The Very Best Math Fiction Books – By Age

Math Fiction Books

Please keep in mind that that ages shown are basic guidelines. You know your child best so choose according to thier abilities not to the ages shown.

For example many younger kids enjoy the Sir Cumference books and even though they are shown in 9 – 12 year old category they get kids interested in and talking about math.

Math Fiction Books for 3 – 5 Year Olds

• The Greedy Triangle is all about shapes and their names. Triangle is not happy having only three sides and gets a shape-shifter to change him into various shapes. I like how they relate the shapes to objects the child will be familiar with. An amusing intro to geometry. Math Concept: Geometry
• This is one of two math fiction books that are my favorites. One Grain of Rice is an excellent teaching story, I guess I would call it a mathematical fable. The book has beautiful illustrations touched with gold highlights. The story is of a girl who receives a reward from a Raja and how the girl uses math to trick him into accepting her seemingly low request. A very good example of why math is important to every day life. Another good selection with a similar storyline is The Kings Chessboard. Math Concept: Multiplication
• In 100 Hungry Ants, the youngest ant has a brilliant mathematical suggestion to get to the food just a bit faster. This amusing, rhyming book with fantasic wood cut or linocut illustrations is a lot of fun. Math Concept: Division

The Greedy TriangleOne Grain Of RiceOne Hundred Hungry Ants

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• Max’s Math is a sequel to Max’s Words which you should check out if you have not seen it. Max is back with his two brothers in a math fiction book filled with numbers and shapes. They are on their way to Shapeville when they meet a 6 or is it a 9 on the side of the road. Math Concept: Numbers and Shapes
• Spagetti and Meatballs for All has Mr. and Mrs. Comfort expecting guests and Mrs. Comfort arranging the seating. However, when the guests arrive they have different plans! Math Concept: Area and Parimeter
• Using cookies to teach math? Well, yes. It is both a yummy way to do it and memorable as well. I highly suggest you bake cookies together, then read this book with your kids. The Doorbell Rang. Math Concept: Division, Equal

Max’s MathSpaghetti And Meatballs For All!The Doorbell Rang

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• Doesn’t a book about a gift from a wizard sound exciting? In Anno’s Magic Seeds a wizard gives Jack two seeds, one of which he is to eat and one he is to plant. This is a wonderful book for young kids and older kids alike. Math Concept: Mulitiplication
• In Missing Math numbers are disappearing everywhere! Will the detective be able to solve the case and find all the missing numbers? I like the computer generated animal illustrations in this one. They are very colorful and fun to see. Math Concept: Various
• This is an interesting one. The narration is done by a newly minted quarter. Basically this is a story of a day in the life of a quarter. What I like is that it shows kids all the different places a coin may be used and how money is calculated throughout the book. Math Concept: Money

Anno’s Magic SeedsMissing Math: A Number MysteryFollow the Money!

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• We read a lot of the Math Start stories when my son was young. The stories aren’t outstanding but they are enjoyable and make it easy to get the math concepts across. I do like these as they are short and to the point.  There are more titles in the Math Start 1 series so click the link to see more titles. NOTE: These are available on more advanced levels as well. Math Concept: Varies by Book

Double the Ducks
Addition, MultiplicationJack the Builder
AdditionLeaping Lizards
Counting

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Math Fiction Books for 6 – 8 Year Olds

• The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat is a math adventure book. I put it in this age group  due to the images. I also think it is a great story for introducing the math concepts included in the book through they may be better understood by older kids. Includes suggested activities to go with the stories. Math Concept: Various
• A fraction is missing and George Cornelius Factor sets out to track it down. In the book, Fractions in Disguise, he invents a reducer to help with the task. Good intro to fractions and how to simplify them. Plus it has enough humor to keep kids interested in the story. Math Concept: Fractions
• In Pythagoras and the Ratios (a sequel to What’s Your Angle Pythagoras) we find Pythagoras interested in winning a music competition. He discovers that “notes that sound pleasant together have a certain mathematical relationship.” This is a win for kids who like music or greek culture. Covers the concept of ratios in an entertaining way. Math Concept: Ratios

