Author: Angeline Sparagna LoPresti
Illustrator: Phyllis Hornung
One-Sentence Plot Summary: The number zero feels alone and worthless, but discovers that he may be the most valuable number of all.
I automatically dislike kids' books that are blatantly educational, especially ones that are as long as this one. When I read the subtitle, "A Math Adventure," I lowered my expectations.
However, the author succeeds in delivering a story that is interesting and imaginative, albeit about 10 pages too long. The land of Digiteria has colorful characters, like King Multiplus and Count Infinity, and unique machines, like the Numberator. The pictures are just average.
The author creates a fun way for kids to think about addition and multiplication. However, I think this author's talents would be better served writing stories for their own merit, not as a backwards attempt to teach math. I think she missed a chance to really create a memorable story, and instead tried to jam it into an educational premise that likely hindered her creative genius.
Rating: 3 stars
Worth Getting from the Library: Yes
Worth Buying: No
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