New Age Mama: Book Review & Giveaway: Bedtime Math by Laura Overdeck

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Book Review & Giveaway: Bedtime Math by Laura Overdeck

***Complimentary copy received in exchange for an honest review***

We all know it’s wonderful to read bedtime stories to kids, but what about doing math? Many generations of Americans are uncomfortable with math and numbers, and too often we hear the phrase, "I’m just not good at math!" For decades, this attitude has trickled down from parents to their kids, and we now have a culture that finds math dry, intimidating, and just not cool.

Bedtime Math wants to change all that. Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle—math that isn’t just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing. With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school. And with three different levels of challenge (wee ones, little kids, and big kids), there’s something for everyone. We can make numbers fun, and change the world, one Bedtime Math puzzle at a time.

Bedtime Math is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to make nightly math problems as common as the bedtime story. Founded by mother of three Laura Overdeck, a trained astrophysicist who launched the program to encourage her own children’s interest in math, Bedtime Math’s nightly nationwide subscriber list tops 30,000 and its social media presence on Facebook and Twitter has grown exponentially. More information about Bedtime Math can be found online at www.bedtimemath.org. In addition to its upcoming book, the first of three to be published by Macmillan, the organization has received national attention for its work from The New York Times, TIME magazine, and on NPR in the past year.

On a related note: In honor of the book launch, bookstores, museums and libraries nationwide will host Bedtime Math National Pajama Party Week events from June 24-29, giving families a chance to take part in the national movement to make math fun, relevant, and an enjoyable part of everyday life. These free, family-friendly events are aimed at children ages 3-8 year and their parents, and will include a variety of math-inspired games and activities. Children are encouraged to come dressed in their pajamas and be ready to play. I can let you know if there are events scheduled in your area.

Where to Buy

Get your copy of Bedtime Math on Amazon.

My Thoughts

Bedtime Math is a fun book for kids with lots of interesting facts about many different sorts of things, all of which tie into mathematics. The first chapter is devoted to food. Learn interesting tidbits about popcorn, eggs squash and more. You read the info provided on the left hand side and on the right there is a math riddle to solve. There are three riddles provided for three different age groups so that kids from kindergarten through middle school can all feel challenged. The other chapters are set up the same way and include such fun topics as animals, vehicles, sports, and odd jobs. With 85 pages, this book is a great way to keep your kids entertained and keep their math skills sharp all summer long. My children learned a lot of cool new information and had a great time trying to figure out the riddles. With the cute cartoons and interactive writing, this is definitely a book that makes learning fun.

The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a copy of Bedtime Math. To enter just fill out the rafflecopter form below Open to the US only. Giveaway will end 7/15/13. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Bedtime Math for offering this fantastic prize.