Penrose the Mathematical CatFractions in DisguisePythagoras and the Ratios

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• If you have a child who doesn’t really like math that much and maybe, just perhaps, thinks that math is a curse, then we have a book for you.  Math Curse is a funny tale of a girl who can’t stop thinking mathematically. From buttons, to sheep, to M&Ms everything she thinks is related to math. Math Concept: Various
• Anno’s Mysterious Multiplying Jar brings an interesting story to your children beginning with one island, that has two countries on it, and each country has three mountains . . . and so on until we get to the jar. Thoroughly enjoyable! Math Concept: Multiplication, Factorials
• Zachary Zormer Shape Transformer is all about measurement. Zachary forgets to do his math homework which is to bring something fun to measure and all he has in his pocket is a piece of paper. See just what he does with it! Detailed pictures of what he does adds to the learning. Math Concept: Measurement

Math CurseAnno’s Mysterious Multiplying JarZachary Zormer: Shape Transformer

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• Think about Zero. It is nothing right? Kids can actually be rather confused by zero and Zero the Hero is the the book to set them straight. The other numbers are not very kind to zero, until they realize just how important he is. Math Concept: Place Holding
• Let me say up front that I am a fan of Loreen Leedy and think she does an awesome job explaining math through her books. I am including two titles of her here but she has more! Go her to see all of her awesome math titles.
• The first one we are featuring is Measuring Penny. Penny is a dog and Lisa uses Penny as part of her homework assignment which is all about measurement. Math Concept: Measurement
• Then next book by Leedy is The Great Graph Contest. Think bar graphs, pie charts, Venn diagrams and other graphs. The characters are charmingly drawn and the story is about a contest to see who can make the best graph. Math Concept: Graphs

Zero the HeroMeasuring PennyThe Great Graph Contest

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• One other good choice for math fiction books for 6 – 8 year olds is the Pigs will be Pigs series. The books cover a variety of topics that include math with everyday life. See images below for topic details. Math Concept: Varies by Book

Fun with Math and MoneyFun with Math and CookingFun With Math and SportsFun with Math and GamesFun with Math and ShoppingFun with Math and Travel

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Math Fiction Books for 9 – 12 Year Olds

• The Sir Cumference books are perfect for 9 – 12 year olds. Starting with Sir Cumference and the First Round Table, this is a series with different math topics covered within different books. You can pick and choose depending on what type of mathematics you want to cover. These math adventure stories are filled with knights, math problems and plenty of humor! They are very, very good. Math Concept: Varies by Book

Sir Cumference & First Round TableSir Cumference & the Dragon of Pi  Great Knight of Angleland Sir Cumference &Sword in the Cone Sir Cumference & Isle of ImmeterSir Cumference & All the King’s TensSir Cumference & the Viking’s Map Off-the-Charts Dessert Sir Cumference & Roundabout BattleSir Cumference & Fracton Faire

• For something truely different try The Number Devil. Likely best for kids 10 and up who have some knowledge of math language. The only bit I don’t care for in this book is that the devil uses unusual names for the mathematical concepts such as calling roots by the name rutabagas. If you make sure your child knows the proper names, then this story will help them remember the mathematical information shared. Math Concept: Numbers
• This is actually a selection of math stories within one book. The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures is a gem of a book. Set in Arabian-style tales the character gives advice and solves problems with math. Will his mathematical prowess win him the heart of a princess? Read to find out. Math Concept: Various

The Number Devil: A Mathematical AdventureThe Man Who Counted

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There is a math series that works well for kids 9 – 12 years old that I will share with you as well. The ratings are excellent. The Math Inspectors is a math mystery series that kids will enjoy. Four friends start a detective agency and need to use math to figure out the answer to the mysteries. Great for kids who like to solve puzzles and those who like to fiddle with numbers. After all, the numbers don’t lie! Math Concept: Various

1 – The Case of the Claymore Diamond2 -The Case of the Mysterious Mr. Jekyll3 – The Case of the Christmas Caper4 – The Case of the Hamilton Roller Coaster

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