapes.

Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy is a lovely look at the symmetry all around us, from animals to words to patterns on fabrics, and more. Kids are introduced to the concepts of horizontal, vertical and even rotational symmetry. End notes explain the concept further, as well as give activity suggestions.

MORE: Symmetry project for kids

Math Art Worksheets

Math Line Designs from Around the World by Cindi Mitchell. This is a workbook series that comes in leveled books for different grades. It's not simply a coloring book; kids practice their math skills and integrate them into creating designs.

MORE: Spirolateral Math Art Project

Coordinate Graphing: Creating Geometry Quilts, Grades 4 and up. If your kids need to practice graphing, you might as well do it in a cool way. Again, you will be able to find different leveled books for creating pictures through graphing exercises.

Patterns of the Universe Coloring Books. The patterns in this book will inspire kids to think about how mathematical patterns can make infinite artistic designs. I don't recommend a coloring book as a substitution for hands-on math art projects or the other math art books on this list, but as a supplement and boredom buster, it is gorgeous.

Cross disciplinary learning is the best and you will find a couple of math art projects, plus more in a book I co-wrote!

52 STEAM projects for kids ages 4-10. Magically inventive, wild and wonderful projects with clear instructions and colorful how-to photos.  BUY: eBook |  Amazon Print | UK/EU customers only: eBook

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Stories that illustrate difficult concepts like infinity, algebra or fractals can help turn things around for students struggling with math. If nothing else, these advanced concept math picture books will give them a break from boring worksheets!

These math picture books are great for the upper elementary grades and even up to age 12. Yes, even middle schoolers will benefit from learning about math concepts from a new angle that only illustrated stories can provide!

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Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. This was the first book my son's current 4th grade teachers read to the class at the beginning of the year. They even had a small take home writing assignment based on the book about how math is all around us. The narrator of the book starts to think of everything in his day as a math problem. The book is very silly but still manages to include a lot of different math concepts, like Fibonacci numbers, fractions and probability.

365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental, illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet. This is a huge, oversized (you'd need that for so many penguins, right?), very funny French import. A family receives an anonymously delivered package containing one penguin. But that's not all. The penguins keep coming. The household runs amok! The family tries various strategies to keep the penguins under control, from grouping them, to piling them in cubes, all the while sneakily introducing mathematical calculations. This book is incredibly fun, even if your kids are not ready for the kind of math it introduces so big kids and their younger siblings can enjoy it together. 

The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdös by Deborah Heiligman, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. A picture book biography of a successful mathematician is a great way to inspire your kids. Paul Erdös was an eccentric, but very sociable mathematician who traveled the world spreading and sharing his love of numbers. Heiligman does a great job of integrating math concepts into the writing and the end notes include some historical background and mathematical explanations.

The Rabbit Problem by Emily Gravett. I love this fun book! Fibonacci + Emily Gravett = a math match made in heaven. Although the idea that rabbits actually reproduce according to the Fibonacci sequence is not entirely accurate, it is nevertheless a fun way to explore rapidly growing numbers. Although the math concepts may go over the heads of the very youngest kids, they will love studying the humorous illustrations of numerous bunnies! The book ends with a terrific pop-up page.

Infinity and Me by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska. This book, which ponders how we can relate to infinity in both universal and personal ways has absolutely gorgeous artwork, incorporating the sign for infinity in unique and creative ways.

Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature by Sarah C. Campbell. This book is gorgeous and a great choice for kids who may really love biology and nature but aren't sure how math plays into that. There is information about Benoit Mandelbrot, the man who gave fractals their name, as well as an activity to make your own fractal. I recommend this book for all ages, even adults. (Actually, adults will find most of these books fascinating!)

Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar by Mitsumasa Anno. This math picture book demonstrates factorials in a clever, easy to understand, visual way using a magic jar. Side note: any number which is written with an "!" appeals to my innate appreciation for dramatics so I am pretty much in love with factorials now.

Anno's Magic Seeds by Mitsumasa Anno is another story about the power of doubling and multiplication. A wizard gives Jack two seeds and explains that planting one will keep him well fed. Jack plants one and the seed doubles and then doubles again, etc. One year Jack decides to plant both seeds. You can imagine what happens. I like the way the narrative progresses over time. Jack gets married, he has more mouths to feed; he also has to start over when the harvest fails. As in his other books, Anno's illustrations, and the way he groups numbers so kids have a visual understanding of the geometric progression is very effective.

Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan. In hopes of lifting his family out of poverty, Bhagat travels to Rajah's city in search of a position as a musician. Along the way he stops at an inn, but when it comes to payment, he faces a conundrum and must use his knowledge of binary numbers to solve it.

One Grain Of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi. Mathematics and Morals together! In this folktale from India, a selfish raja keeps all the rice to himself during a time of famine, despite his promise to share with his people. However, he offers a young girl the choice of either 30 days worth of rice or the option of doubling the amount of rice each day starting with only one grain.

Books are only one way of helping your older elementary kids, and middle school kids to love math. Be sure to visit The Measured Mom to get her advice how how to make math fun for 8 to 12 year olds.

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Books for this age focus on simple math concepts like counting and patterns. They include bold illustrations that encourage lap sitters to find and recognize shapes and relative sizes.

Counting Books for Babies and Toddlers

Demonstrating that counting can be fun is great well to help kids develop a positive relationship to math!  Don't worry about making sure your little one can repeat the numbers in order, though! Rest assured, you little one is learning through observation.

Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang. This is one of my absolute favorite board books. I loved reading it to both my boys at night time and I can still recite it from memory. I even included it in my list of toddler books I'll miss reading. A young girl counts items in her room as she gets ready for bed. "10 small toes all soft and warm. 9 soft friends in a quiet room," all the way down to "1 big girl all ready for bed." 

Counting Kisses: A Kiss & Read Book by Karen Katz. What better way to encourage a love to counting than with love and kisses? Karen Katz has a number of counting books toddlers and babies will love. As you turn the pages with your little one, you will (of course!) want to give your child lots all the kisses (and more!) that the mom shares with our own baby in the book. Be sure to read the companion book, Daddy Hugs.

Toddler Two by Anastasia Suen is a sweet board book in which a pair of twins count all the pairs they see. The simple repetitive pattern in the text "Two legs, one, two. Two arms, one, two" is perfect for little ones and reinforces the simple pattern learning they are already doing in life.

Doggies by Sandra Boynton. Everyone loves a Boynton book! This silly book will get your toddlers barking, counting and giggling at the same time.

Shapes and Patterns

Babies and toddlers begin to recognize patterns long before they recognize counting and numbers. Stimulate their brains with bold and bright books. Our list of the best black and white board books includes more titles to share with your little one during lap time.

Black & White by Tana Hoban. These classic books are essential "reads". Babies love looking at contrasts. Parents can name shapes and objects, encourage participation by asking little ones to point to the objects, or simply turn the pages and gaze while cuddling.

Spots and Dots by Chez Picthall continues along the same line as Hoban's Black and White books but adds in color and repetitive patterns.

Higher! Higher! by Leslie Patricelli encourages toddlers to consider relative height in this exuberant book about a child who shouts to be pushed "Higher! Higher!" until she is so high that a wave to the local alien population is warranted. Parents might recognize the familiar feeling of their own exhaustion as the return to earth prompts, "Again!" Although you may not immediately think of this as a math book, recognizing relative size and distance is an important early math skill.

Bright Baby Touch and Feel board book series. Parents know that kids want to touch everything! They learn through touch so why not make reading a multi-sensory experience with books that include textures as well as pictures and words.

My Very First Book of Shapes by Eric Carle is a great choice for 2 year olds. Each illustrated page is spilt. The top half shows a bold, black shape with it's name. The bottom half displays a familiar object like a kite, a watermelon or lady bug. Kids can turn the top half separately to match it with the object on the bottom half of the page.

See more of our best books for 2 year olds.

Big Little by Leslie Patricelli , as the title suggests, compares the size of different objects. Patricelli's colorful illustrations are always crowd pleasing.

After you finish reading, fit these 10 ways to make math fun for babies and toddlers into your days with little ones.

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Math Reference Books: Dictionaries and Explainers

How to Be a Math Genius is the best, most useful and most fun book on this list. It is loaded with information made accessible for young minds through asides, illustrations, and real-life and historical examples. There are activities, puzzles and brain twisters, even science experiments that use math. The text encourages kids to think outside the box and to see math in the world around them, not just on a worksheet in front of them. Is that a glowing enough review?

