Children from the United States score poorly on international math tests compared to their cohorts in other countries. These gaps grow as students enter high school and develop a dislike and fear of mathematics, suggesting the need to improve mathematics education in middle school. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of reading children's literature on improving math achievement and reducing math anxiety. Based on the theoretical framework of differentiated instruction to improve learning and reduce anxiety, this study investigated the difference in students' achievement scores in 8th grade mathematics and math anxiety scores among students who incorporate literature in math and those who do not use literature in the math classroom. A split plot ANOVA (SPANOVA) was used to determine how children's literature affected math anxiety and mathematics achievement. Key results revealed a significant gain from the math weekly scores and the math pretest to the math posttest based on student groups (experimental versus control). For math anxiety, the results revealed a significant decrease from the pretest math anxiety scores to the posttest math anxiety scores based on the student group (experimental versus control). These findings highlight the merits of implementing literature into the math curriculum. Mathematics teachers who include literature into their curriculum could help improve student motivation, lessen mathematics anxiety, and improve achievement in mathematics. This implementation could allow students in the United States to better compete with other countries in mathematics, which could lead to positive social change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]