Multiply on the Fly

July 25, 2011
In rhyming verse Slade describes the physical features and behaviors of insects while introducing a multiplication question: "Four lovely luna moths/ rest upon a pine./ Each one spans three inches./ How long is the luna line? 4x3=?" Readers won't find hints or answers on the spreads; for that they can turn to the extensive back matter, which includes a multiplication table and information about the insects. Hunter demonstrates care in her naturalistic illustrations of such species as dragonflies, honeybees, pirate bugs, spittlebugs, and butterflies. Ages 4â9.

December 1, 2011

Gr 2-4-Multiplication problems from1 to 11 are all presented in short, four-line rhymes. Each problem sits on a spread vibrantly illustrated with a group of realistic insects. Sometimes the rhymes make the problems a tad confusing: "Five lonely grasshoppers/sound their mating song./Each strums two shiny wings./How many play along?" Is the question referring to grasshoppers or wings? The written equation "5 x 2 = ?" clears it up. Other featured insects include ladybugs, fireflies, solider ants, honey bees, monarchs, and pirate bugs. A "For Creative Minds" section includes facts about insect body parts and life cycles as well as several reproducible worksheets. One valuable and often misunderstood bit of information, "All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs," is regrettably not expanded upon. The "Multiplying Numbers" page is a helpful addition, providing kids with three different approaches for solving the examples found in the text-count the items, add each group, or multiply. It is worth noting that it is not always easy to count the items; one equation requires counting the wingspans of the luna moths, although there is no ruler on the page to show the number of inches (and if a ruler is employed to solve the equation, readers discover that the wingspans are not "three inches" anyway). In spite of its flaws, creative teachers could find a use for this title.-Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN

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