THE 2026 YOUNG MATHEMATICAL STORY AUTHORS (YMSA)
COMPETITION
THE STUART J. MURPHY AWARD
(THE 8-11 YEARS OLD CATEGORY)
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With 1,424 entries from 788 girls (55.3%) and 636 boys (44.7%) across 29 countries to judge, the Stuart J. Murphy Award (the 8-11 years old category) marks our most competitive year yet.
Many congratulations to the authors of the winning, shortlisted and longlisted entries! The winner receives £100 and their school another £100. The Award is generously funded by HarperCollins.
You can read these talented authors' mathematical stories, their inspiration for the stories, and the judges' comments below.
Feel free to share their works on social media using the #YMSAMaths hashtag.
We are grateful to all the winning, shortlisted and longlisted authors, as well as their parents, for giving us permission to share their work under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence.
We would also like to thank all the authors for taking part in this year's YMSA competition and to their schools (and parents) for encouraging them to participate in the competition. Below is the list of this year's 115 participating schools for this age category.
ACG Parnell (New Zealand)
Afeefuddin School (Maldives)
Ahmadhiyya International School (Maldives)
Al Dhafra Private Schools Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Al Hadi Islamic School (India)
Alif Alif Atoll Education Centre (Maldives)
All Saints CofE Primary School Marple (UK)
Alta Global School (Indonesia)
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (UK)
Aminiya School (Maldives)
Amstelland International School (Netherlands)
Asamia International School (Jordan)
Baa Atoll Education Centre (Maldives)
Bangkok Patana School (Thailand)
Barton Elementary School (USA)
Baslow St Annes CofE Primary School (UK)
BrainWorks International School (Myanmar)
Bucklands Beach Intermediate (New Zealand)
Chadwell Heath Academy (UK)
City Junior School (UK)
Coleridge Primary School (UK)
Cranbrook Primary School (UK)
Crimson Global Academy (India)
Dair House School (UK)
Daubeney Primary School (UK)
Dean Close Prep School (UK)
Dhiggaru School (Maldives)
Dormers Wells High School (UK)
DPS Modern Indian School (Qatar)
Dromindoora National School (Ireland)
Dulwich College Beijing (China)
Edge Grove School (UK)
Europa School UK (UK)
Felsted Prep School (UK)
Flex School (USA)
French International School Hong Kong (China)
Fulwood St Peters Primary School (UK)
Galaxy Montessori Academy (India)
GA Nilandhoo School (Maldives)
Georgian American School (Georgia)
Ghaazee School (Maldives)
Ghiyasuddin International School (Maldives)
Goldthorn Park Primary School (UK)
Greenbank High School (UK)
Harrow International School Hong Kong (China)
Heatherton School (UK)
Hiriya School (Maldives)
Hornsby House School (UK)
Huntley Centennial Public School (Canada)
Huravee School (Maldives)
I Can School (Vietnam)
International School Zurich North (Switzerland)
Iskandhar School (Maldives)
Jamaluddin School (Maldives)
Kalaafaanu School (Maldives)
Keelonith Primary School (Australia)
Kendrick School (UK)
King James Academy Royston (UK)
Kings Ely Prep (UK)
Kings School Al Barsha (UAE)
Langley Grammar School (UK)
La Scuola International School (USA)
Lh Atoll School (Maldives)
Manarat Al Riyadh School (Saudi Arabia)
Maple Walk School (UK)
Matthew Arnold School Staines (UK)
MEF International School Istanbul (Turkey)
Mendon Center Elementary School (USA)
Merryland International School (UAE)
Milton Keynes Preparatory School (UK)
Mont Saint-Jean (France)
My Myanmar International School (Myanmar)
Nansen Primary School (UK)
Newcastle Preparatory School (UK)
Newlands School (UAE)
Nonsuch High School for Girls (UK)
Nooraanee School (Maldives)
Norland Place School (UK)
NYC 15K136 School (USA)
Oberoi International School JVLR (India)
Oberoi International School OGC (India)
One World International School (India)
Panaga School (Brunei)
PEP School (India)
Queen Elizabeth Grammar School Blackburn (UK)
Queens College London (UK)
Rehendhi School (Maldives)
Rokeby School (UK)
Royal Russell School (UK)
Saint Kentigern Boys School (New Zealand)
Salaahuddin School (Maldives)
Sandford International School (Ethiopia)
Satit Kaset International Program (Thailand)
SD Gagasceria Bandung School (Indonesia)
Seaton House School (UK)
SEK International School Qatar (Qatar)
Seri Mulia Sarjana International School (Brunei)
Sharafuddin School (Maldives)
Silver Oaks International School (India)
Sir William Perkins's School (UK)
Sketches Montessori School (India)
Sophia High School (UK)
St Andrew's School (UK)
St Christopher's School (UK)
St George's Bickley Primary School (UK)
St Michael's CofE Primary School (UK)
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School (Australia)
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School (UK)
Tanglin Trust School (Singapore)
Tbilisi School of St Ilia the Righteous (Georgia)
Thaajuddeen School (Maldives)
The British Junior Academy Brussels (Belgium)
The British School in the Netherlands (Netherlands)
The British School of Milan (Italy)
The Dean Academy (UK)
The Hall School (UK)
