Stuart J. Murphy
Personal Information
Description
Stuart J. Murphy was born and raised in Rockville, Connecticut. During school, he found that he loved drawing and writing fiction. In 1964, he received a B.F.A. from Rhode Island School of Design. After graduating, he became the art director of The Art Gallery Magazine for three years. He then worked as a consultant for educational publishing companies, promoting the use of both visual and verbal communication to present math concepts to children. This experience inspired him to write his own series of books, called the MathStart series. In 1992, he became a full-time writer, consultant, and lecturer. The first MathStart book, The Best Bug Parade, was published in 1996, and he has gone on to produce more than 60 more. He divides his time between Boston, Massachusetts, and Tuscany, Italy.
Books
Good job, Ajay!
Ajay's friends encourage him as he practices throwing a ball. Includes questions about the text and notes to parents on visual learning.
Percy plays it safe
After playing boisterously at the playground, Stuart learns how to keep himself and his friends safe and still have a good time. Includes questions about the text and a note to parents about visual learning.
Emma's friendwich
After moving to a new home, Emma makes friends with the girl next door. Includes questions about the text and notes to parents about visual learning.
100 days of cool
Four students arrive on the first day of school looking cool and their teacher challenges them to keep it up as they count down one hundred days to a cool celebration.
Treasure map
An old map leads the members of the Elm Street Kids' Club to a buried time capsule.
Tally O'Malley
On a car trip to the beach, the O'Malley family children compete by playing games together.
Earth Day- Hooray!
A drive to recycle cans on Earth Day teaches the children of the Maple Street School Save-the-Planet Club about place value.
Sluggers' car wash
When the 21st Street Sluggers, a baseball team, have a car wash to raise money, they learn to keep careful track of their dollars and cents.
One-- two-- three-- Sassafras!
At a family reunion, the cousins line up in order of their ages to get their pictures taken, introducing the concept of numerical order.
The shark swimathon
As members of a swim team do laps to qualify for swim camp, readers can practice subtracting two-digit numbers to see how many laps are left to go.
Probably pistachio
Readers are introduced to the concept of probability in a story about a boy who has a day in which nothing goes right.
Monster musical chairs
As six monsters play a wild game of musical chairs, readers learn to subtract--one chair at a time.
Let's fly a kite
Two squabbling siblings learn about symmetry when their babysitter helps them build and fly a kite.
Game time
Calendars and clocks keep track of passing time as the Huskies prepare for and compete in the championship soccer game against the Falcons.