The Warlord's Puppeteers (Warlord's)

"The messages of friendship, cooperation, and creativity, as well as the math lesson, make this book a good choice for group sharing and individual enjoyment."
-School Library Journal

"Although useful as a curriculum tie-in, this volume is an equally enjoyable read simply for the story of Chuan's suspenseful journey back to his warlord. Few children will even realize that they are getting an extra math lesson along with the story."
-ForeWord

"The exotic setting makes this an appealing alternative to Stuart Murphy's MathStart series."
-Kirkus Reviews

Clever young Chuan and his artist mentor are back in this fourth book of the Warlord's series. This time, the two are journeying across the desert to find their master, the warlord, when they meet up with a group of traveling puppeteers. When bandits attack and steal their trunk of puppets, Chuan knows that he must step in to help his new friends in order to finish the journey.

Using a melon and his imagination, Chuan tries to make a new puppet so the performers can earn enough money to finish their trip through the desert. Despite his good intentions, Chuan discovers that he has a lot to learn about their craft, and he takes a few lessons in proportions. With Chuan's resourcefulness and the puppeteers' help, the troupe is able to create all new puppets and put on the show that will save the day.

Children learn about creativity and compassion in a lesson in math that's as fun as it is fascinating. Directions for making their own puppets follow the story.