Math Can Take You Places – #Fractonia Included

Merc, a character from FRACTONIA by Pearl R. Lewis #fractoniaFRACTONIA is a short novel for young readers that was intentionally created as an informal learning experience. This story takes a topic from mathematics (fractions, in this case) out of the classroom and into an imaginary world of exploration and discovery. The reader is encouraged to leave behind his or her mental image of what a fraction is, in order to consider a completely different image of what a fraction could be. Changing the way a student imagines a concept or topic can open the door to a “clean slate” relearning experience. When preconceived ideas are no longer posing as formidable obstacles to learning, the educator is given a second chance to lay a solid foundation in the fundamentals.

I wrote FRACTONIA in response to how some young students I know were experiencing fractions. In battling the fraction monster, some students had sadly come to believe that they were simply incapable of understanding fractions or how to work with them. Once a student is convinced they cannot have victory over the monster, there is little teachers and parents can do to change the student’s mind. Young learners with this view grow into older students that fear and hate mathematics. I set out to write a story that would help the readers repaint their mental image of the fraction monster. Fractions should not make anyone feel stupid. Most people have the capacity to understand and work with basic fractions.  I wanted to share a story that would get the reader to be able to look past the intimidating numbers and mathematical operators, and allow them to see that mathematics is a language communicating ideas and describing images of the world we live in.

A short except from FRACTONIA (Chapter 4):

“Where is Miss Brady and the rest of my class?” Matthew decided it was time to outsmart Miss Brady’s hypnotist. Matthew was determined to show the crafty man that he was not entirely under his spell. Yes, he couldn’t explain why the man looked more like a giant mosquito than a man, but that didn’t mean he had to pretend that he had lost the ability to think.

“Miss Brady?” A small, silver plate about the size of a credit card suddenly appeared in the hand (or would it be the paw or the claw?) of Merc. The plate vibrated, buzzed a little, and then vanished. Merc looked up and confidently announced, “No “Brady” in the Royal Service Extraordinaire, and no “Miss” amongst the Numo Regulars, either.”

Matthew’s look of bewilderment elicited another hearty laugh from Merc. “This must be your first time in Fractonia. You don’t know what I am talking about, do you?” Merc asked.

Matthew sighed deeply, suddenly feeling overwhelmed and unsure of himself. He shook his head vigorously as he sensed the threat of tears. “No. No, I don’t have any idea what is happening to me. Are you a hypnotist? Am I dreaming or hallucinating?” Matthew felt torn between his mind’s interpretation of his experience and what his physical senses were telling him was real. What was Merc? Could someone make him imagine something as sophisticated and extraordinary as Merc?

“No, Math, you are not dreaming. You did not imagine me. I am not a hypnotist, although I did once give a speech that put a bunch of entities to sleep. You are not hallucinating. You have simply been translated.” Merc stopped for a moment to let his words sink in.

“Right now, you are in Fractonia. Judging by your appearance, I can guess that you are a human male from the Earth world. Juvenile. Perhaps somewhere between ten and fifteen Earth years in age. Am I right? I am quite the expert, you know. I can identify over fourteen trillion species from over eight million realms. By the way, I am the Communications Officer with the Inter-Realm Royal Service Extraordinaire. I have been working at the Fractonia Outpost for the past seven million three hundred and forty-nine thousand two hundred and fifteen yonkinots.” Merc smiled reassuringly. “Do you still feel as if you are dreaming?”

Color the Realm of Fractonia by Pearl R. Lewis
Color the Realm of Fractonia
Fractonia by Pearl R. Lewis - a calculated adventure for inquisite minds
Fractonia

FRACTONIA is available in print and digital format. (Use the links on “print” or “digital” to buy the book directly from Lulu, or google the title to find it at your favorite online booksellers.) To create a special Fractonia gift set for a young reader, I recommend combining FRACTONIA with the accompanying paperback coloring book: COLOR the REALM of FRACTONIA. The coloring book includes many of the illustrations that you will see in the novel, plus some extra characters that are mentioned, but not illustrated, in FRACTONIA. Additional FRACTONIA goodies, such as t-shirts, hoodies, water bottles, stickers, stationery, and pillows (which are ideal as gifts or classroom prizes) are available from Café Press.

