The Great Divide: A Mathematical Marathon - Softcover

Dodds, Dayle Ann

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0763615927 ISBN 13: 9780763615925

Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA), 2005

Synopsis

"In this crafty story of a cross-country race, numerical division accounts for the narrowing of the field. . . . All lessons should be this gratifying." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Bang!" goes the gun. The race is on.

Eighty racers explode from the starting gate, determined to win The Great Divide. They surge ahead, rushing toward -- OH NO! -- the wide hungry mouth of a grand canyon that claims half the racers. And this is only the beginning. More dangers lie ahead, waiting to divide the group once, twice, three times, and more. Will there be anyone left to cross the finish line?

About this title

Review:

Subtitled "A Mathematical Marathon", The Great Divide is a fun-filled frolic through the world of fleeing, flying and fractions.

80 people start the Great Divide race, halving many times along the way as they must choose between diverging mountain paths, different boats, air balloons, aeroplanes and stampeding horses.

As the field is progressively whittled down to a winner, the impetus of the verse itself propels the reader on towards the finish line:

40 racers
now have to float!

What's up ahead?
A loud, roaring sound!
Whooshing whirlpools
spin all around.

Half are swept up
in a dizzying whirl.
Half battle on through
foam and swirl.

Tracy Mitchell does a fantastic job illustrating the race; her colourful cartoon-like pictures reminiscent of Whacky Racers. (Something most readers won't be able to recall!)

Superb on entertainment value alone, The Great Divide will introduce young readers to the principles of fractions, giving them concrete examples and reinforcing by repetition. A lovely book to read aloud to a group or for youngsters to read to themselves. (Ages 6 to 9) --Lucie Naylor

About the Author:

Dayle Ann Dodds is a former elementary school teacher with a degree in early childhood development. As she does in THE GREAT DIVIDE, Dayle Ann Dodds often writes in rhyme because "it is so natural to kids' ears. Rhyme, rhythm, and pattern help kids remember small revelations in entertaining stories," she says. Embedded in the exciting contest of THE GREAT DIVIDE, readers will find grouping, adding, subtracting, and multiplying, and discover how they form the foundation of division. Dayle Ann Dodds lives in Palo Alto, California.

Tracy Mitchell was born in Boston but grew up in New Orleans, a city whose influence is evident in her art style. THE GREAT DIVIDE is Tracy Mitchell's first picture book, and she says that working with such a large number of characters was just one of the many challenges she faced in creating her paintings for the book. "Dividing the racers into crazy groups, like clowns, pirates, and dancers, definitely helped," she says. Tracy Mitchell lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.

About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0763615927
• ISBN 13: 9780763615925
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Mitchell Tracy