The Holt School Wokingham (UK)
The Shri Ram School Aravali (India)
The Study Prep (UK)
Three Kings School (New Zealand)
Tormead School (UK)
Trevelyan Middle School (UK)
Truro School Prep (UK)
Uptown International School (Egypt)
Vaadhoo Jamaluddin School (Maldives)
Whitehouse Primary School (UK)
Xavier School San Juan (Philippines)
To read the winning, shortlisted and longlisted entries of
our 2026 Kersti Worsley Award (the 4-7 years old category), click here.
To read the winning, shortlisted and longlisted entries of
our 2026 Cindy Neuschwander Award (the 12-16 years old category), click here.
To learn about our upcoming 2027 competition, click here.
To read the winning, shortlisted and longlisted entries from our past competitions, click on a year of interest:
2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019.
WINNING ENTRY
'The Coastal Protector’
by Shoora Shaheed Ahmed (10 years old)
at Aminiya School (Maldives)
'The Coastal Protector’
by Shoora Shaheed Ahmed (10 years old)
at Aminiya School (Maldives)
Click here to read this story
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What the judges say: "This is a charming story about erosion, problem-solving, and data collection and representation. Kaina, the protagonist of the story, is alarmed to see that the coastline of her beloved island is disappearing. Month after month, the beach is getting smaller and smaller. Kaina decides to take measurements of the width of the beach at monthly intervals and to record that information in graphs so she can demonstrate her findings to the elders of her village. Her community finally understands what is happening and everyone works together to plant trees to stop the erosion. The author addresses the real-world problem of erosion and carefully presents a story that uses mathematics to find a solution. We were particularly impressed by how you meaningfully aligned your mathematical story with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14. Congratulations, Shoora! I am very proud that you are this year’s winner of the 2026 Stuart J. Murphy Award." |
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What the author says: "I live in the Maldives, which is in the Indian Ocean, and I love going to the beach with my family every Friday. When I grow up, I want to become a marine biologist because I want to help protect the environment and the ocean. I was inspired to write ‘The Coastal Protector’ after seeing coastal erosion on some of the islands I have visited. Through my story, I hope to help other young children learn more about coastal erosion and why it is important to protect our islands and environment. Creating this mathematical story picture book helped me enjoy learning maths more and helped me understand maths topics like measurement and data handling better because I could visualise the maths more clearly on paper through my drawings and story. It also helped me connect maths to real-life situations, and I was able to use this task to learn about United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the first time. My story is related to Target 14.2 which is about protecting coastal ecosystems to avoid significant negative impacts. To all Maths teachers, please let your students create mathematical story picture books as part of your Maths lessons as it can really help us learn maths better as well as more enjoyably and creatively!" |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Buses Meet Again’
by Aishath Iram (11 years old)
at Sharafuddin School (Maldives)
‘The Buses Meet Again’
by Aishath Iram (11 years old)
at Sharafuddin School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "After enjoying breakfast together at a café, two friends, Aisha and Aayaa, are trying to find buses that leave at the same time to take them back to their respective villages. while carefully studying the bus schedules, they decide to use the mathematical concept of Least Common Multiple (LCM) to help them compare times. They are finally able to find two buses, each going to their different villages, that depart at the same time. This is an original and creative story that features a complex mathematical topic. The diagrams that accompany the text are especially impressive, helping readers to understand how LMC works. What a great job and many congratulations, Aishath!" |
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What the author says: "When I learnt about the Least Common Multiple (LCM) in the class, I wondered what is the use of LCM. Through creating this mathematical story picture book, I was able to understand in depth the application of LCM in real-life problems. I hope those who read my story get ideas of how to solve real-life problems using LCM. I request Maths teachers all over the world to encourage their students to create their own story picture books based on the mathematical concepts that their students have just been taught, because creating our own mathematical story picture books helps us understand mathematical concepts in a fun and easy way." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
'When's Our Picnic?’
