We just finished our math unit and we used nearly all the math books below during our six week unit. The exceptions were the reference books at the bottom of this list.

Here’s how this list can be helpful to you. I’ve included the name of the book with a picture along with a brief description, the grade level, math level and whether the book is worth owning or borrowing.  I listed the math level at about one year above  what is typically taught school to ensure the student is familiar with the math; however, I also list the grade level at which the student could either read the book on his own or listen to it read and understand the math even without it being formally taught.

Worth owning or borrowing? My method of choosing is the following: If the book is a story that’s well written and nicely illustrated and I expect to read it over and over again to my kids, then I think it’s worth owning. If it’s a book I’ll need for a math unit, it’s easier to own it than to borrow it. But here’s the bottom line: my kids liked different books than I did! So, while I thought borrowing the Sir Cumference series was fine, my nine-year reads them all the time, so those might be better owned than borrowed. Use your own method for owning or borrowing, and when in doubt, try it out. If you love it, buy it!

If you’d rather have a printable list, click here.

Math Chapter Books

7X9= Trouble! Claudia Mills

Math chapter book

Story about a boy who has to learn the times table

Reading/math level 3^rd grade

Worth checking out

Fractions=Trouble! Claudia Mills

Math chapter book

Story about a boy who is having a hard time learning his fractions and needs a tutor

Reading 3^rd grade

Worth checking out

Geometry Books

The Greedy Triangle By Marilyn Burns

Math picture/story book

Covers geometric shapes from triangles to polygons

Inventive story about a triangle that chances shape (has deeper meanings and lessons)

Computer animated

Math level 2^nd and up

Grade level preschool and up

Worth checking out

Mummy Math By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers geometry, shapes, faces, & edges

Fun ‘mystery’ story set in Egypt in a pyramid

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

What’s your Angle Pythagoras? By Julie Ellis

Math picture/story book

Covers 3, 4, 5 triangle, the Pythagorean theory and area

Historical however, Pythagoras wasn’t a child when he discovered the 3, 4, 5 triangle or the Pythagorean method

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd  and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers area of a circle

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Geometry: names the shapes and explains how many sides on each shape

Math level 3^rd  and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumerence and the Great Knight of Angleland By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers angles, obtuse, acute and right angles

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and Isle of Immeter By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers shapes, edges and faces

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

String, Straightedge, and Shadow By Julia E. Diggins

Chapter book for 7^th grade reading level

History of geometry from the dawn of time through ancient Greece

Learn about Thales, Pythagoras and Eratosthenes

Nice story format with chapters

Great inspiration for geometry activities and geometry demonstrations

Math level 5^th and up

Worth owning

Why Pi? By Johnny Ball

Math picture/reference books

Each page has information related to the math concept being explained

Filled with computer illustrations and photos

Covers math concepts related to geometry, measuring time, measurement, sound, pressure, light, electricity, temperature and more Introduces mathematicians where relevant

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 5^th and up

Worth checking out or owning as a reference book

Books about Tangrams & Tessellations

Grandfather Tang’s Story By Ann Tompert

Math picture/story book

Covers tangrams in a delightfully written story

Great potential for interactive activities if you have tangrams (you can follow along in the story and make the different shapes)

Nicely illustrated

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

The Warlord’s Puzzle By Virginia Pilegard

Math picture/story book

Covers tangrams in a plot driven story set in China hundreds of years ago

Well written compelling story, nicely illustrated

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Toads and Tessellations By Sharon Morrisette

Math picture/story book

Covers tessellations and how to arrange shapes so that the most shapes will fit on a particular size

Nicely illustrated, includes magic

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Math Picture Books that Complement a History Unit

What’s your Angle Pythagoras? By Julie Ellis

Math picture/story book

Covers 3, 4, 5 triangle, the Pythagorean theory and area

Historical however, Pythagoras wasn’t a child when he discovered the 3, 4, 5 triangle or the Pythagorean method

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd  and up

Worth checking out

The History of Counting By Denise Schmandt-Besserat

Math story/picture book

Historically goes through the different methods of counting and the cultures that used them

Great addition to an ancient civilization unit

Very informative

Written in a story like way, but it’s not a story in that there are no characters

