The Metric System

by David A Adler (Author) Ed Miller (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Think metric! A fun illustrated primer on the internationally recognized metric system for kids.

Used in almost every country in the world, the metric system is an easy-to-use way of calculating length, distance, weight, and volume. Look at the label of a soft drink. You'll see both ounces and milliliters or gallons and liters listed. For kids who love to interact with their environment and measure and build things, knowledge of the metric system is a must.

Filled with do-it-yourself activities, bright illustrations, and valuable kid-friendly information on how to convert inches into centimeters, pounds into kilograms, and much more, this latest from trusted STEM creators David A. Adler and Edward Miller will have kids thinking in metric in no time. Each book includes a ruler with metric and imperial measurements that can be cut out from the jacket flaps.

David A. Adler and Edward Miller have collaborated on over 10 math books for children, many of which have received praise from educators and starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal.

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

Readers familiar with Adler and Miller's work will feel at home with this title as well. . . . The book is perfect for the mathematically minded reader, and educators and caregivers will also find this useful as a teaching tool. . . . Add this to your nonfiction list. 

ALA/Booklist

Besides depicting the kids learning the metric system, the lively digital illustrations help readers visualize the metric measurements for length (or distance), weight, and volume. . . . Along the way, Adler explains how to convert a measurement from one system to the other and suggests practical, hands-on activities to help readers become more comfortable with the metric system. With few children's books available on metric measurement, this useful resource will be an excellent addition to many library collections.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4--This picture book provides clear, colorful, informative graphics and friendly, knowledgable prose. The text states that when a person measures an object using the metric system or the English system, the measurements are equivalent. Readers are introduced to linear measurement (length and distance), weight, liquid measurement, and volume in the metric and English system. There are many illustrations that support the text and aid readers' comprehension of the concepts discussed. For example, one scene depicts the height of several famous landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty and the Pyramid of Giza, in feet and meters. Another illustration shows a map of the distance between several cities in miles and kilometers. Several activities are included. One activity suggests that readers make a copy of the ruler in the book that shows both inches and centimeters. Then, they are instructed to measure some of the illustrations and other items using both systems. Another activity is to collect labels from food items found in the pantry, note the English system weights and metric weights, and then create a chart of the English and corresponding metric measurements. There are also directions on how to make a liter cube. The narrative's characters are identified as two children named Jennifer and Robert. Jennifer is drawn with brown skin and black pigtails. Robert has light skin and red hair. VERDICT The mix of informative text and hands-on activities make this an excellent introduction to the metric system.--Myra Zarnowski, City Univ. of New York

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

A fun book about the metric system? Seriously? No kidding: David Adler's hands-on guide to metric measurement packs at least a kiloliter of fun into its pages.—The Virginian Pilot

David A Adler
David A. Adler is a former math teacher and author of more than two hundred books for children. He has collaborated on several science picture books with Anna Raff, including Light Waves and Magnets Push, Magnets Pull, both named finalists for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. He is also the author of the Picture Book Biography series and the Cam Jansen mystery series. He lives in New York.

Edward Miller is a former children's book art director who loves to make concepts clear to kids and has demonstrated that in his previous nonfiction books. School Library Journal praised his Alphabeep: A Zipping, Zooming ABC by Debora Pearson as "stunningly illustrated." He illustrates a variety of products for kids in addition to books. He lives in Beacon, New York. Follow him on Instagram @edelementary.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780823440962
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Holiday House
Publication date
November 03, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV000000 - Juvenile Fiction | General
Library of Congress categories
Weights and measures
Metric system
Physical measurements
Measurements
Units of measurement

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