Nonfiction Books on Mathematics Relating to Economics
Vijaya Khisty Bodach
Title: Bar Graphs
Author: Vijaya Khisty Bodach
Publication: 2008, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 1-4296-0040-3
Theme: Displaying data
Recommended for Grade Levels: PreK through 2
Assessment Ranking: 5-Excellent
Assessment:
This book is about how to make bar graphs. This book does an excellent job of showing how to make the rows and columns in a bar graph and how bar graphs can go up and down and side to side. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as book for independent reading for first and second graders. I would use this book within the context of introducing bar graphs and comparing and contrasting them to pictographs. It is important for students to understand that a bar can represent objects and that the number scale is used to tell how many. Strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, use of real world examples, and demonstration of how bars can symbolize objects. Overall, I believe that this is an excellent text that is useful for demonstrating how bar graphs can be used to show how many and to make comparisons. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish. It is also available as an interactive CD.
This book is about how to make bar graphs. This book does an excellent job of showing how to make the rows and columns in a bar graph and how bar graphs can go up and down and side to side. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as book for independent reading for first and second graders. I would use this book within the context of introducing bar graphs and comparing and contrasting them to pictographs. It is important for students to understand that a bar can represent objects and that the number scale is used to tell how many. Strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, use of real world examples, and demonstration of how bars can symbolize objects. Overall, I believe that this is an excellent text that is useful for demonstrating how bar graphs can be used to show how many and to make comparisons. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish. It is also available as an interactive CD.
Title: Pictographs
Author: Vijaya Khisty Bodach
Publication: 2008, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 1-4296-0041-1
Theme: Displaying data
Recommended for Grade Levels: PreK through 2
Assessment Ranking: 5-Excellent
Assessment:
This book is about how to make pictographs, or picture graphs. This book does an excellent job of showing how to make the rows and the key in a pictograph. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for first and second graders. I would use this book within the context of an introduction to summarizing and displaying data. Strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, use of real world examples, and explanation of how the key changes when there is no longer a one to one correspondence between the picture and what it represents. Overall, I believe that this is a delightful text that is useful for demonstrating how pictures can be used to show how many and to make comparisons. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish. It is also available as an interactive CD.
This book is about how to make pictographs, or picture graphs. This book does an excellent job of showing how to make the rows and the key in a pictograph. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for first and second graders. I would use this book within the context of an introduction to summarizing and displaying data. Strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, use of real world examples, and explanation of how the key changes when there is no longer a one to one correspondence between the picture and what it represents. Overall, I believe that this is a delightful text that is useful for demonstrating how pictures can be used to show how many and to make comparisons. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish. It is also available as an interactive CD.
Title: Pie Graphs
Author: Vijaya Khisty Bodach
Publication: 2008, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 1-4296-0042-X
Theme: Displaying Data
Recommended for Grade Levels: PreK through 2
Assessment Ranking: 5-Excellent
Assessment:
This book is about how to make pie charts. This book does an excellent job of showing how a whole can be divided into equal parts and how the parts compare to the whole. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for first and second graders. Although the purpose of this book is to show students different ways to make comparisons, I think this would be a good book to use to introduce students to fractions. The circle model has been shown to be especially effective in illustrating the part-whole meaning of fractions, and this book does a beautiful job of visually representing part-whole relationships. Other strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, and use of real world examples. Overall, I believe that this is an excellent text that is useful for demonstrating making comparisons and part-whole relationships. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish.
This book is about how to make pie charts. This book does an excellent job of showing how a whole can be divided into equal parts and how the parts compare to the whole. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for first and second graders. Although the purpose of this book is to show students different ways to make comparisons, I think this would be a good book to use to introduce students to fractions. The circle model has been shown to be especially effective in illustrating the part-whole meaning of fractions, and this book does a beautiful job of visually representing part-whole relationships. Other strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, and use of real world examples. Overall, I believe that this is an excellent text that is useful for demonstrating making comparisons and part-whole relationships. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish.
Title: Tally Charts
Author: Vijaya Khisty Bodach
Publication: 2009, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 1-4296-0043-8
Theme: Displaying Data
Recommended for Grade Levels: PreK through 2
Assessment Ranking: 5-Excellent
Assessment:
This book is about how to make tally charts. This book does an excellent job of showing how tally marks are grouped, how to organize a tally chart and how tallies are used to count things as they happen. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for first and second graders. I would use this book within the context of introducing students to grouping and keeping track of different objects, events, etc. It is important for students to understand that objects can be counted in ways other than having a one to one correspondence between an object and a number. Strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, use of real world examples, and demonstration of how tally marks are made in groups of five. Overall, I believe that this is an excellent text that is useful for demonstrating how tally charts can be used to show how many and to make comparisons. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish. It is also available as an interactive CD.
