Jack the Builder (MathStart)

Jack stacks up blocks high. Two make a robot, five make a boat, and fifteen make...whatever you can imagine! Math becomes child's play as young readers are introduced to the skill of counting on, a first step toward mastering addition.

Jack stacks up blocks high. Two make a robot, five make a boat, and fifteen make...whatever you can imagine! Math becomes child's play as young readers are introduced to the skill of counting on, a first step toward mastering addition.

Twila Cumberledge - Children's Literature

Jack is a young boy who has a pile of blocks. He lets his mind run wild as he starts out with two blocks and imagines what it could be. He adds one more and it is something totally different. Then he adds two more and it is something completely different from the last. Jack just keeps adding more to his pile of blocks and each time he stacks them up, something totally different is made and his imagination soars. Eventually, Jack builds a really high rocket that is ready for take-off. Take-off causes the creation of blocks to tumble to the floor, returning them to their initial state where there is nothing. It is back to square one where Jack can again begin to build and once again let his imagination fly. 2006, HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 3 to 5.

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.