Super Sand Castle Saturday (Mathstart. Level 2) - Hardcover

Murphy, Stuart J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060276126 ISBN 13: 9780060276126

Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books, 1999

Synopsis

Introduces new readers to the concept of nonstandard measurement as three friends--Laura, Juan, and Sarah--compete in a sand castle building contest and measure their castles with spoons, shovels, and bare feet.

About this title

About the Author

Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate for Rhode Island School of Design, he has a strong background in design and art direction. He also has extensive experience in the world of educational publishing. Drawing on all these talents, Stuart J. Murphy brings a unique perspective to the MathStart series. In MathStart books, pictures do more than tell stories; they teach math. Stuart Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Evanston, Illinois, where they love to beep beep and vroom vroom around town in their brand new silver bug.

From Kirkus Reviews

PLB 0-06-027613-4 This entry in the MathStart series explores the hazards of measuring in nonstandard units. Eager to win prizes from Larry the lifeguard for the tallest tower, longest wall, and deepest moat, Juan, Sarah, and Laura compare their sand castles; they discover that Sarah's castle is three shovels tall while Juan's is but two, Laura's moat is one spoon deep while Juan's is two, and Laura's wall is five steps long to Sarah's seven. However, as observant viewers will note, Sarah's spoon is longer than Juan's, her shovel and feet shorter. Wielding a tape measure, Larry explains why inches are more reliable units than spoons, etc. People and objects in Gorton's simple air brushed cartoons stand out distinctly against the green ocean and sun-drenched sand, and lines of measurement are laid out for viewers to compare. With the small type activity notes at the end, this makes a pleasant, painless way for children (and dare we say adults?) to pick up some basic math methodology. For those who resist Larry's strict notions, bring out Loreen Leedy's blithe Measuring Penny (p. 270) for a more generous examination of nonstandard measurements. (Picture book. 6-8) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0060276126
• ISBN 13: 9780060276126
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Gorton Julia