This book is about how to make tally charts. This book does an excellent job of showing how tally marks are grouped, how to organize a tally chart and how tallies are used to count things as they happen. It could be used as a read aloud for pre-kindergarten through early first grade. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for first and second graders. I would use this book within the context of introducing students to grouping and keeping track of different objects, events, etc. It is important for students to understand that objects can be counted in ways other than having a one to one correspondence between an object and a number. Strengths of the book include its: colorful pictures; use of both illustrations and words to describe the graphs; simple and direct text, use of real world examples, and demonstration of how tally marks are made in groups of five. Overall, I believe that this is an excellent text that is useful for demonstrating how tally charts can be used to show how many and to make comparisons. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish. It is also available as an interactive CD.
Title: Data Mania: Analyzing Doggie Data
Author: Marcie Aboff
Publication: 2011, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 978-1-4296-4528-7
Theme: Descriptive Statistics
Recommended for Grade Levels: 1 through 3
Assessment Ranking: 3-Fair
Assessment:
This book is about collecting, recording and summarizing data. In particular, this story follows Matt, the giraffe, as he uses graphs, plots and averages to answer questions about the animals in a pet store. I like the questions that Matt asks, such which cat, Flo, Jo, or Mo, sleeps the most? I also liked that the book used real world behaviors of animals, such as cats sleeping and hamsters using a spinning wheel. Finally, I liked the pictures and how the text and important terms were put into text boxes. This not only emphasized the information but it also made it easier to read. The weakness of this book was that, in my opinion, it included too many methods for describing data and not enough description of the different methods. There are a variety of methods to summarize and display data, but including a lot of methods in one text without adequately describing them may be confusing to students who have trouble seeing the similarities and differences between methods. Thus, depending on the audience, this book may be better suited to children who already have a firm grasp of organizing data, summarizing data and making comparisons. Because of this weakness, this book is best suited as a read aloud for grades 1 through 3, as independent reading for upper level second and third graders or buddy reading for heterogeneous groups of second and third graders. Overall, I believe this is a fair book for introducing students to the various ways that data can be described.
Title: Data Mania: Lions and Tigers and Graphs! Oh My!
Author: Jennifer M. Besel
Publication: 2011, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 978-1-4296-4527
Theme: Displaying data
Recommended for Grade Levels: 1 through 3
Assessment Ranking: 5-Excellent
Assessment:
This book is about graphing data. In particular, in this book, Matt the giraffe examines the numbers, behaviors and characteristics of animals at a zoo using pictographs, tally charts, bar graphs, pie charts and line graphs. I like how the book repeats characteristics of the different graphs. I also liked that the book used real world characteristics and behaviors of animals, such as heights of land animals. Finally, I liked the pictures and how the text and important terms were put into text boxes. This not only emphasized the information but it also made it easier to read. Although there is a lot of information about graphs in this book, it is not overwhelming because the descriptions are concise and logical and all of the graphs are described more than once both verbally and pictorially. I think this would be an excellent book to use as a read aloud for first through third graders to either introduce a unit on graphs or conclude a unit on graphs. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for the same grades. In addition, this book would be an excellent resource book for later elementary and even middle school students. Overall, I think this is an excellent book for introducing or reviewing various ways to graph data. The book is available in printed forms only.
This book is about graphing data. In particular, in this book, Matt the giraffe examines the numbers, behaviors and characteristics of animals at a zoo using pictographs, tally charts, bar graphs, pie charts and line graphs. I like how the book repeats characteristics of the different graphs. I also liked that the book used real world characteristics and behaviors of animals, such as heights of land animals. Finally, I liked the pictures and how the text and important terms were put into text boxes. This not only emphasized the information but it also made it easier to read. Although there is a lot of information about graphs in this book, it is not overwhelming because the descriptions are concise and logical and all of the graphs are described more than once both verbally and pictorially. I think this would be an excellent book to use as a read aloud for first through third graders to either introduce a unit on graphs or conclude a unit on graphs. It could also be used as a book for independent reading for the same grades. In addition, this book would be an excellent resource book for later elementary and even middle school students. Overall, I think this is an excellent book for introducing or reviewing various ways to graph data. The book is available in printed forms only.
