Talia's Codebook for Mathletes by Marissa Moss
Happy, happy Tuesday! I'm thrilled Marissa Moss stopped by to celebrate Talia's Codebook for Mathletes' book birthday! I wrote the words in purple, and she wrote the words in black . Thank you, Marissa! Talia’s Codebook for Mathletes tells the story o f how Talia tries to crack the many codes of Middle School where suddenly everything is so much more complicated than it was in elementary school, like where you sit for lunch, the clothes you wear, how you make friends. Talia tries to use what she knows about math and secret codes, with their clear right and wrong answers, to figure out all the new hidden social rules she can't understand. Talia wishes that Dash, her best friend for many years, will still be her best friend, not drop her because of some strange, new middle-school rule that says boys can't be friends with girls unless they're girlfriends. Talia doodles and makes up codes as a way of trying to figure out the world around her, put it in terms she can understand. Story is one of the best ways we have to figure out what's happening with ourselves and the world around us. We all tell stories about who we are, what we do, to give shape and meaning to our lives. And we read stories to experience other people's lives and situations, to time travel, to explore, to expand ourselves. School librarians are essential for getting the right book in front of each student. They know how to encourage a love of reading, of asking questions, of exploring places that help us grow. And they know how to show just how magical a book can be, what incredible gifts stories bring us. John Schu, you should have asked me what math can possibly have to do with stories or anything creative. Talia likes to write and draw as well as do math and she's looking for ways to connect these interests. The art teacher in the book shows her how much of art is based on math and how much math is artistic. The same is true for a lot of literature, stories that have connections to mathematical thinking. We tend to consider math and creative arts polar opposites, when they aren't that way at all. I'm hoping Talia's Codebook makes math less scary, more fun, for a lot of readers. I want them to be inspired to make codebooks of their own! Congratulations, Marissa! Borrow Talia's Codebook for Mathletes from your school or public library. Whenever possible, please support independent bookshops.
