BASHER 1 2 3

Learn the numerals from 1 through 20 with big, bold pictures and simple captions.

The left-hand side of each double-page spread features the spelled-out number, center top; the numeral in question big and bold below; and all the numerals from 1 to 20 on the bottom, with the chosen one underlined. On the right-hand page is a simple illustration and description: "One smiling snake cuddles his favorite teddy bear," for example. Each number is treated to a different color scheme and different figures to illustrate it. "Six greedy penguins gobble juicy jelly beans" on a mini-iceberg, "[n]ine daring ladybugs show off on their skateboards," and "[s]ixteen lost clouds find their way home" in formation above a pink house with a purple roof. Several jokes are also tucked in. "Fourteen fearless kites fly higher and higher" features a child hitching a ride on the tail of one kite. And "Four freaky frogs have holes in their socks" depicts each frog on its own lily pad, a colorful sock on only one of its feet. After number 20 ("sleepy spiders"), there's a review of each number, taking four pages. There is no unifying theme beyond Basher’s distinctive graphics.

The use of simple shapes, multiple colors, a variety of minimally depicted figures (which a child might see in a kindergarten classroom), big numbers, and ample background space is a winning combination.