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AMONG THE ODD AND EVENS

Name: AMONG THE ODD AND EVENS
Author: Priscilla Turner
ISBN: 0-374-30343-6

A TALE OF ADVENTURE

by Priscilla Turner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 10, 1999

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The creators of The War Between the Vowels and the Consonants (1996) follow up with an equally bombastic excursion to the land of Wontoo, whose number-shaped inhabitants are either orderly and even-tempered, or fond of odd dress and behavior. Stranded travelers from the Land of Letters, X and Y wander about making shocked observations—“ ‘By Jove, X! How did we not notice this earlier? . . . Evens have only Even children. Yet two Odd parents also seem to have only Even children.’ ”—but by the end, admitting to each other that they’ve “gone native,” they marry and settle down to raise mixed-symbol families. The illustrations pose button-eyed digits with stick limbs and wisps of clothing in a jellybean-colored town, coexisting peaceably and greeting their visitors’ incredulity with polite smiles. It’s a clever way to validate cultural differences as well as introduce some number concepts, but children are not likely to understand just what the Letters’ parochialism and exaggerated pomposity are lampooning. (Picture book. 6-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 10, 1999

ISBN: 0-374-30343-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WAR BETWEEN THE VOWELS AND THE CONSONANTS
by Priscilla Turner & illustrated by Whitney Turner

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MONSTER MATH

by Anne Miranda & illustrated by Anne Miranda ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1999

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Miranda’s book counts the monsters gathering at a birthday party, while a simple rhyming text keeps the tally and surveys the action: “Seven starved monsters are licking the dishes./Eight blow out candles and make birthday wishes.” The counting proceeds to ten, then by tens to fifty, then gradually returns to one, which makes the monster’s mother, a purple pin-headed octopus, very happy. The book is surprisingly effective due to Powell’s artwork; the color has texture and density, as if it were poured onto the page, but the real attention-getter is the singularity of every monster attendee. They are highly individual and, therefore, eminently countable. As the numbers start crawling upward, it is both fun and a challenge to try to recognize monsters who have appeared in previous pages, or to attempt to stay focused when counting the swirling or bunched creatures. The story has glints of humor, and in combination with the illustrations is a grand addition to the counting shelf. (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1999

ISBN: 0-15-201835-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1999

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
TANGLED
by Anne Miranda ; illustrated by Eric Comstock

- BOOK REVIEW
VROOM, CHUGGA, VROOM-VROOM
by Anne Miranda & illustrated by David Murphy

- BOOK REVIEW
TO MARKET, TO MARKET
by Anne Miranda & illustrated by Janet Stevens

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QUACK AND COUNT

by Keith Baker & illustrated by Keith Baker ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1999

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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)