This Plus That: Life's Little Equations by Amy K Rosenthal

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Simple arithmetical equations show how big and small moments add up in life.

Genres: Picture Books, Mathematics, Childrens, Friendship, Teaching, Fiction, Poetry

Hardcover

First published April 26, 2011

About the author

SHORT BIO:

Amy Krouse Rosenthal was.
She divided her time.


NOT SO SHORT BIO:

Amy Krouse Rosenthal was a person who liked to make things.
Some things she liked to make include:

Children's books. (Little Pea, Spoon, DuckRabbit)
Grown-up books. (Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life)
Short films. (The Beckoning of Lovely, The Money Tree)
Guided journals. (The Belly Book)
Something out of nothing. (see above)

A longtime contributor to WBEZ and to the TED conference,
Amy lived with her family in Chicago and online at whoisamy.com.

Reviews

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful picture book! The only way to convey its magic is to give you a sample of the wisdom it puts so simply...

1 + 1 = Us
smile + wave = hello
wishing + frosting = birthday
anything + sprinkles = better
violin + flue + saxophone + cello + trumpet + clarinet + percussion = symphony
blaming + eye rolling ≠ sincere apology
"I'm sorry" + hug = sincere apology
mumbling + toe staring ≠ polite
handshake + "how are you" = polite
practice + practice = learning
practice + practice + practice = mastering
chores ÷ everyone = family
good days + bad days = real life
once upon a time + happily ever after = pretend
book + chair = cozy

And my personal favourites:
soul + colour = art
soul + words = literature
soul + sound = music
soul + movement = dance
and
(every star in the sky + the sun + the moon) x my heart = I love you to the infinite power

Happily reviewed for www.GoodReadingGuide.com

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me a bit of A Hole is to Dig, with a twist. The definitions here are equations. Some are similar, starting from the same item, but adding something different has a different result (of course), such as "chalk + sitting = school" but "chalk + jumping = hopscotch." All children will probably find something to identify with. I know one of my children would love "anything + sprinkles = better." Some are contrasts, as in "small + bottle = baby" but "tall + coffee = grownup." My favorite is "soul + " several items -- add color = art, add words = literature, and so forth. A clever concept. Lots of white space, nice design. Appealing children (active, smiling, slightly abstract in style) (though not very diverse). Fun for preschoolers and kindergarteners; elementary children could probably be inspired to create their own equations.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this fun and sweetly illustrated book. Amy Krouse Rosenthal has created math equations for life.

chalk + sitting = school
chalk + jumping = hopscotch

The combinations are fun and playful and a few address some of the larger truths in life too.

good days + bad days = real life
once upon a time + happily ever after = pretend

Perfect for children just learning to add, older elementary school students can also enjoy creating their own examples of life's little equations.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and clever. Teachers looking for books to inspire "out of the box" thinking may appreciate this terrific little book that takes mathematical equations and applies them to real life:

yes + no = maybe

chalk + sitting = school

chalk + jumping = hopscotch

somersaults + somersaults + somersauls = dizzy

blaming + eye rolling ≠ sincere apology

"I'm sorry" + hug = sincere apology

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book had been around about 5 years ago - I love the "messages" - "chores divided by everyone = family" - I think it's a great book for manner introduction and Golden Rule introduction and thinking "outside the box". I also would love to see a second book because I think this author has more to say here and maybe some things got left out of this book, due to length considerations...reminds me somewhat of 'A Hole Is To Dig'

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Krouse Rosenthal + children = magic! This is another joyful book celebrating the good things in life: friendship, art, love, birthdays. Items are added up to equal that special feeling - for example: somersaults + somersaults +somersaults = dizzy! I like the positive ones best, rather than "blaming + eye rolling does not equal sincere apology." Sweet watercolor illustrations with plenty of white space are a great design match.

[Relyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love this book!

Classroom Connections
In math we have to teach second graders the term equations. It can confuse them sometimes. I think this might be a great tie-in and a wonderful idea for a class book Each student can create their own page with their own equation. For me it might be husband + daughter + 2 dogs = happy home


10/20/13
I still love, love, love this book!

[Lauren Coffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this as a springboard for my 4th grade writers to craft their own life equations. Reading+talking+writing+sharing=Linguistic Joy

[Amanda Scroggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE LOVE LOVE
This book was recommended at a conference I attended. I read it and it made me smile and miss my family. It is smart and funny and sentimental. I use this book in my classroom to begin the year by sharing my own life equations - it took a lot of time, thought, and reminiscing...an enjoyable afternoon. I then challenge my students to create 5 of their own Life Equations using more than just a plus or minus...gettting really creative and using higher order thinking. Students went home and continued to work on these. They shared them with the class the next day and we all enjoyed not only getting to know about one another, but seeing how complex these equations could be. It was a blast!

[Stan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"this plus that" is a splendid look at, as the subtitle says, "Lifes's Little Equations." Such a wonderful, different, and real perspective of math. I loved this book's ideas and its illustrations.

