A Place for Zero

Charlesbridge Math Adventures

by Angeline Sparagna Lopresti, Phyllis Hornung (Illustrator)

Zero is lonely in Digitaria. He can't play Addemup with the other numbers, because he has nothing to add. What's a digit to do? Join Zero as he goes on a journey to discover his place.

Genres: Mathematics, Picture Books, Childrens, School, Number, Numeracy

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am intrigued by the idea of finding books that help children increase their mathematical motivation and understanding. In this cute story, zero learns where he belongs by being added in a "numberator" and being multiplied in a "multi-tube," then inventing place value so numbers greater than nine become possible. Older children who have math experience may enjoy the story, but it doesn't offer any explanations for children who don't already get the concepts. Because of this, it disappoints.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish I could give this a 3.5. Rich illustrations seem to grab my kindergartener and me. Her requests to read it over and over suggest a four rating, but something a bit stilted in the writing makes me want to give it a three. But if you, too, are a math nerd parent and you want to make sure your child finds math fun and intriguing, this series seems to be a nice place to bring math concepts to life. We'll definitely check out more of these.

[Shani Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story helps children understand the role of zeroes in place value. A teacher could use place value bingo to reinforce the concepts introduced in the story. The teacher could incorporate clues with zeroes to test the students' understanding of zeroes in place value. Students create their bingo cards with numbers that they choose. When they recieve a clue that describes onoe of the numbers on their board, they caover that number. For example if a number has a zero in the tens place the number could also be any one digit number.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter starts Kindergarten this year, and we picked up this math adventure at Open House tonight. What a great book! Zero wants to find his place in Numberaria, a magical kingdom of numbers. He feels distraught until he learns his value through the power of multiplication. Great book, and the illustrations were great.

[Matthew Szymanski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Title: A Place for Zero
Author: Angeline Sparagna LoPresti
Illustrator: Phyllis Hornung
Reading Level: 3.8
Lextile: 660L
Fontas & Pinnell: N

Book Summary: This read is a math adventure that follows a lonely digit that was a zero who didn’t know his place. Zero felt sad because he felt like he didn’t belong in Digitaria with the other numbers of value. Zero adventures through the kingdom to discover his purpose in different math concepts.

Ideas: The story continually tells more information about how a zero can be used in math concepts. It can be difficult to understand how zero is used properly in math, but this book did great job of slowly introducing the concept and continually building from that.

Organization: This text and illustrations slowly introduces how zero works in math concepts. The book starts out with basic information like the place value of a zero and continually progresses into addition and subtraction uses with a zero, and furthermore into multiplication and other more complex math concepts.

Voice: The writing creates a sense of frustration and misunderstanding for the character zero. I think it’s a great voice to give that character because it is relatable to the readers trying to understand the confusing concept of zero in math.

Word Choice: This book was balanced between kids focused engaging words helping create of a kingdom full of numerals and math vocabulary words like numerals, addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

Sentence Fluency: The writer used a good amount of short and medium sentences. The book was also very conversational. I felt the length of the sentences were fitting to the younger audience that it is geared towards. Many characters were speaking to each other with a narrative voice sprinkled in.

Conventions: The text had a lot of quoted questioning sentences that showed confusion from the main character, which was fitting for the theme of the book that was introducing a confusing topic. For example zero though, “I wonder what would happen if I were multiplied with another number?”

Presentation: The book featured detailed artwork with each page the portrayed a kingdom full of living numerals. The pictures were clearly numbers and the setting was clearly a kingdom. The pictures were fitting with the text that was being read and was able to show expression of the numeral characters. I like that it showed visuals of numbers and symbols that are used to actually do math.

Classroom Integration/Mini-Lessons/Content Connections:
This is a great read aloud book for introducing a math lesson with a focus on using the number zero. The zero can be a difficult number for children to understand with regards to how it is used in math problems. This book goes over all the introductory ways that zeros can be used in math. How it is as a stand alone number, how it works with addition, subtraction, multiplication and more.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a creative book! Protagonist Zero struggles to find his place among all the other numbers. He feels that he has no value because all the other numbers can be added together to make a new number, but when Zero and a number are added together, it makes the same number. Can zero ever find his own unique role among the other numbers? Will he ever feel useful or wanted?

