Farzanah and the 17 Camels
Farzanah and the 17 Camels is a beloved puzzle turned into a children’s book. It’s a magical adventure involving a clever girl, a tricky problem to solve, and a lot of determination. Also camels, carpets, and bustling bazaars on the ancient Silk Road. Children ages five and up and anyone young at heart can enjoy the book for its beautiful story, cultural connections, and rich opportunities to explore mathematics.
ISBN 978-1-945899-10-2
PREORDER the book. Estimated delivery time is January 2025.
PREORDER: Beautiful paperback for your learning library. $28 $22 It comes with ePub, Kindle, and PDF files of the book.
Flat rate shipping to Australia, Ireland, and United Kingdom (UK) – US$14 per order of ANY number of paperback books.
PREORDER: Electronic book for all your devices. $8 You get ePub, Kindle, and PDF files of the book, DRM-free.
This book has an open license under Creative Commons. You can get the PDF at the price you name. Type the amount (from zero to infinity):
Big discounts for small bundles – with any titles
Mathematics works so much better with others! Buy together with friends, your class, math circle, or fundraiser – or treat yourself to a bundle of titles. You save on book price and shipping.
- $19 each book when you buy 2-4 books
- $16 each book when you buy 5+ books
Mix and match different Natural Math books for this offer.
Ebook discount is $3 off each ebook when you buy two or more.
Add the books to your cart. The discounts will apply automatically.
About the book
I’m Sue Looney, and I’m thrilled to introduce you to my latest character, Farzanah.
Perched atop a pile of beautifully woven carpets with a look of satisfaction, Farzanah inspires readers to love math challenges and find joy in solving puzzles. She exemplifies what it means to be a patient problem solver. My hope is that young children will see themselves in Farzanah and find inspiration in her story.
Farzanah embodies the joy of productive struggle in mathematical problem-solving. She is patient, persistent, and curious, using these qualities to tackle a perplexing dilemma that has troubled everyone. Through her journey, Farzanah models the problem using stones, ponders different approaches, takes breaks, and wrestles with the problem over time.
In this story, Farzanah searches for an unusual approach, a way of solving the problem that no one else could think of. She takes her time to uncover the solution to the problem presented in the story, following the wise advice of her mother,
“My dear Farzanah, don’t be discouraged,” said Mama. “Sometimes, being stuck is exactly where you need to be. When I have been asked to design a particularly complex carpet, and the threads just don’t seem to want to come together, I find the best thing I can do is to step away. I free my mind to think about other things. I then imagine the carpet in the detail that I wish my hands could produce. It is in that space that the magic happens. I am able to look at things from a different perspective. With wait time and wishful thinking comes the solution.”
Farzanah and the 17 Camels celebrates this excitement and the rewards of solving a challenging and intriguing math problem. Set against the backdrop of the ancient Silk Road, with bustling markets, stunning carpets, and camels, the story draws readers into the magic of Farzanah’s surroundings.
Each scene invites readers to appreciate historical and cultural contexts, to predict what might come next, and to engage with the mathematical challenge alongside Farzanah. The characters add depth to the story, providing joy and some silliness along the way. Readers are sure to enjoy the rich tapestry shown through beautiful illustrations, as they cheer on Farzanah in her quest for a solution.
For and From Our Readers
Farzanah and the 17 Camels provides an opportunity for readers to delve deeper into mathematical concepts, sparking curiosity and encouraging young minds to explore problem-solving in a fun and meaningful way. At the end of the book, readers are invited to look deeper into the mathematics of the story. Readers can choose which thread of the puzzle they want to untangle and then watch the mathematical magic unravel. They can change the numbers, look for patterns, or create their own puzzle.
There are other activities included that are designed to tap into creativity, prompting exploration of patterns, logical reasoning, and strategic thinking. Readers might design their own carpet or learn about ancient coins. These activities not only reinforce the enjoyment of mathematics but also empower readers to apply problem-solving skills beyond the book, fostering a lasting appreciation for the beauty of mathematical thinking in everyday life. Check out these third graders from Dennis-Yarmouth, MA making their own carpets to go with the book.
I very much enjoyed the story and would like to read similar storys in the future. One thing I liked about the story is that it wasn’t as easy as other math-related storys, which made this one much more fun and interesting. Although nothing confused me and I understood what I was asked to solve, I did find that this was a little bit challenging. In my opinion, the main theme of this mathematical story is to never give up, which was demonstrated when Farzannah kept trying to figure out the solution of the problem introduced within the story. Overall, I believe that this was a cleverly written story.
