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Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics
A visual-learning expert races up the charts and graphs math success with kid-friendly content sure to help with homework.
Want to find the most popular meal in the cafeteria? Compare town sports enrollments? Or maybe you just want to know who burps the most in your family! Learn what line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts, and pictographs are and how and when to use them to represent data.
Each project shows how to build a chart or graph and ties it all together with a creative infographic that really puts the A in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS, and Mathematics). Whether used as an introductory aid or to underscore previous knowledge, the book prepares today's visually savvy children to succeed in school and life by analyzing the world around them.
Want to find the most popular meal in the cafeteria? Compare town sports enrollments? Or maybe you just want to know who burps the most in your family! Learn what line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts, and pictographs are and how and when to use them to represent data.
Each project shows how to build a chart or graph and ties it all together with a creative infographic that really puts the A in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS, and Mathematics). Whether used as an introductory aid or to underscore previous knowledge, the book prepares today's visually savvy children to succeed in school and life by analyzing the world around them.
48 pages, Paperback
Published October 11, 2022
About the author
Stuart J. Murphy
168 books61 followersPICTURES & WORDS, STORIES & BOOKS
MathStart http://www.mathstart.net
I See I Learn http://www.iseeilearn.com
I was one of those kids who talked all the time in class. I loved telling stories. One day in the 4th Grade, my teacher said, “You tell such good stories, maybe you should try writing some of them down.” “Wow,” I thought. “She thinks my stories are good.” That’s when I started to really enjoy writing.
I was also the class artist. When I wasn’t talking,I was drawing. When I was older, I studied art at the Rhode Island School
of Design. That’s where I became interested in visual learning—how we decode and acquire information from graphs, charts, diagrams, models, illustrations and other images.
I became especially interested in educational publishing and have worked on the development of over a dozen major textbook programs, championing visual learning strategies from Pre-K through high school in every major curriculum area.
MATHSTART
The inspiration to write math stories for children was sparked by my work on a high school mathematics program. Visual learning strategies helped teens—who had been characterized as “reluctant learners’—understand difficult math concepts. Putting math in the context of stories based on their experiences made them feel more comfortable with abstract concepts. They actually became eager to apply math to real-life problems.
If this approach worked for older students, I began to wonder what might happen if younger children were introduced to math this way!

Even before children can read—or speak many words—they can interpret visual information with ease. The MathStart books use simple stories coupled with diagrams, graphs and other visual models to teach everything from probability and pattern recognition to area, capacity and negative numbers.
The Best Bug Parade, (comparing sizes) was my very first published book. It was absolutely thrilling to see my name in print! I never expected that one day there would 63 MathStart books, split over three levels for ages Pre-K to Grade 4.
Each book includes two pages of review and activities designed to help teachers and parents extend learning beyond the story, along with suggestions of related books by other authors. After all, if a child enjoys learning math through stories, then let’s have more stories!
(Pictures, Words & Math: An interview with Stuart J. Murphy )
THE MAIN STREET KIDS' CLUB: A MATHSTART MUSICAL
Now get out your dancing shoes—there is a musical based on six of the MathStart books! The Main Street Kids’ Club was workshopped at Northwestern University and adapted by Scott Ferguson, who also created the perennially popular production of Schoolhouse Rock Live!
The songs are terrific. The math is spot on. And the club motto makes my heart sing: “Math Skills are Life Skills!”
STUART J. MURPHY'S I SEE I LEARN
My latest series of books is focused on young children—Preschool and Kindergarten age.
I See I Learn books teach social, emotional, health and safety, and cognitive skills, such as how to make friends, build confidence, play safely, work together, manage emotions, and make plans. These skills are important for school readiness and for living happy, healthy, productive lives.

The stories “star” a wonderful bunch of friends who live in See-and-Learn City and attend Ready Set Pre-K. The cast includes Freda, Percy, Emma, Ajay, Camille, and Carlos. And, of course, Pickle, the green bull dog—who happens to have a soft-spot for butterflies—and Miss Cathy, their teacher.
I See I Learn stories are modeled on real-life situations and, just as in real-life, often involve more than one skill. For example, Freda Plans a Picnic is about sequencing, a cognitive skill, but the picnic itself is a social event. Percy Plays It Safe focuses on playground safety skills, but playing successfully in a group also requires self-regulation, an emotional skill.
Each book is reviewed by a tea
MathStart http://www.mathstart.net
I See I Learn http://www.iseeilearn.com
I was one of those kids who talked all the time in class. I loved telling stories. One day in the 4th Grade, my teacher said, “You tell such good stories, maybe you should try writing some of them down.” “Wow,” I thought. “She thinks my stories are good.” That’s when I started to really enjoy writing.
I was also the class artist. When I wasn’t talking,I was drawing. When I was older, I studied art at the Rhode Island School
of Design. That’s where I became interested in visual learning—how we decode and acquire information from graphs, charts, diagrams, models, illustrations and other images.
