The Story Behind the Primary Series: The Worded Maths Books I Just Couldn't Find
The main reason I started writing primary maths books around 17 years ago was simple: I couldn’t find the specific learning resources I was looking for as both a parent and a teacher.
I was searching for books filled with engaging worded maths questions and deep problem-solving challenges, resources that didn’t just tell students exactly what to do, but genuinely encouraged children to think for themselves. Most importantly, I wanted high-quality maths workbooks that I would happily give to my own children.
When I couldn’t find them on the market, I decided to write my own.
Answering the Big Questions: "When Will I Ever Use Maths?"
I wanted to create educational resources that naturally answered the questions every parent and tutor hears:
“When will I ever need maths in real life?”
“Where am I ever going to use this?”
I wanted children to see that mathematics is not something that exists only inside classrooms and exam papers. Maths is everywhere. My goal was to create inclusive primary maths books that all children could enjoy, bridging the gap for those who love reading and those who don’t, and supporting those who excel at maths alongside those who find it challenging.
That is exactly how the Primary Maths Problem Solving Series was born.
Designed for Primary School Children Aged 7–9 (Years 3 and 4)
While these problem-solving books are ideally aimed at children aged 7–9, they are highly adaptable. They can easily be used by younger or older children depending on their individual reading ability, key stage progression, and mathematical confidence.
Why focus on the 7–9 age group? Because that was the exact age of my own children when I began this writing journey!
I used our everyday lives to spot real-world opportunities where they were using maths, intentionally or unintentionally. Whether we were planning a school trip to London, playing in the park with our dog Bailey, sharing food, measuring baking ingredients, or calculating travel distances, I realised that maths was woven into everything we did. Once I started looking for it, the contextual word problems flowed naturally.
Sparking Curiosity with Cross-Curricular Word Problems
To keep young minds fully engaged, I researched fascinating historical and scientific facts to include in dedicated “Did You Know?” sections throughout the books.
Our word questions don't just focus on abstract numbers; they take children on a journey:
History Meets Maths: Discovering the story of Carl Benz building the first motor car in Germany around 150 years ago (the origin of Mercedes-Benz).
Science Meets Maths: Solving calculation puzzles involving dinosaurs sharing food millions of years ago.
By blending reading comprehension with mathematics, these books are designed to spark curiosity, family conversations, and critical thinking. Children are naturally curious about the world around them, and I wrote this primary series to honour that fearless mindset.
Interactive Learning: "Now It’s Your Turn to Be the Teacher"
Throughout the series, there are built-in opportunities for discussion, reflection, and active learning. One of my absolute favorite features is the “Now It’s Your Turn to Be the Teacher” section. Here, children are explicitly encouraged to write two word questions of their own, one easier and one more challenging.
This is a powerful diagnostic tool I used with my own children. It is a beautifully simple way for parents, primary teachers, and private tutors to discover exactly what a child understands well and what concepts they are still finding difficult.
Friendly, Accessible, and Dyslexia-Friendly Layouts
I wanted these workbooks to feel approachable rather than intimidating.
Real-Life Visuals: All of the vibrant illustrations were created by a talented illustrator directly from real photographs of my children and our dog, Bailey.
Dyslexia-Friendly Maths Design: We followed a clean, spacious, and dyslexia-friendly layout, which means pages are never crammed with overwhelming text or tight questions. It drastically reduces visual stress and cognitive load.
Travel-Friendly Size: The books were deliberately designed to be small and light enough to fit easily into a school bag or a holiday suitcase.
Loved by UK Parents, Tutors, and Children Alike
There is an immense amount of love poured into this primary series, and I think readers can truly feel that. The feedback from home-educating parents, 11+ and primary tutors, and children has been wonderful.
Here are a few of my favorite comments from our community:
“My son absolutely couldn’t put the book down.”
“These are the first maths books my child has ever actually finished.”
“Thank you for reminding us that maths is everywhere, not just in school.”
“So much colour! They made learning feel like fun.”
These workbooks were the tools that successfully started my own children’s mathematical journey. My hope is that the Primary Maths Problem Solving Series inspires, supports, and builds lasting confidence in your children, too.