This book is a wonderful informational book because it gives young readers information about math in a non-dreary, enjoyable way. By integrating math facts into a fun story rather than simply giving readers facts, Lopresti engages her readers and makes them want to learn more about math, while at the same time informing readers about what the digit zero can do, the power of addition and multiplication, and what is unique about zero. This book immediately catches readers' interest because of its entertaining way of working with math and colorful illustrations that work well with the fun text. Both the math information integrated into the book as well as the colors used for the illustrations contribute greatly to the text. In the book, zero is blue, which represents his melancholy about not fitting in with the other numbers, while other numbers are colors like yellow and red, which symbolize happiness or activity. Thus, the math information and bright colors work together to present math facts in a fun way to readers, making this a thoroughly enjoyable informational book that one can truly savor.

[Paige Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

While zero may feel as though they do not bring much to the table, it is all about bringing numbers together and seeing what difference they can make in the end. This book was able to be connected back to the textbook in so many different ways. One of the main ones being the focus on students problem-solving skills as well as the importance of knowing and using place value to change an equation. Getting students thinking and seeing how much zero can really change an equation if they try and switch it up.

This book is also great when thinking of all the many ways it could be used in the classroom. There are so many different activities and ideas that this book can get going and make learning about math a little bit easier. It can focus on place value, or even addition and subtraction depending on what is being taught. Giving students an idea of how they themselves can change the equation by simply moving a number one place, letting them imagine all of the different outcomes they could potentially get in the end.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A real find. A book dedicated to the fun numbers can bring.

Original and educational without a Number-block in sight.

A story about Zero. Is he really a number at all as he seems to bring nothing to the table.

A clever manipulation to show the beauty of numbers. The need for single digits and where nought can come into his own.

A wonderful imagined world in which the numbers live and matched by the colourful illustrations.

Books are not pick up, read it and file away items. They are often treasured go-tos, to enjoy and read over and over again. As this story becomes familiar and an often chosen read the numeracy and learning will flow and your children will be more comfortable around words and numbers.

[Tori Crews]

This is a fantastic book for children that creatively explores the concept of Xero. The story follows zero, a number with no value, as he strives to find he is placed in the world of numbers. This book introduces basic math concepts, such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication in a fun and engaging way. The illustrations are colorful and are clever in depicting the visual representation of the numbers. I love how this book has the ability to make math fun and relatable for younger readers. It also teaches valuable lessons about self-worth and the importance of finding one's place in the world.

[Carrie Kammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fun and creative way to teach students the value of zero. Zero is a powerful number that can make a bunch of new numbers. This book shows ways of adding and multiplying zero and uses mathematical vocabulary to help support reading/math fluency. During the story, students will understand number values in addition to why each number is essential; for example, seven is the number of days in a week, and zero in the number ten represents zero ones in the one's place. This is key knowledge that needs to be presented to young learners as it will help them grow more confident in their ability to understand numbers and place value.

[Karee Kampmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I love the personification of numbers in the story. This allows students to have a better understanding of numbers and their value. It also really expands on teaching zero and what it means. In my future teaching, I think I would use this as a hook. This would be a great story for kindergarten or first grade. I think this could be used across subject areas by talking about SEL and social studies concepts.

[Rafed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it explains the rules for zeros and haw this number has value but can change many values by change his spots from one to others. Kids easy can understand with this book also has good view with all pictures. I am very interesting to get the kids read it and know how they put the zero on ten or hundred values and see what the difference

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It helps readers with the whole issue of zero in numbers as well as how zero reacts using it when multiplying and adding. It will be of great use when teaching.
One thing that I found was that the illustrations made me feel like it was a book for young students, but the information is for an older student, perhaps 4th and 5th grade.

[Baylee Roden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel that this is a good book for teachers to use and make a lesson out of it. First the teacher would read the book to the students and ask a few questions to make sure the students understood the information then the teacher could create a game out of the information that was talked about in this book.

[Caliyah Sims · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and entertaining read that gives children a fun visual of place value, addition, and multiplication. However, the book primarily focuses on the story of Zero, only briefly talking about the previously mentioned topics. This would be a great book to be paired with a lesson, serving either as an fun introduction or a critical thinking check (asking questions).

[Sidney Carnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good book for teachers to read during a lesson about whole numbers and if a student is having a hard time fitting in. The book features the number zero who goes on an adventure to find how he fits in with other variables.

