This book is about math! I love tying other subjects into reading to get the other subjects meaning, as well as math more meaning. ( )

This book was such a cute way to explain equal numbers in math. It tells the story of a group of animals playing tug-of-war against each other, and trying to find out the best way to split sides in order for both sides to be even. It began with the small animals (such as the mouse and turtle) versus larger animals (bob cat and bear) -- making it easy for the bigger animals to 'win". At first, they suggest vegetarians versus carnivores, then fur versus non-fur. However, as the story progresses, they understand that the weight of each animal needs to be distributed as evenly as possible on both sides. Very cute story that would be beneficial for younger readers to visualize halving amounts - as it also may be something that could be done in a math class between students. ( )

Equal Shmequal is about a bunch of animal friends wanting to play a game they saw the kids at school playing, tug-a-rope, but they can't seem to figure out how to make it fair. The friends try a bunch of different ways of splitting up the team, such as plant eaters only on one side and the other animals on the other. They do this until they finally figure out the perfect combination to make the game equal.
This book would be good in any classroom because the meaning of equal can be taken anyway. Are the numbers equal? Are the weights equal? Are the sentences equal? Do the meanings of the words equal each other? I rate this book a 4/5 because it is very easy to read and the pictures are great! ( )

This is the story of two friends, Mouse and Bear, who wanted to play a game of tug-a-war. Mouse and Bear quickly learned that the teams needed to be equal for the game to work, so along with their friends they worked together to create two equal teams. I give this book 4-stars because it is a great introduction to balancing equations. It also shows students the process of problem solving as the friends worked together to figure out how to make two equal teams. ( )

It all started when mouse and bear were playing tug of war together. Bear won because the teams were not equal. Other animals came to join the game, but the teams were still not equal. Finally, the animals used a seesaw to make equal teams so that they could play a game that was fair. This would be a great story to read during a math class. It could help the students understand what it means to be equal and how to make things equal. ( )

Bear and mouse go to play a game of tug of war. Other animals join in and then they determine that they need "equal" teams. Bear says "equal shmequal," which is my favorite thing to do to words so I loved that part. Then all of the animals discuss what equal means and what will make equal teams. Then they discuss some other math terms as they continue to try to figure out what equal means. This is a wonderful book to use to teach kids that equal means balanced and not this is what the answer is. I also really like that it shows how books can be relevant in any subject matter. ( )

Bear and mouse play a game. They need the teams to be equal, so that it’s fair for everyone. All of the other animals start asking to join in, and mouse is okay with it as long as the teams are equal! Bear doesn’t care much about that. They try to divide the animals into different teams equally, but nothing was working! Mouse thought long and hard and finally came up with a way to have the teams be equal. They use a seesaw to get equal weights on both teams. Neither team could win the game because the teams were even, until bear got distracted by bees. ( )

Text dependent / Learning equal and fair (grade3-5)

This book shows the concept of the term equal. Animals explore this concept with a tug of war contest and try splitting up equally in many different ways to make if fair. They eventually split up by weight and use a seesaw to balance and make both sides equal. Then, they play tug of war and the team with more effort wins because the effort was not equal on both sides. ( )

In this book we are introduced with the math concept of equality. Mouse is trying to play a game of tug-of-war with her friends, but they need the teams to be equal. But what does equal mean anyway? Mouse starts to think of it mathematically and divides the teams based on their weight. I was actually pleasantly surprised with this book! I wasn't a huge fan of the illustrations, but the content in the book was great. Good book to introduce division! ( )

This story talks about how during games sometimes they can get unfair due to who is on who's team so this book demonstrates equality between people during games

Fantasy
Age appropriateness: primary, intermediate
Media: Water colors
Review: This book is about how a group of animal friends get together to try and play tug-a-war that they all saw some children playing while at the park. But, after playing tug-a-war multiple times mouse (one of the animals) figured out the reason why the bigger animals kept winning was because the teams were not equal. So, after trying to figure out ways to make the teams equal they finally decided that they would use the seesaw to balance the teams. They played one last game of tug-a-war and realized that no one could win because the teams were truly equal.
Critique: This is a good fantasy book because it teaches kids both the meaning of friendship but also the meaning of what equal could mean outside of math. And the author teaches kids who are reading this through talking animals playing a childhood game of tug-a-war which would not happen out in the real world.

45 months - lots of similar math concepts taught in this one the terms equal (in numbers, weight, size), fair, balance a very well rounded teaching book using a teeter totter and tug of war... things kids can totally relate to. ( )

Equal Shmequal is a modern fantasy that blends a math lesson with the fun a tug-of-war. Readers will enjoy reading about how the animals determine what is equal, and after the story is over they can read about different places equal can be found in real life. This book is appropriate for primary readers. ( )

If you have ever played a game of tug-of-war, like Mouse and his forest friends played in Equal Shmequal by Virginia Kroll, you understand the importance of each team being equal. Equal Shmequal takes readers into a world of friendly animals as they work together to figure out how to successfully play a game of tug-of-war.
The animals don’t just know how to play this game of tug-of-war on their own. Mouse observes some children playing it on the playground, and decides it looks like fun and wants to try it. Mouse starts by inviting Bear to come play with him. Bear, who is concerned solely with the availability of any food he could find, agrees. But after Mouse goes flying through the air, they realize the teams are not equal, which is something Mouse heard the children talking about. From this point on, more and more animals are added to the mix, but the struggle for equal team’s remains. What does equal really mean?
This fantasy picture book brings to life this essential and foundational question in a manner that is easily applicable to the lives of grade school students. As reader’s take a step into the life of Mouse, Bear and their friends, a glimpse into the problem solving mind of a child is also evident. The process that the animals move through to find the answer to the question, “What does equal mean, anyway?” nearly mirrors the thought process that children go through as they solve a problem.
This book is a great introduction to the mathematical and scientific concepts of measuring, weights, balance, and so many more. It could be a great springboard into a hands on math or science experiment trying to balance various objects using a scale.

This is such a fun fiction book. It helps explain the differences in types of animals, including their fur and weight! It's great if you are doing a lesson on animals, and want to demonstrate how unique each animal species is. The story is about a few animals who find a rope left behind by some campers. The animals want to play tug a war, but they want to play it equally and they struggle with who to put on each team to make it equal. It is an example of informational fiction because the events could never happen in real life. Animals don't communicate with each other in this fashion, let alone gather together to play human games. It is informational because it describes weights and characteristics of animals that are accurate.