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Maths hiding in reading: library shelves

Reading Maths

Maths hiding in reading: library shelves

Sort books by author, topic, size or genre.

Quick answer

Maths is everywhere – even in your library! When you sort books by author, topic, size, or genre, you're using maths skills like grouping, ordering, and categorising.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to sort and group books in different ways, and understand how this helps you find books more easily. Success signs:

You can put books into groups by their author or topic
You can order books from smallest to biggest or vice versa
You can explain why you sorted books in a certain way
You can use words like "group", "sort", "order", and "category" to describe your book sorting

Why this matters

When you sort books, you use maths to help you find what you want quickly. This is useful not just in libraries, but also in your bedroom, your toy box, or even when you're planning a party. Sorting and grouping help your brain understand how things connect and how to find what you need.

How it works

Sorting books is like solving a puzzle. You look at each book and decide where it belongs. You can sort books by:

Author (like all books by J.K. Rowling together)
Genre (like all adventure books together)
Size (like all the small books together)
Colour of the cover
How many pages they have

Let’s go through how to sort books step by step:

Look at the books and choose a way to sort them
Make a group for each category
Put each book into the right group
Check that everything is in the right place

Examples you can see

Let’s imagine you’re at a library and you have these books:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney)
Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)
My Very First Book of Dinosaurs (Various Authors)

Example 1: Sort by Author

Group 1: J.K. Rowling books (Harry Potter)
Group 2: Jeff Kinney books (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
Group 3: Maurice Sendak books (Where the Wild Things Are)
Group 4: Various Authors (My Very First Book of Dinosaurs)

Example 2: Sort by Genre

Group 1: Fantasy books (Harry Potter)
Group 2: Comic books (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
Group 3: Picture books (Where the Wild Things Are)
Group 4: Non-fiction (My Very First Book of Dinosaurs)

Example 3: Sort by Size

Group 1: Small books (Where the Wild Things Are)
Group 2: Medium books (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)
Group 3: Large books (Harry Potter)

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Great Library Sort You are a librarian and your job is to sort all the books in the library. You have a big pile of books and you must sort them quickly. Step 1: Look at the first book. What is it about? Is it a picture book, a story, or a science book? Step 2: Choose a category to sort by. You could sort by:

Genre
Author
Size
Colour

Step 3: Put all the books in the correct group. Step 4: Count how many books are in each group. Step 5: Check if your groups make sense and if you have sorted all the books. Step 6: Ask a friend to check your work. Step 7: Try sorting the same books again, but this time by a different way. Step 8: See how many different ways you can sort the books!

Common mistakes

Mistake: Putting books in the wrong group because you're not sure about the category
Why it happens: You might not know the difference between a picture book and a story book
Fix: Ask a grown-up to help you understand the differences between book types

Mistake: Not checking if all books are sorted correctly
Why it happens: You might be in a hurry to finish
Fix: Take your time and double-check your groups

Mistake: Sorting books by a category that doesn't make sense
Why it happens: You might pick a random way to sort books
Fix: Think of a good reason why you're grouping them together

Parent and carer guide

Sorting books is a great way to help your child use maths in a fun way. Here's how to support your child:

Ask your child to sort books in different ways and explain why they chose each group
Help them name the groups using words like "genre", "author", or "size"
Count the books in each group together to practice number skills
Let them create their own sorting rules and test them out
Encourage them to think of real-life situations where sorting helps (like organising toys or clothes)

Practice questions

How many books are in each group if you sort these books by author?
- Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney)
- Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
- Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)
Answer: 2 books by J.K. Rowling, 1 book by Jeff Kinney, 1 book by Maurice Sendak
Which books belong in the "Picture Books" group?
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Harry Potter
- My Very First Book of Dinosaurs
Answer: Where the Wild Things Are
Which group has the most books if you sort by size?
- Small: 3 books
- Medium: 2 books
- Large: 1 book
Answer: Small books
What category would you use to sort these books?
- Harry Potter
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Where the Wild Things Are
Answer: Genre, Author, or Size (any of these is correct)
How many different ways can you sort these books?
- Harry Potter
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Where the Wild Things Are
Answer: At least 4 ways (Genre, Author, Size, Colour)

FAQ

What is sorting in maths?

Sorting is when you put things into groups based on what they have in common, like the same author, the same colour, or the same size.

Why do we sort books?

We sort books to find them more easily. If books are in groups, you can look for a specific author or genre without searching through all the books.

Can you sort books in more than one way?

Yes! You can sort books by author, size, genre, or colour. Each way gives you a different view of your books.

How does sorting books help with learning?

Sorting helps you understand how things connect, improves your memory, and builds your thinking skills. It's a fun way to use maths in everyday life.

What if I don't know what a book is about?

You can look at the cover, title, or ask a grown-up to help you understand the book's topic or genre.