Becky Levine ([info]beckylevine) wrote,
2009-05-18 20:24:00
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  • Mood: enthralled

Blog Contest: Betsy Franco's Mathematickles!

I am in love with this book.



I met Betsy Franco at Books Inc this weekend, when I went to hear Susan Taylor Brown read, for Kids Otter Read. Betsy was checking out a YA book I was buying, and I was looking at the picture books on the authors' table.

And I found Mathematickles!

I had to buy it, even though I knew I didn't have anyone to give it to. My son would have loved it when he was young, but he's 13 now and, while he'll definitely pick up and read a picture book that's laying around, he's not giving them much long-term shelf space. Well, okay, except Dr. Seuss. Most of my friends have kids around the same age, and, while I may very well become a great-aunt sometime in the next decade or so, it's not yet part of my job title. (And, no, I'm not hinting, you guys!)

I want a child to have this book. I want it to be a child who loves both math and words, and whose eyes will light up at the magic of seeing them combined as Franco has done. Here's one of my favorite pages, just to give you a sample.



So...I'm having a contest. Think about the kids you know--yours and other people's. Think about which one would join me in falling love, would be saying, "See, Mom, it's 'cause a tadpole is partway to being a frog--about 2/3 of the way there!" Which one would take this book and sit down at the table with a pencil or a crayon and start making up their own math-word combos. Which one will just totally geek out over this? :)

Leave me a comment to enter. Obviously, you don't have to give me the child's name, or proof-positive that they exist (and that you're not JUST entering for yourself, because this book is so cool. I give you permission here and now to gently read it before passing it on!). Just tell me something that shows you know the perfect child for this book.

Son will pull the winner out of something on Monday, Memorial Day. I mean, what else does he have to do that day, with no school?

Good luck!

Edited to add: Vivian at HipWriterMama is having her own blog contest today, 10 chances to win a package with both of Jo Knowles' fantastic books--Jumping off Swings  AND Lessons from a Dead Girl. Stop by and comment about a time when you felt carefree.


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  • 30 comments

[info]hulabunny

May 19 2009, 05:34:01 UTC 3 years ago

Firstly, it was really cool to meet you on Saturday!! I don't need to be entered in the contest because I bought my own (autographed) copy of Mathematickles at Kids Otter Read day, but I wanted to throw some ideas out to get the ball rolling (if this were around when I was 6, I would TOTALLY have been into it).

toothbrush + toothpaste + floss - cavities = happy*(dentist)
[(mommy - rules) * hugs] + presents = Grandma

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 13:36:37 UTC 3 years ago

Eileen, these are TOTALLY perfect! I haven't tried to make any up yet--not sure MY math skills are that great, but I may have to! :)
And it was great meeting you, too. Your little one is so adorable.

[info]cathyipcizade

May 19 2009, 05:50:02 UTC 3 years ago

My son would LOVE this...and he'd love showing his little sister how to make super-cool math-word combos. I love this! I've never heard of this book. This is great for kids like mine who LOVE creativity and learning at the same time.

Cathy

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 13:37:10 UTC 3 years ago

You're entered, Cathy! I can just see your son carrying it around, playing teacher!

[info]heatherkb

May 19 2009, 14:03:05 UTC 3 years ago

My daughter would love this book. She is getting ready to start Kindergarten and we talk about math all the time, like when she is counting donuts and figuring out how many each person gets. She is super excited about learning math in K and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to read!! Thanks for the giveaway!

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 14:06:31 UTC 3 years ago

Oh, she'd have fun with this book! Thanks, Heather. :)

Anonymous

May 19 2009, 14:33:37 UTC 3 years ago

math book

My 9 year old grandson struggles with Math--part of the reason his mom and I decided to homeschool him this past January. He has such huge gaps in his math tool box that he has successfully learned to hate numbers and anything associated with them, so ANYTHING that would bring fun/joy to numbers would help him immeasurably.
Thanks for this chance!
Linda Boyden

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 15:42:18 UTC 3 years ago

Re: math book

Linda, maybe this would help him not hate Math so much. You're entered! :)

[info]writermomof5.wordpress.com

May 19 2009, 14:35:01 UTC 3 years ago

I was going to say that this would be a perfect book for my 7 y/o who loves numbers, but needs a book like this to present them in another way. And then I thought, no, the 3 y/o's, who is just discovering numbers, imagination would thrive on this book and then I realized that though true, it's mom who is in love with these kinds of books. LOL.

