When I was in first grade, I mastered math placement. Really. Math is not my strong suit, but my teacher read aloud Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag.
The repeated text in the book is, “Hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats.” I have come to chant those words, slapping my leg to the beat, every time I read this book to my preschool class. I tell the children they need to help me say the words, and each time it appears in the book, they chant along with me, loud and clear. Maybe my first grade teacher did the same thing.
The illustrations are pen and ink, yet finding all those cats- hundreds and thousands and millions and billions and trillions- pulls children in. They clamor to see the pictures. The book was written in the 1920’s and continues to be a big hit. A book must be excellent, first and foremost, before it can teach.
Picture books can teach math. The outstanding ones, like Millions of Cats, sneak up on you. They put math in a real context, but first they draw the reader into the story, such as finding all the cats.
Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing in preschool? You bet! A good story can do just that. A case in point, The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins.
The story is about chocolate chip cookies. Mom makes the best batch from Grandma’s recipe. One dozen cookies. The reader sees two children sharing a dozen cookies. As friends arrive and the cookies must be shared, the reader then sees four children, and the words simply say, “That’s three each.” That visual is subitizing.
The new buzz word in math- subitizing- is being able to look at a grouping of objects, whether it is people, cookies, or the dots on a dice, and “know” what that number is. This book continues with more children arriving, and more dividing of the cookies. Of course it is the story itself, with a cliffhanger ending, that pulls in the reader.
And what about the ever-important counting and number recognition? The gold standard for the richest book in building upon numbers is Anno’s Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno.
Math is sequential, a series of building blocks. This book starts with zero and builds to twelve, each page adding one more. For example:
Not only does the count of each object depicted increase by one, a new object is added to each page. Where number 2 shows two buildings, two people, two pine trees, at least seven different objects, number 9 shows many more objects. The book also goes through the seasons, adding visual excitement to an I Spy-esque counting adventure.
Children love good books. If those books are about math, they will be interested in math. And so it goes. Pretty powerful.
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
You have put together a very educational post here. I wish all the preschool through grade school teachers were reading this. They could learn as much as I just have. I don’t think our teachers were as talented at teaching as you. You should be teaching teachers.
You made my day with your kind words, Marlene. Wouldn’t it be wonderful indeed if all teachers of younger children read this and perhaps changed how they taught math!
There are a few teachers and a few doctors who step outside the box and do it better. Wish there were more of you.
A big, heartfelt thank you, Marlene. ❤️
It’s amazing how easily children can comprehend beyond expectations, when learning is fun. If I was a kid again, I’d want you for a teacher.
Awww… you made my day, Dan. And, you are absolutely right about children and learning- when it’s fun. Many thanks!
Excellent post. You are an amzing teacher and will turn out amazing students. Kudos!
Many thanks! So glad you enjoyed the post. 🙂
Jennie, Thank you for explaining exactly how helpful each of these classics is in teaching math. I will definitely be sharing this on my blog! Your instructions and enthusiasm about reading these books to young children will be so helpful to the moms who read my posts.
Susan
Thank you, Susan! I’m so glad you enjoyed the read, and the books. I always want to help parents.
Wonderful post. I feel the need to see if these books are in my local library, now!
That’s great. And, thank you!
🙂
Reblogged this on Tess DeGroot and commented:
Books can raise awareness, create interest, and teach skills in a fun and powerful way.
Thank you, Tess!
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Thank you!
I enjoy counting books as well as colors or alphabet books. Your featuring “Millions of Cats” by Wanda Gag makes me very happy!
I like the pen and ink drawings as well as the way the text is written, almost like handwritten. So much goodness and light you spread here.
Thanks, Robin! Did you know there is a Wanda Gag book award? Also, she wrote Snow White with incredible pen and ink drawings.
I think these visuals are a great value to aiding the learning process.. I wish when I was a youngster at school learning Maths had been so colourful.. 🙂 I so disliked Maths I think because it never held my attention..
I remember in those early years loving fractions.. Why? because we had small bricks which we would build and then divide etc.. 🙂 each unit had a different colour and width.. 🙂 I think when you are interested you learn more.
Great Post Jennie xx
Exactly! I hated math because it was all flash cards. Then I remember a teacher teaching fractions with a wooden apple, quartered. Light bulb moment! Thanks, Sue. Glad you enjoyed the post and shared your story.
🙂 yes those visuals will stay with your students.. I know my own memories of them have remained.. 🙂 ❤
🙂
I agree, Jennie. What a brilliant way to instill a love of math! Love love love this. You are such a great talent for these kids and the way you share that with us. Many blessings, Debbie
Thank you so much, Debbie. I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this. Your kind words are greatly appreciated. 🙂