NONFICTION

What Is Math?

by Rebecca Kai Dotlich (text) & illus. by Sachiko Yoshikawa
Little, Brown/Christy Ottaviano. Jul. 2022. 40p. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780316337779.
COPY ISBN
Gr 1-2–This rhyming picture book describes math as part of our daily lives, such as counting eggs, recognizing patterns in the city, and the distance traveled in a car. Spreads feature four lines of rhyming text along with colorful drawings of a relatively diverse group of children engaging in typical activities. The simple text does not attempt to explain how math works. Instead, it serves to introduce the subject to young children: “What is math?/ It’s building a house./ It’s the pattern of seasons./ The size of a mouse.” Yoshikawa brings the same colorful, cheerful, and appealing illustration style that she used in Stephanie Calmenson’s Late for School! to this work.
VERDICT Overall, the book is a fun and engaging introduction to math and a solid purchase for libraries looking to expand their early math collections.
Reviewed by Kate Rao , Jun 01, 2022

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