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

The Librarian Who Measure The Earth By Kathryn Lasky

Math picture biography book

Story of Eratosthenes and how he measured the circumference of the earth

Covers the geometry used in measuring the earth

Wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated

Great potential for activities (namely measuring the earth)

Mix of simple and complex math

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth owning

Pythagoras and the Ratios By Julie Ellis

Math picture/story book

Covers ratios and music

Historical however, Pythagoras wasn’t a child when he discovered the relationship between length and notes

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd  and up

Worth checking out

Roman Numerals I to MM By Arthur Geisert

Math picture book

Teaches the Roman numerals through pictures of farm animals

Unique and engaging approach

Nice addition to an ancient Roman unit

Opportunity for interaction on each page by counting the animals to see what Roman numeral it is

Inadvertently teaches addition and subtraction

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Measure the Earth Eratosthenes and his Celestial Geometry

Chapter book for 6^th grade and up

Can be read aloud to younger students

Great complement to a history unit on ancient Greece

Covers history and geography of ancient Greece

Story of Eratosthenes and how he measured the earth

Grade/math level 6^th and up

Worth checking out

Circumference Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe

High school level book about the ancient mathematicians and the quest to measure the circumference of the earth

Math/grade level high school and up

Worth checking out

The Greatest Mathematicians Archimedes and his Eureka! Moment

Chapter book for 6^th grade and up

Biography of Archimedes

Can accompany a unit on ancient Greece

Math/grade level 6^th an up

Worth checking out

Archimedes and the Door of Science

Story of Archimedes and his discoveries written in an easy to read and understand format

Can accompany a unit on ancient Greece

Math/grade level 4^th and up

Worth checking out

Scale & Proportion

Beanstalk By Ann McCallum

Math story/picture book

Story about scale, simple math that you can follow to scale up and scale down

Also uses shadow and proportion

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Measurement

Length By Henry Pluckrose

Math picture book

Explains the difference between length and height

Photos are dated, but information is simple and easy to understand

Math level 2^nd and up

Grade level preschool

Worth checking out

Inch by Inch By Leo Lionni

Math story/picture book

Delightful story about measurement told by way of an inchworm

Beautifully illustrated, cute story

Math level preschool and up

Grade level preschool and up

Worth owning

Fractions Picture Books

Fraction Fun By David Adler

Math picture book

Covers fractions, terminology, simple division of a whole into 2,3, or more parts

Great potential for activity

Includes interactive activities at the end of the book

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 1^st  and up

Worth checking out

General Math

Mesmerizing Math By Jonathan Litton

Interactive math book

Covers all areas of math in an illustrated format with tabs and flaps that are moveable

Fun to read cover to cover as an introduction or review of math concepts

Great potential for activities

Mix of simple and complex math written for the elementary student

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 2^nd  and up

Worth checking out or owning

Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares By Frank Murphy

Math picture/story book

Historical and biographical

Covers ‘magic squares’ that add up to the same number

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

High Noon By Scott Sundby

Math picture/story book

Covers scale and how to scale up and scale down (uses graph paper in some illustrations)

Inventive story, nicely illustrated, orignal

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Rooster’s Off to See the World By Eric Carle

Math picture/story book

Iconic illustrations and delightful story

Math is all about simple counting up and down

Math level preschool and up

Grade level preschool and up

Worth owning

A Place for Zero By Angeline LoPresti

Math picture/story book

Simple addition and multiplication are the side story to the main story of what zero is for

Covers place value, function of zero, and simple addition and multiplication

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Once Upon a Dime By Nancy Kelly Allen

Math picture/story book

Math with money

Delightful story, nicely illustrated, mentally interactive story (you guess what will happen next)

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

Great Estimations By Bruce Goldstone

Math picture book

Multiplication of fractions and whole numbers

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Equal Shmequal By Virginia Kroll

Math picture/story book

Covers balance and equality by means of weight (and weight equals strength in this story)

Delightful story that’s entertaining for all ages but especially the youngsters

Math level preschool and up

Grade level preschool and up

Worth checking out/having

Alice in Pastaland By Alexandra Wright

Math picture/story book

Story based on Alice in Wonderland, simple math and sequence sprinkled throughout the story.

Mentions shapes, magic squares, multiplication, fractions and more

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Bedtime Math The Truth Comes Out By Laura Overdeck

Math book with informative stories on each page

Introduces math problems by giving information not related to math like geography, anatomy, etc.

