Fables of the Times Tables

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“Surely, you have heard about the magic of tears in fables. Well, so
many tears of frustration have been shed over the bleak land of the
times tables that at last the hard shell of the numbers washed thin, and
their inner life peeked out and sprouted into a gang of flesh and blood.
9 is Egghead who loves math. 7 is not just seven but Hunter, who is so
fond of shooting that his gun seems to be a permanent part of his body.
5 is Willie Moneybags, the banker’s son. 2, 3 and 6 are Horsie, Monkey
and Snake. 0 is Zero Zeronominous, the God of numbers. Without him,
mathematics would be almost impossible as the Romans found out.”

Some people thrive on rote learning while others cannot keep raw
information like the times tables trapped in their brains. For the
latter group, author/teacher Brigitte E. Kortright is offering a
different approach. Studies have proven that some people remember
information better if it is presented in a rhyme or story. Kortright has
created fables for the times tables. Each number has been personified
with a quirky little cartoon character. Each mathematical equation is
represented by a story. The only drawback is that the plots of some of
Kortright’s fables are so convoluted that the reader takes a long walk
to get to a short point. Still, this is a real alternative to rote
learning. Recommended.