The Children's Book Council is now honoring the best "Mathical" books for  children! Mathical: Books for Kids from Tots to Teens recognizes popular math-related fiction and nonfiction for very young children through   teenagers.  These books are recognized by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute and the Children's Book Council as outstanding books that inspire young readers to approach math in an inviting way.  Best of all, no text books!  Below are two of the 2015 winners.  For more information and  the complete list of winners, follow this link to the Inaugural Mathical List.

                                ZERO THE HERO by Joan Holub

                                

Poor Zero is having a hard time proving himself as a superhero.  Folks mistake him for a doughnut, and the rules of addition and subtraction render him useless.  But when our hero disappears, things get rough in the number world.  Math lovers and math phobic will enjoy the visual jokes and graphic elements in this humorous tale.

                          BLOCKHEAD - THE LIFE OF FIBONACCI

                                            by Joseph D'Agnese

                                      

This entertaining biography of Fibonacci will engage children and adults alike.  Who was he?  Fascinated by numbers, Leonardo Fibonacci was a daydreaming boy in Medieval Italy who found something to count everywhere, earning him the nickname Blockhead.  As an adult, he worked out a math problem that involved reproducing rabbits and he discovered a pattern that repeats itself in nature! This was later dubbed The Fibonacci Sequence, making him one of the greatest mathematicians of his time. The illustrations help to re-create a medieval setting, while the last page lists things to find in the pictures, as well as activities to reinforce his concepts.