Many people ask me how I got the idea for this book. Well, I was a teacher and curriculum advisor in Ganado, Arizona, and I was asked to evaluate three math series from different publishers. Honestly, they all looked the same to me—I couldn’t really tell the difference between them. That’s when I had an idea: what would professional mathematicians say about elementary math books?

I went to a bookstore in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and luckily found a book featuring interviews with mathematicians. Right on the first page, one said, “I see numbers as my friends,” and another said, “I see numbers as my family.” That really stuck with me.
Then, while looking at a clock, the light went on—I realized I could personify the numbers on the clock and give each one a lively, unique personality. That’s how The Exasperated Clock came to life. To date, five books have been completed in the series.