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EXPLORE OTHER '2D SHAPES' STORIES HERE
EXPLORE OTHER 'PATTERNS' STORIES HERE

A CLOAK FOR THE DREAMER 
Author: Aileen Friedman
​Illustrator: Kim Howard

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Number of pages: 36
Publisher: Scholastic (USA)
First published in: 1994
Format: Picturebook

Is the mathematical focus explicit in the story? Yes
Is this story part of a mathematics story series? Yes (Marilyn Burns Brainy Day Books)
 
Click here to preview and/or purchase this book via the Amazon (UK) website 

Synopsis by the author/publisher
A tailor's three sons make cloaks for the Archduke. One uses only rectangles; the second, squares and triangles; but the third son makes his of circles the shape of the globe. While beautiful, it's filled with open spaces, until his brothers show him how to change circles to hexagons, producing the best cloak of all.​
“All night long the tailor and his two oldest sons worked on Misha's cloak. Ivan snapped the circles apart, and his father trimmed them into hexagons. As his father cut, Alex quickly sewed the hexagons together to make one cloth of the dreamer's colors.”
Recommended age range: 
7+ years old 

Relevant topics: 
​2D shapes; Patterns

​Possible teaching activities:
At MathsThroughStories.org, we believe that stories can be meaningfully incorporated in mathematics teaching in different ways. Thus, we are inviting you to share your experience of how you have used this story in your mathematics lesson with other members of the community. By sharing your experience with us, you will be added to our team of On-line Contributors here, where you can also find our submission guideline.
​

​mathsthroughstories.org

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ABOUT US

MathsThroughStories.org is a non-profit research-based initiative, based at the University of Reading's Institute of Education (UK).

It sets out to help mathematics learners around the world develop their conceptual understanding in mathematics and to help them foster positive attitudes towards the subject through  the power of storytelling.

Contact Us

  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • RESEARCH TEAM
    • On-line Contributors
    • Research Dissemination
    • Research Impact
    • SHOUTOUTS
    • Teacher Training / CPD Services
    • MEDIA APPEARANCES
  • RESOURCES
    • RECOMMENDATIONS
    • BLOG
    • NEWSLETTER
    • BOOK REVIEWS >
      • BOOK REVIEWS
      • INSPECTION COPIES
    • LESSON IDEAS
    • VIDEOS
    • CREATE YOUR OWN MATHEMATICAL STORIES >
      • GUIDELINE FOR MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS
      • INTERVIEWS WITH MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS
    • 'HOW TO' BOOKS
    • RESEARCH ARTICLES
    • PRACTITIONER-ORIENTED ARTICLES
  • COMPETITIONS
    • 2025 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2024 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2023 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2022 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2021 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2020 YMSA WINNING, SHORTLISTED AND LONGLISTED ENTRIES
    • 2019 YMSA WINNING AND SHORTLISTED ENTRIES
  • NEWS
  • CONTACT US
    • GET INVOLVED