Count Candy Corn

Maddix is little boy who loves to count but hates Halloween because everyone is spooky and scary. One day while walking down the street, he sees something odd on the ground. Maddix picks up the colorful triangle and learns from his mother that it is called candy corn. After Maddix hears the story of his aunt’s candy dish and the disappearing candy corn, he decides to make his own candy dish to see if the mysterious Count Candy Corn Bat will steal his candy, too. Maddix carefully counts his candy, places them in his special count candy corn dish, and goes to bed. The next morning, Maddix counts: one, two, three, four—and then none! Could it be the mysterious candy corn bat? Now Maddix must be brave and try to find the truth. “This is a clever story, introducing children to important life skills. A fun counting book and a practical approach to solving problems.” - Marianne Stenzel, children’s librarian “Count Candy Corn is a delightful tale that utilizes Halloween fun to teach children the important message of facing your fears.” - Karissa Kohler James, special educator

It's almost Thanksgiving, and Richard Best can't stop thinking about Ms. Rooney's Candy Corn contest. Whoever can guess the exact number of yellow-and-orange candies in the jar on Ms. Roney's desk gets to keep them all. The only problem is Richard has to read a page in a library book for each guess. Smelly Matthew, who sits in front of him, knows they'll never win. "We're the worst readers in the class, " he says. But Richard won't give up. He can already taste those Candy Corns. And before he knows it, he has. Three fat juicy ones. What will Ms. Rooney do when she finds out?

It's almost Thanksgiving, and Richard Best can't stop thinking about Ms. Rooney's Candy Corn contest. Whoever can guess the exact number of yellow-and-orange candies in the jar on Ms. Roney's desk gets to keep them all. The only problem is Richard has to read a page in a library book for each guess. Smelly Matthew, who sits in front of him, knows they'll never win. "We're the worst readers in the class, " he says. But Richard won't give up. He can already taste those Candy Corns. And before he knows it, he has. Three fat juicy ones. What will Ms. Rooney do when she finds out?

There’s peril at the Pumpkin Fest in this Maine-set mystery by the New York Times-bestselling author… Halloween is coming to Tinker’s Cove, Maine, and local reporter Lucy Stone is covering the annual Giant Pumpkin Fest for the Pennysaver. There’s the pumpkin-boat regatta, the children’s Halloween party, the pumpkin weigh-in…even a contest where home-built catapults hurl pumpkins at an old Dodge! But not everything goes as planned. Lucy’s getting annoyed that her husband, Bill, and his friend Evan have been working seemingly nonstop on their potentially prize-winning pumpkin catapult. But on the day of the big contest, Evan is nowhere to be found…until a catapulted pumpkin busts open the trunk of the Dodge, revealing a deceased Evan. Bill’s on the hook for the Halloween homicide, so Lucy’s got some serious sleuthing to do. With each new lead pointing her in a different direction, Lucy learns that if she wants to spook the real killer, she’ll have to step into an old ghost story… “Series fans should be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly “Reading a new Leslie Meier mystery is like catching up with a dear old friend.” —Kate Carlisle

Creative hands-on activities to help students learn and review important math concepts through games, holiday fun, projects and children's literature. Included are lists of materials needed and clear directions for each activity as well as the skills students will learn or practice by doing the activity. Skills covered include: addition and subtraction, measuring, estimating, graphing and much more.

"Published by arrangement with Kensington Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp."--Title page verso.

"Uses children's literature as a springboard into activities that engage children in mathematical problem solving and reasoning"--from back cover.

Traditionally, small-group math instruction has been used as a format for reaching children who struggle to understand. Math coach Kassia Omohundro Wedekind uses small-group instruction as the centerpiece of her math workshop approach, engaging all students in rigorous "math exchanges." The key characteristics of these mathematical conversations are that they are: 1) short, focused sessions that bring all mathematical minds together, 2) responsive to the needs of the specific group of mathematicians, and 3) designed for meaningful, guided reflection. As in reading and writing workshop, students in math workshop become self-directed and independent while participating in a classroom community of learners. Through the math exchanges, students focus on number sense and the big ideas of mathematics. Teachers guide the conversations with small groups of students, mediating talk and thinking as students share problem-solving strategies, discuss how math works, and move toward more effective and efficient approaches and greater mathematical understanding. Although grounded in theory and research, Math Exchanges: Guiding Young Mathematicians in Small Group Meetings is written for practicing teachers and answers such questions as the following: How can I use a math workshop approach and follow a certain textbook or set of standards? How should I form small groups? How often should I meet with small groups? What should I focus on in small groups? How can I tell if my groups are making progress? What do small-group math exchanges look like, sound like, and feel like?