Math can be INTIMIDATING. It can cause ANXIETY.

Let's make math something to LOVE.

I learned geometry by measuring my bedroom furniture when I was a kid. I learned fractions by doubling and tripling recipes with my mom. There are many students, even at the college level, who lack a basic foundation of mathematics. Many are scared of math. Maybe we can help change that by getting kids to ask, wonder, think and learn to describe their world with math.

Who am I? College Math Instructor by day

with a son who started asking questions about numbers when he was four years old. I'll never forget driving along the Missouri River, taking Jack to preschool about this time four years ago when he asked, "Mommy, are there as many numbers as there are trees?" This proud math-teacher mama happily replied, "Jack, would you believe that there are more numbers than if you counted ALL of those leaves on ALL of those trees... in the entire WORLD?" I knew then we had something. Thanks to Jack's curiosity, our first book was on its way.

The question that started it all...

Then he asked about snow...

Meet Jack's best friend's aunt, Anne the Illustrator, who took this...

and turned it into this...

I finished the draft for the book a couple years after Jack asked those first number questions. I needed an illustrator, and I had seen Anne Mitchell's artwork in the form of murals in a nursery and on her extraordinary greeting cards. I really liked her style. I asked Anne if she could look at my book and pictures of Jack -- could she capture his wonder, curiosity and curls? Several months later, she did just that. Even though she didn't meet Jack until the book was printed in softcover, everyone who knew Jack said Anne did a great job of "capturing" his essence. Kids and adults really love the illustrations. I couldn't have done this without Anne.

What is Kickstarter and what is this about?

If you're unsure about Kickstarter, here are the basics. It's been around for about 4 years. Creative projects are posted on a page with a specific funding goal (in my case $5,500). The creators offer rewards (listed at the right of this page; in my case, e-book, signed copies of the book, prints of the illustrations, readings) in order to help them 'kickstart' their projects. YOU select how much YOU'D like to contribute, from $1 on up, AND ONLY IF I REACH MY GOAL, will your credit card be charged at the end of the project. So I have to raise $5,500 or I don't get anything. It's a pretty cool website -- I have discovered movies and cool projects funded by Kickstarter (have you seen the indie movie Absentia? Great scary movie!). I've done a lot of research into what makes a successful project. If you have other questions about Kickstarter, they have a more detailed FAQ section that can answer your questions.

If our project is successful...

then we can print high quality hardcover versions of our book Mommy, How Many Numbers Are There? When I was looking for a local printer for the softcover version of our book,  I found Mira Digital Publishing based in St. Louis. Thanks to them, we printed and sold a few hundred softcover copies in minimum 30% post-consumer waste content. It's now time to go hardcover, and this is where we need your help! Hardcover is needed due to:

a) those little creatures called babies and toddlers who like to tear and chew things;

b)  hardcovers being more durable for library loans, hospitals, doctors' offices, schools, etc.

With your support as a backer, we can get our first book in hardcover while treating backers with an e-book version and/or hardcover version, prints of our adorable illustrations or a reading!

To keep the books priced at a reasonable level, we have to print at least 500 copies. All money raised through this Kickstarter campaign is going toward the costs of the first edition printing of the hardcover version. (If you're a store owner, please contact me at JacksBackBooks (at) gmail (dot) com.)

How the money will be spent:

Illustrations (Oh, Anne has earned it!)

ISBN & bar code

Printing (hardcover copies, minimum 30% post-consumer content; high-quality poster illustrations)

Promotional/Marketing materials (including mileage, donations)

Stretch goals / Rewards:

If our project exceeds its goal, then we can do one or any of the following:

i) treat our hardcover copy backers to Jack paraphernalia (stickers, standees);

ii) continue production of our next book in the Jack's Back Book series;

iii) provide our backers with backer-only privileged information on future books featuring Jack!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our project! We hope you decide to support it and/or share it with others who may benefit from a book like this. And stay tuned to more insights from Jack in the Jack's Back series. Jack WILL be BACK! :-)

If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to watch our video at the top of this page. Crank it up to enjoy our story and song! A HUGE thanks to Miss Loraine, our friends' very talented 8th grade daughter who made the video! Thank you, Rainey!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

- Becky and Jack

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