How to make the most of picturebooks through Talks and Math: Our Review #4.
- Frédérique and the Wooden Fellows
Dinosnores, by Sandra Boynton
Quick Overview. We often review picturebooks for 3-5-year-olds, but this month, we are expanding our focus to include board books as well. And what better author to begin with than the well-known Sandra Boynton! You may be familiar with her animal characters and rhythmic, giggle-inducing storytelling. Dinosnores is no exception—colorful, charming, and perfect for winding down at bedtime. A young child will most likely request to read it again and again and again, and look forward to the delightfully exaggerated snoring!
Stuff to Talk About…Children’s attention spans vary deeply from one child to another, but usually expand with age and exposure to books. With infants and toddlers, reading a book is more about the experience than engaging in long discussions : ) playing with voices, accentuating noises, etc. Still, Dinosnores is perfect for discussing bedtime routines with little ones.
What do the dinosaurs do that you do? What else do you do that they don’t?
About our monthly review
Picturebooks can open the door to endless conversations, but how do you engage young children throughout the pages?
Once a month, Mme Rigolotte and I select five picturebooks from the library, kind of randomly (see our series here).
We give a quick overview of the plot (without spoilers : ), sharing topics one could talk about to engage with young children (3-5 years old, especially), including early mathematics ideas.
Yep, math is everywhere—even in books! If you need a refresher on early mathematics, see one of our previous posts or our new series about early mathematics.
… including Early Mathematics. As young children, infants and toddlers naturally engage with mathematical concepts, such as “more milk” or moving around (spatial sense). Board books can hence be used to introduce early mathematics to the youngest ones. We previously connected routine-based stories with patterns and early algebra. This one is no different. Counting items (e.g., dinosaurs or bedtime tasks) and predicting what comes next are both brief opportunities for mathematical thinking. One just has to keep it quick and simple.
The skin you live in, by Michael Tyler, illustrated by David Lee Csicsko
Quick Overview. This powerful picturebook celebrates the diversity of skin colors, appearances, and experiences. The illustrations are engaging and colorful, and rhyming text makes it both captivating and meaningful for young readers.
Stuff to Talk About… This is an excellent book to introduce conversations about inclusion and uniqueness naturally. Children can explore differences in skin, hair, and eye color, as well as visible disabilities, such as a child using a wheelchair. The message is straightforward: everyone is unique and worthy.
… including Early Mathematics. This book naturally helps young mathematicians develop their ability to notice. Children can see similarities and differences in physical features, helping to build their sorting abilities, in an inclusive way, of course.
Mouse and Hippo, by Mike Twohy
Quick Overview. In this sweet story, Mouse, who loves painting, mistakes Hippo for a rock. Unfollow a meaningful story about an unexpected friendship, united through art.
Stuff to Talk About…The story opens the door to discussion about friendship, especially those that forms unexpectedly. It also invites conversations about art, safety near water, and the joy of shared creativity. A wide range of topics to talk about!
… including Early Mathematics. The picturebook offers an authentic way to talk about measurement and size. As the animals paint portraits of each other, they discuss concepts like “too big,” “too small,” and model how creative thinking can overcome size limitations.
How would you draw a giraffe on a piece of paper? An ant?
Emma in Paris, by Claire Frossard (photographs by Christophe Urbain)
Quick Overview. The story follows Emma Moineau, a sparrow from New York, exploring the streets of Paris (side note: “Moineau” means “sparrow”, in French : ) As a native of France, I may be biased, but this book, blending photographs and illustration, takes its audience to an engaging and visually journey to the French capitale!
Stuff to Talk About…The story naturally invites conversations about foreign cultures and multilingual families, as Emma, an American sparrow, visits her French cousin, Amelie. Emma picking up French words from time to time adds a nice touch. The book also provides an excellent overview of Paris and its monuments. What do you notice about Paris that is different from where you live?
… including Early Mathematics. Spatial sense! This book could be beautifully explored with a map of Paris, and have young children follow Emma’s steps across the capital. Where did she go first? Where did she go next? The architecture shown throughout also encourages shape recognition and an early appreciation for engineering, structure, and design.
Why do we cry, by Fran Pintadera, illustrated by Ana Sender
Quick Overview. This thoughtful story begins with a powerful question from a young boy: “Why do we cry?” What follows is an inspiring and moving conversation with his mother, exploring the many reasons we cry—including sadness, anger, and even joy.
Stuff to Talk About… This picturebook is a fantastic entry point for conversations about emotions, helping children recognize that crying is a natural response to a variety of feelings. One can discuss emotions like sadness, frustration, empathy, and happiness in ways that are accessible and comforting to young children.
… including Early Mathematics. The story’s structure could be used to explore ordinal numbers and sequencing, exploring the reasons for crying as an emotional journey: “First, we cry because… Second, we cry because…” “What might be a fourth reason we cry?”
By exploring stories, sparking discussions, and connecting to math, picturebooks offer endless opportunities to engage young children’s thinking and imagination. Stay tuned for our next review, where we’ll dive into a new set of books next month.
In the meantime, the Fellows and I would love to hear from you : )
What caught your attention in the five books we shared today? What other topics would you discuss with young children?
Math is indeed all around. If you want to know more about “mathematizing”, you can start with
- Hintz, A., & Smith, A. T. (2023). Mathematizing Children’s Literature: Sparking Connections, Joy, and Wonder Through Read-alouds and Discussion. Taylor & Francis.
- Hynes-Berry, M., & Grandau, L. (2019). Where’s the Math? NAEYC. Washington, DC.