Do you use picture books when you teach fractions? If you get to know our family, it won’t take long to realize how much we value we place on picture books in our home and classroom. They are such amazing tools for learning for people of all ages. I cannot think of a topic that we teach for which we cannot find a great picture book to enhance our instruction! Teaching fractions is no exception. We all know that teaching kids to fully understand fractions can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. Picture books not only provide visual representations of fractions but also weave in stories that make the mathematical concepts more relatable. Here are eight picture books for teaching fractions that we love! I encourage you to incorporate and enjoy some of these gems with your kids!

1. The Lion’s Share: A Tale of Halving Cake and Eating It, Too by Matthew McElligott

This delightful book is a great introduction to fractions. It tells the story of a lion who hosts a dinner party where the guests greedily divide a cake into increasingly smaller pieces. The book provides a humorous and visually engaging way to explore the concept of halving and how fractions represent parts of a whole. It’s perfect for helping students understand the basics of fraction division.

2. Full House: An Invitation to Fractions by Dayle Ann Dodds

“Full House” takes place in the Strawberry Inn, where guests arrive one by one until the inn is full. Each time a new guest arrives, the innkeeper serves them a fraction of a pie. This provides a fun and easy way to introduce students to the concept of fractions. The repetitive structure of the story helps reinforce understanding, and it’s a great way to connect fractions to real-life situations.

3. Gator Pie by Louise Mathews

In “Gator Pie,” two alligators find a pie and decide to share it. However, as more alligators arrive, they have to keep dividing the pie into smaller fractions. This book is another excellent picture book choice for teaching students about dividing fractions and the idea of fairness in sharing. The simple, relatable story makes it easy for students to grasp the concept of fractions and how they can be divided.

4. Piece = Part = Portion: Fractions = Decimals = Percents by Scott Gifford

When it comes to picture books for teaching fractions, this book has been a staple in my classroom for many years. For kids in upper elementary this is such a fantastic resource for helping them connect fractions with decimals and percentages. The vibrant photographs and clear explanations help students visualize the relationship between these three mathematical concepts. I have found that it is particularly useful for teaching students how fractions can be converted into decimals and percentages, making it an ideal choice for deeper fraction lessons. This is a book I come back to time and again and would highly encourage you to make it part of your classroom library!

5. Apple Fractions by Jerry Pallotta

As you probably guessed from the name, “Apple Fractions” uses apples to teach fractions. This helps to make this book a highly engaging and relatable book for all students. Each page demonstrates how apples can be divided into halves, thirds, fourths, and beyond. The book is great for introducing the concept of fractions, as well as for visualizing and comparing different fractions. Because the familiar context of apples makes fractions lessons fun and memorable, it is not a book your kiddos will soon forget.

6. Fractions in Disguise by Edward Einhorn

“Fractions in Disguise” is a clever and entertaining story about a boy named George who LOVES fractions. But, when a valuable fraction turns up missing, George transforms into a detective to track it down, teaching students about equivalent fractions along the way. This book is excellent for introducing or reinforcing the concept of equivalent fractions to kids in upper elementary. Not only that, this story is also a great one to use to encourage students to think critically and be problem solve problems! You’ve got to check this book out! It will be a great addition to your fraction lessons.

7. Fraction Fun by David Adler

“Fraction Fun” is one of the most straightforward, informative picture books for teaching fractions that that breaks down the concepts in a way that is easy for students to understand. It covers a wide range of fraction topics, from basic fractions to adding and subtracting them. The book is filled with colorful illustrations and examples, making it a great resource for introducing and reinforcing fraction concepts in the classroom. This is one I come back to many times as kids progress in their fractional learning. I often like to refer back to just one particular page or illustration in this book as the kids are learning new concepts. This book has come in handy every single year of teaching and I can’t recommend grabbing a copy of this book enough!

8. “If You Were a Fraction” by Trisha Speed Shaskan

This book is part of the “Math Fun” series. “If You Were a Fraction” takes a creative approach to explaining fractions by personifying them. The book uses imaginative illustrations and scenarios to show how fractions work in various situations. I have found this book to be a fun and engaging way to help students grasp the basic concept of fractions and understand how they are used in everyday life. It is a great book to use as students begin to build their understanding of fractions.

Using picture books to teach fractions should be a go-to strategy. They are great for fraction lessons that are engaging and understandable for big kids. Each of these books are great tools to help you supplement your instruction and build on your lessons. They give everything from basic introductions of fractions to more complex applications . We believe these books are great tools to have on hand in any classroom. When you incorporate these stories into your math lessons, you can help your students develop a solid understanding of fractions. Not only that, you can keep them interested and excited about learning. We hope you find these books helpful and wish you all the best on your teaching adventure this year!

Save These Books for Later

If you think any of these books would be ones you would like to try out with your kids this year, let me encourage you to save this post to one of your favorite Pinterest boards. This will make it easy come back to it when the time is right! Wishing you many blessings!