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Marvin the Math Cat and the Mysterious Patio Garden (US Edition) (Marvin the Math Cat (US Edition)) Paperback – July 18, 2023
Purchase options and add-ons
🔍 A Math Mystery Adventure – Book 1 in the Marvin the Math Cat Series! 🔢
Does your child love mysteries and math challenges? Are you looking for a fun way to boost their geometry skills? Marvin the Math Cat & the Mysterious Patio Garden blends storytelling & problem-solving to make math exciting for kids!
🐾 Join Marvin & Dusty on a Geometry Adventure!
Marvin the cat isn’t a fan of math—until a strange encounter with two secretive landscapers makes him wonder if math is more important than he thought. 🌿📚 As he explores geometry puzzles hidden in his world, he starts seeing perimeter, area, and transformations (translations, reflections, rotations) in a whole new way. But just when he thinks he’s figured something out... a bigger mystery unfolds!
🔢 Along the way, readers will:
✅ Solve real-world geometry puzzles woven into the story!
✅ Explore perimeter, area, & transformations in a fun way!
✅ Build critical thinking skills with an interactive “Cat-tivity” at the end!
💡 Purrfect for:
✔️ Kids ages 9-12 who love adventure & problem-solving
✔️ Parents & teachers looking for a fun way to teach geometry
✔️ Fans of math-based fiction like The Math Inspectors & The Lemonade War
🐱📚 Ready to uncover the mystery? Click Buy Now and join Marvin on a math-filled adventure!
📏 (This edition uses imperial measurements.)
- Print length35 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions6 x 0.09 x 9 inches
- Publication dateJuly 18, 2023
- ISBN-10177808687X
- ISBN-13978-1778086878
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
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From the Publisher
Marvin the Math Cat Book Series

Why Choose Marvin the Math Cat?
Engaging Storylines
Engages curious minds with an irresistible blend of mystery and adventure.
Real-World Math Applications
Ignites a passion for math by seamlessly integrating real-world concepts into a captivating story.
Fosters Critical Thinking
Fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills and encourages a love for learning with an interactive "Cat-tivity" for hands-on engagement.
Supplements Your Child's Math Curriculum
Perfect for teachers and parents seeking a unique and entertaining approach to teaching math concepts and supplementing their math curriculum.

A peek into our series where each book slowly reveals hidden clues—from a mysterious patio garden to Dusty’s secret quest and the hidden blue box.
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Marvin the Math Cat & the Mysterious Patio Garden
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Marvin the Math Cat & Dusty's Secret Quest
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Marvin the Math Cat & the Mysterious Patio Garden (US Edition)
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Marvin the Math Cat & Dusty's Secret Quest (US Edition)
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Marvin the Math Cat & the Hidden Blue Box (Marvin the Math Cat (US Edition))
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Customer Reviews |
3.7 out of 5 stars 14
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4.6 out of 5 stars 3
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4.6 out of 5 stars 75
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4.6 out of 5 stars 62
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4.9 out of 5 stars 23
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Price | $9.99$9.99 | $11.99$11.99 | $9.99$9.99 | $11.99$11.99 | $14.99$14.99 |
Age Group | 9 - 12 years | 9 - 12 years | 9 - 12 years | 9 - 12 years | 9 - 12 years |
Reading Order | Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 |
Edition | Canadian | Canadian | US | US | US/Canadian |
Math Concepts Covered | Geometry, Area, Perimeter, Transformations (Translations, Reflections, Rotations) | Number Sense: proportions, ratios, rates, fractions, percent, etc. | Geometry, Area, Perimeter, Transformations (Translations, Reflections, Rotations) | Number Sense: proportions, ratios, rates, fractions, percent, etc. | Probability: theoretical and experimental probability, probability continuums, and the Law of Large Numbers |
# Pages | 35 | 76 | 35 | 76 | 86 |
Description | Join Marvin & Dusty on a garden-filled math adventure, using transformations & math superpowers to design a patio garden. As the story unfolds, a puzzling mystery emerges, setting the stage for thrilling future adventures. | In the second installment, Dusty takes center stage on a cosmic Math Quest exploring number sense & the wonders of the solar system. Marvin joins in the finale to unlock a pivotal discovery, setting the stage for the next thrilling adventure. | Join Marvin & Dusty on a garden-filled math adventure, using transformations & math superpowers to design a patio garden. As the story unfolds, a puzzling mystery emerges, setting the stage for thrilling future adventures. | In the second installment, Dusty takes center stage on a cosmic Math Quest exploring number sense & the wonders of the solar system. Marvin joins in the finale to unlock a pivotal discovery, setting the stage for the next thrilling adventure. | Join Marvin and Dusty in their third thrilling adventure as they uncover the mystery of the hidden blue box! Using their knowledge of probability, they solve puzzles and reveal secrets in this fun, math-filled journey. |
End of Book Activity | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Math Concepts Explained (End-of-Book Glossary) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ebook & Paperback Format | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Product details
- Publisher : Blackburn Alliance
- Publication date : July 18, 2023
- Language : English
- Print length : 35 pages
- ISBN-10 : 177808687X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1778086878
- Item Weight : 3.68 ounces
- Reading age : 7 - 10 years, from customers
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.09 x 9 inches
- Book 1 of 3 : Marvin the Math Cat (US Edition)
- Best Sellers Rank: #661,309 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #85 in Children's Advanced Math Books
- #95 in Children's Geometry Books
- #2,044 in Children's Interactive Adventures
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Award-winning author Nick Blackburn is from Canada’s East Coast and lives in the suburbs with his wife and their two rescue cats. The Blackburns have always wanted to create educational stories for children. With combined backgrounds in education, mathematics, science, computer technology, and their love of cats, they developed the award-winning Marvin the Math Cat book series, which follows Marvin and his side-kick Dusty on mysterious mathematical adventures to discover the usefulness of math. The Blackburns' hobbies include taking nature walks, dancing, and spoiling their cats!
Visit our website for Free Math Resources for Teachers and Parents: https://www.marvinthemathcat.com/
Award-winning author Heather Blackburn is from Canada’s East Coast and lives in the suburbs with her husband and their two rescue cats. The Blackburns have always wanted to create educational stories for children. With combined backgrounds in education, mathematics, science, computer technology, and their love of cats, they developed the award-winning Marvin the Math Cat book series, which follows Marvin and his side-kick Dusty on mysterious mathematical adventures to discover the usefulness of math. The Blackburns' hobbies include taking nature walks, dancing, and spoiling their cats!
Visit our website for Free Math Resources for Teachers and Parents: https://www.marvinthemathcat.com/
Customer reviews
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- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star4 star67%23%10%0%0%23%
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- 5 star4 star3 star2 star1 star1 star67%23%10%0%0%0%
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book effective at explaining math concepts in a fun and engaging way, with one review noting how it helps children transfer abstract knowledge. The story is well-written, with one customer describing it as a clever teaching narrative.
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Customers appreciate the book's approach to teaching math, finding it a good way to explain concepts and perfect for children's learning.
"Great book for encouraging kids to read and enjoy math. The characters are fun and the book provides real examples to make everything feel relatable." Read more
"...Although the book had a really good way of explaining math concepts close to the end, the beginning of the story was a little slow...." Read more
"...This story explains several math concepts in a fun and engaging manner with a spin on practical real-world use! Kiddos!" Read more
"...and Dusty through the mystery they are exploring, while also learning concepts and strategies for solving areas and perimeters of shapes...." Read more
Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it's a fun and engaging teaching story.
"...Beginning could be much shorter and more polished. Otherwise, good story." Read more
"...This story explains several math concepts in a fun and engaging manner with a spin on practical real-world use! Kiddos!" Read more
"...This is a clever book, part of a series designed to teach math in a fun way and answer the question, “when will I ever use this math?”..." Read more
""Marvin the Math Cat and the Mysterious Patio Garden" is a fun and interesting math cat story where the basics of math transformations are learnt..." Read more
Reviews with images

