Math Mentor Text: The Great Graph Contest

Every week I want to link up with the Collaboration Cuties for their Mentor Text linky, and then I usually look at my picture books and have nothing to share - especially math.  I just don't own that many picture books... chapter books yes, but when I switched to 4th from my primary days I donated a bunch of books.  I know, I know... live and learn.  I'm trying to change that though and I wanted to share a math picture book that is actually in the mail at the moment.  My 4th graders always need a little help remembering the different types of graphs, so I found this book, The Great Graph Contest  by Loreen Leedy, while wandering through Amazon.

Here's the review from Amazon:

"Two comical creatures go crazy with graphs in an imaginative look at organizing information. Young readers can learn about bar graphs, pie charts, Venn diagrams, and more. Details about how each graph was made are shown at the end plus instructions for students to make their own." 

Yes, a great review... but then I read this one by The School Library Journal and I was really sold:

"Starred Review. Grade 1-3–A splashy and colorful offering designed to inform and entertain. Chester the snail sets up a contest between his friends Gonk the toad and Beezy the lizard to see who can make the best graph, telling them that points will be given for correct math, creativity, and neatness. Beezy and Gonk explore all aspects of data management, including data collection (tallies and surveys) and the use of graphic organizers (Venn diagrams, quantity graphs, circle graphs, picture graphs, and bar graphs). In the end, readers will observe from Chester's graphically designed score sheet that the result is a tie. The lively text, delivered in large type and contained in dialogue and thought balloons, is engaging and well supported by the vivid, cartoon illustrations. An occasional photograph creates an interesting, mixed-media effect. While the story itself is informative, true instruction is provided at the end of the book where each graph's data collection and construction is carefully explained, with a page reference provided. An exciting and energetic math resource.–Robyn Walker, Elgin Court Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada 
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition."

Here's my write up on it:

Linking up with the Collaboration Cuties.  Maybe it will help someone else too!