Picture books with geometry content | NZ Maths

The Ministry is migrating nzmaths content to Tāhurangi.
Relevant and up-to-date teaching resources are being moved to Tāhūrangi (tahurangi.education.govt.nz).
When all identified resources have been successfully moved, this website will close. We expect this to be in June 2024.
e-ako maths, e-ako Pāngarau, and e-ako PLD 360 will continue to be available.

For more information visit https://tahurangi.education.govt.nz/updates-to-nzmaths

Level 1 geometry

Nanny Mihi’s treasure hunt, by Melanie Drewery Publisher: Reed ISBN: 1869486811 This book may no longer be available for purchase. Activity based on this book.
Description	Nanny Mihi enlists the help of her visiting mokopuna to find a misplaced box of treasures.
Mathematics	3-shapes and geometry vocabulary.
A lion in the night, by Pamela Allen Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton ISBN: 9780140509397 Activity based on this book.
Description	A lion steals a baby from the castle and takes her on a wild ride through the night. The members of the court have to follow the lion's path.
Mathematics	Directions and pathways.
Pepetuna, by Denise Whitmore Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 9780143504962 This book may no longer be available for purchase. Activity based on this book.
Description	The life cycle of a Pepetuna moth in relation to the life of a child.
Mathematics	Symmetry (Level 1), timelines (Level 2).
Perfect Square, by Michael Hall Publisher: Greenwillow ISBN: 9780061915130
Description	A square reinvents itself over the week as it changes shape through a series of misadventures.
Mathematics	2D shape.
They all saw a cat, by Brendan Wenzel Publisher: Chronicle Books ISBN: 9781452150130
Description	This book follows the adventures of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. In this case, how cats look very different depending on your point of view.
Mathematics	Position and orientation, and spatial awareness.

Level 2 geometry

The greedy triangle, by Marilyn Burns Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks ISBN: 9780545042208 Activity based on this book.
Description	A story about a triangle that wants to change its number of sides.
Mathematics	Features of shapes.
My Map Book, by Sara Fanelli Publisher: Walker Books ISBN: 9780060264550 Activity based on this book.
Description	A look at mapping from a variety of perspectives including the neighbourhood, family map, and a bedroom.
Mathematics	Maps.
Perfect Square, by Michael Hall Publisher: Greenwillow ISBN: 9780061915130
Description	A square reinvents itself over the week as it changes shape through a series of misadventures.
Mathematics	2D shape.
They all saw a cat, by Brendan Wenzel Publisher: Chronicle Books ISBN: 9781452150130
Description	This book follows the adventures of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. In this case, how cats look very different depending on your point of view.
Mathematics	Position and orientation, and spatial awareness.

Level 3 geometry

The warlord's puzzle, by Virginia Walton Pilegard Publisher: Pelican ISBN: 1565544951 Activity based on this book.
Description	The geometric puzzle, the tangram, is explored in the context of a challenge issued by an ancient Chinese warlord to put a tile broken into 7 pieces back together again.
Mathematics	Shape.
A cloak for the dreamer, by Aileen Friedman Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780590489874 Activity based on this book.
Description	The tailor's three sons explore shapes that fit together as they make cloaks for the Archduke.
Mathematics	Tesselation.
Zoom, by Istvan Banyai Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780140557749
Description	A wordless book that explores magnification and enlargement.
Mathematics	Transformation.
Re-Zoom, by Istvan Banyai Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780140556940 Activity based on this book.
Description	A wordless book that explores magnification and enlargement
Mathematics	Transformation.
The Emperor's Army, by Virginia Walton Pilegard Publisher: Pelican ISBN: 1589806905 Activity based on this book.
Description	The discovery of the Terra-cotta Army provides the main character with the opportunity to uncover the mystery of its creation and explore the concept of volume.
Mathematics	Volume, space.
The Warlord's Kites, by Virginia Walton Pilegard Publisher: Pelican ISBN: 1589801806 Activity based on this book.
Description	The characters use their understanding of how to calculate area as a way to create kites and frighten away and invading army.
Mathematics	Area, 2-D shape.

Level 4 geometry

A cloak for the dreamer, by Aileen Friedman Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780590489874 Activity based on this book.
Description	The tailor's three sons explore shapes that fit together as they make cloaks for the Archduke.
Mathematics	Tesselation.
Zoom, by Istvan Banyai Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780140557749
Description	A wordless book that explores magnification and enlargement.
Mathematics	Transformation.
Re-Zoom, by Istvan Banyai Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780140556940 Activity based on this book.
Description	A wordless book that explores magnification and enlargement
Mathematics	Transformation.
The Emperor's Army, by Virginia Walton Pilegard Publisher: Pelican ISBN: 1589806905 Activity based on this book.
Description	The discovery of the Terra-cotta Army provides the main character with the opportunity to uncover the mystery of its creation and explore the concept of volume.
Mathematics	Volume, space.
The Warlord's Kites, by Virginia Walton Pilegard Publisher: Pelican ISBN: 1589801806 Activity based on this book.
Description	The characters use their understanding of how to calculate area as a way to create kites and frighten away and invading army.
Mathematics	Area, 2-D shape.