Eric Yoder

I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I did not read the whole book, but I did read enough (more than half, focussing on the Spanish side) to get a sense of the book. This is a series of short "how did they figure it out/what would you do" puzzles about math. It involves light geometry, proportions, probability, rates, arithmetic, and problem solving, and could definitely entertain a wide grade range. It is written in English and Spanish, (on facing pages, show more which I found useful when I didn't know a word), and then each mystery is solved on the next set of facing pages. The mysteries were set in the normal life of the kids - figuring out chores, getting the best price, playing a game, etc. There were a few math errors, but they were typos instead of math issues, and I hope they catch them in the next edition. A couple times there were assumptions about what kids know, for example how big a soda can is, but actually, if you were reading this with a kid, you could go find one and look, which would be part of the fun. As a full-time math tutor, I am glad to know this book exists and expect that I may be able to use some of these interesting problems with my students. show less

A fun offering for English and Spanish learners alike with a mystery element that will hook its target audience. A great way to make math fun.

Marvelous book! It uses real-life scenarios to teach math in both English and Spanish (a real plus in my school district). Each answer is explained in easy-to-read language. For students who don't understand "why" they have to learn math, this book is an excellent example of why math is SO important. Presenting the problems as "mysteries" is an added draw. The book aligns with Common Core State Standards and the math standards of the Center for Education at the National Academies.

This is a fun book which is great for giving real-world examples of math. I love how almost all of them require deeper thinking and gets students talking about math. I've already used this book at home with my children as well as in my fifth-grade classroom.