ON MY WAY TO GRANDMA'S HOUSE
Author: Lynda Brennan
Illustrator: Christina Cancel
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Number of pages: 28
Publisher: Math4Minors (USA) First published in: 2015 Format: Picturebook Is the mathematical focus explicit in the story? Yes Is this story part of a mathematics story series? Yes (Math MileMarkers) Preview and/or purchase this book on the Amazon websites: UK, USA, AUS, CAN Synopsis by the author/publisher
At first glance, this story about Lily and her friends seems to focus primarily on the concept of rounding numbers, a standard identified in the Number and Base Ten standards found in grades 3, 4 and 5. However, rather than looking at rounding as an isolated skill, Math MileMarkers uses this opportunity to encourage teachers and children to explore the number line in places they may never have been before. Don’t underestimate this simple story, its message reaches far beyond Lily’s trip to grandma’s and another happy ending. |
“When it came to walking to Grandma's house, River Rules were all about being safe. Since we lived at 40 Cypress Road and Grandma lived at 50 Cypress Road, there were lots of houses between our two homes. If something ever went wrong, I knew that I had to immediately run to whichever house was closet to me - number 40 or number 50.”
Official review by MathsThroughStories.org:
Lynda Brennan’s ‘On My Way to Grandma’s House’ (2015) cleverly introduces the concept of rounding numbers through the story of Lily River, a young girl who lives at No. 40 Cypress Road and who wants to visit her Grandma who lives at No. 50 Cypress Road. Lily’s mom reminds Lily of a family rule whereby if something ever went wrong while Lily walking to her Grandma’s house, she would have to decide whether she is closet to her mom’s house or her Grandma’s house, and run to that house. Throughout the story, different scenarios (e.g. rain when Lily walking pass No. 42, thunderstorm when she walking pass No. 44, etc.) present readers with opportunities to decide which of the two designated houses Lily should run to, and why. The story did a good job in showcasing a real-world example where knowledge of rounding can be useful for young children. The pace of the story is just right, and the writing is accessible to young children. The book’s companion website also provides useful downloadable resources (e.g. a storyboard template, a ‘talking points’ guide for teachers and parents).
All in all, ‘On My Way to Grandma’s House’ is a useful story picture book to introduce the concept of rounding for children aged 7+ years old. (Disclaimer: We received a complimentary inspection copy of this book from the publisher/author)
Recommended age range:
7 years old +
Relevant mathematics topics:
Rounding
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.
Lynda Brennan’s ‘On My Way to Grandma’s House’ (2015) cleverly introduces the concept of rounding numbers through the story of Lily River, a young girl who lives at No. 40 Cypress Road and who wants to visit her Grandma who lives at No. 50 Cypress Road. Lily’s mom reminds Lily of a family rule whereby if something ever went wrong while Lily walking to her Grandma’s house, she would have to decide whether she is closet to her mom’s house or her Grandma’s house, and run to that house. Throughout the story, different scenarios (e.g. rain when Lily walking pass No. 42, thunderstorm when she walking pass No. 44, etc.) present readers with opportunities to decide which of the two designated houses Lily should run to, and why. The story did a good job in showcasing a real-world example where knowledge of rounding can be useful for young children. The pace of the story is just right, and the writing is accessible to young children. The book’s companion website also provides useful downloadable resources (e.g. a storyboard template, a ‘talking points’ guide for teachers and parents).
All in all, ‘On My Way to Grandma’s House’ is a useful story picture book to introduce the concept of rounding for children aged 7+ years old. (Disclaimer: We received a complimentary inspection copy of this book from the publisher/author)
Recommended age range:
7 years old +
Relevant mathematics topics:
Rounding
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.
