The Reindeer Remainders written by Katey Howes and illustrated by Marie Hermansson, published by Sourcebooks eXplore*.
Whether at school, camp, sports practice, or at a playdate, we all like to feel welcome and included. For anyone who has ever been new to a group or has found themselves without a partner, The Reindeer Remainders cleverly written by Katey Howes can help! In upbeat rhyming text, readers experience the first day of school for the 13th reindeer joining a class of twelve.
As the reindeer group up in various classes in preparation for their showcase night, the 13th reindeer is left out time and time again. Although putting on a brave face in the beginning, this reindeer experiences disappointment and it shows. Hermansson's art clearly depicts expressions of concern and worry on all the reindeers' faces throughout the narrative.
While the original reindeers puzzle over how to include the new reindeer, complex math concepts such as division, remainders, and prime numbers are simplified and illustrated seemlessly. Not only that, important social-emotional learning takes place. Young readers watch as the initial group of 12 struggle to find a way to include someone new and how the new addition to the group can feel... and how they together solve this problem!
Back matter includes further explanation of remainders and prime numbers. Equally important, the last page gives educators and caregivers tools to guide children in exploring and managing their feelings in similar situations.
Imagine It!
Imagine a game with an even number (2, 4, 6, ...) of players: tennis, badminton, a card game, ...
Imagine that a new student, a new neighbor, or a visiting family member arrives. You all like the same game. You all want to play. But how...?
Imagine adding a new rule to be able to include an extra person.
Imagine a new role that an extra person could take on.
Imagine a new game that includes an odd number of players.
Write out the rules for your modified or new game.
Draw a picture of everyone participating.
Imagine how much fun everyone can have!
*Appreciation is extended to the publisher for providing a review copy. All hard copies of books for review are donated to Bright Blessings.
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