"Research has shown that, by itself, learning to play chess is tied to better logical reasoning and stronger performance in math. Yamie Chess adds to this by integrating both mathematical content and math puzzles into the text. The puzzles include both relatively standard ‘textbook’ problems to reinforce what a child learns in school, and more interesting ‘mindteasers’ that will help to extend that material. Most importantly there is a focus on explaining as well as just solving problems. For example, the book includes a discussion (again, integrated into the storyline) of why the area of a triangle is given by the familiar formula. This is in line with the current trend in school math toward asking why as much as asking how."—Professor Michael Ching, PhD, Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"The problems are clearly marked by grade level and were written to tie into the NCTM standards. Solutions are provided in the back with ample explanation and diagrams to show how some of the more complex problems are solved. These questions give a depth to the story and provide differentiation for any age student in grades K-8. As a teacher, I always am looking for activities, lessons, and products that will raise the bar for the children in my classroom. With The Adventures of Tigermore and the Mind Angels, this product addresses both different levels in the classroom and teaches critical thinking to all."—Mrs Jena Philips, MEd, 8th Grade Science Teacher, Northern Arizona University
"As a middle school math teacher I see the value of Yamie Chess in an educational setting. This is a wonderful enrichment activity that can be used to spark more students’ interest in learning the game of chess while increasing mathematical thinking. While reading the interactive comic players come across algebra, geometry, number sense, measurement and data analysis concepts. The problems range in difficulty allowing students to be re-taught math skills or enriched. The game also relates the chessboard to a coordinate grid allowing students to think about their movements mathematically with each square being a coordinate location."—Elizabeth Gates, BA, Illinois 7th Grade Math Teacher, Miami University
First published in softcover for Yamie Chess' nationally award-winning math learning aid that won School Library Journal's Best Education Pick of 2014, and now available for the first time in eBook format, Yamie Chess: The Adventures of Tigermore and the Mind Angels is a supplemental math education aid written by experienced teachers that requires no prior experience of chess.
Designed as a children's graphic novel for math education, the work is aligned with the NCTM Curriculum Focal Points in algebra, geometry, numbers and operations, measurement and data analysis.
Teaching children from 5 to 12 years old important math and science classroom skills for STEM education, the comic can be read as a standalone adventure story for supplemental math study, at home and at school, or used by beginners to learn chess from scratch.
The book's instructions encourage kids to use the material with any classic chess set they have available, to aid their understanding of chess, and reenact the integrated European chess game that unfolds through the story. It's a historic game in fact, that took place between Grandmasters Johannes Zukertort and GM Adolf Anderssen in Berlin, Germany in 1865.
With artwork from ex-Disney illustrators, the story follows 8-year-old Kimi as he travels to the Mind Kingdom, a secret universe ruled by chess where all the cartoon characters are the classic chess pieces from the boardgame, to learn math skills for school.
