Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late

by Laura Overdeck, Jim Paillot (Illustrator)

Overview

Bedtime Math wants to change the way we introduce math to children: to make math a fun part of kids' everyday lives.

We all know it's wonderful to read bedtime stories to kids, but what about doing math? Many generations of Americans are uncomfortable with math and numbers, and too often we hear the phrase, "I'm just not good at math!" For decades, this attitude has trickled down from parents to their kids, and we now have a culture that finds math dry, intimidating, and just not cool.

Bedtime Math wants to change all that. Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle—math that isn't just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing. With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school. And with three different levels of challenge (wee ones, little kids, and big kids), there's something for everyone. We can make numbers fun, and change the world, one Bedtime Math puzzle at a time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250035851
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	06/25/2013
Series:	Bedtime Math Series
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	83,998
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Laura Overdeck has a BA in astrophysics from Princeton University and knows numbers. Since she enjoys them so much, she (along with her husband John) decided to give their three children math problems instead of bedtime stories, and BEDTIME MATH was born.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"[This program] may have the potential to make bedtime math problems as loved as the bedtime story. . . . Hats off to Laura Overdeck. This project is a winner. A simple idea that may have as much of an impact on improving the science, technology, engineering and math interest in our children as many other well-funded programs." —Wired/GeekDad "We all know we should read to our kids. But even if bedtime stories are routine in your house, when's the last time you gave your kids a bedtime math problem? Probably never. And that's one reason American students might struggle in a future that requires mathematical literacy... Maybe if more children grew up doing bedtime math problems, those numbers would be different." —USA Today "Besides stopping the bad-mouthing of our own math skills and making sure that we’re distributing our numbers-related conversations equally among our sons and daughters, what can a parent do to increase “math awareness” in our everyday lives? How about a bedtime math problem? . . . [in Bedtime Math]They're meant to be solved in their heads, and to promote both giggles and mathematical thought."  — New York Times Motherlode Blog "The U.S. ranks 25th out of 34 countries when it comes to kids' math proficiency. One New Jersey parent wants to change that by overhauling the culture of math. An astrophysics graduate and mother of three kids, she started a ritual when each child was 2 years old: a little bedtime mathematical problem-solving that soon became a beloved routine. Parent friends began to bug her to send them kid-friendly math problems, too. Now Bedtime Math is gaining fans among children and math-shy parents around the country." —NPR From the fans . . ."Thank you so much for Bedtime Math problems! My five year old is literally beggin for new ones. One math problem turn into many more each night. This is a fantastic idea!" —Calee L. "My kids seriously clamor for this every night. Little story, little math, little thinking practice . . . LOVE IT." —KJ Dell'Antonia, "Motherlode" blogger for The New York Times "My boys (ages 7, 9, and 10) race to the table at bedtime with pieces of scrap paper. I actually used the threat last night, "If you don't get your teeth brushed in the next three minutes, no math tonight!" —Elisa K.

Editorial Reviews

Overdeck debuts with a just-irreverent-enough book based on bedtimemath.org, the phenomenally successful math education Web site she created. Instead of dividing her book by arithmetic operation, she uses ripped-from-cable-TV themes ("Exploding Food," "Sports You Shouldn't Try at Home") and breezy reality-based topics to tee up three levels of challenge: "Wee ones" (for those still counting on fingers), "Little kids" (simple arithmetic), and "Big kids" (bigger numbers, more complex problems). Whether Overdeck is asking readers to noodle on the Scoville scale of pepper hotness ("Habañero peppers score 350,000, and some peppers actually crack 1 million") or the speed of a cheetah ("They're zooming faster than the cars on a highway, and without ever getting a speeding ticket"), she shows that she knows her audience and loves her subject. Paillot (the My Weird School series) is a great choice for collaborator: called upon to illustrate everything from praying mantises to human cannonballs, he does it all with a good-hearted, goofy energy that should propel readers through the pages. Ages 3–8. Author's agent: Cathy Hemming, Cathy D. Hemming Literary Agency. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Overdeck debuts with a just-irreverent-enough book . . . . She shows that she knows her audience and loves her subject. Paillot (the My Weird School series) is a great choice for collaborator . . . he does it all with a good-hearted, goofy energy that should propel readers through the pages.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“[This program] may have the potential to make bedtime math problems as loved as the bedtime story. . . . Hats off to Laura Overdeck. This project is a winner. A simple idea that may have as much of an impact on improving the science, technology, engineering and math interest in our children as many other well-funded programs.” —Wired/GeekDad

“We all know we should read to our kids. But even if bedtime stories are routine in your house, when's the last time you gave your kids a bedtime math problem? Probably never. And that's one reason American students might struggle in a future that requires mathematical literacy... Maybe if more children grew up doing bedtime math problems, those numbers would be different.” —USA Today

“Besides stopping the bad-mouthing of our own math skills and making sure that we're distributing our numbers-related conversations equally among our sons and daughters, what can a parent do to increase "math awareness" in our everyday lives? How about a bedtime math problem? . . . [in Bedtime Math]They're meant to be solved in their heads, and to promote both giggles and mathematical thought.” —New York Times Motherlode Blog

From the Publisher