"Kids, young and old, fall in love with math when they see how real-life and effortless it becomes thanks to these books." —Kimberly D. Mueller, Ed.D., First Grade Teacher, Ashbrook School, Lumberton NJLess Than Zero is perfect for teaching negative numbers to second, third, and fourth graders. Perry the Penguin needs 9 clams to buy an ice scooter—but he's not very good at saving. As Perry earns, spends, finds, loses, and borrows clams, a simple line graph demonstrates the concept of negative numbers.Kids will love the story and the illustrations by Frank Remkiewicz. Parents and educators will love how the story and pictures make understanding the math concepts a breeze—as well as the concrete examples of how math works. The book contains activities for adults to do with kids to extend math into their own lives. Math skills are life skills, and the MathStart series supports success!This award-winning series by Stuart J. Murphy teaches math through stories and visual models63 books divided into three levels with 21 books in eachFun activities kids will love are included to help parents and teachers emphasize the lessonsEngaging and relatable stories, with each story revolving around practical applications of the math concept presentedLively art from top-notch illustratorsCharts and other visual representations help children understand how the math works and promote deeper comprehensionMathStart's unique combination of stories, illustrations, and visual models helps teachers and parents in the teaching of math and provides all children with the opportunity to succeed.The math concepts taught in MathStart books conform to state and national standards. Level 1 is Pre-K–Kindergarten; Level 2 is Grades 1–3; Level 3 is Grades 2–4. The series follows math topics across grades so there is a foundational path to learning that runs through the levels.Help kids with their math skills plus their reading skills with the engaging and fun MathStart series!

Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, he has a strong background in design and art direction. He also has extensive experience in the world of educational publishing. Drawing on all these talents, Stuart J. Murphy brings a unique perspective to the MathStart series. In MathStart books, pictures do more than tell stories; they teach math. Stuart J. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in Boston.