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ELMER'S FIRST COUNTING BOOK by David McKee

ELMER'S FIRST COUNTING BOOK

From the Elmer the Elephant series

by David McKee & illustrated by David McKee

Pub Date: April 1st, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8999-6
Publisher: Andersen Press USA

Elmer the elephant lumbers through this nondescript counting book.

Mostly unrelated animals accumulate from one through 10, starting with “ONE smiling elephant.” The individual numerals are set apart in colored circles on each page and are repeated, spelled-out and capitalized, in the brief phrases. Oddly for a book featuring a crazy-quilt elephant, the animals' colorings vary widely in interest. Fish flaunt their polka dots and stripes, but the frogs and birds are monochromatically boring by comparison. Body language provides some whimsy in the otherwise straightforward compositions. The tigers hold hands and kick their legs in an exuberant dance; four lions sprawl on a rock, one gazing at the stars with arms behind his (they are all male) head. Companion Elmer's Opposites is similarly drab, with examples varying in effectiveness. “BLACK is BLACK. / WHITE is WHITE. / Wilbur is BOTH!” Wilbur the checkerboard elephant strides off the page in the picture. Elmer's silhouette forms the shaped cover of each book.

There is nothing special here.

(Board book. 6 mos.-2)