by Ian Kim (11 years old)
at The British School in the Netherlands (Netherlands)
'When's Our Picnic?’
by Ian Kim (11 years old)
at The British School in the Netherlands (Netherlands)
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What the judges say: "The protagonist of this story, a boy named John, has an idea. He would like to plan a picnic that includes hotdogs, ice cream and candy floss. The problem is that the truck that deliver these items arrive on different days. John’s friend Alex comes to the rescue. She uses the mathematical concept of Least Common Multiple (LCM) to solve the problem. LCM is carefully explained in words, equations and diagrams. The story has a nice flow from beginning to end and includes some welcome humor. Finally, John and his friends are able to plan a picnic that includes the three items listed, and also their favorite dog Sherlock, requiring an added but important extra calculation at the end. Good job, Ian!" |
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What the author says: "My inspiration for the story is when my mind started wandering off when I had no ideas and I just thought of a picnic. “Perfect!” I thought. First, I think it’s quite hard to create a mathematical story picture book as you have to first think of a good plot and then draw pictures (drawing isn’t my best subject). It did help me deepen my mathematical understanding about Least Common Multiple (LCM) as I had to research a lot about LCM and I learnt new things that I never even heard of before. In my opinion, Maths teachers should give their students opportunities to create mathematical story picture books during lessons as it is a fun way to learn mathematical concepts. Personally, I was also excited when I created it." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Boy Who Multiplied Hope’
by Yusuf Abdullah Zakariyya (9 years old)
at Jamaluddin School (Maldives)
‘The Boy Who Multiplied Hope’
by Yusuf Abdullah Zakariyya (9 years old)
at Jamaluddin School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "The setting for this story is a group of eight beautiful but endangered islands in the Indian Ocean. A young boy named Umar notices that the ocean is rising, and the islands are getting smaller. Using multiplication, he develops a plan to save the islands through planting coconut trees that will help stop the erosion. Starting with a simple idea, Umar soon realizes that by involving more people in his project, the number of trees can grow. Using equations, patterns, and a variety of visual displays that include maps, grids and arrays, the author accurately demonstrates the progression from just 20 to a total of 220 trees. He then takes it a big step further by showing what happens if each tree produces 12 coconuts. In the process, such real-world problems as erosion, rising seas, and economic matters are considered along with the social benefits of cooperation and hope. Good work also in showing a meaningful connection between your mathematical story and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13. Overall, this story is ambitious and mathematically complex, well-written and socially relevant. Congratulations, Yusuf!" |
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What the author says: "‘The Boy Who Multiplied Hope’ is a story about a boy who discovers how mathematics can help save his island nation from the impacts of climate change. Coming from a small island nation affected by climate change, I wanted to write a story that shows how mathematical concepts can help solve real-life problems that we experience every day. By using multiplication to calculate the number of trees needed for planting, the story shows how even big problems can be solved through simple ideas. I am also very excited that I learned about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the first time through creating this mathematical story picture book. I have connected my story to SDG 13: Climate Action, specifically Target 13.1, which focuses on building resilience to climate-related challenges. I have always enjoyed learning through fun and interactive activities and creating this mathematical story picture book has been both exciting and meaningful. It showed me that maths is not just a classroom subject, but also a powerful tool that can help create positive change. I encourage Maths teachers around the world to give students opportunities to create mathematical story picture books during their Maths lessons, because learning through stories makes Maths more fun and easier to understand as it allows learners to visualise and apply mathematical concepts better. I believe this is a great way to make Maths more interesting and memorable!" |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Great Water Ratio: Ning’
by Ira Malkani (11 years old)
at Oberoi International School OGC (India)
‘The Great Water Ratio: Ning’
by Ira Malkani (11 years old)
