Smarty Ants

by Corey Rosen Schwartz, Erin Taylor (illustrator)

Ants are busy little creatures, and these smarty ants are extra busy using their math skills! They are ready to build one gigantic home, filled with everything an ant could want. But what happens when disaster strikes? Dynamic author duo Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call (Mootilda's Bad Mood and Cold Turkey) use simple addition, word play, and rhyming text to create a memorable math book that you will want to read over and over again.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2024

About the author

Corey is the author of HOP! PLOP! (Walker, 2006), THE THREE NINJA PIGS (Putnam, 2012) GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS (Putnam, forthcoming) and NINJA RED (Putnam, forthcoming). Corey has no formal ninja training, but she sure can kick butt in Scrabble. She lives with three Knuckleheads in Warren, NJ.

Reviews

[Angel (Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well done....

However, i don't really like it.

MY THOUGHTS:
📌 Way too colorful; there are some pages where i felt like the colors overlapped.

📌 When I picked up this book, I thought it would teach little kids about how ants worked or how they interacted with each other, but it did neither.

📌 The story itself is just about ants who are working to build their home and, at the end, get stepped on by an elephant. But then they become friends with this elephant......The end!

📌 Ah right, I know this is a story about ants, but did you need to put every word that contains the word "ANT" in capital letters?

For example: "constANTly"; "plANTs"; "gigANTic"; "giANT"; "vacANT"; "repentANT"; "mANTles"; "tenANTs"; etc

In a good way, it does help children learn how to pronounce it much easier way, but on the other hand, I found it could be misleading, and they might end up pronouncing it incorrectly instead of correctly. It depends on how parents teach them.

📌 There is some math in this book, but it's just very basic math with plus problems only, such as: 1 + 1 = 2 ; 5 + 5 = 10; etc.
I'm not very sure this kind of math is suitable for ages 5-7. Because I remember that by the age of 6, I already knew how to do multiples and division.


CREDIT:
Thank you NetGalley and Capstone, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🐥

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book for very young readers that would aid in learning numbers!

The entire content is so colourful and filled with amazing illustrations.

Also, the community of ants and how ants work together has been shown here. The ending surprised me. Tragedy strikes but all’s well that ends well! Read this book to find out!

Love it.

Thank you, Capstone, for the advance reading copy.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that might not look like a five-starrer, but by the rules I set myself (ie the rules I set the books I review) this has to deserve it, for going the extra step and including the unexpected amongst the routine stuff someone would buy it for. We're with a troupe of ants who are building their new home, and luckily it is a solitary building, of two floors, with three this and four that, and before long we're counting up, just as at the same time the industrious workers are doing their relevant maths. So we get the narrative of their sort-of chant as they labour, and very easy sums, and a revision to one-to-ten, including a checklist midpoint through things. We then start to count down backwards – only to find that not only is all this going on, but we're due a major surprise as well.

What with the colourfully-presented maths, and the count-along aspects, and the rhyming narrative, and the twist, I thought the constANT word punning was actually too much, a case of bad form(ica). But that aside I just didn't expect this book to have it all – the educational aspect as well as the strong entertainment from the surprise. Is this a maths reviser the very young will want to re-read? Count on it. Even if slightly flawed, the way this does more than the routine – taking more work on its shoulders and carrying it all off perfectly well enough – is top marks.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

BrilliANTly done!

I love this from start to finish it has little gems all through.

Firstly the rhyme is so clever.

The pictures will have the children searching for items to check the math.

I think that the use of location vocabulary is a fantastic touch.

As well as counting forward and backward being reinforced by the story sequence from the plan, to the build and decorating and the disaster at the end.

The ants are lovable little characters that the reader quickly becomes a cheerleader for as we hope for their success.

This is another of my favourite reads that I look forward to showing my STEM, Math and Prep teacher mates because I can see this being a fantastic tool in the classroom, with counting, rhyme, vocabulary and ants which is one of the first words they teach the students to sound out - it gives the opportunity to show that this little word appears in so many other words too.

Turns out these busy little minibeasts have a lot to build upon. I like it!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publishers for an advanced copy. The book has great illustrations, vibrant and filled with detail that would allow a parent and child to be drawn into the setting. I found the rhyming to be a bit stilted and awkward. The story reached a finale with the completion of the ant's house only to have the local elephant step on it. From an ants perspective, this probably happens more often than not, however, for the invested child listener who has seen this ant house grow it is sad.

