This Plus That: Life's Little Equations

I LOVE this book! I love the author's idea to use simple math equations to show every day life combinations. The illustrations are fun and very appealing to children. I read this book to my kids as a way to introduce my math lesson. We discussed the simple equations done with words instead of

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numbers. My kiddos really enjoyed it! Next, I think it would be fun to read this book again and have the kids try and make their own word equations.

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It was a cute little book that emphasized math and getting along with family and with friends.

This was a book that showed how certain things in life add up to other things. For instance red + orange + yellow + green + blue + purple = rainbow. It would be cute to read to very young children. They could even come up with some equations on their own.

A heart warming twist that was a joy to read.

This Plus That: Life's Little Equations is a cute math application picture book. The pictures are hand drawn and filled in with watercolor or gouache. Each page lists a new equation and a fun picture. For example "yes + no = maybe" and "chores / everyone = family." The book also instills little

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lessons within each equation. It gently reminds the reader that eye rolling does not equal a sincere apology. My favorite formula is the last one "(every star in the sky + the sun + the moon) x my heart = love you to the infinite power".

I think this book would work well with math reluctant students to see a broader aspect of math and combining things. It could also help writing reluctant math oriented students be more excited about writing. I think writing equations like the ones in the book would be a fun assignment.

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Here is an example of clean lines and minimal, swoopy-limbed figures that retains some of the roughness of its non-computer origins. Each little formula is made up of only a few words joined by mathematical symbols to reveal life’s little truisms. The illustrations depict two friendly girls and

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their families, just as simply representing beautiful and profound realities. “1+1= us” is a hug. “Good days + bad days = real life” is having an ice-cream-cone and dropping it.

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This was a well written book. I enjoyed the illustrations, but the enjoyment mostly came from the equations themselves. They were creative, fun, and exciting. I would highly recommend this book to early childhood teachers.

Life's equations are simple things like one girl plus one girl equals us. This story puts unexpected combinations together to great an equation. It was very simple but very enjoyable.

I like the way the author starts with simple things and moves up to bigger and more esoteric concepts. For example, she starts the book by showing us how two colors combine to make a third color, but ends the book with a measurement of the love between a child and her parents. In the mild, she

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doles out some important lessons, like “handshake + ‘how are you’ = polite” and “practice + practice = learning”. I also appreciated her use of the “not equals” sign to make comparisons, for example to tell us that blaming and eye rolling is not equal to a sincere apology, but saying ‘I’m sorry’ and giving a hug does make a sincere apology. All throughout the book, the bright, positive pictures provide good support for the text. My only surprise with this book is how recent it is (2011), because the pictures appear a bit dated to me, possibly due to the old-fashioned clothing designs. Also, the author’s use of “chalk + sitting = school” seems quite dated, since very few schools today have chalkboards, but rather use whiteboards and document cameras instead. Overall, though, this book can offer children some items that are familiar and interesting (like which colors make a rainbow), some excellent lessons in manners and being appropriate, and good support of the fine arts (I love the author’s description of “soul + words = literature” and “soul + sound = music”).

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A fun collection that combines both math and literature as the main character go around talking about the little equations a person will often miss in life. The concept that ordinary things make up extraordinary things is very present in this book as each little thing on its own is nothing really

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special, but when combining it with its other ordinary counterpart you get something extra special. It shows that there is greatness in the little things but when it is combined their is complete joy in the equations in life.

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Cool concept. It would be fun to use this as a way to get kids to create their own equations.

I think this kind of math is the kind everyone will enjoy!

A cute book, that works to include math in everyday. This offers up different math problems for situations that children may encounter in their everyday lives. I love that this book teaches math in an indirect way. It also offeres children with a direct connection to math use in everyday life. I

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think teachers often struggle to make math useful to student, and this book does a good job in making those connections.

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A clever book about combining subjects to equal concepts-Weekend, school, politeness, rainbows. This would be a fun book for kids to imitate. The pictures are colorful, fresh and active. Introduces the inequality concept with subjects that kids can relate to.

