The Election Calculation

For the Math Kids, a new school means new opportunities--and new challenges!

Starting at Tyler Middle School should be an exciting time for the Math Kids. They have new teachers, new classes, new classmates, and of course, a new math club to get to know. But when it turns out that the Tyler math club president is their old rival Kenny and he’s determined to keep them from competing, the Math Kids start to think maybe middle school won’t be as good as they’d hoped.

There’s only one option: elect a new president.

As the Math Kids try to decide who should lead the math club, another election draws Stephanie’s attention. The district will be voting on school board members, and there’s something fishy about the billboards that have popped up around town advertising a new slate of candidates no one’s ever heard of. So, she does what the Math Kids do best, and sets out to investigate the mysterious candidates.

With both elections coming up quickly, the four friends will need to use logic and strategy to ensure the school board and the math club are in good hands after the votes are tallied.

David Cole has been interested in math since he was a very young boy. He pursued degrees in math and computer science and has shared this love of math at many levels, including teaching at the college level, coaching elementary math teams, and running a summer math camp. He also has a love of writing and has written a number of plays that have been performed. The Math Kids was born of a desire to combine his interests and exercise both sides of his brain at the same time.

Shannon O’Toole has been illustrating children’s books since 2018. Originally a figurative painter, Shannon has been exploring new ways to tell stories through her art. Her artistic practices are inspired by the many unique characters and people in her life. In addition to her work in children’s books, Shannon is an elementary school teacher. When she is not painting, she can be found drinking coffee, watching classic movies and exploring new recipes in her kitchen. Shannon lives and works outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.