at Oberoi International School OGC (India)
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What the judges say: "This interesting story begins with a water shortage in a remote village in India. Water is delivered by truck once a month to each of the households. One day, when only half the normal amount is delivered, a young girl in the village named Ihsa realizes that all the villagers must learn to conserve water. She figures out that ratios could be useful to determine how much water will be available for drinking, handwashing, bathing, kitchen needs, and other daily household requirements. Through well-prepared graphics, Isha teaches her younger brother Sandy the facts about ratios. After working out a system for her own home, Isha makes a presentation to her class. Soon the entire village was using ratios to conserve water. This is a complex mathematical concept that is explained very clearly through words and diagrams. The story also successfully addresses the real-world problem of water shortages and conservation. Well done also for meaningfully aligning your mathematical story with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Well done, Ira!" |
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What the author says: "My inspiration was the fact that many cities, towns and villages do not have access to adequate water supply. I thought that I could use the math concept of ratios to help a family, in an imaginary village resolve a water shortage problem in a fair and equitable way, also in helping saving water in the long run. The process helped deepen my mathematical understanding with me visually solving problems, using my imagination to tell a story while teaching a math concept. It also let me explore how illustrations can help communicate mathematical concepts more effectively. I also learnt more in-depth elements of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the process since we were encouraged to link our mathematical story to a SDG. I picked water conservation (SDG 6) and within that, the element of efficient use of water seemed the most relevant since shortage of water exists in every country. I learnt ratios help make equitable distribution of objects I decided to apply it here. It would be wonderful if Math teachers across the globe allow their students to create their own mathematical story picture books to develop their mathematical understanding. It will help kids relate to the topics in real-life situations in a more engaging manner, enabling problem-solving skills and also reducing anxiety towards the subject." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Angles of Willow Creek’
by Alexia Absolom (9 years old)
at The Study Prep (UK)
‘The Angles of Willow Creek’
by Alexia Absolom (9 years old)
at The Study Prep (UK)
Click here to read this story
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What the judges say: "Twins Holly and Ivy are upset when they see that Willow Creek, a favorite place of theirs, had dried up. They soon discovered that the water had been diverted to a new renewable energy plant. Employing their knowledge of measuring angles, they are able to convince the mayor of the town and the owner of the factory of a plan that would work for both. The mathematics nicely support the storyline and everything is clearly explained and easy to understand. There’s also a nice visual summary of angle measurement at the end. Finally, good job for demonstrating how your chosen mathematical concept can help address an issue related to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Congratulations on your excellent work, Alexia!" |
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What the author says: "My inspiration for ‘The Angles of Willow Creek’ came from my love of reading and writing and my belief that it’s important to highlight the impact of climate change as well as showing that children can be heroes. I enjoyed writing the story because it let me combine three things that I am interested in which are story writing, protecting the environment and maths. I really enjoy learning about angles in class and using my protractor to measure angles in my maths lessons so it was fun to think of a real life scenario using angles that I could make into an exciting adventure. Before taking part in this competition, I had some awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but creating this mathematical story picture book helped me develop a deeper understanding of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), particularly Target 6.4, which focuses on improving water-use efficiency and ensuring sustainable freshwater supplies. Writing about these issues made me realise how important it is for everyone to use water responsibly and how mathematics can help us understand and solve real-world environmental challenges! I would like to encourage maths teachers around the world to give their students time to create mathematical story picture books, because I think it is really interesting to think of a meaningful context and write a story that shows how maths is all around us. I think using a story helps children to understand maths in a different way and anything that makes maths more fun and shows how it can be used in everyday life is really enjoyable." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Hidden Side of the Number Line’
