Grade 1 Math Book of the Week · October 19, 2026
The Grapes of Math
by Greg Tang
arithmetic More grade 1 books
Each page is a rhyming riddle with a picture to count: grapes, snails, cherries, butterflies. The catch? Counting one by one is the slow way. Kids learn to spot groups, make tens and use patterns to find the total in seconds.
Why it's useful
Most counting books reward patience. The Grapes of Math rewards thinking. Every riddle hides a shortcut, and the rhyme gives a hint about where to look.
- Grouping and making tens. Kids see that 3 + 7 and 6 + 4 snap together into tens, which is the start of real mental math.
- Subtracting to add. Some pictures are a full grid with a few pieces missing. Counting the "holes" and subtracting is faster than counting the pieces.
- Using symmetry and patterns. Matching rows and mirrored shapes become multiplication in disguise (3 rows of 4 is quicker than 12 ones).
- Number sense talk. There is more than one shortcut on most pages, so it is perfect for "How did you see it?" conversations.
The answers and explanations are at the back, so you can check the shortcut kids find against Greg Tang's.
Try it in class or at home
- Read one riddle, then cover the answer. Give kids 10 seconds to find the total, then ask two or three of them to share how they grouped the picture.
- "Don't count by ones" challenge. Anyone can use any shortcut except counting one at a time. Celebrate the cleverest grouping, not the fastest answer.
- Build your own riddle. Kids draw 10–20 objects arranged so there is a smart way to group them, then trade with a partner.
- Dot card warm-up. Flash a dot arrangement for 3 seconds and ask "How many, and how did you see it?" It is the same skill in under 5 minutes.