Our recommendation:
Bar Modeling, a Problem-solving tool is recommended as a self-study or professional development book for educators who want to become more comfortable with and skilled at solving word problems with bar models in order to better assist students in using the tool effectively. It is NOT a book for students at the Primary level. It is primarily useful for teachers using Primary Mathematics 3-6, since this tool is more effective for multi-step word problems than single-step word problems, but some ideas can be used for second grade. It will provide teachers with effective approaches to solving some of the more complex word problems generally found in later levels of Primary Mathematics. It does not provide scripted lessons for the teacher to use with students. It teaches the teacher.