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NEW RELEASE: Color the Realm of Fractonia

Color the Realm of Fractonia by Pearl LewisThe ORIGINS of COLOR the REALM of FRACTONIA

FRACTONIA” is a sci-fi adventure story for pre-teen and teen readers. To tickle the imagination a little more, some chapters also include line illustrations. The style of the illustrations and the story they are able to tell on their own, without text, encouraged the release of a book of ready-to-color illustrations, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

FRACTONIA’S COLORING BOOK

COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” (by Pearl R. Lewis) is a small-format, modern-style coloring book for “big” kids (and those who are young at heart). This coloring book matches the design and size of the paperback, “FRACTONIA“, and is also perfect-bound.  The coloring book references the novel, and is the logical accompaniment to “FRACTONIA“, particularly if you prefer to give physical books as gifts or prizes. The size of the coloring book makes is convenient and light-weight to slip into a backpack or take along on a car trip.

What is inside “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

The book starts with a brief reference to “FRACTONIA” as a way of introducing the characters that are waiting for your color input. You will encounter all of your favorites: King Spudski, Matthew Roberts, Merc, QM, the memory beasts, and the Parts. Each character has a part to play, but you are the one in charge of how they look when they play that part. While the book does hint about the appearance of the characters, you are free to paint these strange beings in colors that you believe belong with them. No restrictions. You color them as you think they should look.

Of course, King Spudski, Merc, QM, Matthew, and the fraction folk are not new to you. You met them in “FRACTONIA” and ended the book with an idea of how they looked. What “FRACTONIA” failed to reveal was that there were other Fractonians lurking in the shadows that did not get featured in the novel. As a special bonus, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” introduces you to a few new characters that you may not have noticed before: Diffractoids, Angularicans, the Master of Relativity, and the curious young Nietsnie.

How do I use “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

If you have never heard about the Realm of Fractonia, but enjoy coloring strange creatures you know little to nothing about, this book is for you. Man those colored pencils and colorize the world and the creatures of Fractonia without another moment’s hesitation. There is, however, an advantage to first reading “FRACTONIA” before you attempt to color the pages. Submerging yourself in the story allows you to approach the coloring from a position of familiarity. The illustrations won’t just be lines and forms on the page, but personalities you have come to like or dislike. Having an emotional connection with the characters can help to make your coloring more expressive – you will probably feel more engaged, and might find it easier to daydream about the story as you color. Parents and teachers may prefer to read “FRACTONIA” out aloud to a younger audience. The children can  use the telling of the story as a way to stimulate their creativity while they color pictures from “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

Is this a coloring book for little children?

Anyone capable of coloring a line illustration can add color to this book. It was, however, created as a supplement to the book, “FRACTONIA“, so the ideal user of the coloring book will be pre-teen or older. Yes, adults are welcome to indulge in a little coloring.

Should a teen be seen with a coloring book?

Yes, but only if they are smart. Adult coloring is rapidly gaining ground as a healthy activity: it reduces stress, stimulates creativity, and encouraging physical and psychological healing. If adults are recognizing the health benefits of splashing color on the page, smart (i.e. cool) teens will do the same. “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” will appeal most to youth that are interested in science fiction or fantasy. Coupling the coloring book with the novel produces an interesting gift set for the young and curious in your life. It’s a great way to get readers to explore art, and artists to indulge in a little reading.

Where can I buy a copy of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTION”?

The conveniently sized 6″ x 9″ paperback version of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” is currently available from Lulu. You can also find it at other online book stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ingram, and The Book Depository.

