Learning

Take our survey & win an iPod Nano (conditions apply)

CINCH

CINCHCourses and programmes in your area

Learning Centres

Childrens’ mathematics picture books

Picture books are frequently requested by teachers and parents as a way to introduce children to mathematical concepts. These books are recommended for children aged four to eight.

Addition

365 Penguins365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joelle Jolivet
When a box containing a penguin arrives anonymously on New Year’s Day, a family of four is puzzled, but as they continue to receive one penguin each day their problems — and food budget, and storage issues — are multiplied.
The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss
Bartholomew really wants to take off his hat to the King of Didd … but how? And how many hats will he end up with?
Night Noises by Mem Fox
Lily Laceby was nearly ninety and lived in a cottage in the hills with Butch Aggie, her dog, as her only companion. One wild winter evening, snug and warm by the fire, Lily drifted off to sleep. As she dreamed peacefully of bygone days, family members start assembling for a surprise.
Safari Park by Stuart Murphy
As five cousins try to decide how to spend their one hundred tickets at the new Safari Park, readers can practice interpreting number sentences to find out how many rides they can go on.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food.

Counting

The Follow the line series by Laura Ljungkvist
Invites the reader to visit a wide variety of places and count different objects found in each, from fire hydrants in a big city in the morning, through starfish in the ocean during the day, to babies sleeping in a country village at night.
Cover One Bear at Bedtime by Mick Inkpen
Introduces the numbers one through ten as a little boy describes all the animals he needs to help him get eady for bed.
One Frog Sang by Shirley Parenteau
Introduces the numbers one through ten as more and more frogs join in the evening song. We count up to 10 and then back down to 1.
One Gorilla by Atsuko Morozumi
A playful gorilla makes his way through jungles, gardens, and forests full of hidden creatures waiting to be counted.
One Hundred Days of Cool by Stuart Murphy
Four students arrive on the first day of school looking cool and their teacher challenges them to keep it up as they count down one hundred days to a cool celebration.
The Shopping Basket by John Burningham
On his way to the store to get six eggs, five bananas, four apples, three oranges, two doughnuts, and a bag of chips, Steven is waylaid by several animals who demand that he give them his groceries.
Ten Apples Up On Top by Theo LeSieg
A lion, a dog, and a tiger are having a contest - can they get ten apples piled up on top of their heads? You better believe it! This first counting book works as a teaching tool as well as a funny story.
Cover The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food.

Division and fractions

The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
Each time the doorbell rings, there are more people who have come to share Ma’s wonderful cookies.
The Lion’s Share by Matt McElligot
Ant is honoured to receive an invitation to lion’s annual dinner party, but is shocked when the other guests behave rudely and then accuse her of thinking only of herself
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear by Audrey and Don Wood
Little Mouse worries that the big, hungry bear will take his freshly picked, ripe, red strawberry for himself. There’s only one solution to share it!
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems
Pigeon learns about sharing when a curious duckling keeps asking questions about the hot dog Pigeon has found.
Safari Park by Stuart Murphy
As five cousins try to decide how to spend their one hundred tickets at the new Safari Park, readers can practice interpreting number sentences to find out how many rides they can go on.

Even and odd numbers

My Even Day by Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed
In this rhyming sequel to One Odd Day, the young boy awakens to find that it is another strange day now everything is even, and his mother has two heads! This time, a school field trip to the zoo is dealt with in an odd, but even-handed manner. Includes "For Creative Minds" section with fun facts and number games.
One Odd Day by Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed
A boy awakens to find everything around him is odd. He has three sleeves on his shirt, and his dog has five legs. Will his odd day end when he goes to bed that night? A great introduction to the concept of odd and even numbers that is supplemented by math teaching games.

Geometry

The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle
By following the instructions in the geometrically coded message, Tim finds his birthday present.
Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Three mice learn about shapes, creativity, and cooperation.
The Wing On A Flea by Ed Emberley
Simple rhyming text and illustrations guide the reader to see triangles, rectangles, and circles in everyday things.

Measurement

Counting on Frank by Rod Clement
"What if I drew with this ball point pen until it ran out, how long would the line be?" "What if I ran this bath until the room filled up with water, how long would it take?" These are the sort of questions that all kids ask. The difference is that this kid has the answers.
Inch By Inch by Leo Lionni
To keep from being eaten, an inchworm measures a robin’s tail, a flamingo’s neck, a toucan’s beak, a heron’s legs, and a nightingale’s song.
cover Jim and the Beanstalk by Raymond Briggs
Jim climbs the beanstalk and discovers the giant needs a little help getting back to his boy-eating ways.

