Sir Cumference and the Sword in the Cone

by Cindy Neuschwander; illustrated by Wayne Geehan

Five knights compete for the honor of heir.

King Arthur has hidden his sword, Edgecalibur and issued a challenge to the knights. The first knight to find the sword will be the next king. Can Sir Cumference and Lady Di point Radius's best friend, Vertex in the right direction? Will Vertex's sharp thinking give him the edge?

Join Sir Cumference, Lady Di of Ameter, and their son, Radius, as they race to help Vertex find the sword and discover the secrets of cubes, pyramids, cylinders, and cones.

Recommended for children ages 8-12 years.

Softcover, 32 pages.

Charlesbridge.  Printed in China.

Download activities to accompany the book at the publisher's website here.

Reviews:

"Neuschwander retells "The Sword in the Stone" from a mathematical angle. Readers follow along with Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter as their son Radius and his friend Vertex set out to find Edgecalibur. Filled with riddles and puns, the story is sure to delight students with some geometry background. Geehan's bright oil, acrylic, and pen-and-ink paintings include all the visual details that the text needs to help solve this geometrical mystery. If your students have enjoyed the first three books in the series, they will certainly want this one. Make sure to share these gems with your math teachers. The books can be used to support educational initiatives such as multiple intelligences, and students who are strong in verbal/linguistic areas will appreciate the integration of literature into their math lessons." ~ School Library Journal

 

"Sir Cumference equals circumference, get it? This adventure series about a knight in the time of King Arthur centers on mysteries that can be solved only by using math. The latest book, The Sword in the Cone, is a play on the Arthurian legend, in which a boy named Arthur pulled a sword out of a stone to become king. That sword was called Excalibur; in this book, the sword is Edgecalibur. But the prize is the same: The person who finds the sword will be king. Sir Cumference's son, Radius, and trusty pal Vertex set off to seek the sword with only a clue about "shapes that make 2" to guide them. Sound 2 good 2 be true? Read the book, and you'll find it works!" ~ Dallas Morning News

 

"In the fourth book of this series, Radius, son of Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter, tackles a mathematical puzzle that wins his friend, Vertex, the honor of becoming the king's heir. Whimsical illustrations bursting with rich colors entice readers to join the boys as they creatively use models, math, and a little manual labor to find Edgecalibur, the king's sword. Neuschwander, an elementary school teacher, chooses Euler's Law as a starting point for the joureny and cleverly wraps it up with a nod to the future King Vertex, the Line-Hearted." ~ Childhood Education