Notable for its clean design, this brightly illustrated book introduces the idea that fractions, decimals, and percents are different ways of saying the same thing. An introduction is followed by a picture of a single gym shoe and the explanatory words, 1/2 of a pair of shoes, .50, and 50%. The next 14 double-page spreads follow the same pattern: a large, sharply defined photo and large-print text that defines the picture in terms of its subject along with three ways of expressing it numerically. But while 1/10 of your toes (smartly illustrated with a big toe poking through the hole in a sock) is .10 or 10%, some of the decimal numbers and percentages are rounded-off approximations: 1/7 of a week is not exactly .14 or 14% of a week. If that's close enough for a teacher's purposes, then this attractive book will fit the bill. However, those who value the precision of mathematics will be disappointed that Gifford chose to use inexact equivalencies without at least mentioning the useful concepts of rounding and approximation. This is, nevertheless, a promising first book for Gifford, an elementary-school teacher, and another striking visual interpretation from Thaler, the photographer who illustrated George Levenson's Pumpkin Circle (2002).

After a compact but clear and thorough explanation of the relationship among fractions, decimals, and percentages, Gifford gives examples: "1/12 of a dozen eggs / .08 / 8%," etc. Each example faces a large, striking photo of the featured object, bordered by solid color bars for a neat graphic effect. The examples ("1/10 of your toes"; "1/3 of a traffic light") are well chosen and original.

Math classes in the upper elementary grades and middle school are the logical audience for this deceptively simple work that shows the correlation between numerical amounts expressed as fractions, decimals, and percentages. Each left-hand page uses the repeating pattern of a fraction, a few descriptive words in colored type, and then the corresponding decimal and percentage. Right-hand pages show an attractive photograph of the object under discussion against bright borders. Some of the examples are easy to comprehend (3/4 of a sandwich, .75, and 75%) and others are more complex (1/12 of a dozen eggs, .08, and 8%). A juicy piece of pizza on the front cover is complemented by the rest of the pizza on the back cover, and the concept of a whole (1 whole pizza, 1.00, 100%) is the concluding spread. This clever idea will work best when introduced to students by a mathematically literate adult. (author's note) (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-13)

Gr 3-5-The striking photography in this book will not only whet an occasional appetite, but also satisfy the need for a visual treatment of the topic. Opposite three written representations of the same portion-a fraction, a decimal, and a percent-Thaler contributes clear, close-up illustrations. The large photographs framed in bands of bold color draw the eye from the matching numeral equivalents. While the examples include the tried-and-true pieces of pie and pizza and quarter of a dollar, Gifford relates more unusual divisions of a whole to illustrate other fractions: 1/7 of a week and 1/11 of a soccer team offer a fresh look at other portions. This simple text, paired with large vibrant art, provides a startlingly clear mathematical perspective.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.