Math Literature for Kids
Math and literature aren’t usually used in the same sentence. They are usually taught as two separate subjects. What a lost opportunity!
Stories are relatable. They introduce math concepts in appealing, interesting, non-threatening ways. They make math come to life and feel accessible. Stories help students to arrive at deeper connections on their own, which is much more meaningful than learning presented to a child.
Literature helps connect math to other subjects, like history, geography and science. Holistic learning is the most effective.
My favorite math curriculum (I wrote it!) uses math literature strategically throughout, to both introduce and reinforce critical math concepts.
Kids don’t hate math, they hate feeling stuck. We Play Math eliminates frustration through gamification. Short, animated videos teach concepts and games and puzzles provide practice. Our math arcade facilitates instant, automatic recall of critical math facts.
Math-Related Picture Books for Kids
There are many children’s books that have math-related content and themes. When choosing literature, you may want to select books that either have math concepts that drive the story, or that are embedded in the story. Here are a few examples sorted by concept or skill.
- Missing Math by Loreen Leedy
- Five Creatures by Emily Jenkins
- Just Add Fun by Joanne Rocklin
- More or Less A Mess by Sheila Keenan
- Even Steven, Odd Todd by Kathryn Cristaldi
Picture Books that Teach Measurement
Measurement doesn’t get enough practice in the school setting, so these picture books are great for working it into the day!
- Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen
- Big, Bigger, Biggest by Nancy Coffelt
- Harold and the Purple Crayon: Big, Bigger, Biggest by Namrata Tripathi
- Much Bigger Than Martin by Stephen Kellogg
- Just a Little Bit by Anne Tompert
- The Long and Short of it by Cheryl Nathan
- More or Less by Stuart J. Murphy
- Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy
- Cook-A-Doodle-Doo by Janet Stevens
- The Fattest, Tallest, Biggest Snowman Ever by Michael Rex
- Super Sand Castle Saturday by Stuart J. Murphy
- Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
- How Tall, How Short, How Far Away? by David Adler
- Is a Whale the Biggest Thing There Is? by Robert E. Wells
Children’s Picture Books About Counting & Adding
- Quack and Count by Keith Baker
- Mission: Addition by Loreen Leedy
- From One to One Hundred by Teri Sloat
- Every Buddy Counts by Stuart J. Murphy
- On Beyond a Million by David M. Schwartz
- The Twelve Days of Kindergarten by Deborah Lee Rose
- Two Ways to Count to Ten by Ruby Dee
Math Picture Books for Kids About Counting Backwards & Subtraction
- Monster Math by Anne Miranda
- Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O’connell
- Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
- The Action of Subtraction by Brian P. Cleary
- Monster Musical Chairs by Stuart Murphy
- If You Were a Minus Sign by Trisha Speed Shaskan
- If You Were a Plus Sign by Trish Speed Shaskan
- Subtraction Action by Loreen Leedy
Pin these picture books about math literature for kids!
What is your favorite children’s book to motivate math lessons? Share with us! We would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
