Tyrannosaurus Math

From the moment Tyrannosaurus Math (T-Math for short) is hatched, he views the world in mathematical terms. He begins with simple addition (how many siblings have also hatched) and proceeds through such skills as grouping (counting a herd of triceratops, though he's not yet old enough to consume them), ordering and comparing (who ate the most dragonflies), and geometric shapes (is that meteor a sphere or a cube?). In all, 15 concepts are demonstrated with clear, logical, and amusing examples. The skills are also identified and explained at the back of the book. Markel never misses an opportunity to weave math into the lively text: "At his full size, nothing was scarier than the sight of T-Math thundering through the forest, chewing on a problem in his head." Cushman's acrylic cartoons, with their clean lines and vibrant colors, add considerably to readers' enjoyment. The artwork clearly illustrates the math problems while gleefully depicting the dinosaurs. This is a clever addition to the growing number of books that make a sometimes daunting subject both more understandable and just plain fun. About the Author TYRANNOSAURUS MATH, a close relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, lived in the late Cretaceous Period, 65 to 68 million years ago, in Western North America. He and his siblings were eleven to fourteen feet tall, weighed five to seven tons, had two-and-a-half foot long arms, two-and-a-half foot long feet, and teeth that were ten inches long! MICHELLE MARKEL, the author of five children's books, has also written for national newspapers and taught in elementary schools. Tyrannosaurus Math grew out of an experience in the classroom: "One day I was teaching math to second graders. Knowing how kids loathe word problems, I invented some of my own, using dinosaurs. The kids loved them." The rest is prehistory. Michelle lives near Los Angeles.