How much is a Million by David M. Schwartz, pictures by Steven Kellogg
Published by Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Books in 1985
Ages 2-10
Themes: Concept Book on large numbers
Opening/Synopsis: “If one million kids climbed onto one another’s shoulders, they would be taller than the tallest buildings, higher than the highest mountains, and farther up than airplanes can fly.” Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician holds an unforgettable math class. This book basically explains about how much a million would be visually, comparing it to kids standing on shoulders, or stars on a page or goldfish in a goldfish bowl. He then proceeds to use the same imagery to explain a billion and a trillion.
Why I Like this Book: The author is a mathematician, who wanted to help kids experience the awe of big numbers he himself had experienced as a kid. We hear big numbers mentioned often these days but what do they really mean. If you wanted to count to a million, Schwartz says it would take 23 days! It offers brilliant visuals, whimsically illustrated by Kellog, to make very concrete these abstract figures! The book contains three very detailed pages explaining the exact calculations Schwartz used. these are not random pictures he presents!
Activities/Resources: For older children engage in a discussion about big numbers. Start smaller – children could group items of 10 ten times over in order to represent 100. Then, you could start a year long project where you create stars to see how many you could make. Ideally, you would make several hundred over the course of the year to show how long it takes to really get to 1 million.
Have students guess how many pages there would need to be for a trillion stars. Give them 100 of something and have them guess what a million of that would look like.
Using the three visuals in the book, children could work backwards and work out how big a goldfish bowl would have to be for 1000, 100, 10 or 1 goldfish.
For younger children… even timing how long it takes to count to ten or a hundred…..
I realize this book is over 25 years old, but I truly believe it has lasting appeal and I wanted to find something today to kick of a list of more mathematical and scientific picture books for our readers.
For more books with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
Great clever visuals to help kids count. Certainly is a timeless piece with detailed artwork. Great find Joanna. I love the way you set up your book review series, always interesting. Thanks Joanna.
I do love finding picture books that are enduring!
I love this book! We had it in the high school library’s professional collection with many other picture books. Great for visualizing large numbers in math classes (lots of students recognized it & were glad to see it again) and for practical math with our Life Skills students (cognitive delays, etc).
Yes, older books can still be great new books for kids and families who haven’t “met” them yet!
That’s a forward thinking high school! Picture books can definitely be used right through high school!
My son loves numbers! In fact he is always asking me to compare and compute numbers. This of course, isn’t one of my favorite activities. 🙂 This is the kind of stuff that makes him tick though. We will definitely have to read this book together. I love your activity suggestions. These are right up his alley.
Natalie, though girls will love this, I do think it has a strong boy appeal!
Steven Kellogg’s illustrations are all so recognizable. Unfortunately my library does not carry this wonderful book.
Christie, I love Kellogg’s Pinkerton and Tall Tale illustrations!
What a clever book to help kids have fun with numbers — big numbers. I am impressed with the authors approach as it makes numbers real to kids — even those who may not like math. Love it that is was written by a mathematician. The illustrations look very detailed nd engaging, which would be important for a story like this. I liked your activity suggestions. Very nice selection for kids.
Pat, this is a book that will appeal to mat enthusiasts and math loathers!
The resources sound terrific and the book is one I would definitely want to read. Thanks for introducing it to us. 🙂
Thanks, Clar, I think there are many good activities on can do with these concepts.
Great pick! We are big Steven Kellogg fans in our house. We like this book and Millions to Measure too!
Eric, sadly we don’t have that one in our library.:(
Terrific find Joanna, thanks for the review.
You’re welcome, Jennifer.
Joanna, you are right about it having lasting appeal. We got a copy at a library sale and both of my kids love it. It really does give a tangible way to appreciate the enormity of big numbers. Even non-number folks (like myself) love this book!
Julie, I think it is away to draw the reluctant math kids to become more interested in numbers.
I can totally relate to this book! I always struggle to envision what numbers that big mean. What a great idea for a book, and how helpful! I am just going to bring a wheelbarrow with me to the library so I can trundle all the books I want to read out to the car 🙂 I’m so glad you chose a book about numbers/math – we really don’t have much in that area on our list. Thanks, Joanna 🙂
I have a couple more along this theme that I shall be bringing out, Susanna. 🙂
This might be a good one for some of the US newscasts to explain US debt, etc. (Sorry read this after watching a news report). Looks like a fun book. I’m going to see if our library has this one.
I’d love to see some comparative national debts depicted by children standing on each others’ shoulders, Stacy!
What a great book to pique their interest and teach them something too. Wonderful choice Joanna!
I’ve read this in the library to kids, and have to say it is of interest to everyone.
I read this book in second grade! I loved it!
Erik
P.S. Did you know that the same author and illustrator wrote another book with Marvelosissimo the Mathematical Magician in it? It’s about money ($). I recommend that one too!
Erik, I didn’t know Marvelosissimo had a book about money. Thanks for the tip!
Wow! *wishing I’d thought of this big idea to write about* What a fantastic choice! This book teaches big numbers in a fun and exciting way. I need this one too. Oh hubby, I need the amazon card. We live on a farm and too far from a library. *sigh*
Robyn, I so understand the frustration of not being near a public library!
Aw! This sounds wonderful! Kids need the “visual” part of things. That’s how they think when they’re still young. This is great. I’d like to get this one for my kids. I think they would love it.
I think I need the visual too, Leigh. 🙂 This really helped me get the difference between a million, a billion and a trillion… as they all just seemed huge to me!
This looks like a wonderful learning tool! I like your suggestions for activities also. Great review Joanna! Have a great weekend!
Thanks, Loni, this really is a fun teaching book!
What a great choice, Joanna! I used to read this book out loud to my 5th grade students when I taught 5th grade math. It really does put large numbers in prespective for kids. And I love anything illustrated by Steven Kellogg!
I am a fan of Kellogg’s art, too, Kelly. I think it can be used in math classes throughout the primary and with older kids.
Ah, I would have liked this book when I was teaching math. Large numbers are always so hard to convey.
I think this is a wonderful resource for any math teacher, Elizabeth!
Wonderful learning tool…but then most great picture books are that, I believe. 🙂
I’ve always loved Stephen Kellogg’s illustrations…I read it many times to the kids. A hundred times…a million times…hahaha! Thanks for selecting this one, Joanna.
Go for a trillion, Vivian!
Nice choice. Teachers would find this very useful. I added it to my list of library books.
Glad you like it, Penny.
I just listed this down as one of my ‘books-to-borrow’ from our library. Looks like a visual feast exploded in bright shining multi-layered colors on the pages! Yummy! 🙂
I want to check out some of the other ones people have been recommending in the comments!