Title: Let’s Graph
Author: Lisa Trumbauer
Publication: 2004, Capstone Press
ISBN #: 9780736829328
Theme: Displaying data
Recommended for Grade Levels: PreK through 2
Assessment Ranking: 2-Needs Improvement
Assessment:
This is a beginning book about graphing data. This text has appropriate complexity, use of literary devices, grammar, and word choice to be used as a read aloud for preK and kindergarten and for independent reading for first and second graders. Despite the appropriateness of the text, however, I feel that this book should not be read aloud or independently to children of any age because of the presence of content inaccuracy and inappropriate and unappealing graphics. In particular, in the description of individual bars on a graph there are statements such as, “We can color in two bars on the graph.” To talk about coloring in two bars within a bar is both confusing and inaccurate. In addition, some of the pictures are cut off and the food in the pictures looks, in my opinion, unattractive. Finally, in the pie charts, the individual sections within each category are not delineated. While it is not necessary to delineate each individual section within a category, it makes it easier to demonstrate part-whole relationships. Overall, I think this is a poor text for introducing young children to graphing. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish.
This is a beginning book about graphing data. This text has appropriate complexity, use of literary devices, grammar, and word choice to be used as a read aloud for preK and kindergarten and for independent reading for first and second graders. Despite the appropriateness of the text, however, I feel that this book should not be read aloud or independently to children of any age because of the presence of content inaccuracy and inappropriate and unappealing graphics. In particular, in the description of individual bars on a graph there are statements such as, “We can color in two bars on the graph.” To talk about coloring in two bars within a bar is both confusing and inaccurate. In addition, some of the pictures are cut off and the food in the pictures looks, in my opinion, unattractive. Finally, in the pie charts, the individual sections within each category are not delineated. While it is not necessary to delineate each individual section within a category, it makes it easier to demonstrate part-whole relationships. Overall, I think this is a poor text for introducing young children to graphing. As a printed form, this book is available in both English and Spanish.
Title: Tiger Math: Learning to Graph from a Baby Tiger
Author: Ann Whitehead Nagda and Cindy Bickel
Publication: 2000, Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
ISBN #: 9780805071610
Awards: NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book, Selector’s Choice
Theme: Displaying data
Recommended for Grade Levels: 3 through 5
Assessment Ranking: 5-Excellent
Assessment:
This is a captivating book about a Siberian tiger, named T.J., who survived and grew after his mother died when he was 10 weeks old. It can be used to either introduce children to graphing or encourage them to continue using graphs to summarize and compare data. Although it is recommended for grade levels 3 through 5, I think that it could be appropriately used as a read aloud for kindergarten through fifth grade and as a book for independent reading for third through fifth graders. The most appealing feature of this book is that you can read the story without looking at the graphs or reading the text that goes with the graphs and not miss any critical information relevant to the story. You can also just look at the graphs and read the text that goes with the graph and gain an adequate understanding of the story. It is almost as if it is two stories in one where, if desired, the stories can be read independently. This, in combination with the wonderful pictures of the tiger cub as he grew up, and the clear and concise captions for the graphs means that this book will have broad appeal and capture the imagination of many readers. Overall, this is an excellent book, and I would recommend it to any reader, especially one who is not enthusiastic about math. This book is available in printed forms only.
This is a captivating book about a Siberian tiger, named T.J., who survived and grew after his mother died when he was 10 weeks old. It can be used to either introduce children to graphing or encourage them to continue using graphs to summarize and compare data. Although it is recommended for grade levels 3 through 5, I think that it could be appropriately used as a read aloud for kindergarten through fifth grade and as a book for independent reading for third through fifth graders. The most appealing feature of this book is that you can read the story without looking at the graphs or reading the text that goes with the graphs and not miss any critical information relevant to the story. You can also just look at the graphs and read the text that goes with the graph and gain an adequate understanding of the story. It is almost as if it is two stories in one where, if desired, the stories can be read independently. This, in combination with the wonderful pictures of the tiger cub as he grew up, and the clear and concise captions for the graphs means that this book will have broad appeal and capture the imagination of many readers. Overall, this is an excellent book, and I would recommend it to any reader, especially one who is not enthusiastic about math. This book is available in printed forms only.