101 Things Everyone Should Know About Math. From the title, you might expect this book to be a series of facts. However, each "thing you should know" is actually presented in the form of a math word problem. These questions are divided into topics like "health and food", "travel" "nature, music and art." I like how this format encourages kids to think about math as it is applied in real life situations. After all, math is everywhere. Diagrams and illustrations help kids visualize the concepts. The first half of the book contains the questions and the second half is devoted to explaining the answers. I'm not a homeschooler, but I imagine this book would be extremely useful to those parents. 

G Is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book. After reading this book, my son tried very hard to explain to me how binary numbers are formed. I'm sure his explanation was spot on, but I still couldn't wrap my head around what he was saying. As you have already deduced from the title (because you, too, are a genius) this book contains a math term for each letter of the alphabet. This book is filled with in-depth information and unless you have a math-crazed kid, I suggest it for ages 8 (at least!) and up.

Math Dictionary: Homework Help for Families. Although it was my son who brought this book home, it is a useful reference for parents. If you have a child in public school you may have noticed that your child is learning a methodology that is different than what you learned. I'm fortunate that I don't yet have to help with math homework, but it sure is nice to know what's going on!

See Inside Maths. This is one of my favorite math books on the list because it is interactive. There are flaps to lift, cubes to build, even a game to play. It's a book for kids to explore and it emphasizes the practical side of math, while still keeping things fun. It shows kids how math can do something for them, such as help them out at the grocery store or help them play games.

You Can Count on Monsters: The First 100 Numbers and Their Characters. This was one of the first math books my son read. It's a visual accounting of numbers based on their prime factor. (I really hope I am getting all this lingo correct!) Each page consists simply of a number and its corresponding illustration.

Algebra and Geometry is part of a series of science books on a wide range of topics. Mathematical elements are characters who introduce themselves and describe how they perform their functions. Personally, I didn't really like the style of this book but my son liked it a lot and I defer to him in all things mathematics. However, I can see how the book is appealing to kids and may make math fun for kids who are struggling.

I Wish I Knew That: Math: Cool Stuff You Need to Know. I was surprised to find this was published by Reader's Digest. My experience with Reader's Digest consists of flipping through their tiny little magazine at my grandparent's home when I was a kid. There was nothing in their home to read but the Bible and Reader's Digest! Author Goldsmith has condensed a lot of ideas into short, easily digestible (had to get that in there) trivia bits. It's not an in-depth book by any means, but fun to skim through. I recommend it for your library card.

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With the help of my 8-year0old, I've compiled this list of math chapter books and story collections where mathematical concepts play a crucial part of the story. They are excellent tools for cross-curriculum learning. Best of all, even if your child's favorite subject in school is art or drama or history, all of the books make math accessible and tell a good story. (And by the way, if your kid loves art, try one of these amazing math art projects for kids.) 

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Math-Themed Chapter Books

The Lemonade War.  Evan is people-smart and his younger sister, Jessie, is book-smart. Their sibling rivalry results in a summer contest to see who can earn the most money selling lemonade. Throughout the book both business and math calculations play an important role, but they never overwhelm what is essentially a story about a sibling relationship.

Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside School. Fans of the zany humor in Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside Schoolwill enjoy the crazy take on mathematics in these two books. You know you've entered a strange school when your teacher can explain in mathematical terms how "she x he = sass." Each chapter acts as a very short stand-alone tale that centers around a logic problem requiring math skills. They are pretty wacky, but also quite clever (and frankly, challenging!). The books also include clues and solutions to each problem-puzzle.

7 x 9 = Trouble! and Fractions = Trouble!. These two books were on my list of Early Chapter Book Series about Boys. Third grader, Wilson is embarrassed that he struggles with math in school. He dreads timed tests and fears his friends will find out he has a tutor. There is much comic relief in the form of a hamster! My son loves these books and has reread them over and over.

The Candy Corn Contest.  In this installment of The Kids of Polk Street School series, the action centers around a contest to see who can guess the number of candy corn in a teacher's jar. As you might expect there is much discussion about estimating. However, like the rest of the series, the story also deals with kids overcoming their insecurities and learning the ropes of being a good friend. Also Available for Kindle.

