Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations [Paperback]

Poetry + Math + Science = A new way of looking at spring. Now in paperback!

Math meets metaphor in this eye-opening exploration of spring. Each clever equation is a tiny, perfect poem that prompts readers to look at the ordinary and see the miraculous. Can you look at an egg in a nest and see a jewelry box? How are sunlight and heat like an alarm clock?

Engaging sidebars reveal the science behind the signs of spring. Young mathmaticians and scientists will delight in this springtime read! Equation poems explore the science and poetry behind the processes of nature. I am in awe of the scientific processes that make sunsets, storms, and, of course, spring, states Salas. Her volume begins with late-winter scenes in New England as spring tiptoes in. Each page is a pleasing mix of colorful tissue-paper collage art, equation poems, and a bit of lively exposition discussing the science behind the equations. Riverbank + otters = playground features otters at play and text stating that In spring, otters slip and slide in the dirty, slushy snow. No mittens. No hats. Just messy, muddy, mucky fun. A pair of brown-skinned siblings initially decked out in colorful winter garb are on hand in some scenes, their clothes changing with the seasons. The children's sense of fun and wonder enhances each scene they are in. One particularly beautiful page offers 1 dandelion x 1 breath = 100 parachutes. It appears opposite the dusk + skunks = parade equation, but happily, skunks are nocturnal, as the text informs readers. Not every equation adds up, though. Is stampede the best word in stream + snowmelt = stampede! ? All in all, though, beautifully original art complements the fun of the playful poetry. Poetry + art = beauty.
—Kirkus Reviews

From Salas’ point of view, “science + poetry = surprise!” Celebrating the natural world as wil³%