– Student, grade 4I loved the story! You are so creative and used beautiful descriptive language to describe the characters and events. I enjoyed the exploration and solution of the 17 camel problem, and it was fun to hear the history of similar problems at the end of the book. I especially liked the way you wove perseverance into the story. Some favorite sentences: “Sometimes being stuck is exactly where you need to be.” and “There is magic just on the other side of confusion.” It was a great idea to have Farzanah draw the problem in the sand. You highlighted the importance of visualizing a problem, whether trying to find a solution or sharing your thinking with others. My favorite of the activities at the end of the book are the problems in Changing the Puzzle. And thanks for making the smart, curious, clever young mathematician a girl!
– Sue O’Connell, author and math consultantFinding out the riddle was tricky but I liked trying to figure out the answer because riddles are tricky,confusing, and others but what I like the most about riddles is that I get to open up my mind to things I never really thought of to figure out the solution.
– Student, grade 3The characters and the setting were really cool and I liked them a lot. They remind me of Lebanon, which is also in the middle east.
– Student, grade 5
I LOVED “Farzanah and the 17 Camels”! The story flows along beautifully and keeps delivering important messages and delightful imagery.
– Jan, math consultant
The book was very good and had a lot of activities. My favorite part was when you made the part to make kids think in new ways. That was a very good way to show kids that they can learn math and be a puzzle solver.
– Suprim, age 12
I really love the storyline because I like the way you make the readers think about the problem and they try to solve it . The story is like one of those books where there is a riddle. It keeps the reader interested. It is a question that even smart people struggle with and you put it in a story which makes it even better.
– Sisu, age 10
Meet the Author
As an author, I often find inspiration when exploring puzzles and stories from the past. I am intrigued by math problems that endure the test of time, compelling generations of explorers to ponder solutions. As with my first children’s book when I became fascinated with magic squares and wrote Ying and the Magic Turtle, I have now written Farzanah and the 17 Camels based on an old riddle that intrigued me. I have taken this kernel of inspiration and then layered in relatable characters to show readers their way through the puzzle.
Through the characters’ actions and dialogue, combined with illustrations, readers are able to make sense of the why behind the solution. This is important because so often in mathematics, answers and procedures are simply given and followed, and learners aren’t given the time to understand the reasoning behind a solution.
This story shows what it looks like when someone searches for understanding and how that process happens over time. Solutions don’t always come immediately but rather require us to let an idea roll around in our minds for a while. As Farzanah learns, it is often in stepping away that the solution emerges.
Sue Looney is the founder of Looney Math Consulting, a professional development agency devoted to supporting educators in the important work of inspiring learners to believe in themselves as powerful mathematicians. She is also the creator of the routine Same But Different Math, which educators across the globe can access at no cost. She is passionate about spreading the joy of mathematics to all learners, from experienced educators to the youngest of children.
Sue Looney’s work is grounded in over 20 years of first-hand experience with children. Sue holds a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialty in Mathematics Education from Boston University. Sue has been employed as adjunct faculty at Boston University, where she developed and delivered a course for early childhood educators. Sue is part of the Mathkind Global community where she is a member of the advisory board. Sue is the author of Same But Different Math, Ying and the Magic Turtle, and Exemplars PreK Math. When she is not teaching or creating, she can be found enjoying her family and relaxing at the beach.
Meet the Publisher
As a parent, teacher, or math circle leader, you want books that are helpful for your children. Will the book make sense? Will it add rich, beautiful, and kind math to your child’s life? Will it be fun? So that you can say YES to all of these questions, the Natural Math community has developed a unique publishing process.
Our publishing gives authors, artists, and even readers a lot of creative control. A book starts with amazing authors who deeply care about their work in mathematics education. Each author spends many hours improving every aspect of the manuscript by testing the book with children, families, and classes.
Next, Natural Math invites beta readers: brave community volunteers who field-test the draft in their own families and classes, without the authors on-scene to help. Our beta readers are parents, principals and classroom teachers, as well as leaders of math circles, learner coops, museum activities and other extracurricular programs. They come from all learning backgrounds and all continents (except Antarctica). Their input is how Natural Math books become so real.
Crowdfunding comes next. Our crew of professional editors, proofreaders, and designers are paid with the crowdfunding money. They make the paper books a joy to hold, and ensure that ebooks flow well on all devices. Natural Math books have been featured by The Atlantic, The NY Times, The NPR, and many lovely sites dedicated to learning, parenting, and mathematics.
And One More Thing
As all our previous books, Farzanah and the 17 Camels is published under a Creative Commons license. That means that people all over the world will be able to access its content, translate it into different languages – and share their ideas based on the book. The Creative Commons site features an interview with the Natural Math founder in its celebration of innovative projects in education.
If you already are a part of the Natural Math community, thank you for your continuing support. If you are new to Natural Math, thank you for checking out our latest project. Please join the math adventure!
