About the Prize
What makes a book a Mathical title?
Mathical titles invite children to see math in new and unexpected ways in the world around them. They are playful, inviting, suspenseful, fascinating, engaging—their qualities vary by their subject matter and age category. Through a well-told literary narrative, they open up new ways of seeing, understanding, and appreciating mathematics.
The selection panel looks first for literary quality; secondly, for well-presented books that contain substantial and inspirational math content; that are clear, accurate, and inviting in their approach to mathematics.
By analogy, in our schools we teach music theory and music appreciation. While many school curricula teach math as a theoretical subject, the Mathical Book Prize celebrates the appreciation of mathematics: its beauty, and its applications.
Publishers are advised to review the list of books previously awarded to gain a greater sense of eligible titles.
Who selects the Mathical winning titles?
The Mathical Selection Committee is drawn from librarians, teachers, mathematicians, early childhood experts, and others nationwide. The jury selects winners in five grade-level categories: PreK, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
Who awards the Mathical Book Prize?
The Mathical Book Prize is awarded by the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath). The award is presented in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and in coordination with the Children’s Book Council (CBC).
How are Mathical titles promoted?
The 2025 Mathical winners will join an exclusive and ever-growing resource list that is promoted nationally among librarians, K-12 teachers, mathematicians, and programs serving children in need.
SLMath offers numerous opportunities throughout the year to highlight Mathical titles to educators, parents, and librarians. Mathical titles are featured on websites, social media, and newsletters of our partner organizations, bringing broad exposure to K-12 teachers of both English and mathematics; the Mathical List is featured at a national conference of K-5 educators.
SLMath partners locally and nationally to distribute thousands of free Mathical books each year to Title I school libraries and in other settings.
In 2024-2025, Mathical is launching our first-ever national Readathon.
About the Prize Process
How do I submit titles for consideration?
Use the online submission form on our website. Submissions are due at the end of September. Winners are selected in January of the following year, and announced in February. (Specific dates vary year to year — be sure to check the submissions page for details.)
What are the eligibility criteria for the Mathical Book Prize?
For the Mathical Book Prize:
- Only books published in the year before the award year are eligible for the prize. For example, only books published in 2024 will be eligible for the 2025 Mathical Book Prize.
- Both fiction and nonfiction titles may be submitted.
- Books must be intended for grades PreK-12.
- All books must originate with a children’s publishing company or division and must be published (not simply distributed) by a publisher incorporated in the U.S. or Canada.
- Original paperbacks are eligible; paperback reprints are not. If a book is published simultaneously in hardcover and paperback, either edition may be submitted.
- Textbooks, workbooks, kits, and experiment-only books are not eligible.
- Books must be currently available in print in English.
- Spanish-language editions published in the U.S./Canada simultaneously with English-language editions are eligible.
- Books translated into English are eligible.
- Publishers agree to share publicity materials (such as high-resolution cover images) for use in marketing of the winning titles, if selected.
Mathical winners have come from a wide variety of imprints and publishers, from the largest publishing houses in the United States to nonprofit mathematical organizations and university presses.
What if a title is published in the last quarter of the calendar year?
If there is a book published in the last quarter of the year, we encourage you to submit in one of these ways. Contact mathical@slmath.org and we are happy to assist.
- You can submit it in PDF form (knowing the printed book won’t be ready yet) — we may be able to accommodate, as the Prize is not announced until the following calendar year.
- You can bring the title to our attention and request it be considered the following year (in the next prize cycle).
- You can always submit titles (with up to a 10-year rolling look-back period) for Mathical Honor book consideration.
How many titles can I submit?
Publishers may submit an unlimited number of titles for consideration for the 2025 Mathical Book Award.
Is there a fee for submission?
There is no submission fee for the Mathical Book Prize.
What are the shipping instructions?
We will utilize PDF manuscript submission for the 2025 Prize. You will be asked to submit one PDF copy of each title to a SLMath staff contact. The manuscripts will be held in strict confidence and utilized only for the purpose of Mathical Book Prize selection.
SLMath will send uploading instructions to participating publishers; publishers should begin to upload manuscripts as soon as they receive the instructions. Book manuscripts must be uploaded by October 2, 2024 to be reviewed.
Early submissions are encouraged. We will notify publishers on a rolling basis whether books have made an initial screening cut. If so, we request hard-copy books to be mailed to the full committee for consideration.
When is the Prize submission period?
The Mathical Book Prize submission period typically spans the month of September. Sign up for email announcements to be notified when submissions are open.