Terrible times tables

This "modern multiplication primer" takes readers through various scenes in a school year, all set to the lilt of a rhyming multiplication table. From "Back to School" (the 2× tables) through "End of the Year" (the 9× tables) and plenty of moments in-between, Markel highlights the minutiae and milestones of the classroom with humor. In the chapter dedicated to the Winter Pageant, "6 × 4 is 24/ The babies cry. The parents snore," and "6 × 5 is 30/ These risers don't feel sturdy." Liddiard's accompanying spot illustrations, drawn with an expressive, inky line, convey entertaining moments throughout ("4 × 1 is 4/ Sam pukes. Sam pukes some more"). The rhymes are at times clunky, but the overall mnemonic effect remains engaging, and the book closes with a simplified multiplication chart, making this a valuable resource for the reluctant mathematician. A charming addition to any math teacher's toolkit, and a diverting prompt for students learning their not-so-terrible times tables. Ages 6--9. (Aug.)

A multiracial classroom recites the multiplication tables from two through nine, making each equation into a tiny poem by adding a second line.There's no text here beyond each equation-couplet, but a table of contents lays out that each multiplication table has a theme: "Back to School," "Halloween," "Lunchtime," etc. Markel's scansion is often smooth as silk: "4 x 6 is 24 / Bella rode a dinosaur" (who knew that museum field trips include skeleton-riding? Or do they?); "4 x 7 is 28 / Pick up a knife. Decapitate" (worm dissection!). Other times the scansion's impossible ("9 x 2 is 18 / Scrub them 'til they're clean") or, in a handful or examples, scannable only if the reader unearths an unintuitive beat ("2 x 8 is 16 / Ick. A moldy tangerine"). Some rhymes falter, too. However, the combination of squick ("4 x 1 is 4 / Sam Pukes. Sam Pukes some more"), naughtiness ("8 x 4 is 32 / Someone painted Nibbles blue"poor classroom rat), and humor ("6 x 9 is 54 / Uh oh, Santa's pants just tore") will hold gleeful attention. Most of the first-person narration comes from a white child named Jonas, but two pages show children of color narrating. Liddiard's line drawings offer sly expressions, especially through the characters' eyes; muted oranges, browns, grays, and purples in a washlike texture keep the vibe mellow even when the humor's tangy.Math with mischief. (Picture book/poetry. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.