Posts Tagged book clubs

STEM Tuesday– Math– In the Classroom

By on May 12, 2026   /   Math, STEM Tuesday  

 

You might not realize it, but we use math every day! We use math when playing games, sharing snacks, telling time, shopping, and building things. In these books, readers can practice mathematical tips and strategies, solve logic puzzles, learn about inspirational mathematicians, and more. They make a great starting point for classroom discussion and activities!

 

Cover of the book Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities by Stephanie Gibeault and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

This book explores the remarkable mathematical abilities of five animals: guppies, hyenas, African grey parrots, chimpanzees, and honeybees. This 2025 Mathical Honor Book provides a window into how scientists study animal behavior and number skills. Readers are sure to be fascinated that fish can distinguish between large and small quantities; African grey parrots can represent numbers with symbols; chimpanzees can add; honeybees understand the concept of zero; and hyenas count.

Classroom Activity – Animal Math Research Posters

Some animals have amazing math skills! To learn more, students can work in small groups to research one animal from the book. Students can take what they learned and create a poster explaining the animal’s math skill, how scientists studied it, and why the discovery is important. Students can include diagrams, number facts, and illustrations in their poster presentation.

 

Cover of the book Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics, written by Stuart J. Murphy and illustrated by Teresa Bellón

This book is an excellent introductory guide that shows how to collect and display information using eye-catching, easy-to-interpret line graphs, bar graphs, pictographs, and pie charts. It’s perfect for children interested in surveys, organizing and interpreting data, and visually representing their findings for others.

Classroom Activity – Classroom Infographic Survey Project

After learning about graphs and charts, it’s time for students to make their own! First, have students conduct a class survey on a topic such as favorite snacks, pets, or hobbies. Students organize the data into bar graphs, pie charts, or pictographs and then create colorful infographics to present their findings to the class.

 

Cover of the book Do the Math!: Challenging, Fun Math Puzzles for KidsDo the Math!: Challenging, Fun Math Puzzles for Kids, by Steven and Jessica Clontz

This book offers a plethora of puzzles for readers to complete while working on core math skills. Through clear instructions and a variety of activities, the reader develops logical thinking skills as they solve different types of puzzles one chapter at a time.

 

Cover of the Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids series

Choose different levels of fun puzzles and games to develop spatial reasoning, math skills, and focus in the Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids series. In each book, the puzzles increase in difficulty to maintain motivation.

 

Cover of the book Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids by Jenn Larson

This book of logic puzzles and games focuses on developing skills such as abstract reasoning and processing speed.

 

 

Classroom Activity – Logic Puzzle Stations

Create rotating stations using different types of logic puzzles, inspired by Do the Math!, Perfectly Logical!, and the Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids series. Each station focuses on a different skill, such as spatial reasoning, number patterns, riddles, or deductive thinking. Students work individually or in pairs to solve the puzzles and explain their reasoning. Finish with a class discussion about different problem-solving strategies.

 

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Carla Mooney loves to explore the world around us and discover the details about how it works. An award-winning author of numerous nonfiction science books for kids and teens, she hopes to spark a healthy curiosity and love of science in today’s young people. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, three kids, and dog. Find her at http://www.carlamooney.com, on Facebook @carlamooneyauthor, or on Instagram @moonwriter25

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STEM Tuesday– Math– Book List

By on May 5, 2026   /   Math, STEM Tuesday  

Mathematical tips and strategies, logic puzzles, infographic how-to information, inspirational mathematicians, mathematical reasoning and even animals with amazing math skills are waiting in the pages of books below:

Cover of the book Adventures in Math: How to Level Up Your Math Game

Adventures in Math: How to Level Up Your Math Game, by Carleigh Wu and illustrated by Sean Simpson encourages readers to change their mathematical mindsets. It debunks common misconceptions about math, provides tips and strategies, and reinforces that we can learn to think like mathematicians – belief and effort are what it takes. The book shares this message “Believe in yourself. Work hard. Make mistakes. Keep going. Ask for help. Work with others. Because it all adds up.” This 2026 Mathical Honor Book is a fantastic read and conversation starter and belongs in every upper elementary and middle grade classroom.

Cover of the book Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities

People are not the only mathematical beings. Calculating Chimpanzees, Brainy Bees, and Other Animals with Mind-Blowing Mathematical Abilities by Stephanie Gibeault and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett explores the amazing mathematical abilities of five different types of animals: guppies, hyenas, African grey parrots, chimpanzees, and honeybees. This 2025 Mathical Honor Book provides a window into how scientists study animal behavior and number skills. Readers are sure to be fascinated that fish can distinguish between large and small quantities; African grey parrots can represent numbers with symbols; chimpanzees can add; honeybees understand the concept of zero; and hyenas count.

