Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 2-3, younger for reading aloud. This entry in the MathStart series takes on beginning map-reading skills. When one of the members of the Elm Street Kids Clubfinds a treasure map, all the kids join in the fun to search for the treasure. Several math-related concepts, such as problem solving and estimation, are modeled as the kids look at the 50-year-old map and, following directions such as turn left, try to make it fit a present-day landscape. The mapping concepts are not presented as effectively as they could have been (the map shows a compass rose and a legend, though these terms are never mentioned in the text), but there's a lot here for adults to build on. Tusa's watercolor-and-ink cartoon-style illustrations, while nicely done, divert from the main story line with an unexplained fantasy sideshow that may confuse some children. Companion activities and a short bibliography are included. --Lauren Peterson Copyright 2004 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
In Mighty, a little girl compares the weights of her toys as she tidies. In Tally, siblings play a competitive counting game to kill time on a long drive. In Treasure, a map leads the Elm Street Kids' Club to a time capsule. The appeal of this popular series lies in its blend of unforced humor, real-kid scenarios, and the cheerful picture book format. [Review covers these MathStart titles: Mighty Maddie, Tally O'Malley, and Treasure Map.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
"Mapping" is the focus of this Level 3 title in Stuart's popular MathStart series. The Elm Street Kids' Club finds an old map leading to a buried time capsule; full-bleed illustrations appear throughout as the children follow the map's clues. Leave it to Tusa, though, to add to the story as the presence of a giant (legs sticking out from under the map; disappearing into a door in the hill; face peering over the landscape) suggests something else is up. The clues, however, don't require much mathematical thinking at all. "Walk 125 steps" is about as math-oriented as they get, though they do double the number later. Although sections of the map are occasionally enlarged, readers really can't follow along even to test their skills of turning left or right or noting where the symbols lie without going back to the second page. As a stand-alone story, this one is weak, made appealing by Tusa's fancy. A few mapping activities are included in the back that prove the most useful aspect of this questionable purchase. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7+) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
