Telling Time All the Time and Using Money at the Lemonade Stand are two books from Weekly Reader's "Math in Our World" series. These are leveled readers that show children how math is used in real-life situations. These books were written for traditional school classrooms. While the concept is interesting, the books have not been adapted for homeschool use, and the story lines are not very engaging.

Using Money at the Lemonade Stand is a Level 1 reader. Two boys set up a lemonade stand and sell small and large cups of lemonade for different prices. Various people come by their stand and purchase lemonade (including their teacher) using different combinations of coins and buying different combinations of cup sizes. This book is illustrated with photographs of the customers, and photographs of the cup sizes and coins used to purchase the lemonade. For example, on a page where the customer buys a large lemonade for 45 cents, there is a photograph of a red cup, one quarter, and two dimes. On another page where three small lemonades are purchased for 25 cents each, there is a photograph of three small blue cups and three quarters. At the end of the book the boys count their money and they have earned enough to buy their sister a present.

Telling Time All the Time is a Level 2 reader. This book is about the times different children do things throughout their days. On every page there is a photograph of the child doing the activity, along with an analog and a digital clock showing the time. For example, on the page about Henry having breakfast at 7:30, there is a photograph of a little boy eating breakfast with his family. On one side of the picture there is an analog clock showing the time and on the other side there is a digital clock showing the time. This book is definitely geared towards children who attend a traditional school, though, because the different activities include going to the bus stop, arriving at school, working at learning centers, attending art class, hearing the dismissal bell, participating in after-school activities, and doing homework.

The uninteresting story lines coupled with the many traditional school references make it difficult for me to recommend these readers to other homeschoolers.

Product review by Courtney Larson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2009