Beyond Fire and Tacos: Using 'Dragons Love Tacos' to Ignite Mathematical Thinking through Interdisciplinary Read-Alouds

Abstract

On a bright Tuesday morning, in a university math undergraduate course, the professor held up a beloved children’s picture book, Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, and the room filled with smiles. “If you want to make math fun, put it in a taco!” shouted one teacher candidate, prompting laughter all around. While the line was humorous, it also hinted at something deeper: mathematics, when anchored in meaningful contexts, becomes more than just numbers on a page. This narrative follows a group of teacher candidates as they explore mathematics through the lens of children’s literature. Using the playful yet insightful story of taco-loving dragons who cannot eat spicy salsa, the lesson evolved into a space where literacy, math, and interdisciplinary teaching came to life.