King Maximo and the Number Knights

King Maximo and the Number Knights by Schrager, Howard R.. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780964484665.

King Maximo sends his twelve best knights out on a quest to discover the greatest of all the numbers. They return after one year to a great feast at which each knight in turn recounts his adventure, detailing why his is, in fact, the greatest number. After each has spoken, Joccomo the Jester summarizes the qualities of that particular number in a verse. Each knight then designs a coat of arms, or shield, which captures the essence of the number. In the end, all twelve coats of arms hang on the wall. The answer to the question is almost overlooked, until a most unlikely person calls it out.This story sets the table in the imagination for future mathematics study, and links math to other fields, especially the natural sciences. Moreover, it takes math out of the head for a moment and into the childs heart.