Math questions for three levels, but I found that the difficulty level varied greatly from page to page within one level

Math level preschool to 4^th grade

Grade level preschool and up

Worth checking out

Bedtime Math A Fun Excuse to Stay up Late By Laura Overdeck

Math book with informative stories on each page

Introduces math problems by giving information not related to math like geography, anatomy, etc.

Math questions for three levels, but I found that the difficulty level varied greatly from page to page within one level

Math level preschool to 4^th grade

Grade level preschool and up

Worth checking out

Bedtime Math This Time It’s Personal By Laura Overdeck

Math book with informative stories on each page

Introduces math problems by giving information not related to math like geography, anatomy, etc.

Math questions for three levels, but I found that the difficulty level varied greatly from page to page within one level

Math level preschool to 4^th grade

Grade level preschool and up

Worth checking out

Biographies of Mathematicians

The Librarian Who Measure The Earth By Kathryn Lasky

Math picture biography book

Story of Eratosthenes and how he measured the circumference of the earth

Covers the geometry used in measuring the earth

Wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated

Great potential for activities (namely measuring the earth)

Mix of simple and complex math

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth owning

On a Beam of Light By Jennifer Berne

Picture biography book

Biography of Albert Einstein written for the youngster

Immensely enjoyable, beautifully written & illustrated, nice quality of paper

Less about math and more about Albert as a person

Math level preschool and up

Grade level preschool and up

Worth owning

The Boy Who Loved Math By Deborah Heiligman

Picture biography book

Wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated

Great biography about Paul Erdos

Enjoyable for all ages, includes math concepts as part of the story (prime numbers, negative numbers, etc.)

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth owning

Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares By Frank Murphy

Math picture/story book

Historical and biographical

Covers ‘magic squares’ that add up to the same number

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Fibonacci

The Rabbit Problem By Emily Gravett

Interactive picture book

Fibonacci sequence

No story, just interactive pages oriented as a calendar so it can be hung as a calendar and read that way, too

Beautifully illustrated, delightful to look through

Mix of simple and complex math

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level preschool and up

Worth checking out

Rabbits Rabbits Everywhere By Ann McCallum

Math picture/story book

Math patterns, Fibonacci sequence

Fun tale for youngsters

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Multiplication and Division

A Remainder of One By Elinore Pinczes

Math picture/story book

Covers division with remainders

Delightful story, uniquely illustrated

Very simple, yet instructional

Covers only one concept and it does it well

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

The Multiplying Menace Divides By Pam Calvert

Math picture/story book

Division of fractions and whole numbers

Math level 5^th and up

Worth checking out

Multiplying Menace The Revenge of Rumplestiltskin By Pam Calvert

Math picture/stroy book

Multiplication of fractions and whole numbers

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

The Grapes of Math By Greg Tang

Math picture book

Multiplication of fractions and whole numbers

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Math for all Seasons By Greg Tang

Math poems with questions based on illustrations

Very interactive

Covers addition, multiplication and patterns

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

Symmetry

Seeing Symmetry By Loreen Leedy

Math picture book

Covers all types of symmetry

Informative yet simple, includes questions

Computer animation

Great potential for activities stemming from this book

Math level 3^rd  and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

Probability

A Very Improbable Story By Edward Einhorn

Math picture/story book

Covers probability in the form of a delightful story

Nice illustrations

Great potential for activities

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 2^nd and up

Worth checking out

Addition and Subtraction

The Action of Subtraction By Brian Cleary

Math picture book

Simple subtraction in a fun and silly poetic form

Covers terminology in a whimsical way

Math level 1^st and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

Math Fables By Greg Tang

Math picture book

Math presented in poems

Delightful story, computer animations

Math level 1^st and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

 

Adding and Subtracting Puzzles By Karen Bryant-Mole

Reference picture book

Covers many areas of math in a delightful way: stories introduce the math, illustrations accompany each section and simple math problems are presented with each section

Helpful to cover each section on its own rather than reading this book as a picture book

Math level 4^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! By Marilyn Burns

Math picture/story book

Shapes and sides with addition/multiplication

A bit complicated or fast paced to fully appreciate the math, worth reading several times to understand/do the math

