PLB 0-06-027888-9 Hot pink and lipstick red swirls on the endpapers set the tone for this eye-catching counting book. Drawn in by colors that leap from the page and boldly printed, chant-along couplets, readers join ten young students as they collect a flower each for their teacher’s bouquet: “Ten rosy roses standing in a line,/Jan picks one and now there are nine.” In an unexpected finish, twins pick the last roses, taking the count from two to “none.” A dramatic use of close-up perspectives makes the children appear huge; in some cases, they spill over the tops of the page. The illustrations have a retro feel to them that charmingly highlights every character’s unique physical appearance. Readers will delight in the antics of a bright yellow butterfly that joins the class on the eighth rose and remains on hand until the bouquet is presented to Ms. Jones. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: April 30, 1999
ISBN: 0-06-027887-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1999
Baker (Big Fat Hen, 1994, etc.) engages in more number play, posing ducklings in every combination of groups, e.g., “Splashing as they leap and dive/7 ducklings, 2 plus 5.” Using a great array of streaked and dappled papers, Baker creates a series of leafy collage scenes for the noisy, exuberant ducklings to fill, tucking in an occasional ladybug or other small creature for sharp-eyed pre-readers to spot. Children will regretfully wave goodbye as the ducks fly off in neat formation at the end of this brief, painless introduction to several basic math concepts. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-15-292858-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999
A brief, rhythmic text combines lullaby with concept book. An African-American baby and parent are shown in the illustrations. “Wrap your arms around me, make a circle, hold me tight. I’ll take you spinning through the air, as daylight turns to night.” The cuddled child is in pajamas, the moon is “like a night-light hanging high,” while the stars and child’s face and features are more examples of the lovingly conveyed main theme. The illustrations, portholes in the center of increasingly darker borders as night descends, show the parent and child with round objects—a goldfish bowl, a round mirror, etc. Engel (The Shelf- Paper Jungle, 1994, etc.) uses watercolors to portray whimsical moonscapes and a starry sky in pleasing and memorable ways. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7614-5040-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1999
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