Review by Booklist Review
Ages 5^-8. From the author and illustrator of Fraction Fun (1996) and Shape Up! (1998), this graphically dynamic volume introduces the concept of measurement. Adler explains how systems of measuring developed in ancient Egypt and Rome; how measurements became standardized; the origin of the metric system; and methods of measuring length, height, and distance. Bold color and creative design (especially the backgrounds of subtly designed rulers) give the pages visual zip. At the same time, the text's simplicity makes the ideas clear and easy to follow. A good basic book for children who are learning measurement using either the customary or metric system or (more likely) both. --Carolyn Phelan
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-A lively discussion of the history of measurement that incorporates some hands-on activities. Students may be surprised to learn that in ancient Egypt, parts of the body were used as measuring tools; a digit was the width of one finger, and a palm was the width of four fingers. Terms such as span and cubit are similarly defined. Explanations progress from Egyptian methods to the customary (or inch-pound) to the metric system. Readers are encouraged to use these various systems to measure their height and think about what units they could use for distances. The leisurely pace of the presentation picks up significantly in the last third of the book and readers might feel they are being rushed through two final activities that detail how to make a metric ruler, discuss odometers, and suggest activities to gauge distances in kilometers. The oversized white print against the bold background colors is easy to read and the full- and double-page computer-generated illustrations on every spread will engage readers.-Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Primary) The author and illustrator of two previous math books (Shape Up! and Fraction Fun) team up again to present methods of measuring in their hands-on, let's-have-fun style. They begin by offering practical ways for readers to apply the measuring units of ancient Egypt (digit, palm, span, cubit) in order to demonstrate the importance of a standard unit of measure (""If everyone used her arm to measure, we wouldn't know the exact size of anything!""). From there they introduce the two con-temporary systems of measurement-customary (inch-pound) and metric-with brief explanations of how these systems were derived. Readers can then follow instructions to make a ruler that measures inches on one side and centimeters on the other. They will also learn the difference between kilometers and miles, and that a speedometer and odometer are tools for measuring distance. While Tobin's cartoonishly offbeat illustrations radiate enough pizzazz to motivate even the most resigned math haters, she fails to create a consistent scale for illustrated units of measurement. Small units, such as the digit and inch, are drawn to life, while larger units such as the palm and foot are scaled down (on the same page) without explanation, a choice which may confuse (or provoke!) those who have their home-made rulers at the ready. marilyn bousquin (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Libraries that have been dusting off their old metric system books for years can finally replace them with a bright, new title on measurement from Adler and Tobin. In text and art, they provide an overview of three systems of measurement; half the book is dedicated to the origins of the ancient Egyptian digits, palms, spans, and cubits, as well as Roman paces. The second half turns to the customary and metric systems in use today. Inches, feet, yards, and miles are briefly explained, with comparisons to metric units, from millimeters to dekameters. Wide-eyed cartoon figures are superimposed against cinematic montages of rulers and grids in an eye-catching format; after children have fallen down laughing over Math Curse (1995), this volume offers them practical tools. (Picture book. 6-10)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
