The Best Vacation Ever (Mathstart. Level 2) - Hardcover

Murphy, Stuart J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060267666 ISBN 13: 9780060267667

Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books, 1997

Synopsis

A young girl uses data-collecting and problem-solving skills to determine where her family should go for a vacation

About this title

About the Author

Stuart J. Murphy, a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, is a visual learning specialist with extensive experience in educational publishing and art direction. He is the author of all the books in the MathStart series. Mr. Murphy lives in Evanston, IL.

Nadine Bernard Westcott has illustrated many books in her colorful and humorous style, including Oh Cats! by Nola Buck (p. XX) and I Can Tell By Touching by Carolyn Otto. Ms. Westcott lives on Nantucket, MA.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 3. This series of introductory math books presents various concepts on different levels. The Best Vacation Ever shows how a family decides where to go on vacation (problem solving); Divide and Ride shows how 11 children are able to sort themselves into smaller groups in order to go on different rides at a carnival. In Every Buddy, a young girl counts her friends and her pets. All books are simply written but very clear, and concepts are explained in a number of ways. The cartoon illustrations are of average quality and capture the many characters' diverse activities. Suggestions are presented at the end for related activities, such as planning a picnic, dividing snacks, and measuring to make cookies. An entertaining approach to progressive levels of math concepts.?Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This entry in the MathStart series demonstrates that collecting data and tabulating results can help the decision- making process. A girl with an active, overscheduled family puts math to work to coordinate a family expedition. She uses charts to plot her family's preferences: Should they go far away or remain nearby? Go someplace warm or cold? Have fun or relax? Bring the cat or leave it at home? By tabulating the results the family discovers the majority favors a warm, local, cat-friendly, fun destination (that the family is a democracy is assumed, but then, the goal is math, not civics)--in other words, the backyard. Amiable watercolor illustrations accompany the clumsy rhymes: ``What about excitement?/We'd like some quiet and some rest./We have such a good time here/that a fun place would be best.'' Two pages of instructions are included for imagination-impaired adults (``Ask the child to answer the girl's questions: `How about you? Would you rather take a vacation somewhere warm or cool?' ''). Serviceable fare. (Picture book. 6-11) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0060267666
• ISBN 13: 9780060267667
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Westcott Nadine Bernard
• Number of pages: 40