by Manasvi Mitna (11 years old)
at Oberoi International School JVLR (India)
‘The Hidden Side of the Number Line’
by Manasvi Mitna (11 years old)
at Oberoi International School JVLR (India)
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What the judges say: "This author has created a highly imaginative and original story that uses the number line to address emotional well-being while learning about negative numbers. A young girl named Mia finds herself dealing with emotional changes that are best described using numbers. When her feelings become negative, so do the numbers and she must learn how to add and subtract negative and positive numbers in the process. This is clearly shown in both the text and in diagrams. References to other uses of negative numbers, including tall buildings and temperature changes, are provided for added clarity. The visual displays culminate in a chart that shows how integers work, and the storyline ends with a chapter on dealing with your emotions. This is a very impressive achievement, Manasvi. Congratulations!" |
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What the author says: "The deepest inspiration for my story (‘The Hidden Side of the Number Line’) was my Primary Years Programme Exhibition (PYPX) topic, mental health. I chose this topic because I was passionate about spreading awareness about it, and I wanted to do this through a story. I enjoy learning math and therefore wanted to teach resilience and the importance of mental health along with a mathematical concept that others can learn. During this process, I learnt more about negative and positive integers, as I had struggles with this topic in the past. As I was writing this story, my thoughts flowed and while reading the story back to myself, I learnt more about this mathematical concept through the perception of the reader. To all Maths teachers everywhere: when math is seen by children as only through rules and equations, many of us experience it as boring and distant, but when we are allowed to create our own mathematical story picture books, math feels alive. Stories create an engaging environment and create emotion, turning lessons into meaningful experiences. They invite students to ask “why” before “how,” making maths learning experiences more memorable across age groups." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Secret of the Last Ten Nights’
by Maavy Shihan (10 years old)
at Ghiyasuddin International School (Maldives)
‘The Secret of the Last Ten Nights’
by Maavy Shihan (10 years old)
at Ghiyasuddin International School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "During the last days of Ramadan, Maavy is hoping that she will experience a secret and very special night. With the help of her little sister Ainy, she uses probability to try to determine what might happen. Through a series of well-constructed graphic representations, Maavy teaches Ainy and her readers about probability: what is likely and what is unlikely to occur, and why. Ainy soon realizes that probability is not about guessing but rather uses facts to make predictions. This is all presented within a tale that incorporates the traditions of the important religious holiday of Ramadan. Congratulations, Maavy, on this well-achieved and ambitious accomplishment." |
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What the author says: 'The Secret of the Last Ten Nights' was inspired by Ramadan. I decided to write about the last ten nights because of its importance. Since no-one knows exactly which night the special night falls on, I realised that it connects well to the mathematical concept of probability and chances. I wanted to use probability to explore how increasing our effort can increase our chances of finding something special. Creating mathematical story picture books can help understand a Maths concept in a deeper and more meaningful way. It can show that Mathematics isn’t only about numbers and symbols, but also about making wise choices in real life. All Maths teachers should give students opportunities to create mathematical story picture books as it can help them apply their mathematical skills not just in a classroom, but also in everyday life. It also makes learning Mathematics more creative, enjoyable, and interesting for students." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘Yoosuf Saves for an Aquarium Adventure!’
by Mohamed Yuman Shareef (9 years old)
at Huravee School (Maldives)
‘Yoosuf Saves for an Aquarium Adventure!’
