Who's the better hopper? Matty, the tall frog? Or Moe, who's just plain big? Only a hopping contest can settle the matter. It takes Moe only five hops to make it to the big rock. Matty needs two more hops. So how many hops did Matty take? (5 hops + 2 hops = ?). The happy hoppers keep going until—splash!—they're in the pond.

Knowing how equations are built is central to children's learning how to interpret and write number sentences.

MathStart is an award-winning series by Stuart J. Murphy that teaches math through stories and visual models. Young readers find the stories engaging and relatable, because each story revolves around practical applications of the math concept being presented and features lively art from top-notch illustrators.

Charts and other visual representations help children understand how the math works and promote deeper comprehension. This unique combination of stories, illustrations, and visual models helps teachers and parents in the teaching of math and provides all children with the opportunity to succeed.

The 63-book series is divided into three levels with 21 books in each. The math concepts taught in MathStart books conform to state and national standards. Level 1 is Pre-K–Kindergarten; Level 2 is Grades 1–3; Level 3 is Grades 2–4. The series follows math topics across grades so there is a foundational path to learning that runs through the levels.