Goodnight,
Numbers

New York Times
Bestseller!

Praise for Goodnight, Numbers

“McKellar brings her enthusiasm for mathematics to a younger crowd in this gentle and well-executed counting book.” —Publishers Weekly
“The joys of counting combine with pretty art and homage to Goodnight Moon.” Kirkus

About Goodnight, Numbers

For fans of bedtime stories with a twist comes a math picture book by Danica McKellar—which sneaks in secret counting concepts on each page to help make your child smarter!

This deceptively simple bedtime book gives your child the building blocks for math success. As children say goodnight to the objects all around them—three wheels on a tricycle, four legs on a cat—they will connect with the real numbers in their world while creating cuddly memories, night after night.

Actress, math whiz, and New York Times bestselling author Danica McKellar uses her proven math success to show children that loving numbers is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Behind-the-scenes factoid:

We depict many different families in this book – fathers and sons, different ethnics backgrounds, etc. But this page is my son Draco & me – he’s always loved his 3 garbage can toys: trash, recycling, and green waste, haha! And that’s our dog, Spartacus on the couch!

Letter from the back of Goodnight, Numbers

Dear Parent/Grandparent/Caregiver,

Congratulations on putting your child on the path to a lifelong love of numbers!

As you probably know, there is an epidemic in this country of kids growing up learning to fear math, which of course can adversely affect their futures in countless ways. It’s a slow but steady process that begins at a very young age as they absorb the negative stereotypes surrounding math (that it’s foreign, scary, not needed in life) from the media – and even from family and friends. And with every day that passes in our increasingly tech-driven society, math becomes more and more critical for our children’s success.

The good news is, we have the power to do something about it! And what is the solution? Making sure our kids see math as “friendly” and relevant in their lives, and it’s never too soon to start.

In Goodnight, Numbers, each adorable spread shows its number as it exists in the real world – four legs on a cat, five points on a star, six sides on a block, etc. The objects weren’t randomly chosen: By reading this book every night, we are deliberately shaping how our children see math – as an approachable, integral part of their world.

So when you’re at the grocery store, point out the unit prices. When you cook, show them the fractions on the measuring cups. And when it comes time for bed, read books like this one, where I’ve snuck math education into stories that feel like playtime. You’ll be giving your child the priceless gift of confidence in math that will shape how they see themselves their entire lives – as strong, empowered citizens who understand the value of numbers… and who certainly aren’t going to let a little math scare them off.

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How To Get The Most Out Of Goodnight, Numbers:

  • Point out the difference between the numbers and the names of the numbers – for example, the number “3” versus the word “three.”
  • Look for what appear to be picture frames on the walls of each spread, and count the objects inside each one. These are actually “ten-frames” – a teaching tool your child will see in early elementary school which I have disguised as picture frames, in order to begin the process of familiarization.
  • Look for other objects to count on each page! There are many to choose from on each spread.
  • Take note of the endpapers at the very beginning and end of this book, which show many ways to express the same value – a fundamental concept throughout all of math.
  • You can even show your child how the book applies to their world – point out the six sides on one of the blocks in their room, or count the paws on your pet!

Come up with your own ideas, and send them to me at: share@danicamckellar.com

Happy Counting!

About Danica

Best known for her roles on The Wonder Years, The West Wing, and lately for her popular movies on Hallmark Channel, Danica McKellar is also a New York Times bestselling author of math books for kids, with over a million copies sold since 2007.  Starting with “Math Doesn’t Suck,” “Kiss My Math,” “Hot X,” and “Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape,” books aimed at middle school and high school readers, she wrote her first children’s picture book, “Goodnight Numbers” in 2017, followed by “Ten Magic Butterflies,” the “Bathtime Mathtime” series, and “Do Not Open This Math Book,” aimed at 6-8 year olds, introducing us to the sweet character of Mr. Mouse while helping kids parents and teachers everywhere with Common Core addition and subtraction! She is also an internationally-recognized mathematician and advocate for math education. A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA with a degree in Mathematics, Danica has been honored in Britain’s esteemed Journal of Physicsand the New York Times for her work in mathematics, most notably for her role as co-author of a ground-breaking mathematical physics theorem which bears her name (The Chayes-McKellar-Winn Theorem). She is incredibly proud that “Goodnight Numbers” was selected for inclusion in Dolly Parton’s literacy charity, The Imagination Library, and her voice can be heard narrating its documentary debuting in Spring 2020.

The Times Machine! is Danica’s 10th book and comes out June 30th, 2020.

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