by Mohamed Yuman Shareef (9 years old)
at Huravee School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "This interesting story flows naturally from beginning to end, engaging the reader in Yoosuf’s quest to earn enough money to buy his own ticket to a new aquarium. Through clear diagrams, his mother teaches him how to use addition to keep track of his earnings as he completes several household chores. Underlying themes of earning and saving money, and helping at home, bring the story to life. Ending with the next step of Yoosuf wanting to earn more money so he can buy a pet fish and have his very own aquarium is a nice final touch. Well done, Mohamed!" |
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What the author says: "The story was inspired by my interest in marine life. I have always enjoyed learning about the ocean and the different animals that live there. My parents also encourage me to save money so I can explore my interests and try new things. Creating this mathematical story picture book helped me understand maths problems better. It also showed me how math can be applied to real-life situations, helping me appreciate and enjoy learning maths in a whole new way. Maths teachers should give students opportunities to create their own mathematical story picture books in classes. It is a creative way to learn and helps students understand maths in a better and more meaningful way." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Flower Beds Puzzle’
by Malkiya Ashraf (8 years old)
at Salaahuddin School (Maldives)
‘The Flower Beds Puzzle’
by Malkiya Ashraf (8 years old)
at Salaahuddin School (Maldives)
Click here to read this story
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What the judges say: "When Malkiya’s class is given 24 sunflower plants that must be planted in even rows, she and a friend try to determine the best way to do this. After a few attempts, they soon learn that 24 can be evenly divided in several ways. The diagrams that show these variations make it easy to understand all the possibilities. A series of questions called “Prediction Moments” add to the learning experience in this thoughtful tale. Excellent work, Malkiya." |
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What the author says: "Creating this mathematical story was inspired by my interest in how math can be used in everyday life. I wanted to make math more enjoyable and easier to understand through storytelling and illustrations. While creating this mathematical story picture book, I learned that explaining mathematical ideas through a story helped me understand the concept more deeply. It also improved my creativity, problem-solving, and confidence in math. I would encourage Math teachers around the world to offer to their students opportunities to create their own mathematical story picture books as part of regular Maths lessons because this method makes learning math more engaging, meaningful, and fun for students of all ages." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘Samaira and the Backyard Math Mystery’
by Sumayya Binth Habeel Hassan (10 years old)
at Thaajuddeen School (Maldives)
‘Samaira and the Backyard Math Mystery’
by Sumayya Binth Habeel Hassan (10 years old)
at Thaajuddeen School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "Samaira decides to help her father develop a plan for their backyard. She has learned about mensuration, the study of measuring the lengths, areas, and volumes of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. Through equations and diagrams, the author has illustrated how to find the area of the garden excluding the circular pool, the volume if the pool, and the perimeter of the garden. This helps her determine the amount of grass, water, and fencing that will be needed and how much those items will cost. The result is a clear and accurate math story, and a very nice garden. Well done, Sumayya!" |
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What the author says: "I was inspired to write this mathematical story because I love gardening and mensuration is my favourite math topic. I wanted to combine both and show how math can help design a beautiful backyard. Creating this mathematical story picture book helped me understand better how to find area, perimeter, and volume. It also made math fun because I used drawings and a story to explain my ideas. Math teachers everywhere should let their students create mathematical story picture books like this because this task makes math more interesting and helps us understand how to use it in our daily lives." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Girl and the Flood’
by Ann Wong (10 years old)
at Harrow International School Hong Kong (China)
‘The Girl and the Flood’
by Ann Wong (10 years old)
at Harrow International School Hong Kong (China)
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What the judges say: "This is a story about how three-dimensional shapes can be used to help solve a massive flooding problem. The author employs a rich and colorful vocabulary to describe the setting for this tale. The diagrams that illustrate the story carefully describe the attributes and measurements of the shapes. Especially impressive is the rationale for which volumes work best at each juncture of the story, which is told in sequential sections for easy understanding. The result – the saving of the village from the flood waters – is heartfelt. This was a complex and impressive endeavor - congratulations, Ann!" |
