Fun Math Books

Fun math book? Sure!

Fun Math Books
Barrow, John D. 100 Essential Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know: Math Explains Your World When are we ever going to use this? Ah, the perennial math question. This book is a nice collection of interesting access points for appreciating mathematics in the real world – perfect as a read aloud in math class.

Enzenberger, Hans Magnus. The Number Devil In a series of dreams, Robert learns about interesting math concepts such as Fibonacci numbers, triangular numbers and much more. This is a great book for young mathematicians age 10 and up, and a great choice for math teachers looking for a read-aloud.

Foss, Gwen. The Book of Numbered Lists What is the nature of the number seven? How does the number seven express itself in the world? By collecting examples we can discover trends and patterns to any number. Here is a cool collection of lists that will help any mathematical adventurer appreciate more about how numbers show up in the world.

Niederman, Derrick. Number Freak: From 1 to 200 The Hidden Language of Numbers Revealed This is a fantastic collection of facts and ideas that reveal the “secret language of numbers.” This book is a great start for anyone wanting to collect examples of how numbers appear in popular culture, history, and the natural world.

Schimmel, Annemarie. The Mystery of Numbers This book explores the mystery and meaning of numbers throughout history. Using examples from Judeo-Christian, Chinese, Indian, Islamic and other traditions, Schimmel reveals various number systems and beliefs about the symbolism in certain numbers.

Schneider, Michael. A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe A book every math teacher should have in the classroom! This is an amazing geometric exploration of the meaning and symbolism behind the numbers 1 through 10. There are a lot of hands-on activities (mostly using a compass, straightedge and ruler) to interest any math adventurer.

Tahan, Malba. The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures This is an fascinating combination of storytelling and mathematics. Each chapter presents an interesting mathematical puzzle that is carefully woven into the overall narrative. This is yet another great book to use as a read aloud in a math class.