The Mermaid Counting Book

by Suzanne Diederen

Overview

"This is a great book for teaching and learning new vocabulary! I can see myself reading it to my daughter with her curled up in my lap. I also like that the author used varying prepositions. Great vocabulary and counting book!" - Charles County Public Schools

One little mermaid swimming in the sea. Off on an adventure—come along with me!

A sweet counting book that encourages reading together. For toddlers ages 30 months and up, with a focus on the child’s language development.

At Clavis, our focus is on what’s best for children. We believe that books play an important role in each new phase in life. Our toddler books are tailored for every stage from 0 to 3 and focus on the five most important themes in their life: daily life, skills, emotions, the world, and language development. The age range and theme of every book in our toddler series can be found on the back cover in the form of a colored train.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605375830
Publisher:	Clavis
Publication date:	10/27/2020
Pages:	20
Product dimensions:	8.27(w) x 8.66(h) x (d)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Suzanne Diederen (1974) received an education at the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design. She specialized in illustrating children’s books and picture books. Her works have been translated into German, Swedish, Danish, French, English, Italian, Spanish and Korean. When she isn't doing yoga or having fun with her son Gilles and her daughter Sophie, she can be found working illustrations for a new picture book.

Editorial Reviews

"This book was cute! I think young readers will enjoy listening to the adults in their life read it to them. The art is adorable and I liked that little Umi had a "shirt" (or scales that went up to her torso?) instead of the standard mermaid shell bra, which her mom did have. It made her look younger and more like the age she was supposed to be. The rhyming structure is nice and the different under-the-sea items which Umi counts are varied. The Mermaid Counting Book is a fun board book option if looking for a book for young children which counts from one to ten with more language in it than many counting books for the same age." - Lynnfield Public Library

"This book was everything I had hoped it would be and more! Filled with cute rhymes and adorable illustrations this was the perfect book for my mermaid obsessed three-year-old." - Kitchener Public Library

"I loved the soft and colorful illustrations. This would be great for a mermaid or ocean themed storytime because it is interactive." - Lorain Public Library System

"This is a great book for teaching and learning new vocabulary! I can see myself reading it to my daughter with her curled up in my lap. I also like that the author used varying prepositions. Great vocabulary and counting book!" - Charles County Public Schools

From the Publisher

2020-09-29
A young mermaid encounters different sea creatures in this rhyming, counting board book.

The book opens with a mother-and-daughter mermaid pair, both White-presenting, setting off on an adventure. After spotting two octopuses, curious Umi continues her discoveries solo, inviting readers to count (among other things) pearls, seahorses, and, at the end of the busy day, the stars visible in the sky. As the book progresses, the number of objects and animals increases from one to 10. The rhyming stanzas are basic, keeping a nice cadence, but there is also little surprising or creative within this familiar format. Diederen’s illustrations are the highlight, done in a pleasing and unusual palette of coral and salmon, set off with teal and even darker blues. These are a welcome change for readers well used to bright and bold neons in similar board books, though the low contrast suits this book to older toddlers. Umi looks young and charming in what looks like a full-body mermaid suit (as opposed to Mommy’s traditional shell bra and skin midriff), and the ocean’s creatures—even the often frightening angler fish—are equally darling and friendly. There’s one large plot hole, however: Where does Umi’s mother go, and why is Umi alone for most of the day? Readers might notice the flick of Mommy’s fin as she swims out of the frame, but there is never an explanation. Perhaps this is something lost in the uncredited translation from the original Dutch. Thank goodness little readers find a mother-daughter reunion of hugs and kisses at the end.

It’s got high visual appeal, but don’t count on the text to deliver. (Board book. 2-3)

Kirkus Reviews