As with adult books, there are a plethora of math books aimed at children and young adults. The following lists only a very few that enlist stories, riddles, or other methods to explain mathematics:

A to Z of Women in Science and Math by Lisa Yount (Facts on File, 2007; ISBN 10: 9780816066957) examines 150 women who have added to our knowledge of mathematics. For ages 9 to 12.

The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat by Theoni Pappas (Wide World Publishing, 1997; ISBN: 1884550142)—This story tells of Penrose the cat as he explores and experiences a variety of mathematical concepts, including infinity, the golden rectangle, and impossible figures. For ages 9 to 12.

The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Rotraut Susanne Berner, and Michael Henry Heim (Metropolitan Books; Reprint edition, 2000; ISBN: 0805062998)—This great humorous book for kids is about mathematics. It begins when young Robert’s dreams take a decided turn for the weird. Instead of falling down holes and such adventures typical in many children’s dreams, in Robert’s 12 dreams, he visits a bizarre magical land of number tricks with the number devil as his host. For ages 9 to 12.

The Grapes of Math by Gregory Tang (Scholastic Press, 2001; ISBN: 043921033X)—This story offers a series of counting riddles and encourages the reader to find shortcuts to determining the mathematical answers by looking for patterns, symmetries, and familiar number combinations. For ages 9 to 12.

Mummy Math: An Adventure in Geometry by Cindy Neuschwander (Square Fish, 2009; ISBN: 0312561172)—The author takes the reader on a fictional trip through a pyramid, incorporating a bit of mathematics along the way. For ages 4 to 8.

How Big Is a Foot? by Rolf Myller (Yearling; Reissue edition, 1991; ISBN: 0440404959)—A humorous picture book that begins: “Once upon a time there lived a King and his wife, the Queen….” From there, the book explains to readers ages 4 to 8 a concept in measurement—the foot—and why it’s necessary to have measurement standards.