A few pages into the book I started thinking some of those equations were a little uninspired, even lame. However I really, really like the concept, and the colorful pictures are fun, so much that I'm going to rate it four stars even if the book could have been executed considerably better. And the

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book would be great in a class room, having students come up with their own "life equations". Overall quite inspirational!

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In summary, this book is about many things in life that add up to something special. It talks about friendship, the seasons, birthday parties, music, life lessons, being polite, and fun little things that add up to extra special things. It's a great reminder of the little things in life.

Summary:
This story is about life’s equations such as “yes + no = maybe” and “somersaults + somersaults + somersaults = dizzy”.

Personal Reaction:
I really liked this story because it was different. Most children’s equation books are “1+1=2” and “yellow + blue = green”. But this

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book teaches children to think outside the box. So cute!
Classroom Extension Ideas:
1. I could have the class draw an equation that they made up. Then we could talk about each equation. For example, “story time + bath = bed time at MY house”!
2. I could have the children find things around the classroom or outside that can build an equation! Such as, “Hey! I found a piece of chalk and a side walk! What do you think could come out of that?” Someone may say, “a hopscotch!”, etc.!

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In This Plus That: Life's Little Equations, Rosenthal uses the illustrations of the little things in life and shows how they can equal bigger and better things. She also shows how some actions or items do not have good outcomes. For example, "blaming + eye rolling does not equal sincere apology." I

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enjoyed the vibrant illustrations in the book, and I think that students will experience what life's little things are all about.

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In my opinion, this is a unique book. The language used in this book is very different from what someone would usually see as they read a book. In an average book, the author might say giving a handshake and saying 'how are you' is polite, but in this book, the author says "handshake + 'how are

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you' = polite." Using this language makes it more entertaining for the younger children to read, especially those who might not enjoy reading as much. The reading is very minimal and the children are able to learn from it.

Another aspect that I liked about this book was the illustrations. The pictures really enhanced the equation sentences. If the text just had the sentences, the book wouldn't have been as meaningful and I believe that the readers would not have enjoyed the book as much. For visual learners, the illustration are definitely helpful. They would be able to understand the book better.

I believe that this book had little messages of like how one should act if they want to be polite, or what a sincere apology is. Through these fun equation sentences, the readers are able to review their arithmetics as well.

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This books gives a quick glimpse of what a day can be like when certain things are experienced. Math pops up everywhere and this could be used as a fun little seqway to addition for young children.

This is an informational book involving equations unrelated to numbers. Instead, it uses people, colors, and description terms to create equations of words. The book opens up to show that "1 + 1 = us" and goes on to describe an equation for the word "maybe;" - yes + no. They then add colors

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together to make different colors, and describe what it is to say hello, and what the beach is like. There is a side-by-side comparison of a city and a country, followed by comparing school and hopscotch (learning and recess) and what a best friend is. Throughout all the equations, there are two littler girls, the ones that equal us, the ones who say hello and play at the beach together. They also play during recess together and keep one another s secrets, and celebrate their birthdays together. The two little girls also play instruments together, go to the movies, and learn how to be polite to grown-ups (handshake + "how are you"). The girls spend their summers together and do art, music, dance, and literature together. Finally, "all done + time to go = the end."

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In this book, Amy Krouse Rosenthal uses 'math' to show how life works. For instance, she does rather factual things like ""red + blue = purple" but more often does things that are more subjective, such as "smile + ocean wave = beach." Rosenthal also uses this opportunity to talk about positive

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behaviors (e.g., "I'm sorry + hug = sincere apology" and "practice + practice = learning"). One of my favorite formulas was put side-by-side with another to give readers realistic expectations: "good days + bad days = real life" and "once upon a time + happily ever after = pretend." This is a lovely book, with illustrations that capture the charm of the text and its sentiment. I could easily see a caregiver reading this with a child(ren) during a lapsit for those warm fuzzy feelings it imparts. It could also make a nice gift for a preschool or kindergarten graduation.

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