2023-01-25
A group of animals help little ones count from one to 10.
Each page of this wordless picture book includes a different number (or two) and animal combination. We see three yellow beetles, each with three black dots, nestled into a tree; the contrast of the red tree against the white space results in the number three. Snoek invites readers to practice numeracy and one-to-one correspondence but also gives the pages extra illustrative depth, cleverly incorporating the shape of the number into the image. On one page, we see angular touches to the birds’ beaks and necks so that they appear to resemble the number seven; the llamas’ bodies and necks evoke the swirl of the number six. Another page features eight spiders, each with eight legs and a figure-eight–shaped body. Unlike counting books that simply provide readers with objects and numbers, Snoek’s version invites lingering with each page turn. Though the palette is limited to primary colors and black and white, the visuals are nevertheless intriguing, each page different than the last thanks to shadowing and inspired color combinations. There are counting books aplenty, but this take provides readers with an intentional, artistic experience. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Rests cheerfully at the intersection of art and (early) math. (Picture book. 1-3)