[Alexis Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book teaches children about place value. The main character, zero, goes on this journey to find his place in the number kingdom. All of the other numbers are against him but in the end zero finds out that he does have a place, a place in place vale to add to the value off numbers.

[Jennilee Angeski · Rating 4 out of 5]

When counting no one considers "0" to be a number. This book definitely helps show the significance with a cute story.
Easily could incorporate literacy/retelling the series of events with little ones!

[Cris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but no history of the concept, just how it functions in operations. The anthropomorphic story of zero as a daddy is sweet.

[Courtney Bursnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely story all about how 0 feels left out, and demonstrates its importance also as a number.

[Katie Aff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ks2/maths

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for those who want to learn more about math and the role zero plays.

[Citlaly Esquivel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Join this adventure with zero as he finds his place. He discovers the importance of being zero and creates friends.

[Ms.Theisen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that explains "how" zero came to have a job to hold a place in place value! A great introduction to place value book to get kids intrigued.

[Taylor Oddo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. It gives children a better understanding of numbers and their values. In the book the numbers were playing a game called addemup, but zero couldn't play because he can't be added up. He could not find his place, until he discovered multiplication. He finally found a place for himself, which made him feel like he belonged. The illustrations are detailed and full of color. This book is a fun way to learn math and make it less stressful for students. Numbers are already hard enough, so this book will help. All math teachers should have this book in their classrooms, especially if they are teaching addition and multiplication.

[Angela Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: A Place for Zero by Angeline Sparanga LoPresti, illustrated by Phyllis Hornung; Published by Charlesbridge, 2003

Summary/Review: A place for zero is a fiction story based on the number zero who is unsure of his identity. The story goes through a series of events where zero discovers how he can be used with addition and multiplication, and ultimately becoming a place holder to create bigger numbers. The author uses humor throughout the story to describe the emotions zero feels when he thinks he has nothing to add to the other numbers. The content in this story is appropriate for second grade and up, since the vocabulary used deals with math concepts that are learned in the middle grades. It’s colorful illustrations make the story engaging for the younger students, while also using humorous puns that older students would understand better. The plot of the story is interesting because zero is continually trying to discover what his identity is, and when he finally does everyone is just as excited as he is. I would use this story as an introductory lesson in math, to help get the students engaged and understand the importance of the number zero.

Discussion Questions?
1.) Begin the story by asking if you think zero will find its place?
2.) What do you know about the number zero?
3.) After- How is the number zero useful in creating other numbers?

[Emily Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zero feels very lonely because other numbers in his "town" have a purpose, but he feels like he has no place and no value. This book takes him on a journey to figure out where he belongs and how he can become helpful to others and their number. It turns out that zero is a very useful number. This book does a great job of reinforcing the importance of zero in our number system, and how zero plays a role in place value. Through this book we realize the real purpose of zero.

[Jill de Villiers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always on the lookout for interesting children's books that teach something, and this one hits the spot, with a tale about Zero, poor sad number with no place of its own! My five year old grandson LOVED it.

[Megan Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: A Place for Zero
Author: Angeline Lopresti
Illustrator: Phyllis Hornung
Date of Publication: 2003
Genre: Fiction
Summary:
This book is about the number Zero who lives in Digitaria with the other numbers. Their favorite game is Addemup. Zero is unsure of his identity because he can’t play the game with the other numbers, because he has “nothing to add.” He takes a journey to find his place in among the numbers. He meets people along the way who help him learn how valuable he really is.
Evaluation:
This book has such a cute story and illustrations about the number Zero. A place for zero would be a great book as an introduction to a math lesson on place value and the concept of zero.
Discussion Questions:
1. What does it mean to have value?
2. What did Zero mean when he said, “I’ll never have value. I’ll never be part of the count.”
3. What happens to a number when you add zeros?
4. Where do you think Zero’s place is?

[Mumtaz Hussain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Place for Zero by Angeline Sparagna LoPresti

This is a fun book for younger children to see that maths does not have to be boring.

The story is about Zero who felt he had no place and wants to find out what he stands for. He goes on a mission to find out what his purpose is after finding out that he does not add anything to the other numbers –or so he thinks! He visits various characters related to numbers throughout the story to find that he helps when it comes to the tens units.

There are other mathematical features mentioned discretely in the story which can be used for older children or those who are not so confident with maths.

Lovely illustrations as well as a story to keep those children who are uninterested in maths more interested.