“Kids, young and old, fall in love with math when they see how real-life and effortless it becomes thanks to these books.” —Kimberly D. Mueller, Ed.D., First Grade Teacher, Ashbrook School, Lumberton NJ Safari Park is perfect for teaching solving for unknowns to second, third, and fourth graders. It's 4 tickets for the Treetop Coaster! Just 2 for the Elephant Twirl! Five cousins each have 20 tickets to spend at Safari, and a little algebra will tell them how many rides they can try. But who will dare the death-defying Terrible Tarantula? Kids will love the story and the funny illustrations by Steve Bjorkman. Parents and other educators will love how the story and pictures make understanding comparisons a breeze—as well as the concrete examples of how math works! The book contains activities for adults to do with kids to extend math into their own lives! Math skills are life skills, and the MathStart series supports success! This award-winning series by Stuart J. Murphy teaches math through stories and visual models - 63 books divided into three levels with 21 books in each - Fun activities kids will love are included to help parents and teachers emphasize the lessons - Engaging and relatable stories, with each story revolving around practical applications of the math concept presented - Lively art from top-notch illustrators - Charts and other visual representations help children understand how the math works and promote deeper comprehension MathStart's unique combination of stories, illustrations, and visual models helps teachers and parents in the teaching of math and provides all children with the opportunity to succeed. The math concepts taught in MathStart books conform to state and national standards. Level 1 is Pre-K–Kindergarten; Level 2 is Grades 1–3; Level 3 is Grades 2–4. The series follows math topics across grades so there is a foundational path to learning that runs through the levels. Help kids with their math skills  plus  their reading skills with the engaging and fun MathStart series! Grade 2-3-Safari Park has just opened, and Grandpa has 100 free tickets that he divides evenly among his five grandchildren. With rides and games costing one, two, four, or six tickets each and a treat costing one, careful planning and figuring are needed. Suddenly, Paul realizes that he has lost his tickets, so the others must share theirs with him. Each child's choices are discussed, with Paul being disappointed that he doesn't have enough for the Terrible Tarantula. When given a ticket for the Rock Toss, he carelessly participates in the game but wins 18 free tickets, and then, on a repeat try, gets 18 more. Now everyone can ride the expensive Tarantula. A two-page addendum suggests additional ways to use the book and its mathematical concepts. The colorful but slightly garish cartoon illustrations add humor to the necessary, but tedious, work of making choices within the restrictions of an allotted budget. Good for a math lesson or independent reading, but too detailed and involved for a read-aloud. Nancy A. Gifford, Schenectady County Public Library, NY Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. It's 4 tickets for the Treetop Coaster! Just 2 for the Elephant Twirl! five cousins each have 20 tickets to spend at Safari, and a little algebra will tell them how many rides they can try. But who will dare the death-defying Terrible Tarantula? Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate of the 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 J. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Boston. Steve Bjorkman has illustrated nearly one hundred picture books, including the New York Times bestseller Dirt on My Shirt by Jeff Foxworthy. He has also sold millions of greeting cards through Recycled Paper Greetings with his brother, Carl. Steve lives with his wife in Irvine, California. This award-winning series by Stuart J. Murphy teaches math through stories and visual models 63 books divided into three levels with 21 books in each Fun activities kids will love are included to help parents and teachers emphasize the lessons Engaging and relatable stories, with each story revolving around practical applications of the math concept presented Lively art from top-notch illustrators Charts and other visual representations help children understand how the math works and promote deeper comprehension