This Is Not a Maths Book: A Smart Art Activity Book by Anna Weltman (Ivy Press)

Ivy Press's fantastic range of children's activity books continues to impress our socks off with this mathemagical and absorbing activity book for budding artists, just remember, "This Is Not A Maths Book"!
Say the words "Maths Books" and most kids (and quite a few adults, including me) will run screaming up the nearest tree to cower in fear of what such a book might contain.

So how can you balance the fascinating patterns and amazing numerical structures found in mathematics in a way to engage kids and adults who have a more creative and less logical brain?

In "This Is Not a Maths Book", Anna Weltman explores a rich collection of art activities designed to stimulate young minds and conquer that horrid fear that maths is all about dry equations and number crunching. It can also be about fabulous designs too!

Designing cool things with Diabolic Parabolic

Each exercise cuts down on the waffly wordcount and gets straight into the action, and with the above example you can see how the parabolic curve develops from straight lines across a grid axis. Charlotte and I were soon drawing our own Eiffel Towers using this method and it works really well!

Even the humble circle can become an intricate and beautiful pattern

We were soon completely drawn in by this one, and of course children will be encouraged to find out even more about how mathematics contributes to amazing art in a variety of ways (even just using a circular bottle top drawn around with a pencil can produce some stunning patterns and results).

"This Is Not a Maths Book" is utterly absorbing and fascinating stuff.

Charlotte's favourite bit: Using parabolic curves to make her own Eiffel Tower design

Daddy's favourite bit: A really fantastic and absorbing art activity book that's really different from the norm, and definitely recommended if kids are running out of things to do during the long summer hols

"This Is Not a Maths Book"

Written and Illustrated by Anna Weltman

Published by Ivy Press

Release Date (Softcover): April 5th 2015