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What the author says: "‘The Girl and The Flood’ introduces young readers to how mathematical concepts can be applied to protect local communities from natural disasters. Due to climate change, flooding is becoming an increasing challenge to people across the world, in particular rural communities that often lack resources. When I wrote the story, I researched flood case studies and flood prevention measures. The engineering that goes behind building flood walls sparked my idea to write about Rebecca and her magical pencil. I also learnt that Maths is vital to solving the world’s social and environmental issues – Maths has plenty of applications beyond economics. Maths teachers should allow their students to create their mathematical story picture books in their lessons to give students the opportunity to discover and engage with real-world issues and think of maths as a problem-solving tool. Maths can be used to make the world a better place." |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘The Ramadan Charity Box’
by Fathimath Zafreen Binth Zaheen (9 years old)
at Thaajuddeen School (Maldives)
‘The Ramadan Charity Box’
by Fathimath Zafreen Binth Zaheen (9 years old)
at Thaajuddeen School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "This is a thoughtful story about helping families in need during Ramadan. It is also about place value and understanding large numbers. Two cousins, Amina and Umar, want to make Ramadan very special for someone. Their teacher suggests creating a Ramadan Charity Box in which all the classmates can place their extra pocket money. When they opened the box, it was filled with coins and notes, so many that it was difficult to count them. Through visual models, their teacher helped them learn about place value. They also learned about sharing and helping others. Congratulations on creating a fine and heartfelt story, Fathimath!" |
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What the author says: "My mathematical story picture book was inspired by my mother, who is a Mathematics teacher. During Ramadan, people donate money to help those in need, and this inspired me to use a charity box to teach place value in a meaningful real-life context. Through the story, I wanted to show how numbers are formed and how each digit has a different value depending on its place. Creating this mathematical story picture book helped me deepen my understanding of place value and showed me that Mathematics can be both creative and enjoyable. It also helped me connect mathematical concepts to everyday life while improving my creativity and thinking skills. Mathematics teachers around the world should encourage their students to learn maths through creating their own mathematical story picture books which can help make Mathematics more engaging, meaningful, and fun!" |
SHORTLISTED ENTRY
‘Mom's Birthday Surprises’
by Ainee Ali Shamil (10 years old)
at Jamaluddin School (Maldives)
‘Mom's Birthday Surprises’
by Ainee Ali Shamil (10 years old)
at Jamaluddin School (Maldives)
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What the judges say: "Amina wants to make a very special birthday cake for her mother. Right from the start of the story, Amina is in the kitchen learning about measurements and fractions from her mom as she prepares the ingredients for the cake. Throughout this story, the fractions are carefully presented in words, numbers and diagrams, providing multiple representations of each of the fractions for the reader. The plot takes a twist when more relatives decide to come to the party. Suddenly, all the measurements must be doubled to make a larger cake. Finally, the author cleverly adds another layer of information when Amina uses her new knowledge of fractions and fraction conversions to divide the cake up between family members. Excellent work, Ainee!" |
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What the author says: "I got inspiration from the times I cooked with my mother. She’d tell me to add a specific amount of the ingredients, so I wrote a story related to that. There are a lot of benefits of writing a Math related story. For example, creating a mathematical story picture book helped me understand Math better because it made learning more fun and easier to relate to real life. It also helped me think carefully about mathematical ideas while writing the story. I wish Math teachers from all over the world would encourage their students to create mathematical story picture books to help them prepare for upcoming Maths exams, and to encourage their students to participate in this Young Mathematical Story Authors (YMSA) competition so that they may have a chance to share their love for Mathematics with other students all over the world." |
LONGLISTED ENTRIES
The judges would also like to offer congratulations to authors of the following entries which were longlisted for the 2026 Stuart J. Murphy Award!
The judges would also like to offer congratulations to authors of the following entries which were longlisted for the 2026 Stuart J. Murphy Award!
‘The Jungle Adventure of Five Friends’ by Ameya Mary Sibu (8 years old) at DPS Modern Indian School (Qatar)
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‘King of the Fish’ by Aizik Ibrahim Farish (9 years old) at Huravee School (Maldives)
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'The Garden that Needed to Fence’ by Althaf Hussain Jameel (10 years old) at Huravee School (Maldives)
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‘The Mystery of the Prime Snacks’ by Samar Kashyap (8 years old) at International School Zurich North (Switzerland)
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‘Fraction Challenge Day!’ by Kayyis Hassan Adhuham (9 years old) at Salaahuddin School (Maldives)
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‘The Units that Saved the Day’ by Malak Binthu Mohamed Irufan (10 years old) at Salaahuddin School (Maldives)
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'The Lucky Marble Jar’ by Vedya Saanvika (9 years old) at Silver Oaks International School (India)
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‘How Lucky is Lucky?’ by Aubrey Li (8 years old) at St Patricks Catholic Primary School (Australia)
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‘Tangled Angles’ by Aireen Ameen Rasheed (8 years old) at Thaajuddeen School (Maldives)
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