INNOVATIVE AND INTUITIVE APPROACH TO GEOMETRY: Traditional shapes books focus on naming shapes. Which One Doesn’t Belong? helps children naturally shift their focus to talking about the shapes’ geometric properties.

UNIQUE OFFERING: Goes beyond the typical shapes books for this age group, providing parents and children with a conceptually richer option.

EASY, EVERYDAY MATH: Parents know they need to read to their children every day. Doing math every day is important, too. This book offers a fun and easy way for parents and kids to talk about math during storytime, bedtime, or anytime.

INTERACTIVE CONVERSATION STARTER: Perfect for sparking lively, open-ended, two-way conversations about math. With an emphasis on thinking and reasoning skills, title also gives children practice putting their ideas into words.

TRADE EDITION OF AWARD-WINNING CLASSROOM BOOK: An inviting new design and friendly parent letter make this award-winning book accessible to the trade market. The original 2016 edition from educational publisher Stenhouse received the 2017 Mathical Book Prize for books that “inspire children of all ages to see math in the world around them.”

EXPERT AUTHOR and STRONG SELF-PROMOTER: Christopher Danielson is a mathematics author, teacher, and curriculum developer who presents at conferences, math fairs, and classrooms across the country.

Christopher Danielson has taught math to learners of all ages. He now uses his PhD in mathematics education to create books and toys to support children’s math development. Christopher is the developer of Math-On-A-Stick, an annual family math event at the Minnesota State Fair.

Author Residence: St. Paul, MN

Author Hometown: Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Dearborn, MI

♦ A math concept book that encourages creative thinking and celebrates all answers, as none are wrong! A lengthy introduction of five and a half spreads introduces readers to the kind of mathematical thinking Danielson is encouraging. The first spread matches the final ones and presents four shapes, asking readers: “Which one doesn’t belong? Why?” The next spreads explain how every answer is correct—one needs only to support it. Is it the triangle among the quadrilaterals? The one shape that is an outline instead of a solid color? Nine spreads then follow that each present kids with four new shapes and the same questions, bold colors attracting and holding interest as kids pore over the similarities and differences. The author’s note emphasizes that “All properties count here; all ideas matter….You’re thinking in a mathy way when you notice sameness and difference for one property at a time.” And refreshingly, Danielson doesn’t care about technical language—observations trump terms, so don’t worry about describing them as “smooshed…dented…or colored in”; just describe them. This is one shape book that will both challenge readers’ thinking and encourage them to think outside the box. 
—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review