Toads and Tessellations: A Math Adventure by Sharon Morrisette - OPTIONAL

Morrisette, Sharon and Philomena O'Neill Toads and Tessellations: A Math Adventure. 32 pgs. Enzo longs to be a magician like his father, but every spell he casts goes awry. When his father goes away for a week, however, little Enzo is left to deal with customers who need magical help, including the shoemaker and his sister, who are trying to find a way to cut twelve pairs of shoes from one piece of leather. Through trial and error, the three of them figure out how to use up every scrap of leather using what they dub "tessellations." In the end, Enzo learns his true magic: math.

While the idea of presenting math in a fictional format is a good one, the lesson itself is lost in the many text-heavy pages filled with backstory and description. By the time the characters actually begin to work with tessellations, their significance is overshadowed and the lesson is unclear. Because of time constraints, the length makes it difficult to use this book in a math lesson, and the obvious curricular focus makes it an unlikely choice for students to pick up on their own. On the other hand, the illustrations throughout show numerous examples of tessellations, including floor tiles, dresses, and window panes. Finding them could be a fun game that could reinforce learning. EL, MS - OPTIONAL. Reviewed by: Caryn