The Toothpaste Millionaire. The practical side of math is highlighted when sixth-graders Rufus and Kate decide to invent a superior toothpaste, sell it and make their fortunes. First published 40 years ago, Jean Merrill's book (she also wrote The Pushcart War) is still a highly entertaining celebration of the imaginative spirit. After reading this book, don't be surprised to see your kid start up a new entrepreneurial endeavor using his or her math skills!

The Math Wiz. This is a book you can find on my list of stand-alone early chapter books for boys. 3rd grader Marty looks at everything in his life as a math equation to be solved. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be able to solve his P.E. problem with any recognizable formula. The text includes pictures of the creative ways Marty sees the world in mathematical terms. Also available for the Kindle.

The Phantom Tollbooth. Oh, you thought The Phantom Tollbooth was just about grammar and word play? Don't forget Milo and Tock visit Digitopolis, chat up a Dodecahedron and explore curious mathematical concepts like infinity with a Mathematician. Also available for Kindle.

The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure. This is an odd sort of book, translated from the German, but my 8 year old declared it a winner. 12 year old Robert has trouble with math and each night in his dreams he meets the Number Devil who  helps him understand various mathematical concepts, some of which are quite advanced. Illustrations are in color, which is unusual for a chapter book and math concepts are visually displayed. Also Available for Kindle.

MATH SHORT STORIES:

The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat, Further Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat and Fractals, Googols, and Other Mathematical Tales. Pappas' books each contain short tales narrowly focused on a particular mathematical concept. You name the concept, there's a explanatory story about it. The books include side notes, copious diagrams,  thorough explanations as well as suggested activities. These are terrific books for math-obsessed kids but are also very useful for children who might need some help understanding a particular concept. Also Available for Kindle (although many of the reviews indicate the Kindle versions have numerous scanning errors).

The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures. In ancient Arabia, Beremiz Samir dispenses his mathematical wisdom to solve problems, give advice and to inspired admiration wherever he goes. Math concepts and the history of important mathematicians weave through the adventures of one man during his travels.

More:

• Math books for babies and toddlers
• Math books for preschoolers
• Math books for early elementary kids
• Math books about advanced concepts
• Math reference books that are actually fun
• Hands on math learning: make a book about shapes (plus shape picture books)

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Since learning about the sequence, and its appearance in the natural world, our nature walks have included some math exploration. my son likes to pick up pine cones or examine leaves to see if their patterns adhere to the sequence. (Note: Book covers and titles are affiliate links that earn commission from qualifying purchases.)

MORE: After reading these books, try out our open-ended Fibonacci art project!

Fibonacci Picture Books:

Here are a few great books describing the Fibonacci math patterns as well as teaching about their namesake:

Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. The man himself! This is an accessible (though somewhat fictionalized, as little is known about Fibonacci's life) biography for kids about how Fibonacci came to discover the patterns in nature that are named after him. For those of you who have kids who are inexplicably drawn to numbers it will have a particular resonance.

Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature. You can't beat beautiful nature photos and mathematics. This book has examples of Fibonacci patterns in nature as well as the "golden ratio." Gorgeous.

The Rabbit Problem. I love this fun book! Fibonacci + Emily Gravett = a math match made in heaven. Although the idea that rabbits actually reproduce according to the Fibonacci sequence is not entirely accurate, it is nevertheless a fun way to explore rapidly growing numbers. Although the math concepts may go over the heads of the very youngest kids, they will love studying the humorous illustrations of numerous bunnies! The book ends with a terrific pop-up page.

While Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature doesn't exclusively look at Fibonacci spirals, it is nevertheless a beautifully illustrated introduction to the world of mathematical spirals in nature. Short, charming poems identify both common and mysterious spirals in the natural world, drawing kids into the lyrical text. Be sure to go out for a nature walk afterwards.

Wild Fibonacci uses the number sequence as a basis for creating a rhyme about animals. It's a nice book to read, but the short poems don't illuminate much about the mathematics of the sequence. (I prefer the poems in Swirl by Swirl) Still, it's worth checking out from the library as part of your child's overall introduction to Fibonacci and numbers in nature.

Fibonacci Fun: Fascinating Activities With Intriguing Numbers is an activity book with projects and puzzles for kids based on Fibonacci and other number sequences. It may inspire you to get hands on with math! Best for upper grades and middle school.

So, is it math that makes nature beautiful, or nature that makes math beautiful? You decide. Either way, these are fun books about both. Enjoy.

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