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A HOUSE FOR BIRDIE
Author: Stuart J. Murphy 
​Illustrator: Edward Miller

Number of pages: 31
Publisher: HarperCollins (USA)
First published in: 2004
Format: Picturebook

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

Synopsis by the author/publisher
Poor tiny Birdie has no house. But Birdie does have friends.  Spike, Queenie, Goldie, and Fidget want to help Birdie find a house of his own. Birdie needs a house that isn't too tall and isn't too thin, that isn't too short and isn't too fat, and that isn't too wide and isn't too narrow. Will they find a house for Birdie before the rain falls and the wind blows?  A sweet and simple story about helping out a friend explains the math concept of capacity - what will fit in a container of a particular shape and size. 

“Poor tiny Birdie had no house. When the rain fell, he got wet. When the wind blew, he was always cold. [...] "I need a house," peeped Birdie. "Can you help me find one that's just the right size for me?" ”

Recommended age range: 
5+ years old 

Relevant topics: 
Mass, Volume & Capacity

​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.
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