The Prime-Time Burglars - (Math Kids) by David Cole (Paperback)

About the Book

Highly recommended, CM Canadian Review of Materials

Meet the Math Kids!

Best friends Jordan and Justin are only two kids in their class's advanced math group until Stephanie Lewis marches into their classroom and they form the Math Kids. When mysterious burglaries rock their neighbourhood and the class bullies target them, they discover their new club -- and a little math -- might solve both problems.

First title in a popular series

This Middle Grade Book

• Provides a fast-paced mystery
• Introduces readers to interactive math and logic problems they can apply to real-life situations
• Dives into social issues and problem solving
• Includes an appendix for hands-on learning
• Has a complimentary teaching guide available on the publisher's website

Book Synopsis

Highly recommended, CM Canadian Review of Materials

Meet the Math Kids!

Best friends Jordan and Justin are only two kids in their class's advanced math group until Stephanie Lewis marches into their classroom and they form the Math Kids. When mysterious burglaries rock their neighbourhood and the class bullies target them, they discover their new club -- and a little math -- might solve both problems.

First title in a popular series

This Middle Grade Book

• Provides a fast-paced mystery
• Introduces readers to interactive math and logic problems they can apply to real-life situations
• Dives into social issues and problem solving
• Includes an appendix for hands-on learning
• Has a complimentary teaching guide available on the publisher's website

Review Quotes

Best friends Jordan and Justin are in a special math group in their class, and definitely unwelcoming when a new girl, Stephanie, is put with them. Although they have to admit that she is bright, she is also dangerous as she shows no fear when confronting the class bullies. When a series of burglaries go unsolved by the police the trio decide to apply their minds to solving the problem. The threesome are credibly drawn and the story movies at a good pace to a satisfactory solution.The book is comprised of 15 chapters in 91 pages and an appendix. This last section dis- cusses the math problem mentioned in the early part of the story, together with some other famous math problems. The art work in the text is in pen and ink by Shannon O'Toole. An enterprising math teacher could have some fun with a group of students and this bookThere are two more in the series coming soon.Thematic Links: Mathematics; School Stories; Problem SolvingRated E--Mavis Holder "Resource Links"

Highly RecommendedWhat? Math is fun. Math is useful. Aah, come on, that can't be right. But author David Cole has written a novel that absolutely proves that math can be fun and useful. Jordan, Justin and Stephanie are all math whizzes in school, and, like most students, they face many challenges every day. They must deal with Robbie and his gang who are all bullies. Stephanie has trouble with their teacher, and all of them are faced with burglaries in their neighbourhood that are scaring all the kids in school. The three form an after-school math club and realize they can use math to help solve some of their problems. Perhaps they can even use math to solve the mystery of the burglaries and where the burglars will strike next. Wouldn't it be cool to help the police.The Math Kids: The Prime-Time Burglars is a fun book to read, and it really encourages readers to try some of the math challenges presented.--Elaine Fuhr, retired elementary & middle school teacher "CM: Canadian Review of Materials"

The Math Kids: The Prime-Time Burglars by David Cole is a very entertaining story about a group of eight-year-olds who solve crime and math problems along the way. I was completely swept into the tale. Intrigue, mystery, and the troubles that followed kept me reading. This was a fun way to teach math. The kids math club were cool. They were smart and fun to follow. Nobody likes homework. However, they did just as much work as their homework, if not more. I loved the book's layout and organized ways. Overall, this is a must read for all.-- "Urban Book Reviews"

About the Author

David Cole is a writer and a math teacher. He has been interested in math since he was a very young boy. After pursuing degrees in math and computer science, he shared this love of math at many levels, teaching at the college level but also coaching elementary math teams and running a summer math camp for a number of years. He has also always loved to write, and has written a number of plays which have been performed. He has always wanted to combine my love of math and writing, and The Math Kids series was born as a great way to exercise both sides of his brain at the same time.

Shannon O'Toole is a Toronto based illustrator, painter and elementary school teacher. Her playful illustration work is inspired by the unique and humorous characters in her life. Aside from illustrating books for children, Shannon has exhibited her artwork in galleries across Ontario. When she is not drawing, Shannon can be found curled up with her dog, Edgar watching old movies. You can visit her online at www.shannonotooleart.com or follow her on Instagram @shannonotooleart