Maths book recommendations?

[snorkle]

I know there's quite a few of you with very able mathematicians out there. Thought a thread with book recommendations might be an idea.

Can we recommend or otherwise any books that our kids have found interesting, useful or fun? Make sure you mention what sort of age group/ topics they cover.

For ds (yr 7) he's been sort of losing interest in maths probably for about a couple of years which is a great shame as he's very good. He's now just doing the current round of junior maths challenges and those sort of harder puzzle type questions have rekindled his interest. So I'd welcome any suggestions as to what he might enjoy. (but please use the thread for recommendations at any age/level)

For curious primary kids interested in exploring topics in a lighthearted way the murderous maths books are good. There's a range of books covering basic upper primary/lower senior topics (I think) in a humerous style in a similar vein to the horrible histories series. Drawback is that if your child reads, understands and enjoys them he/she may end up being bored going over it all in class in the following years. They cover basic curriculum rather than extension material.

I'd mention some more, but I don't know any - over to you...

not a book, but have you tried nrich.maths.org - a maths enrichment website with online puzzles, problems, discussions and articles at all levels ?

oh yes, thanks wandering star - Ds's infant school teacher recommended it to us years ago, but it didn't seem totally right for him then and I had forgotten.

We (ds is also yr 7 on G+T for maths)like games like rush hour et al
puzzles and strategy games likke settlers of catan.
He does just like to read offical maths texts, for some weird reason.
He also likes the mensa flashcards you often find in 2nd hand shops
Sudoku has really challenged him too.

Resources, both with stuff for all ages from preschool up. Tarquin probably has university level stuff too.

\link{http://www.tarquinbooks.com\lovely Tarquin books}. Send off for the catalogue, though, as the new website is a bit sober (not enough pictures, which is a pity as the materials are very lively).

\link{http://www.happypuzzle.co.uk\Happy Puzzle}Company

oh yes, rush hour and sodoku are both favorites here too. Ds dabbled briefly in a gcse text once but wasn't really gripped. Evidently not as much of a maths nut as Piffle's ds. Does his school do the UKMT maths challenges Piffle? I bet he'd enjoy and do extremely well at them if so.

Bink are there any particular tarquin books or puzzle company puzzles that you have used that you recommend?

snorkle, ds is only just 7 so we're only scratching the surface of maths stuff. But from that angle, for the pre-school to year 2 stage from the Tarquin stock I'd recommend:

• Cuisenaire rods (3 years up)
• times tables colouring books (5 up)
• the books for making mathematical models (6 up)
• the posters about Ancient Egyptian/Greek/Roman mathematical ideas (year 2, because those are usually that year's topics - we haven't got those (for lack of space) but I know for sure ds would adore them).

Happy Puzzle - bit wider than just maths, and what would appeal depends a lot on the individual child - I think they encourage parents to phone up and ask for recommendations (and they also make a point of inviting special needs children to come and test out stuff). We got ds the Skyrail suspension marble run from there, and he's just worked out how it can be set up in all sorts of imaginative ways that the instructions don't tell you - so I'd recommend that for age 6-7 plus.

I know roisin's [expect she'll be along shortly - hello roisin!! ] ds2 (similar age to my ds) likes the magnetic pattern-maker which Happy Puzzle also stock.

I see that someone has already covered Sudoku.

\link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140148752/qid=1149158475/sr=8-5/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i5_xgl/203-6958061-0541522\Interesting puzzles by David Wells} is a really good one for mathematical and lateral thinking type puzzles.

What about the magical maze by Ian Stewart? It's not really an interactive book but he may find it a good read.

Fermat's last Theorem or the code book by Simon Singh? Again I don't know how advanced your child is but this book is written for people with little knowledge on maths and again doesn't have any exercises or puzzles.

Hope that helps

Mazes, yes, those are good from very young. Ds still loves his Warp Maze (which is Kjartan Poskitt, same chap as Murderous Maths book).

Someone on here put me onto the \link{http://www.murderousmaths.co.uk\Murderous Maths website}, which is a wild hit with ds.

More towards engineering than maths, the book The Way Things Work has been a constant since ds was about 3.

Nice maths magazine for primary age children \link{http://www.circamaths.co.uk/\here}.

When I was fourteen I picked up "More Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions" by Martin Gardner in my school library, and it got me hooked! As a Maths. Ph.D is not generally a route to fame, fortune or keeping one's mother in the style to which she wishes to become accustomed, you should make sure your children never get hold of this book, or any of his others...

Any suggestions for older children/teenagers?

What types of books are you after Lionheart? Puzzles or popular science they could read about? I've already suggested some for the original poster, don't know whether you'd find any of them appropriate.

lionhearted, clerkKent posted a really good Martin Gardner link on the \link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2408&threadid=183065&stamp=060617185326\Junior Olympiad thread} with all his Scientific American article compilation books on it - they'd be good for teenagers.

I was looking for something for a fifteen year old maths whizz, so puzzles would be good, things that give a sense of the different directins maths can take you.

Thank you for your replies, I will check out the links.

directions, even.*