About This Book
Reach for this book when your child starts to see math as a chore or a series of dry formulas that do not make sense. It is the perfect antidote for the 'when will I ever use this?' phase, transforming arithmetic from a school subject into a collection of impressive secrets and superpower-like shortcuts. By focusing on the playful and slightly rebellious side of numbers, the book builds a sense of mastery and intellectual curiosity. The content is lighthearted and humorous, using funny scenarios and quirky characters to explain complex concepts like the power of zero or how to calculate square roots in your head. It fosters a feeling of pride and accomplishment as children realize they can solve puzzles that might stump their teachers or parents. Designed for the 8 to 12 age range, it is an excellent choice for building confidence in reluctant learners or providing extra fuel for the math-obsessed student.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
None.
Ideal Reader
An 8 to 10-year-old who feels frustrated by standard classroom drills but loves puzzles, or a 12-year-old who enjoys showing off clever 'life hacks' and logical shortcuts to their friends.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. Parents might want to try some of the card tricks or calculation shortcuts along with their child to reinforce the fun of shared discovery. A child complaining that math is boring, useless, or too difficult, or a child who is struggling with self-esteem related to their school performance in STEM subjects.
Age Experience
Younger children (8-9) will focus on the humor and the simpler tricks, like the multiplication shortcuts. Older children (11-12) will better grasp the underlying logic and the more complex probability and formula-based puzzles.
What Makes It Special
Unlike standard textbooks or even other educational supplements, this book treats math as a 'taboo' or 'secret' skill set. It uses the 'Murderous Maths' style of irreverent British humor to lower the stakes and make high-level concepts feel accessible and mischievous.
Read plot summary
This is a non-fiction STEM book that presents arithmetic through a lens of humor and trickery. It covers a wide range of mathematical concepts including rapid calculation shortcuts, the logic of zero, prime numbers, and probability. The narrative is framed through humorous scenarios, such as the foul formulas of Professor Fiendish, designed to make the reader feel like an insider in a secret world of math experts.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Professor Fiendish uses math to try and trick people. How can knowing math help you protect yourself from being fooled in real life?
2
Which shortcut was the most surprising to you? Why do you think school teaches the long way instead of the 'trick' way?
3
The book talks about how 'nothing' (zero) can actually mean 'something.' Can you think of a time when having 'zero' of something is a very important piece of information?
4
If you could invent your own math trick to impress your friends, what would you want it to do?
