How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? (Mr. Tiffin's Classroom Series)

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Mr. Tiffin and his students explore skip counting and estimation in a fun pumpkin-themed classroom experiment! This book makes a wonderful read-aloud companion to any math or science curriculum, and it's a fun way to reinforce counting skills at home.

"How many seeds are in a pumpkin?" Mr. Tiffin asks his class as they gather around the big, medium, and small pumpkins on his desk. Robert, the biggest kid, guesses that the largest one has a million seeds; Elinor, sounding like she knows what she's talking about, guesses the medium one has 500 seeds; and Anna, who likes even numbers better than odd ones, guesses that the little one has 22. Charlie, the smallest boy in the class, doesn't have a guess.

Counting pumpkin seeds is messy business, but once the slimy job is done, to everyone's surprise, the smallest pumpkin has the most seeds! As Charlie happily exclaims, "Small things have a lot going on inside of them."

And don’t miss the newest addition to the Mr. Tiffin series, The Dinosaur Expert!

Margaret McNamara is the author of five other titles about Mr. Tiffin's class including How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, which was awarded the Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio Best Book Gold Award, and The Dinosaur Expert, which received three starred reviews. She is also the author of countless other picture books, including Vote for Our Future, which Kirkus Reviews called "essential" in a starred review. Ms. McNamara lives in New York City. View titles by Margaret McNamara
G. Brian Karas is the prolific, versatile, and award-winning illustrator of many books for children, including the beloved Mr. Tiffin’s Class series, A Hat for Mrs. Goldman by Michelle Edwards, which received three starred reviews, Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins, Are You Going to Be Good? by Cari Best, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and Home on the Bayou, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. He lives in the Hudson Valley of New York. View titles by G. Brian Karas
  • WINNER
    IRA Teachers' Choices
  • WINNER | 2007
    Christopher Award
  • NOMINEE
    Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices
  • NOMINEE
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Review, San Francisco Chronicle (circ: 329,989), September 30, 2007:
"There's quite a lot to learn about pumpkins in this book, which even a math-phobe can love, plus there's kids working together and having their minds opened once their assumptions are trounced. Karas' stylized illustrations capture the fun of an engaging, hands-on classroom project."
—Regan McMahon

About

Mr. Tiffin and his students explore skip counting and estimation in a fun pumpkin-themed classroom experiment! This book makes a wonderful read-aloud companion to any math or science curriculum, and it's a fun way to reinforce counting skills at home.

"How many seeds are in a pumpkin?" Mr. Tiffin asks his class as they gather around the big, medium, and small pumpkins on his desk. Robert, the biggest kid, guesses that the largest one has a million seeds; Elinor, sounding like she knows what she's talking about, guesses the medium one has 500 seeds; and Anna, who likes even numbers better than odd ones, guesses that the little one has 22. Charlie, the smallest boy in the class, doesn't have a guess.

Counting pumpkin seeds is messy business, but once the slimy job is done, to everyone's surprise, the smallest pumpkin has the most seeds! As Charlie happily exclaims, "Small things have a lot going on inside of them."

And don’t miss the newest addition to the Mr. Tiffin series, The Dinosaur Expert!

Author

Margaret McNamara is the author of five other titles about Mr. Tiffin's class including How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?, which was awarded the Oppenheimer Toy Portfolio Best Book Gold Award, and The Dinosaur Expert, which received three starred reviews. She is also the author of countless other picture books, including Vote for Our Future, which Kirkus Reviews called "essential" in a starred review. Ms. McNamara lives in New York City. View titles by Margaret McNamara
G. Brian Karas is the prolific, versatile, and award-winning illustrator of many books for children, including the beloved Mr. Tiffin’s Class series, A Hat for Mrs. Goldman by Michelle Edwards, which received three starred reviews, Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins, Are You Going to Be Good? by Cari Best, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and Home on the Bayou, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book. He lives in the Hudson Valley of New York. View titles by G. Brian Karas

Awards

  • WINNER
    IRA Teachers' Choices
  • WINNER | 2007
    Christopher Award
  • NOMINEE
    Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices
  • NOMINEE
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award

Praise

Review, San Francisco Chronicle (circ: 329,989), September 30, 2007:
"There's quite a lot to learn about pumpkins in this book, which even a math-phobe can love, plus there's kids working together and having their minds opened once their assumptions are trounced. Karas' stylized illustrations capture the fun of an engaging, hands-on classroom project."
—Regan McMahon

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