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sold! A Mothematics Adventure By Nathan Zimelman

Math picture/story book

Nicely illustrated, not much math, simple addition and multiplication

Math level 2^nd  and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Math for all Seasons By Greg Tang

Math poems with questions based on illustrations

Very interactive

Covers addition, multiplication and patterns

Math level 3^rd and up

Grade level 1^st and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference Series

Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers area of a circle

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Geometry: names the shapes and explains how many sides on each shape

Math level 3^rd  and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumerence and the Great Knight of Angleland By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers angles, obtuse, acute and right angles

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and Isle of Immeter By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers shapes, edges and faces

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and All the King’s Tens By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers grouping numbers into ones, tens, hundreds and thousands, explains place value

Math level 3^rd  and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and the Viking’s Map By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers graphing and plotting points on a graph

Math level 6^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and Off-the-Charts Dessert By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers charts and graphs and the difference between them

Math level 5^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi By Cindy Neuschwander

Math picture/story book

Covers geometry concepts of radius, pi and circumference and relationship between the radius and circumference

Math level 7^th and up

Grade level 3^rd and up

Worth checking out

Round Table Geometry Sir Cumference Classroom Activities By Don Robb

Reproducible workbook

Great accompaniment to the Sir Cumference series

Math level 4^th and up

Worth having if you are using the Sir Cumference books as part of your math curriculum

 Math ‘text’ Books

(books with chapter, but not stories, includes math problems)

Math Smart Junior By Marcia Lerner

Math book in a story format that follows three kids on their math adventures

Math problems are presented naturally throughout the book as a natural result of life

Simple everyday math explored and explained through a delightful narrative

Creative and inventive

Additional questions at the end of each chapter

Math level 5^th and up

Worth checking out

Arithmetricks By Edward H. Julius

Learn math tricks in a story like way.

Each chapter introduces a problem, shows the long way to solve the problem, shows the short cut or ‘arithmetrick’, has an example on how to use the trick and has several questions (answers in the back)

Tricks are easy to learn but also easy to forget. We added more questions and practiced each ‘trick’ for a week, but still after a year, we only remember a few. Worth reviewing often. Great tricks.

Math level 5^th and up

Worth owning if you’ll use it as part of your curriculum, worth borrowing as a novelty

Math Wizardry for Kids By Margaret Kenda and Phyllis S. Williams

Resource/ Reference book

Each ‘chapter’ has an intro about a paragraph long that is enjoyable to read and informative that is followed by a math activity.

Very interactive book that covers a wide variety of math concepts

Covers basic math to geometry and algebra at a basic level

Great potential for activities

Math level 4^th and up

Worth owning

Family Math By Jean Kerr Stenmark, Virginia Thompson, Ruth Cossey

Math book to be read and worked on with kids

Great potential for activities

Math problems and activities

Math level 2^nd grade and up

Resource/Reference Books

Teaching Mathematics in Rudolf Steiner Schools for Classes  I-VIII By Ron Jarman

Resource/reference book

Great resource for teachers/homeschoolers

Filled with many examples and explanations

Math level-all

Worth owning if using a Waldorf curriculum

Algebra the x and y of everyday math By Michael Willers

Resource/Reference book

Covers algebraic concepts with easy step by step instruction

Stories and biographies of great mathematicians throughout book

Learn about Euclid, Plato, Eratosthenes,  Pythagoras, Descartes, Fibonacci and more.

Math level 7^th and up (stories of mathematician 5^th grade and up)

Worth owning

Student Calculator Math Books

Resource/Reference book

Teaches techniques on how to use a scientific calculator

Table of contents include: basic keys to your calculator, conversions, home management, algebra, finance, trigonometry, probability & statistics, chemistry and puzzles.

Math level 7^th and up

Worth owning, if you need to learn how to use a scientific calculator, you won’t have enough time to learn the techniques in this book in 3 weeks.

The Usborne Illustrated Dictionary of Math

Resource/Reference book

Covers all areas of math from the basic operations to geometry and algebra

Math level 5^th and up

Worth owning

Coordinate Graphing by Teacher Created Resources

Reproducible workbook

Teaching graphing by using other math skills to get the coordinates

Covers integers, algebra, fractions, geometry, area & measurement, and more

Math level 6^th and up

Worth owning