How Much Is a Million?

By David M. Schwartz

Book Overview

"A jubilant, original picture book." -ALA Booklist (starred review)

A 20th-anniversary edition of the counting classic by David Schwartz and Steven Kellogg

Ever wonder just what a million of something means? How about a billion? Or a trillion? Marvelosissimo the mathematical magician can teach you How Much is a Million? knocks complex numbers down to size in a fun, humorous way, helping children conceptualize a difficult mathematical concept. It's a math class you'll never forget.

This classic picture book is an ALA Notable Book, a Reading Rainbow Feature Selection, and a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book for Illustration.

The repackage includes an anniversary burst and a new letter from the author that features several ways for children to find a million everyday things.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688099335
• ISBN13: 9780688099336
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 9.0" x 10.9"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Beautiful pictures, we re-read many times

This was an enjoyable book to read with my child, the pictures are well drawn, and it tries to explain the concept of very big numbers to little ones.

One in a Million

This picture book is a great pairing of engaging children's literature, detailed illustrations and a deep math concept. I love the way that Schwartz and Kellogg bring this book to life!I love Kellogg's illustrating! I would just love to jump right into the pages and be a part of all the action. His characters are drawn with such unique faces. And each page is filled with numerous details and endless nooks and cranies. Each page begs to be explored over and over. If you have never enjoyed a book illustrated by Steven Kellogg now is the time!The writing in this particular book is also very well done. The little facts about the number 1 million are really interesting. For instance it would take a fish bowl the size of a city harbor to hold a million goldfish! This book really helps kids and adults understand a very abstract concept. How many of us really have a good grasp on how much a million really is? This book definitely puts it in perspective!Read it once and you'll have to read it again and again!

Helped spark a lifetime love of math

I'm currently a college student, majoring in Mathematics.I clearly remember this book, and the sequel by the same author, as huge parts of my childhood love for the subject. Its clear and innovative style helped spark in me a deep love of mathematics. I still imagine big numbers as fields of stars and lines of kids holding fishbowls.This is perfect for any child, it gives potentially abstract and boring numbers a proper sense of wonder. I can't reccomend it enough.

A fantastic book (for teaching more than you might think)

I have used this book countless times for teaching new speakers of English our big numbers. It is also wonderful for young gifted children who are able to grasp these concepts perhaps sooner than their age-mates. The most creative use I've heard of came from a teacher who had borrowed my copy but then asked to keep it a little longer because she wanted to be able to give her middle-school students an idea of the enormity of the Holocaust.

Great for teaching mathematics

This book is brilliant! For teaching about very large numbers (billions and trillions as well as millions) it is fantastic. Children (and adults) have difficulty imagining just how big these huge numbers are; this book will help thinkers of all ages. I highly recommend it for teachers of children or adults of all ages - I plan to use it with my trainee teachers.

So how much is a million anyway?

Children are fascinated by the idea of a million of anything. It's just SO big! This book, with its delightful illustrations and text, makes the idea a little more understandable. I highly recommend this book.