I became especially interested in educational publishing and have worked on the development of over a dozen major textbook programs, championing visual learning strategies from Pre-K through high school in every major curriculum area.
MATHSTART
The inspiration to write math stories for children was sparked by my work on a high school mathematics program. Visual learning strategies helped teens—who had been characterized as “reluctant learners’—understand difficult math concepts. Putting math in the context of stories based on their experiences made them feel more comfortable with abstract concepts. They actually became eager to apply math to real-life problems.
If this approach worked for older students, I began to wonder what might happen if younger children were introduced to math this way!

Even before children can read—or speak many words—they can interpret visual information with ease. The MathStart books use simple stories coupled with diagrams, graphs and other visual models to teach everything from probability and pattern recognition to area, capacity and negative numbers.
The Best Bug Parade, (comparing sizes) was my very first published book. It was absolutely thrilling to see my name in print! I never expected that one day there would 63 MathStart books, split over three levels for ages Pre-K to Grade 4.
Each book includes two pages of review and activities designed to help teachers and parents extend learning beyond the story, along with suggestions of related books by other authors. After all, if a child enjoys learning math through stories, then let’s have more stories!
(Pictures, Words & Math: An interview with Stuart J. Murphy )
THE MAIN STREET KIDS' CLUB: A MATHSTART MUSICAL
Now get out your dancing shoes—there is a musical based on six of the MathStart books! The Main Street Kids’ Club was workshopped at Northwestern University and adapted by Scott Ferguson, who also created the perennially popular production of Schoolhouse Rock Live!
The songs are terrific. The math is spot on. And the club motto makes my heart sing: “Math Skills are Life Skills!”
STUART J. MURPHY'S I SEE I LEARN
My latest series of books is focused on young children—Preschool and Kindergarten age.
I See I Learn books teach social, emotional, health and safety, and cognitive skills, such as how to make friends, build confidence, play safely, work together, manage emotions, and make plans. These skills are important for school readiness and for living happy, healthy, productive lives.

The stories “star” a wonderful bunch of friends who live in See-and-Learn City and attend Ready Set Pre-K. The cast includes Freda, Percy, Emma, Ajay, Camille, and Carlos. And, of course, Pickle, the green bull dog—who happens to have a soft-spot for butterflies—and Miss Cathy, their teacher.
I See I Learn stories are modeled on real-life situations and, just as in real-life, often involve more than one skill. For example, Freda Plans a Picnic is about sequencing, a cognitive skill, but the picnic itself is a social event. Percy Plays It Safe focuses on playground safety skills, but playing successfully in a group also requires self-regulation, an emotional skill.
Each book is reviewed by a tea
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 11, 2023
Thank you, Charlesbridge, for the advance reading copy.
The book is so much fun to read! The book itself is the most fun activity as you will find yourself learning while reading turning the book upside down and such (you will know when and how to when you start reading it with the kids!) as the book explains well about friction and motion in the most basic ways kids this age group will know.
The illustrations say it all!
The book is so much fun to read! The book itself is the most fun activity as you will find yourself learning while reading turning the book upside down and such (you will know when and how to when you start reading it with the kids!) as the book explains well about friction and motion in the most basic ways kids this age group will know.
The illustrations say it all!
November 16, 2023
I loved this book, it would be perfect in an elementary classroom! This informational concept book provided young children with detailed descriptions, examples, and pictures of different types of graphs and charts! The book went into great detail over the use and construction of bar graphs, pictographs, pie charts, line graphs, and basic infographics. The book provided examples of these different graph types in use and showed pictures of different ways that the graph could be made, explaining the process in a step by step format. However, my favorite part of the book was the detailed and engaging illustrations! The illustrations drew me into the book and allowed me to understand the different graphs better myself. In a classroom, I would put students into different small groups and provide them with a type of graph to make together. I would allow the students to try to come up with their own topic to graph, but it must be teacher approved. If they struggle to come up with a topic, I will have a list that they can choose from to help them. The book also provides some examples of things that can be graphed as well. Students will work with their group members to create a graph of their topic, they should work collaboratively. Students may even have different roles in the process such as two students conduct the research, one draws the pictures, one makes the graph, one labels the graph, etc. Afterwards, students will present their data to the class and write their findings in a paper. Students will make a list of what they found through their survey and why or why not they like the graph type that they made. This will show the teacher if students understand the basic concept of these different graphs and collect their opinions and use of them.
October 4, 2024
TCE 318 Picture Book Review:
Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics by Stuart J. Murphy is a great engaging and educational resource that introduces young readers to the world of data visualization with graphs and charts. It has great colorful illustrations and simple language, this book effectively simplifies concepts like bar graphs, pie charts, and timelines, making them accessible and fun for children. Murphy encourages critical thinking and problem-solving by guiding kids through the process of interpreting and creating their own graphs. This book is an excellent tool for teachers looking to integrate math and literacy, promoting inquiry-based learning while also helping students develop essential skills in data representation. A great read for any young learner interested in exploring the power of visual information and a great read allowed for elementary teachers!
Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics by Stuart J. Murphy is a great engaging and educational resource that introduces young readers to the world of data visualization with graphs and charts. It has great colorful illustrations and simple language, this book effectively simplifies concepts like bar graphs, pie charts, and timelines, making them accessible and fun for children. Murphy encourages critical thinking and problem-solving by guiding kids through the process of interpreting and creating their own graphs. This book is an excellent tool for teachers looking to integrate math and literacy, promoting inquiry-based learning while also helping students develop essential skills in data representation. A great read for any young learner interested in exploring the power of visual information and a great read allowed for elementary teachers!
August 24, 2023
Intended for elementary students, title outlines the use of data visualizations and describes when it is most appropriate to use various graphs/charts. I would argue that this title is less about infographics (which I think has a different definition- infographics are the intersection of data visualization and creative graphic design, this only focuses on one side of that task). Still, a nice introduction for students beginning a unit on different types of charts or students learning introductory elements of Google data charts.
Read
February 7, 2023Read 2/6/23
Things to love:
Cute illustrations and examples
Yay dataviz, infographics, and scicomm!
Critiques:
Book is mostly about dataviz, not infographics more broadly
Certain language/instructions/examples felt overly complicated or like steps were skipped
Examples didn’t always follow dataviz best practices (e.g., all text horizontal, categories arranged in ascending or descending order, direct labels, informative titles)
Things to love:
Cute illustrations and examples
Yay dataviz, infographics, and scicomm!
Critiques:
Book is mostly about dataviz, not infographics more broadly
Certain language/instructions/examples felt overly complicated or like steps were skipped
Examples didn’t always follow dataviz best practices (e.g., all text horizontal, categories arranged in ascending or descending order, direct labels, informative titles)
Want to Read
May 25, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
October 18, 2022
This introduction to infographics is perfect for math class! This book goes over bar graphs, pie charts, line graphs, pictographs, and tables with fun and appealing illustrations and information.
May 7, 2023
So many graphs and charts - good introduction.
October 10, 2023
Thanks to Edelweiss for a DRC of this book.
Absolutely love the idea of getting kids engaged in science and making it clear to them that it is science at an early age like this with fun every day experiments that they can see in the book and even try at home/school. Great connections between the concepts in the book and having kids look for them in their daily lives too - like on the playground for example. Additional examples and another experiment to try at the back of the book.
Illustrations that are colourful enough to engage kids, but also simple enough to show the concepts clearly.
Absolutely love the idea of getting kids engaged in science and making it clear to them that it is science at an early age like this with fun every day experiments that they can see in the book and even try at home/school. Great connections between the concepts in the book and having kids look for them in their daily lives too - like on the playground for example. Additional examples and another experiment to try at the back of the book.
Illustrations that are colourful enough to engage kids, but also simple enough to show the concepts clearly.
October 22, 2023
I can't help but be excited about this gem. Lola M. Schaefer's clever approach to making science engaging is remarkable. Kids will love poking whipped cream in the illustrations, tilting the book to roll a ball down a ramp, and testing friction with beanbags. This isn't your typical scientific read; it's fun, educational, and brilliantly interactive. I'm thrilled to add "Hands-on Science: Motion" to my library collection and can't wait to see young readers predicting and experimenting with it. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for the opportunity to review this advanced review copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review on the book
October 15, 2023
Hands-On Science: Motion by Lola M. Schaefer
From an easy perspective with illustration to introduce what motion is to children. The book includes various daily experiments that parents and children can do at home, Through the experiment, it explains what force, gravity and friction are.
With the explanation and illustration there, this book can definitely raise the interest of science for kids.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Charlesbridge and Lola M. Schaefer for the copy!
Pub date: Feb 27, 2024
From an easy perspective with illustration to introduce what motion is to children. The book includes various daily experiments that parents and children can do at home, Through the experiment, it explains what force, gravity and friction are.
With the explanation and illustration there, this book can definitely raise the interest of science for kids.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Charlesbridge and Lola M. Schaefer for the copy!
Pub date: Feb 27, 2024
March 16, 2024
This would be a perfect introduction to the physics of motion: the forces of pushing and pulling for a preschool STEM program.
Using Tullet's "Press Here" technique of asking readers to interact with the pictures ("Push here!" "Tilt the book this way!"), readers can predict the results within the book and try out experiments outside the book, too.
Using Tullet's "Press Here" technique of asking readers to interact with the pictures ("Push here!" "Tilt the book this way!"), readers can predict the results within the book and try out experiments outside the book, too.
May 20, 2024
Well drawn and explained interactive experiments reveal the nature and role of force in our world. A good, introductory explanation of a physics concept.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews