cover image Multiply on the Fly

Multiply on the Fly

Suzanne Slade, illus. by Erin E. Hunter. Sylvan Dell, $16.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-60718-128-6

In rhyming verse Slade describes the physical features and behaviors of insects while introducing a multiplication question: "Four lovely luna moths/ rest upon a pine./ Each one spans three inches./ How long is the luna line? 4x3=?" Readers won't find hints or answers on the spreads; for that they can turn to the extensive back matter, which includes a multiplication table and information about the insects. Hunter demonstrates care in her naturalistic illustrations of such species as dragonflies, honeybees, pirate bugs, spittlebugs, and butterflies. Ages 4%E2%80%939. (Aug.)