EDIBLE NUMBERS

This companion to Edible Colors (2014) presents photographs of fruits and vegetables in groups from one to 12.

The counting pattern introduces a single variety or cultivar of a plant species, then an increasingly greater number of other cultivars of the same species. Thus, “1 pea pod”—Sugar Snap—appears on the first verso against white space; then “2 pea pods”—Blue Podded and Golden Sweet Snow—are displayed on the recto. Next, “1 cucumber”—General Lee—is followed by “3 cucumbers”—Dragon’s Egg, Boothby’s Blonde and Sikkum. The evocative common names of the produce add charm and serendipity. For example, readers will discover the commonplace button mushroom as well as more exotic varieties such as Blue Foot, Pom Pom Blanc and Hen of the Woods. The Berkeley Tie Die tomato and the Moon and Stars watermelon should delight adults and children alike. After the 12 plant groupings, an additional spread invites readers to distinguish among an array of plums, ears of corn, watermelons and carrots. A final spread showcases all of the groups, from 1 Swiss chard leaf to 12 citrus fruits, as a dozen vertical rows of thumbnail-sized, uncaptioned photos. Many of the photographs from Edible Colors are reused. In one instance, a red pepper is captioned as “Wonder bell pepper” in the earlier volume and as “King Arthur” here.

A tasty way for preschoolers to sharpen their counting skills.