Math teachers are always being asked, "When will I ever use this?" Although most of the equations here are simple and it is easy to see their meanings, this book points to a higher creative sphere; it is a stepping stone. How can mathematics be used to explain our world, our universe? When you contemplate that, you are in the company of geniuses. This book is fun for four to eight-year olds, but it throws down the gauntlet of creativity and inspiration to thinkers of all ages.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another charming book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I have read almost all of her books, especially her picture books, but somehow I had missed this one. As with all of her books, her joyful outlook on life shines through, along with the acknowledgment of the realities of a child's life: friendship, seasons, school and so much more. The illustrations are perfect companions for the equations throughout the book. As I read it, I was reduced to a puddle of tears......the author recently passed away and all I could think was "how can someone this full of life be gone, and so soon???????!!" Author Amy Krouse Rosenthal plus illustrator Jen Corace equals one perfect picture book.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Krause Rosenthal created another brilliant, touching, funny book. No surprise!

What I like best about this book is that SOMETHING in it resonates deeply with each reader. It's been fascinating to share this book with my office-mates and hear them explain which page is their favorite.

It would be a great activity to get your students or children to read this book then create their own equations based on their life experiences.

This book is very similar to the "Cookies" series Rosenthal created a few years ago.

[Drew Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life is full of pluses and minuses, and sometimes they equal things, even if these things are sort of a stretch.

I feel a bit strange giving lukewarm reviews to two AKR books in a row, but this one didn't really do that much for me either. It has some fun illustrations by her sometimes collaborator Jen Corace, but some of the equations don't really make sense (not that they're actual math, but you know what I mean). It's like it was trying to be clever and not quite getting there. But The Boy (3) likes it fine and it does have some appeal to the style and concept.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Krouse Rosenthal shows a creative way of viewing life or some of life’s daily situations.

1 + 1 = Us
Red + Blue = Purple
Smile + Ocean = Beach (or for people like me it equals heaven)

I especially loved her example of learning:

practice + practice = learning
practice + practice + practice = mastering

This would be a fantastic book to share with children and then ask them to form their own life equation.

[Laura Giessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book as a prompt for children to create their own poetry. Let them write: computer + ______ = school; computer + _______ = home. Or what + what = school? What + what + what = best friend? What + what = birthday? What = grown-up? What = baby? Instead of polite, what = kind? What doesn't = kind (or curious or honest or brave or...)? What = fall, winter, spring, summer for them? What = family? So, so many possibilities! Makes me want to write some myself!

[Whole And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheer delight and joy, this is what this book is.
Light math equations but not with numbers. Rather, the equations in life that help us feel life's happiest times, shape how we our genuinely apologetic, be polite, enjoy seasons, divide chores and create and infinite amount love and art in our lives. Thoroughly enjoyed this uplifting and beautifully spirited book. Thank you, Amy.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true gem from Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

Possible inspiration for students to write their own equations.

Some of my favorite equations:
anything + sprinkles = better
practice + practice + practice = mastering
good days + bad days = real life

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting combinations. Does use the does-not-equals sign, which may not be familiar to everyone.

It would be fun to ask people to pick an equation that they disagreed with and explain why.
(For me, maybe tall + coffee = adult.)

Neat concept and the illustrations express it well.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't really classify this as a math book. It uses plus in some distinct ways/meanings (red+blue = purple, but red+orange+yellow+green+blue+indigo+violet = rainbow). That said, it did use the not equals sign, which was cool!

I don't agree with all the equations, but this was fun.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason when I requested this I didn't read the description and I just assumed it was a math picturebook. I'm so glad I was wrong, this was adorable. It'd be a great one to sit down and digest with a little one.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Promising concept gets lost in the jumble of variables used to calculate “life’s little equations,” many of which don’t add up (e.g., “tall + coffee = grownup” actually equals $1.85). Strange illustrations, especially that headless grownup plus this oddly positioned coffee mug, don’t help matters.

[Chris Hays · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a whimsical "story" or poem. I like turning math into words and of course Amy had a way of making us see emotion in everyday things. That said, I prefer many of her other stories. Chalk this one up under cute and fascinating the way words are used.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just like the way Amy Krouse Rosenthal writes. She and Jen Corace are wonderful collaborators too. The playful and lovely text is matched perfectly with the pictures.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would serve as a great higher level thinking lesson that incorporates creative writing!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Krouse Rosenthal does it again.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously cute!

[Dy-an · Rating 2 out of 5]

Smart ass review: This book had very little subtraction and never once was algebra explored. Addition gets too much attention considering how much subtraction and percentage there is in the world.

[Adella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book...words are used to create math problems with a certain outcome.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

More complex than I thought at first glance. Very sweet and thoughtful combinations. Could be an interesting text to use in a primary math lesson.

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun art and a great mathematical interpretation of the little pleasures and pains of life. It is both clever and heart-warming. Extra points for the use of parentheses and inequality signs.