Cover of the Book Hidden Women: The African-American Mathematicians of NASA Who Helped America Win the Space Race

Hidden Women: The African-American Mathematicians of NASA Who Helped America Win the Space Race, written by Rebecca Rissman, introduces readers to the African American women whose mathematical abilities were critical to the success of NASA’s early space missions. The 2019 Mathical Honor Book highlights their contributions, resilience, and the barriers they faced.

Cover of the book How to Survive Middle School Math: A Do-It-Yourself Study Guide

How to Survive Middle School Math: A Do-It-Yourself Study Guide by Concetta Ortiz and Matt Fazio, focuses on what students need to know to thrive in the middle school math classroom. Part of the series currently of five books, How to Survive Middle School, this math book can also be used as a homeschooling resource. The book is colorful, divided into manageable sections, and is an important middle school companion.

Cover of the book Do the Math!: Challenging, Fun Math Puzzles for Kids

Do the Math!: Challenging, Fun Math Puzzles for Kids, by Steven and Jessica Clontz, provides a plethora of puzzles for the reader to complete while working on core math skills. Through clear instructions and a variety of activities, the reader develops logical thinking skills while solving different types of puzzles one chapter at a time.

Cover of the Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids

Choose different levels of fun puzzles and games to develop spatial reasoning, math skills, and focus in the Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids series. In each book, the puzzles grow in level of difficulty to ensure motivation. The Hardest Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids: Spatial Reasoning, Math Puzzles, Word Games, Logic Problems, Focus Activities, Two-Player Games, by Dan Allbaugh and Anil Yap was published in 2024. Other books in this collection include the Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids, Another Logic Workbook for Gritty Kids, and Brainteasers and Riddles for Gritty Kids.

Cover of the book Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids

Another book of logic puzzles, Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids was written by Jenn Larson, a school teacher for over 20 years.  The games focus on developing skills such as abstract reasoning and processing speed.

Cover of the book Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics

Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics written by Stuart J. Murphy and illustrated by Teresa Bellón is an excellent introductory guide that shows how information can be collected and displayed using eye-catching, easy to interpret, line graphs, bar graphs, pictographs, and pie charts. It’s perfect for children interested in surveys, organizing and interpreting data, and visually representing their findings for others.

Cover of the Book of Math by Anna Weltman

The Book of Math by Anna Weltman, 2021 delves into many interesting and perplexing mathematical questions. It looks at the math in nature, space, art, sports calculations, construction, and coding. It explores unsolved math problems, too. This 2023 Mathical Honor Book is full of appealing graphics, timelines, charts, puzzles, games and activities.

Cover of The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning

 
The Fallacy Detective: Thirty-Eight Lessons on How to Recognize Bad Reasoning by Nathaniel Bluedorn and Hans Bluedorn is a bestselling book about logic and fallacy. Illustrated by Rob Corley and Tim Hodge, the funny cartoons and easy-to-follow writing style keeps the reader engaged. Written for ages 12 and up, children can learn on their own or alongside their adult.

Cover of the book Which One Doesn't Belong?

In Which One Doesn’t Belong? author Christopher Danielson says, “I made this book to spark conversations, thinking, and wonder.” The book accomplishes all these goals. Its colorful pages show collections of four shapes, each of which might correctly answer the question “Which one doesn’t belong?” This 2017 Mathical Award winning book provides opportunities for readers to focus on properties attributes, and on rich geometry-focused conversations. It’s likely to appeal to readers of almost every age.

This month’s STEM Tuesday book list was prepared by:

Picture of Bev Schellenberg and her daughter

Bev Schellenberg is an author (A Prince Among Dragons; A Princess Among Dragons), as well as a writer of creative nonfiction, poetry, and picture books. She’s an advocate of STEM who was a science fair national winner and high school robotics club sponsor, and passionate about young people discovering, following the passion inside them and flourishing. She’s taught grades kindergarten to grade 12 and is currently an academic advisor, careers teacher, and armchair futurist. Learn more about Bev at BevSchellenberg.com.

Picture of Carolyn Pfister and her goats.

