7 x 9 = Trouble! - Hardcover

Claudia Mills has written many books for children, including the Gus and Grandpa series of beginning readers and, most recently, the middle-grade novel Lizzie at Last. This is her first chapter book. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

G. Brian Karas is the author and/or illustrator of numerous picture books. He lives in Rhinebeck, New York.

Grades 2-3--Students who are having difficulty with math will enjoy this lighthearted story. Third-grader Wilson Williams needs to pass all the times-table tests by March 16th in order to get an ice-cream cone from his teacher. While the child is talented in art, he is envious of his friends Laura and Josh, who have completed their tests and have received their cones. He is also envious of his younger brother Kipper, a kindergartner who is placed in a special math group because he has started learning the times tables on his own. While the main theme revolves around Wilson passing the tests, an important subplot deals with his desire for a pet and taking home the class hamster for a weekend. All's well in the end-Wilson passes the 12 times table at the last minute, and he and Kipper will be getting a pet hamster. While this chapter book is entertaining and no doubt many youngsters will relate to the story, it is unfortunate that the author reinforces negative feelings about studying math. Wilson never seems to comprehend the concept of multiplication, and no one makes an effort to teach him.
Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
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