More M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies Math

More M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies Math

From School Library JournalGrade 1-3-The candy and the book have similarities in their thin, sweet coatings, but while the coating on the candy covers chocolate, this book's incoherent math lesson veils blatant advertising. A few concepts such as grouping are appropriately explored, but subtraction is described as "Take the small from the large" and the borrowing and carrying of numbers, shown in addition and subtraction problems, are not explained. Multiplication and division are given lip service, but no substance. The concepts are loosely related through a rhyming text and the liberal use of copyrighted M&M's characters and candies on every page. Young children may be fascinated by the pictures, but won't be able to handle this many concepts with so little explanation. Older children who may understand them would scorn the childish presentation. All ages deserve proper terminology, which is not used. Skip this and save your money for a real treat.Nancy A. Gifford, Schenectady County Public Library, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Rhyming text and illustrations use candy to teach mathematical skills and concepts such as estimation, graph interpretation, division, multiplication, factoring, and problem solvingAbout the AuthorBarbara Barbieri McGrath Author Barbara wanted to combine her interest in writing with her desire to make learning fun. This, and her experience with children, inspired her to write her first book, The M&M'S? Brand Counting Book, which has over a million copies in print. She has also written several other books, including More M&M's? Brand Math, The Cheerios Counting Book(Scholastic), and The Baseball Counting Book.She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their two children.