[Gabby Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smarty Ants is a fun story with addition, counting, and fun ant puns built in. As a kindergarten teacher, I could absolutely see myself reading this to my students. The illustrations are inviting and fun. I like that despite it being a math based book, the story line was engaging with a little twist at the end I didn't see coming. A great read aloud for any classroom!

Big thanks to Capstone Publishing and authors Coren Rosen Schwartz & Kirsti Call for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest reviews!

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smarty Ants may be one of the more enjoy math and counting books we've read in a while. The ants are busy building a home, and counting and adding as they go. Their home comes together so well, the illustrations are fun and cutesy, and the numbers are clear and straightforward. The ending is a little startling, but that adds a bit to the fun. Would be great for a child reading on their own or for a classroom setting.

Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Editions for an e-ARC to read and review. I love a good math book, especially when it combines actual equations with conceptual ways of learning -- which this story does so well. It also has heaps of ant puns and plays on words with hidden "ants" in the middle, which is a delight all around. I didn't really love the "elephANT" character, but mostly because I was upset with what he did (even if he's sorry about it.)

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Corey Rosen Schwartz, Kristi Call, Capstone, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

This was a cute book that my five year old really enjoyed counting along with. I also loved the addition and subtraction problems that were built into the story, The illustrations were adorable and my daughter loved seeing the Smarty Ants' house come together. Smarty Ants is great story for children in preschool to kindergarten!

[Mrs Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with my 5 year old son. He loved the illustrations. The story kept him attentive. While he missed most of the math that was incorporated, I think someone who had math options at a preschool or kindergarten would have understood (he starts K in the fall).

We will recommend this book to his friends.

Thank you for a copy of this book. This review is my family's honest perspective of the book.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for a Kindergarten or First grade classroom to reinforce several essential skills -
Addition
Counting
Rhyming scheme
ANT words
and the illustrations are so bright and entertaining. The busy little ants are building a home and as they go along they count out and add all of the things you need for a beautiful home.
Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for the advanced copy for review. Teachers should put this one their 2023 list for their math library.

[Carol Gordon Ekster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is so clever! It's filled with fun and you will want to keep turning the pages. As a picture book author myself, I appreciate these special books that have layers of offerings. There's word play, friendship and working together, rhyming text, great illustrations, humor, AND math! The ending is brilliant and kids will want you to read it over and over. This book will be loved by teachers, children, and parents alike.

[Lisa Gisèle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

These smarty ants made math fun. It was enjoyable building their home with them, and seeing the cute illustrations that went along with it.

I did not understand why the pantry was 6+1, other then that great

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I love the illustrations in this fun math book. I don't think I've ever seen math basics offered up in such a kid-friendly way. Between the catchy rhymes and bright colors, following the ants along as they build their giant house is enough to make even the most careful reader/listener not realize how much they're learning at the same time. Sure to be a hit!

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love ants, and these ones are just adorable. I love how their black colouring stands out so boldly against the background.

A cute book with lovely illustrations, some simple addition and rhyming along the way.

*Free e-arc received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After loving all of the books in the ‘ninja’ fairy tales series, I was excited to see another Corey Rosen Schwartz book and this didn’t disappoint! Love the counting/math lessons folded into the story.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

As ants build a house, the arithmetic behind the construction are illustrated (ex. 4+4=8 chimneys). However, why did the house have to get destroyed? It was an unnecessary addition to this mathematical story.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and lively read that seamlessly incorporates beginning math concepts throughout. The rhyme flows quickly but you'll want to slow down a little to take in all of the colorful and charming illustrations. Highly recommend!

[Carrie Finison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has so many fun layers - rollicking rhyme and lots of wordplay (with ANT words incorporated into the text on almost every page), adorable and industrious ants building a perfect home, plus a math element. I really enjoyed it!

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Kerrific Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun! Great for K-2 age math, reading, and spelling. Great pictures, fun story, and delightful characters. This would make a great addition to any home or classroom.

[Bozhena Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun story incorporating addition and rhyme. Beautiful pictures further enhance the story.

[Ashley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read aloud. The rhyming, math, teamwork, surprise twist, etc. made this an entertaining read for my 5yo and I. He said he enjoyed the book.

[Patricia J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, ridiculously fun rhyming, and math?? A parent's dream and a child's very fun read!