Is 2 a Lot: An Adventure With Numbers

by Annie Watson, Rebecca Evans (Illustrator)

Overview

**** 2020 Mathical Book Honor Book

Two is not a lot of pennies, but it is a lot of smelly skunks. Ten is not a lot of popcorn pieces, but it is a lot of chomping dinosaurs. One thousand is not a lot of grains of sand, but it is a lot of hot air balloons!

While Joey’s mom explains the context of numbers in vivid ways, Joey’s imagination transforms their ordinary car ride into a magical odyssey through a land of make-believe.  

Is Two a Lot? is a wonderfully charming and authentic exchange between mother and child. Annie Watson’s story makes numbers tangible, and Rebecca Evans’s illustrations bring them to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780884487159
Publisher:	Tilbury House Publishers
Publication date:	06/04/2019
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Annie Watson  is an Assistant Professor of Education at Northern Arizona University and prior to that was a high school English teacher for nine years. She is the author of Is 2 A Lot?, and when not teaching or writing enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and two children.

Rebecca Evans worked for nine years as an artist and designer before returning to her first love: children’s book illustration and writing. Her books include Someday I’ll Fly; Friends in Fur Coats; The Shopkeeper’s Bear; Naughty Nana; Mei Ling in China; Finding the Speed of Light (starred review, Kirkus); and Alone Like Me (starred review, Kirkus). She lives in Maryland with her husband and four young children, teaches art at the Chesapeake Center for the Creative Arts, and works from her home studio whenever time permits. Rebecca’s boundless imagination enjoys free rein at www.rebeccaevans.net.

Editorial Reviews

"...What is “a lot” to you, personally? The idea of turning that kind of discussion with a child into a book with a plot can be intimidating. Watson and Evans’ solution seems to be to inject a little time travel into the proceedings. A boy and his mother are driving and he’s peppering her with questions about numbers’ worths. Eventually she comes up with concrete examples about why a number cannot be said to always be big or small. Stuff like, “TWO is not a lot of pennies, but TWO is a lot of smelly skunks.” There’s a practicality to the book that’s refreshing. "

It’s All Relative: An Unexpected Trend in What We Value - FUSE #8 Production - Betsy Bird

"Looking for a great intro the world of numbers and math? Is 2 A Lot, written by Annie Watson and illustrated by Rebecca Evans, aims to help kids understand numbers in the context of things they see every day. Head out on a road trip while a young kiddo asks his mom questions like, "Is one thousand a lot?" Mom's answer? "One thousand is not a lot of grains of sand, but it is a lot of hot air balloons!"

The Best New Kids Books from June, July & August, 2019 - Red Tricycle - Amber Guetebier

"...What is “a lot” to you, personally? The idea of turning that kind of discussion with a child into a book with a plot can be intimidating. Watson and Evans’ solution seems to be to inject a little time travel into the proceedings. A boy and his mother are driving and he’s peppering her with questions about numbers’ worths. Eventually she comes up with concrete examples about why a number cannot be said to always be big or small. Stuff like, “TWO is not a lot of pennies, but TWO is a lot of smelly skunks.” There’s a practicality to the book that’s refreshing. "

Betsy Bird - FUSE #8 Production

"Looking for a great intro the world of numbers and math? Is 2 A Lot, written by Annie Watson and illustrated by Rebecca Evans, aims to help kids understand numbers in the context of things they see every day. Head out on a road trip while a young kiddo asks his mom questions like, "Is one thousand a lot?" Mom's answer? "One thousand is not a lot of grains of sand, but it is a lot of hot air balloons!"

Amber Guetebier - Red Tricycle