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FRACTONIA at Amazon

Fractonia by P.R. Lewis at Amazon.com“Fractonia” is now available for Kindle e-book readers. Unlike Google Play, Amazon is not offering a special introductory price for the ebook. However, Amazon has enabled the popular ” text-to-speech” option for this book. “Text-to-speech” is available on the following devices: Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle (2nd generation), and Kindle DX.

Amazon does offer a preview of the book, albeit disappointingly short. If you are interested in seeing a little more of the book before you decide to purchase, I recommend a visit to Lulu. Lulu is offering a more detailed, downloadable preview of the book in ePUB format. You can also purchase the ebook or the print version of “Fractonia” directly from the Lulu bookstore.

Purchase the Kindle-formatted version of “Fractonia” from Amazon.com.

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FRACTONIA at Google Play

Fractonia by Dr P.R. LewisAndroid loyalists can relax. It is your turn. Apple Stores are not the only device stores to stock Fractonia . If you own an Android device and usually shop at the Google Play Store, you can now purchase a copy of “Fractonia” at Google Play. Google is currently offering a new release price, so you can add the book to your e-library at a significant discount.

Books purchased from the Google Play Store are not only readable on tablets and phones. You can settle back and read these books on your computer using your computer’s web browser. 

Join the Fractonian adventure. Take the journey with the lead character, Matthew Roberts. Explore a new world. From silent beasts to the talkative representative of the Royal Service Extraordinaire, there is no shortage of the bizarre and the wonderful in the world of Fractonia. There is much to distract a curious mind in Fractonia and it is easy to fall prey to the passing of the yonkinots. Will Matthew be distracted from discovering the real reason that he was invited to this world? Are you willing to find the answer? The clock is ticking, and time is running out – for Matthew and for Fractonia. 

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FRACTONIA in Print

Fractonia by Pearl R. Lewis“Fractonia” has been available for some time from e-book stores around the world. You can read the book on your computer, your tablet, or your phone. But if you are not a fan of virtual books, then this post brings you good news. Paper rules! “Fractonia” is a available as a REAL, tree-based book. You can now purchase your PRINT (paperback) copy of the book, and turn those pages the old fashioned (best) way.

The 116-page illustrated paperback is printed in the easy-to-handle (and slip into your bag) 6″x9″ format.

If you are new to the title and have not been following the development of this project, you can read more about Fractonia in the book section of my website. The book is suitable for middle school (advanced) readers, high school students, and adults. While prior knowledge of very simple fraction algebra is a plus, it is not essential. If you previously avoided mathematics as if it was the enemy, and have little to no recall of algebra, you are the perfect reader for this book. 

“Fractonia” is an adventure story that demonstrates that mathematics can be visualized as something quite different from a stack of numbers and equations. While not all students think “in pictures”, many who are turned off from more traditional ways of approaching mathematics can benefit from exploring topics in an image-centered way. Even though this book is advertised as a children/teen book in many places, this book is a good way for parents and teachers to explore the concept of visualization in mathematics.

Go on – give it a try. If you discover that you cannot connect with the strange characters or that the odd reference to a mathematical term is frying your brain, you can always donate the book to your local school library. Take a break from whatever you have planned this weekend, and go on a mind adventure – you know you want to do it.

 

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FRACTONIA at iTunes and iBooks

Fractonia on iTunes and iBooks“Fractonia”, the math-centric adventure for curious minds by Pearl R. Lewis, has found its way into the iWorld. If you use a Mac computer or your Mac or iOS device to read e-books, you can now purchase a copy of “Fractonia” directly from iBooks or iTunes.

  • You will find “Fractonia” listed is the Sci-Fi and Fantasy category of the iStores, in the English language division.
  • To view this book, you must have an iOS device with iBooks 1.3.1 or later and iOS 4.3.3 or later, or a Mac with iBooks 1.0 or later and OS X 10.9 or later.

 

 

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What Sane Person Writes a Novel about Fractions?

fractions“Mathematics is boring. Why do we have to study it anyway?”