Carolyn Pfister is a STEM Content Developer, writer/illustrator, and coordinator of the California Early Math Project. She is interested in encouraging family and community STEM opportunities and maintaining children’s early love and success with math and science. Carolyn writes a monthly Substack on behalf of the California Early Math Project – https://carolynpfister.substack.com/. Learn more about Carolyn at Carolynpfister.com

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STEM Tuesday– Amphibians– Book List

By on April 7, 2026   /   Amphibians, STEM Tuesday  

Amphibians are animals that tend to live part of their life underwater and part of their life on land. Frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts have soft, moist skin, and most can breathe through their skin – as long as it stays damp. Adult amphibians also use lungs to breathe.

Amphibian Acrobats by Leslie Bulion, illustrated by Robert Meganck

This book is filled with froggy poetry about Olympic jumpers, deep-freeze artists, salamander wrestlers, and marathon walkers that migrate to their puddle home to lay eggs every spring. From caecilians to salamanders, each poem introduces amazing amphibian behavior.

Amphibian Groups by Sue Bradford Edwards

A fascinating, photo-illustrated exploration of various frogs, salamanders, and caecilians and how they band together and cooperate to ensure their survival. It includes eye-catching graphics, multiple writing prompts, and discussion questions, as well as an awesome list of facts and a call to action.

Tree Frogs: Life in the Leaves by Moira Rose Donohue

Five chapters discuss where and how frogs live, their food, how they survive winter (some freeze!), and their life cycle from tadpole to adult. One chapter introduces frog relatives, including some that live in trees but aren’t tree frogs. The book concludes with conservation efforts.

A Day in the Life of Frogs: What do Frogs, Toads, and Tadpoles Get Up to All Day? by Itzue W. Caviedes Solis, illustrated by Henry Rancourt

After comparing frogs and toads, the conversational text follows a day from noon to 3 am, highlighting the unique and fascinating lives of frogs and toads around the world and their environments. Fun cameos from the Southeast Asian rock frog, Australian turtle frog and cane toad, Central African wolverine frog, Columbian sun glass frog, and South American Bell’s horned frog connect the narrative across the pages.   

Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs by Annette Whipple, illustrated by Juanbjuan

For younger readers, this is a great introduction to frogs, filled with close-up photos of legs and eyes and tongues – it will make you want to head to the nearest pond for some frog-watching. Sections address the difference between frogs and toads, how frogs eat, where they live, how they make sounds, and their development from eggs to adults. “Leaping Legs” sidebars explain facts from a frog’s point of view.

See-Thru Frogs (see-thru books series) by Sherry Gerstein 

Get to know frogs from the inside-out! See-thru pages help illustrate the stuff on the inside of frogs – their skeleton and internal organs. Kids can compare bones we have in common, and note some differences, such as their longer foot bones. 

Field Guides & Activity Books:

Amazing Amphibians: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, and More (Young Naturalists series) by Lisa J. Amstutz 

Taking readers on a field trip to ponds and fields in search of amphibians of all types, this book introduces us to the major frog families, newts, and caecilians. It discusses amphibian anatomy, shares their housing and meal plans, and lets us in on their secrets of defense. And best of all includes hands-on activities, like an underwater pond viewer, mixing up frog slime, and crafting an origami frog.

Everything You Need To Know About Frogs And Other Slippery Creatures DK Publishing

This browsable book has everything from frog brains and secrets of a smooth skin to how tadpoles survive to adulthood. You’ll meet flapping frogs, flying frogs, glass frogs … and a few reptiles along the way. Plus, how frogs’ legs led to the invention of the first battery.

Ultimate Explorer Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians by Catherine Herbert Howell

Amphibians may share this book with reptiles, but there are plenty of pages to explore salamanders, frogs, and toads. Text boxes highlight fun facts, and a longer sidebar dives into metamorphosis. Five hands-on activities include making a simple pond viewer and a toad home.

Amphibians (Field Guides) by Rachel Seigel

Engaging text, featuring 110 frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (some common and some endangered), teams up with “how to spot” statistic and “fun fact” sidebars to make amphibian hunting lots of fun.

This month’s STEM Tuesday book list was prepared by:

Sue Heavenrich is an award-winning author, blogger, and bug-watcher. A long line of ants marching across the kitchen counter inspired her first article for kids. When not writing, she’s either in the garden or tromping through the woods. Her books for middle-grade readers include Funky Fungi: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More and Diet for a Changing Climate. Visit her at www.sueheavenrich.com

Maria is a children’s author, blogger, and poet who is passionate about making nature and reading fun for children. She was a round 2 judge for the 2018 & 2017 Cybils Awards, and a judge for the #50PreciousWords competition since its inception. Two of her poems are published in The Best of Today’s Little Ditty 2016 and 2014-2015 anthologies. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. Visit her at www.mariacmarshall.com.

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