We loved the book
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2025Great book for encouraging kids to read and enjoy math. The characters are fun and the book provides real examples to make everything feel relatable.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2025The book teaches kids perimeter, area, and transformations through cats' point of view.
I like books that explain complex issues through interesting storylines. This helps children to transfer abstract knowledge into the real-life world.
Although the book had a really good way of explaining math concepts close to the end, the beginning of the story was a little slow. Beginning could be much shorter and more polished. Otherwise, good story.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2025As a special education teacher, i've heard the same question: Why do we need math?! This story explains several math concepts in a fun and engaging manner with a spin on practical real-world use! Kiddos!
- Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2023Marvin the Math Cat and the Mysterious Patio Garden is a fun engaging teaching story that wraps math concepts into a narrative. Kids will have fun following Marvin and Dusty through the mystery they are exploring, while also learning concepts and strategies for solving areas and perimeters of shapes. The math also covers translation, rotation and reflection concepts woven into the story. There are character illustrations as well as supporting diagrams for the math. This is a clever book, part of a series designed to teach math in a fun way and answer the question, “when will I ever use this math?” As I like to say, everything goes in ... and this book will plant seeds of math knowledge that will grow bigger in future math classes.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2024"Marvin the Math Cat and the Mysterious Patio Garden" is a fun and interesting math cat story where the basics of math transformations are learnt through the story's plot. The idea behind simplifying and demystifying math through a story about cats and planning a garden is clever. Fun read!
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2024We loved this book! My son is 7, 2nd grade and loves cats. The concepts in this book have been addressed or touched on in his math book (some at the end of the year).
There are TONS of pictures. He can read the book. The print is a little small/close for him and he needs help with some of the words, but the language uses words he knows.
He read it on his own, then had me read, finally wanted me to start the second book with him, all in the same day.
We loved this book! My son is 7, 2nd grade and loves cats. The concepts in this book have been addressed or touched on in his math book (some at the end of the year).
There are TONS of pictures. He can read the book. The print is a little small/close for him and he needs help with some of the words, but the language uses words he knows.
He read it on his own, then had me read, finally wanted me to start the second book with him, all in the same day.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2023I was a math teacher for 5 years. I taught algebra 2 all the way down to third grade. I was always looking for fun math books to read to my 3rd and 4th graders. I appreciate that this book has a good story - a mystery - and then has math concepts weaved through out. And it is done well. I would recommend.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024this book is perfect for kids to learn some math, in this case how to solve the mystery of building a garden using geometry! genius!!
Top reviews from other countries
- Alice PReviewed in Canada on May 20, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A good resource
This is a cute resource to help children find the meaning of math education. I liked how the pictures were very geometric and the story was simple. I think it would make a good homework activity for elementary students doing area, perimeter and transformations. If you are not in the US then just switch yards for metres and inches for cm.
- Cliente AmazonReviewed in Italy on February 24, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Marvin the Math Cat and the Mysterious Patio Garden is an engaging adventure that combines mystery, imagination, and mathematics in a fun way. Follow Marvin and his friend Dusty as they solve math puzzles and discover the secrets of a mysterious garden. With engaging storytelling and interactive activities, this book makes learning math an exciting experience for young readers. Perfect for stimulating curiosity and critical thinking!