This is Not a Math Book by Anna Weltman

THIS IS NOT A MATH BOOK: A Smart Art Activity Book
by Anna Weltman
(Kane Miller; $14.99, Ages 8 and up)

If you have a doodler, or a kid who likes geometrical shapes and patterns, then This is Not a Math Book is for you! There are over 30 fun and creative drawing activities that just so happen to have a subtle math spin. With a few drawing and math tools in tow, kids’ll be set to choose an activity. I can see this book coming in handy for the classroom or for homeschoolers. You can learn to make tessellations or fractals, and see how neat it is to create drawings with lots of circles and triangles.

I decided to try my hand at a little tessellation and I really enjoyed inventing a creature to match my shape. This book makes math entertaining and gives ample creation decisions to the reader.

Even as an adult I found the book fascinating. I also watched my kids spending a good amount of time on their creations, intent on making them just right. The instructions were easy to follow and could be used by most kids ages 8 and up. It’s helpful, too, that there’s a handy Table of Contents and Glossary if you’re looking for a particular activity.

Kudos to Weltman for coming up with this unique, hands-on math/drawing activity book that is sure to be a hit with children and parents alike.

• Reviewed by Lucy Ravitch

Lucy Ravitch is the blogger behind KidsMathTeacher.com and author of The Pancake Menu: What will you order? An interactive book that lets kids practice math as they play restaurant, with free printable order sheets and play money on KidsMenuBooks.com. Lucy loves everything that makes math fun, and enjoys crafting and cooking books as well. She has a degree in Elementary Education and lives in Southern California with her family and cute, crazy dog.