Terrible Times Tables – Michelle Markel, illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard, Cameron Kids, an imprint of Cameron & Company, 9781944903756, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
Genre: Picture Book
What did you like about the book? This book is a wonderful way to show children that math concepts can be fun and entertaining. This book takes the reader through the multiplication tables of two through nine. I love the way this book is set up in that each number gets its own chapter and these chapters highlight different aspects of a school year such as “Back To School”, “Field Trip”, “Valentine’s Day”, and “Art Class”. Each of these chapters feature many silly antics that children experience during school including passing notes, someone getting sick on the school bus, being served “mystery meat” in the cafeteria, someone falling off a riser during a singing performance, and signing yearbooks at the end of the school year. The rhyming text follows the theme of each chapter increasing the fun of the multiplication tables. For example, the chapter featuring the school picnic includes “9 x 4 is 36. Ants invade the school picnic. 9 x 5 is 45. Bella found a buzzing hive. 9 x 6 is 54. We get to have a water war. 9 x 7 is 63. Too much sun for me.” The sweet illustrations provided by Merrilee Liddiard complement the text and make this book a joy to read.
Anything you did not like about the book. Nothing
To whom would you recommend this book? Perfect for children between the ages of six and ten.
Who should buy this book? Public and elementary school libraries, preschools, daycare centers, anyone that works with children between the ages of six and ten.
Where would you shelve it? Picture books (even though it is a math book I would not put this in nonfiction).
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes, a fun read with multiplication tables.
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Kristin Guay, former youth services librarian.
Date of review: October 12, 2019
Youth Services Book Review 
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