DIRECTIONS: CHOOSE 2 OF THE FOLLOWING NOVELS TO READ AND COMPLETE A ONE PAGE BOOK SUMMARY ON EACH BOOK (2 PAGES FINAL)
A Gebra Named Al (Isdell, 1993)
A fantasy tale in which a girl named Julie enters the land of higher mathematics where she meets Gebras and
friends. As they roam through the mathematical land, they solve various problems while attempting to find a
way for Julie to return home.
Chasing Vermeer (Balliett, 2004) The reader encounters geometric shapes that impart knowledge, a painting that communicates, and a very strange teacher in this delightful mystery.
Conned Again Watson, Cautionary Tales of Logic, Math, and Probability (Bruce, 2001) Students can solve these Sherlock Holmes-style mysteries using mathematics, logic, data analysis and probability.
Flatlands (Abbott, 1899) What would life be like if there were only two dimensions? This this thought-provoking story will challenge the reader to think beyond our concept of the three-dimensional world in which we live.
Hannah Divided (Griffin, 2002) This is the story of a young girl in the early 1900s who has amazing mathematical abilities. This book, set in the early 1900s, follows a young girl with amazing mathematical abilities as she moves to a private boarding school far away from her former home on a dairy farm.
Millions (Boyce, 2004) This exciting story about two young brothers in England who discover a bag of stolen money two weeks before the conversion to Euros can teach students about exchange rates, inflation, and purchasing power.
Mind Games (Grunwell, 2003) Students in Mr. Ennis’ “Mad Science Club” try to answer the question of whether ESP actually exists by using a scientific method to write a final report. Good discussion of probability and data analysis.
The Phantom Tollbooth (Juster, 1961) Milo travels through the mysterious tollbooth that appears in his bedroom and discovers the lands of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis where words and numbers rule the world.
The Toothpaste Millionaire (Merrill, 1972) Could you become a millionaire by the end of middle school? This is the story of a young man who succeeds in accomplishing this task by working with other students to make inexpensive toothpaste.
The Man Who Counted (Tahan, 1972) This book is told as a series of ancient tales involving a young Arab mathematician traveling to Bagdad. During his travels, he uses his brilliant mathematical mind to solve the dilemmas of the people he encounters.
The Number Devil (Enzensberger, 1997) The number devil visits a boy while he is dreaming and changes the way he thinks about mathematics and sleep forever. The number devil visits a dreaming boy and changes forever the way the boy thinks about mathematics and sleep. In his dreams, they explore mathematical concepts integral to the plot.
The Parrot’s Theorem (Guedj, 2000) The author combines several unlikely elements - a deaf boy, a disabled man, a parrot, and Fermat’s last theorem in this wonderfully complex mathematical adventure.
Wright 3 (Balliett, 2006) In this sequel to Chasing Vermeer (Balliett, 2004) the same characters work together to help save Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Robie house from sure destruction.