What a wonderful idea, Becky.

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 15:42:35 UTC 3 years ago

See, I just love how this book is so right for so many! :)

[info]solvangsherrie.blogspot.com

May 19 2009, 21:01:55 UTC 3 years ago

My kids would enjoy this. My son loves playing with words the way I do, and my daughter is just beginning. They are both math whizzes (they didn't get it from me!!) so a book that combines both words and numbers sounds fabulous.

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 21:35:09 UTC 3 years ago

They sound like me and my son, along with the Mom not being the math whiz part! :)

Anonymous

May 19 2009, 21:44:30 UTC 3 years ago

Mathematickles

I teach intellectually gifted kids and have a caseload of 96 students. This looks like something I could make a great lesson plan out of. We're always looking for ways to combine different subjects - voila - math and writing.

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 21:46:19 UTC 3 years ago

Re: Mathematickles

This sounds like you're a good entrant, but...can you send your name (or a code name!) along? Also, make sure to come back & check next Monday to see if you won! :)

[info]beckylevine

3 years ago

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Anonymous

3 years ago

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[info]beckylevine

3 years ago

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[info]karin_here

May 19 2009, 22:03:02 UTC 3 years ago

My son would love it too. He is 4 and fascinated by numbers and words. Lately he wants to know how old everyone is and figure out who's older. He likes to count the number of seconds he has to wait (if it's 5 minutes, we say count to 300). And in games he surprises us by counting how far he has to go in his head. He, I, and his father loves seeing patterns in things which looks like part of the fun of the book. I think he'd see more and more in the book as he got older.

[info]beckylevine

May 19 2009, 22:07:01 UTC 3 years ago

He sounds great! It is that pattern thing--that's so in this book. :)

[info]carmaswindow.blogspot.com

May 20 2009, 16:37:36 UTC 3 years ago

Mathematickles contest

Hi Becky,
I am throwing my name in the "something" for Mathematickles. My two grandchildren (7 and 8)will probably fight over this book but my 8 year old is the science geek. She would love it. However, they will both benefit. I love the books' concept and will be waiting anxiously to hear who the winner is.

Carma

[info]beckylevine

May 21 2009, 14:19:23 UTC 3 years ago

Re: Mathematickles contest

Carma, I could have sworn I answered this! The kids can share the book with each other & grandma!

[info]hipwritermama

May 21 2009, 13:56:31 UTC 3 years ago

How did I miss this? I just added your contest to my sidebar.

[info]beckylevine

May 21 2009, 14:19:37 UTC 3 years ago

Thanks, Vivian! Do you want to enter, too? :)

[info]jennac618

May 22 2009, 21:43:54 UTC 3 years ago

My nephew Joey is just learning to count and would love this!
jpetroroy@gmail.com

[info]beckylevine

May 22 2009, 22:40:29 UTC 3 years ago

Joey's in the contest! :)

Anonymous

May 24 2009, 22:00:13 UTC 3 years ago

we NEED this book

Looks like an adorable book, Becky!

We absolutely NEED this book. I have a 2 1/2 year-old who is obsessed with numbers. Remember how little kids repeat questions over and over? Her favorite thing to ask me is, "Mommy, what plus 2 equals 7?" I have NO IDEA where she got this from, but I am tired of answering 5 and then entertaining the next question, "Why?" Seriously, I must have answered this question over 100 times over the last few weeks.

Please, please, I hope we win Mathematickles!

[info]beckylevine

May 24 2009, 22:03:36 UTC 3 years ago

Re: we NEED this book

Tara, OMG, she's already doing backwards addition (subtraction)!!. You're right, you need this. You are entered! ;)

[info]taralazar.wordpress.com

May 24 2009, 22:01:32 UTC 3 years ago

Didn't mean to be anonymous

Whoops, in my excitement, I posted anonymously. I am the one with the mathematically inquisitive 2 1/2 year old!

Anonymous

May 27 2009, 03:05:00 UTC 3 years ago

Who's the lucky winner?

[info]beckylevine

May 27 2009, 03:59:04 UTC 3 years ago

Tara Lazar. :)
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