SIR CUMFERENCE AND THE 100 PERCENT GOOSE CHASE
Author: Cindy Neuschwander
Illustrator: Wayne Geehan
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (USA) First published in: 2024 Format: Picturebook Is the mathematical focus explicit in the story? Yes Is this story part of a mathematics story series? Yes (Sir Cumference and Charlesbridge's Math Adventure) Preview and/or purchase this book on the Amazon websites: UK, USA, AUS, IND, CAN Synopsis by the author/publisher
Percilla Centwell and Lady Di are off to Gaggleston-on-Green to deliver Percilla's flock of one hundred geese to the townspeople who ordered them. When some of the geese go missing on the way, Percilla and Lady Di must figure out a way to make sure all of the customers still get their fair share of the flock. In this latest medieval math adventure, readers learn about finding percents as part of a whole by using fractions. The endnote includes step-by-step instructions for calculating percent. |
“Percilla continued. "Twenty-five PerCent geese were for Baker Butterwick. That's the same as one-fourth. With one hundred geese, one-fourth is twenty-five. But with forty geese, one-fourth is only ten." The baker looked disappointed, but she nodded.”
Official review by MathsThroughStories.org:
Cindy Neuschwander’s 'Sir Cumference and the 100 Percent Goose Chase' (2023), the twelfth book in the Sir Cumference series, is a masterful blend of adventure and mathematics. In this instalment, Percilla Centwell takes centre stage, tasked with delivering one hundred geese to multiple buyers. Alongside Lady Di of Ameter, Percilla must calculate how to fairly distribute the geese, especially after losing sixty during their journey. The story cleverly introduces young readers to the concept of percentages, showing them how to divide and share resources proportionally. The illustrations by Wayne Geehan bring the maths lesson to life, vividly depicting Percilla laying out feathers in rows of ten to visually demonstrate how portions of the flock are divided. These images provide both a narrative and a visual aid for understanding fractions and percentages in an engaging way. The book excels in making the mathematical concept of percentages approachable. Percilla’s use of feathers to represent the geese simplifies the problem and illustrates how percentages relate to parts of a whole. The relatable scenario of a real-life issue - fairly distributing fewer resources than expected - shows how mathematical thinking can solve practical problems. Young readers aged 9+ years old will enjoy this story, while also gaining an important introduction to percentages in an intuitive and fun way. We highly recommend ‘Sir Cumference and the 100 Percent Goose Chase’ for teachers and parents looking for creative ways to introduce percentages. (Disclaimer: We received a complimentary inspection copy of this book from the publisher/author.)
Recommended age range:
9+ years old
Relevant mathematics topics:
Fraction, Percentage
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.
Cindy Neuschwander’s 'Sir Cumference and the 100 Percent Goose Chase' (2023), the twelfth book in the Sir Cumference series, is a masterful blend of adventure and mathematics. In this instalment, Percilla Centwell takes centre stage, tasked with delivering one hundred geese to multiple buyers. Alongside Lady Di of Ameter, Percilla must calculate how to fairly distribute the geese, especially after losing sixty during their journey. The story cleverly introduces young readers to the concept of percentages, showing them how to divide and share resources proportionally. The illustrations by Wayne Geehan bring the maths lesson to life, vividly depicting Percilla laying out feathers in rows of ten to visually demonstrate how portions of the flock are divided. These images provide both a narrative and a visual aid for understanding fractions and percentages in an engaging way. The book excels in making the mathematical concept of percentages approachable. Percilla’s use of feathers to represent the geese simplifies the problem and illustrates how percentages relate to parts of a whole. The relatable scenario of a real-life issue - fairly distributing fewer resources than expected - shows how mathematical thinking can solve practical problems. Young readers aged 9+ years old will enjoy this story, while also gaining an important introduction to percentages in an intuitive and fun way. We highly recommend ‘Sir Cumference and the 100 Percent Goose Chase’ for teachers and parents looking for creative ways to introduce percentages. (Disclaimer: We received a complimentary inspection copy of this book from the publisher/author.)
Recommended age range:
9+ years old
Relevant mathematics topics:
Fraction, Percentage
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.