Grade 5 Math Book of the Week · October 19, 2026
Math Curse
by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
general More grade 5 books
When Mrs. Fibonacci tells her class that almost everything can be thought of as a math problem, one student wakes up the next day seeing math everywhere, from breakfast and getting dressed to lunch lines and allowance.
Why it's useful
Math Curse is a hilarious way to show kids that math is everywhere, and that noticing it is a superpower.
- Real-world problems. Time, money, fractions, measurement and estimation pop up in everyday moments.
- Problem-posing, not just solving. Kids see how ordinary situations turn into questions, which is a key math skill.
- Some questions are silly on purpose. Spotting which ones make no sense builds critical thinking.
Try it in class or at home
- Curse your own day. Kids write five math problems from their own morning routine.
- Swap and solve. Partners trade problems, solve them and check each other's work.
- Is it answerable? Pick some of the book's questions and sort them: has enough information or needs more.
- Class "curse" wall. Post the best everyday math problems the class finds over the week.