Sir Cumference and the First Round Table

By Cindy Neuschwander

When a conference table causes more problems than the threat of your enemy, enter Sir Cumference, his wife Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius. With the help of the carpenter, Geo of Metry, this sharp-minded team designs the perfect table conducive to discussing the perfect peace plan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charlesbridge
• Release date: Apr 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781607341499

Book preview

Reviews for Sir Cumference and the First Round Table

[Paul Agabin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nice drawing. Love the story. Easy to understand. Love medieval. Very creative. More books like this please.

[larisaawhite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Part of a series of fun, Medieval adventure stories that introduce mathematical concepts for young readers. This one introduces a bit of plane geometry, including the concepts of radii, circumferences, and diameters.

[rbradfute-756080 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table, is overall a very helpful book for math students. Joining Sir Cumference, Lady Di a Ameter, and their son Radius for this adventure into the world of problem solving. The bravest knights must come up with the solutions to the math problem along the way. Overall, the classroom would for sure love this read because, its taking the concept of math and taking the students on a fun and problem solving adventure. They will learn all about wordplay, puns, and geometry throughout the read.

[kodonnell-440231 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a funny book involving a knight Sir Cumference and his wife Lady Di. They help King Arthur decide on a round table with the help of their son Radius. This would be great for a geometry class as it has quite a few shapes they try and explains the relationship between radius and diameter.

[aks067 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this book King Arthur trys to gather with his knights at their table. Sir Cumference and all the others realize the shape of the table is causing problems with their meeting. They figure out the shape the table should be for perfect seating. I gave this book a four because it is really long but it gives a good visual of what geometry is. This is a good book to read when students are being introduced to circles and diameters. If you work hard enough you will figure out your problem.

[jillian.wehman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I apprecited that this book because it looked into the different parts of a circle and a variety of other parts of geometry. The story raised the conversation of parts of geometry and explained it plainly for students that could be struggling. It also incorporated that everyone has a seat at the table, which is important.

[lmhtwb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This children's book helps children in grades 2-5 see the connections between various polygons and a circle. The properties of each polygon are used in the story. Mathematically it is sound and the author does explain the material in a very nice child-friendly manner. Adults will enjoy the plethora of puns. As a high school math teacher, I do use this book to both reinforce the properties and to show students a good example of a math book for children (and then I assign them the project to make their own story book on a math topic). My only complaint is the colors in the illustrations is a bit too wild -- tone down some of the contrasts would help the appearance.

[kgeorge_68 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is another excellent book to use in a math class as a supplemental reference when teaching geometry, specifically circles. The story is about King Arthur and his court who encounter problems when they have to yell at each other across the rectangular table in order to communicate. King Arthur calls in knight Sir Cumference and maiden Lady Di of Ameter to solve the problem. They finally come upon a solution with a round table. The book is a great teaching tool for students to learn about circumference, radius, and diameter. The author mixes historical fact with fiction. The students enjoy the pictures that accompany the story.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wish we'd learned mathematics with help from this series! Effective, and fun too. And the art is appropriately lively & clear as well.

[davis22-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sir Cumference is having trouble fitting all of his knights at the table for dinner. He tries all different kinds of shapes, but his best minds eventually figure out the very best shape for the job, and the rest is history!

[engpunk77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Clever, enjoyable, humorous, and it taught my son about Diameter, Radius, and Circumference better than weeks of instruction in public school on the topic.

[crfonten · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is wonderful! Throughout the book the author has played on words, giving the reader even more enjoyment when reading the book. Students will enjoy this book as it not only teaches math, but also has a good story to go along with it.

[landism_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

•Sir Cumference and the First Round Table is one of the most interesting introductions to math concepts I've seen. King Arthur and his knights are planning for battle with their neighbors, known as the Circumscribers. Unfortunately, King Arthur and the knights are dissatisfied with the table they must sit at. It is up to Sir Cumference, his wife Lady Di of Ameter, and their son Radius to figure out which shape is the perfect shape for the table. This book has easy-to-understand illustrations of geometric shapes as well as clear definitions for the diameter, radius, and circumference of a circle. This book is lots of fun, especially if you like math and puns! I also think the story of King Arthur and his knights surrounds the math in a way that makes the math more palatable to reluctant math students. I could definitely see reading this book to upper elementary or perhaps middle school students who are still working to master the circumference, diameter, and radius of a circle.

[kaitlinc23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Genre: FantasyLevel: Intermediate 4-6 This book is a good example of fantasy because it is set in medieval times and a knight is sent on a mission and uses geometry terms to help him. This is a good book to use for geometry and circumference, to help give a visual understanding.

[mchristman_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is good example of fantasy because it includes elements like knights, castles, and King Arthur's court. It is also a good example of an informational text because it gives accurate information about the different measurements of circles.Grade Level: Intermediate

[messerpicks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great addition to teaching about circumference, radius, and diameter. Again love Sir Cumference and Lady Di! So clever!  

[awidmer06 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Genre: Historical fiction/Informational Age Appropriateness: Primary/IntermediateReview: This book is a good example of historical fiction because the imaginative tale of the past reflects historic facts in the text. In the book, the knights have a meeting but are unable to solve any matters because they sit at such a long table where everyone has to shout to be heard. Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter are challenged to find a solution. Readers explore the castle, watch a tournament, and ride along with Sir Cumference as he searches for the shape of the future. In the end, Sir Cumference, Lady Di, and their son, Radius find the answer. This is also a good example of an informational book because the pages include descriptions and visuals on geometric shapes and terms. Media: This book is a good example of ink and wash. The artwork is lined with the ink and filled and embellished with watercolors. The colors are vibrant and allow readers to connect with the text on a deeper level. Ink and wash has clean lines and offers solid texture. Characterization: Lady Di is a round character because she encounters a conflict with the table and commits herself to finding a solution. She works with her husband and son to help the King. Readers are able to connect and relate to Lady Di as she tackles the challenge.

[stharp_5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story is a great example of a powerful theme. The author chose to go for the renaissance theme with knights and royalty. They slip in great math concepts within the story, while still maintaining a fantasy feel to the book.