“Do I REALLY have to finish all my Math homework? It’s just the same stuff over and over, and it makes no sense to me.”

“I hate doing these algebra exercises. They are SOOOOO boring.”

“I don’t understand this. It’s stupid. Why can’t I do something useful with my time?”

If you are a parent or teacher, then you have probably heard it all. The whining. The complaining. The angry outbursts. For a logical and emotionless subject, Mathematics has an uncanny ability to draw passionate responses from young people. It’s seldom a “YAY, I have Math homework” kind of response. No, it’s more like “ARGHHHH, I HATE Math!”

So why would anyone choose Mathematics as a starting point for a youth novel? And note that we are not talking about some mystical and captivating mathematical subject like String Theory or Equations of Relativity. No, sirree! We like a challenge, don’t we? Out with the exciting stuff, so we can sink our teeth into a common, garden-variety subject: fractions. Yes, you read that correctly. FRACTIONS. Not eye-popping fractal mathematics, mind you. Just regular fractions with numerators and denominators: those little number beasts you encountered way back in grade three of four.

Fractions in all their simple glory were the starting point for “Fractonia”. So is this a story about fractions? (Are you yawning and shaking your head in disbelief?) Yes, but probably not in the way you think. When I was at school and fractions were introduced to the class, the teacher talked about picking apples from a tree. (That was in the days when children actually went outside and climbed trees, so students could relate to the image of apples hanging from a tree.) More recently, while doing research for a new project, I took a look at some junior school materials focused on fractions. The apples were gone from the chapters about fractions. In their place, the reference to pizza slices appeared more often than anything else. (It seems the “an apple a day” phrase has been replaced with “a slice of pizza a day“.) Imagine this pizza being cut into pieces. Your friend eats one slice. You eat five slices. What percentage of the pizza is left? Is this stimulating your imagination and encouraging learning, or is it just making you think that you are hungry? Is there a different way to visualize fractions?

I set out to create a story that would give readers an entirely new perspective on fractions. Why? So they could better understand fractions? No – so they could know it is possible for something as “boring” as fractions to become interesting just by changing our perspective. I wanted to paint an imaginative picture over those sad pizza slices with no story to tell – a picture so unexpected that it would encourage readers to create their own imaginative ways to view subjects they found “boring”. In my experience, an interested student is more likely to learn and overcome learning difficulties than a student who is bored with the topic they are studying. In her article entitled, “How the Power of Interest Drives Learning“, Annie Murphy Paul says the following: “When we’re interested in what we’re learning, we pay closer attention; we process the information more efficiently; we employ more effective learning strategies, such as engaging in critical thinking, making connections between old and new knowledge, and attending to deep structure instead of surface features. When we’re interested in a task, we work harder and persist longer, bringing more of our self-regulatory skills into play.” If we learn better when we are interested, why not find a way to make what we have to learn interesting and engaging? It seems like a simple, common-sense way to ensure we learn more and enjoy doing it.

At its core, “Fractonia” is less about Mathematics and more about attitude. Yes, fractions are part of the story, but no, the story is about exploration, discovery, and possibility. It’s about taking responsibility for our own learning. Our learning is not our parents’ or our teachers’ responsibility – it is OURS: yours and mine. We don’t have to wait for our teacher to make the subject exciting or justify why we should study it. We don’t need to be entertained before we can learn something. No, the process of learning is an adventure that can be created and hosted inside your very own imagination. Go on the adventure, or stay home and mope about how boring everything is.

If you have never had a teacher show you HOW to create your very own learning adventure, sit down and read. But don’t read to be entertained – read to discover. Read so the book can become your teacher and show you how to create your own learning adventure. “Fractonia” is my adventure with something as simple as fractions. Other authors will take you on different adventures. You may not be ready to write your adventure in a book, but you are ready to have an adventure. There are no age limits on learning – we never outgrow a good adventure. What will your next adventure be?

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