Multiplication

365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joelle Jolivet
When a box containing a penguin arrives anonymously on New Year’s Day, a family of four is puzzled, but as they continue to receive one penguin each day their problems — and food budget, and storage issues — are multiplied.
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
Each time the doorbell rings, there are more people who have come to share Ma’s wonderful cookies.
The Lion’s Share by Matt McElligot
Ant is honoured to receive an invitation to lion’s annual dinner party, but is shocked when the other guests behave rudely and then accuse her of thinking only of herself

Ordinal numbers

The First Day Of Winter by Denise Fleming
A snowman comes alive as the child building it adds pieces during the first ten days of winter. The days are numbered in an ordinal manner.
20 Hungry Piggies by Trudy Harris
The wolf from The Three Little Pigs shows up at a party attended by lots of piggies, but his plans for dinner are disrupted by the pigs from This Little Piggy Went to Market. Ordinal numbers at to the fore of this book.
Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr
Nine caterpillars journey across the garden but the tenth undergoes a metamorphosis.

Size

The Bad-Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle
A grouchy ladybug, looking for a fight, challenges everyone she meets regardless of their size or strength.
The Blue Balloon by Mick Inkpen
A boy and his dog find a fantastic blue balloon that can be lots of different sizes.
Hop! Plop! by Corey Schwartz
When mouse and elephant go to the playground together, it seems as if everything they try to play on together gets broken, until they finally find the piece of equipment that is just right for them.
Just Teenie by Susan Meddaugh
Justine is so small, everyone calls her "Just Teenie," but one day she receives a plant that grows so tall, it gives her a different perspective.
Cover Tall by Jez Alborough
Illustrations and just a few words depict how various jungle animals help a very little monkey to feel that he is tall.
Titch by Pat Hutchins
Titch has a sister Mary, who was a bit bigger, and a brother Peter, who was a lot bigger. It seems everything his big brother and sister have is always bigger and better than what Twitch has to play with each day. But then one day Titch discovers that something little can grow very big indeed.
Watch Out Big Bro’s Coming! by Jez Alborough
Terror spreads through the jungle as animals hear the news that rough, tough Big Bro is coming. A crew of animals learns that size is relative.
Cover Who Sank The Boat? by Pamela Allen
The reader is invited to guess who causes the boat to sink when five animal friends of varying sizes decide to go for a row.

Subtraction

Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping by Eileen Christelow
Five little monkeys go shopping for school clothes with their mama, but in spite of her warnings about not wandering off, things quickly get complicated.
One Frog Sang by Shirley Parenteau
Introduces the numbers one through ten as more and more frogs join in the evening song. We count up to 10 and then back down to 1.
Safari Park by Stuart Murphy
As five cousins try to decide how to spend their one hundred tickets at the new Safari Park, readers can practice interpreting number sentences to find out how many rides they can go on.
The Shopping Basket by John Burmingham
On his way to the store to get six eggs, five bananas, four apples, three oranges, two doughnuts, and a bag of chips, Steven is waylaid by several animals who demand that he give them his groceries.
Six Chicks by Henrietta Branford
Red Hen has got six lively chicks to settle off to sleep. One by one they fall asleep.

Time

The Bad-Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle
A grouchy ladybug, looking for a fight, challenges everyone she meets regardless of their size or strength.
Cover Cluck O’Clock by Kes Gray
A group of chickens has a full day on the farm, from eating breakfast early in the morning to avoiding a fox late at night.
Five Minutes Peace by Jill Murphy
Mrs. Large tries to take a peaceful, relaxing bath but her family has other ideas.
My Grandmother’s Clock by Geraldine McCaughrean
Grandma says you can tell time without a clock. You can count seconds by the beating of your heart, an hour is how long it takes the bath water to go cold, and you know each day is over when your mother kisses you goodnight.
100 Days of Cool by Stuart Murphy
Four students arrive on the first day of school looking cool and their teacher challenges them to keep it up as they count down one hundred days to a cool celebration.
A Second Is A Hiccup by Hazel Hutchins
Explains units of time in imaginative terms children can understand: A second lasts as long as a hiccup; a week is seven sleeps; and a year is the time it takes to grown into new shoes.
What Time is it Mr Crocodile? by Judy Sierra
Mr. Crocodile’s timetable to catch and eat some pesky monkeys does not work out and he becomes friends with them instead.

Other concepts

CoverMr Archimedes Bath by Pamela Allen
Mr Archimedes hops in and out of a bath with, variously a kangaroo, goat and wombat, examining the water level each time, and trying to understand why when ALL the friends are in the bath it always overflows.
Five Creatures by Emily Jenkins
In words and pictures, a girl describes the three humans and two cats that live in her house, and details some of the traits that they share. A great introduction to sets.
Nesta and the Missing Zero by Julie Leibrich
Mr Abacus has lost the number zero and its amazing how much chaos nothing can cause!
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
When the teacher tells her class that they can think of almost everything as a math problem, one student acquires a math anxiety which becomes a real curse.