Reviews and Endorsements

School Library Journal-April 2012
K-Gr 5–On each spread of this clever picture book, a rhyming verse introduces the collective noun for a particular type of animal and then asks readers to determine how many creatures would be in each “bale,” “mob,” etc., if the group were divided into smaller numbers. For example: “Sixteen shiny river toads,/in a sunny spot,/gather ’round four puddles./How many in each knot?” Hunter’s colorful illustrations offer clues to the groupings, for the most part, though on a few pages the divisions are not clear enough to help young readers understand the concept. The book covers a wide variety of animals, from a charm of hummingbirds to a crash of rhinos. Back matter offers more activities relating to multiplication, division, and collective nouns, along with a mapping activity that would be highly engaging if the pictures of the animals on the map, needed to answer the questions, were large enough to see. Overall, though, this is a solid resource for math, science, and language-arts lessons.–Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

Publishers Weekly-January 2012
Slade uses an appealing formula to simultaneously teach readers about both animal collective nouns and division. Rhyming word problems followed by numerical equations introduce animal groups, including a “charm” of hummingbirds, a “crash” of rhinos, and a “tribe” of billy goats. Readers are encouraged to fill in the answers to each rhyme: “Nine hungry leopards/ waking up from sleep./ Three groups are on the prowl./ How many in each leap? 9 ÷ 3 = ?” Hunter’s naturalistic but warm paintings skillfully embody the two concepts, and appended materials include a matching game, a quiz about animal habitats, and an explanation of how division works. Ages 4–9.
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Feathered Quill Book Reviews-February 2012
It is absolutely a joy for moms, who are surrounded by cell phones beeping and computers buzzing, to be able to purchase books for their children and read to them - learn as a family. Technology has attempted to erase reading, yet Sylvan Dell and these amazing creative minds and illustrators are making sure that the family who learns together, stays together. And in the back of this book, as in the other Sylvan Dell books, there is a ton of information on animals in our world that is truly a fun ride.

Quill says: A small book offering great BIG knowledge!
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Home School Book Review-March 2012
The first couple of pages point out that many animals spend a lot of time with their families and friends and then identify the names for many collections of common animals, such as a skulk of foxes and a dray of squirrels.  In the back, a collective nouns matching activity, a “Where in the World” quiz, and a couple of pages with further information about division “For Creative Minds,” can all be found, and there are even more activities and quizzes for The Great Divide at the publisher’s website.  Erin E. Hunter’s illustrations are a great addition to this cross-curricular approach where children can bone up on their division in a setting where they can also study a little bit about nature.
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Eclectic Homeschool Online-March 2012
We love to play with words around here, so this playful math-based picture book fits right in. In The Great Divide (What's the Difference?) simple division problems are illustrated with groups of animals, and just by the way, you get to learn the names for different groupings (a pod of whales, a pride of lions; you may already have known these, but did you know about a skulk of foxes? How about a dray of squirrels or a charm of hummingbirds?).

The book doesn't teach division, but it's a fun read for students who are learning the subject in their arithmetic studies. The pictures are bright, lifelike, and colorful, and each division equation is accompanied by simple rhyming text. Four pages at the end of the book contain learning activities, matching collective nouns to their corresponding animals, mapping where various animals live, and a brief discussion of division. Additional learning pages are available at the publisher's website.
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Tiff Talks Books - May 2012
 In Slade's newest picture book, The Great Divide, she takes on basic division with the continued theme of animals, but this time focusing on groupings and the cool names that they are referred to. I personally love Slade's ability to turn math into rhyming fun.  Her wit and unique idea not only create math sentences, making this sometimes difficult subject easier to relate to, but also brings in a scientific topic that even adults can have fun with. Slade has another number hit!

I cannot close this review without also making special mention of the illustrator, Erin E. Hunter.  The illustrations accompanying Slade's story assist in the math learning, but also realistically portray the animals.  The illustrations are in one word:  GORGEOUS!
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Over a Steaming Cup of Tea-April 2012
Because readers need to be able to count the animals on the page (unless they already know simple division problems by memory), this book will not work well to read to large groups, but it is an excellent choice for one-on-one reading. I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations on each page and the rhyming verses that shared the math challenge and the name for the group of animals pictured. Overall, this book will make math fun for reluctant young mathematicians and reinforce the value in children who already enjoy math. Definitely a treasure!
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Reader KidZ-March 2012
It was a special treat last week to read aloud and discover my students’ enthusiasm for THE GREAT DIVIDE by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Erin. E. Hunter (Sylvan Dell, 2012).  I honestly wasn’t sure what their reaction would be. True, we’d been focusing on division for several weeks, so the students had quite a lot of background knowledge. And a number of the children had already passed the grade-level  division timed tests. But how would they react to a rhyming text that included not only a simple division problem, but that also aimed to  introduce the collective noun (animal group) names of each species mentioned?

The kids enjoyed the book immensely! They were completely engaged with the text and with each new page, were anxious to call-out the answers. Together, we marveled at the interesting animal group names, and wondered about the origin of some of the more unusual names. Today, we’ll take advantage of Sylvan Dell’s free e-book offer and check out Suzanne Slade’s companion book about multiplication, MULTIPLY ON THE FLY.
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The Great Divide-March 2012
A book that teaches children basic division using animals and group name. Example, 15 * 3 =? Fifteen playful elephants, looking quite absurd, perform in three rings. How many in each herd? The illustrations by Erin E. Hunter are very beautiful and bold making it a pleasant read.
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Books 4 Learning-March 2012
Children interact with the book by solving each riddle and identifying the name associated with each animal group.  For instance, groups of toads are called knots and rhinos are referred to as crashes.  Younger children can count the animals/groups and discuss sound devices (important for early reading skills).  Many of the riddles include alliteration (rambunctious rhinos) and all have end rhymes (splash/crash).  Brainstorm other words with the same beginning sounds or rhymes.  The illustrations (by Erin H. Hunter) beautifully capture each group of animals in their natural habitats.  Children can talk about where the animals live as well as compare/contrast the different environments.
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Torrance Macaroni Kid-March 2012
My son is learning division so I was quite happy to receive The Great Divide from our friends at Sylvan Dell Publishing. This book is written by Suzanne Slade and Illustrated by Erin Hunter.  It is fun and educational and great for children learning about division.My son loved it and division is not one of his favorite things to do.
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Heck of a Bunch-January 2012
In The Great Divide, children can learn about groups of animals while committing division skills to memory.  Different types of animals are represented in colorful illustrations.  The cadence of the story is told in a rhyming format.  Further lessons can be learned in the "Creative Minds" section of the book.  Collective nouns matching and a detailed explanation of division are just a couple of the educational pages that provide supplemental educational material. 
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