Zero Zebras: A Counting Book about What's Not There

by Bruce Goldstone, Julien Chung (Illustrator)

Overview

Discover the importance of counting what's there and what's not there in this brilliant picture book that combines math, imagination, and creativity, perfect for fans of Greg Tang!

Zero Zebras asks a bold question: can you count what isn’t there? Can you count... to zero? Bruce Goldstone takes us on a wild animal safari counting one wallaby, two tuna, three thrushes, four frogs... but absolutely ZERO zebras. Readers will realize the infinite possibilities of counting what is and isn’t on the page. Goldstone's imaginative and creative text is brought to life by Chung's vibrant illustrations which include hidden numbers beautifully integrated into each stunning scene for fun some hide-and-seek. This is the perfect introduction to the concept of zero and infinity, showcasing the profound wonder of numbers in a playful, dazzling picture book that will wow readers of every age!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338742244
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/02/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	616,480
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD450L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bruce Goldstone writes educational books and is the author of several books, including Wonderful Winter, Awesome Autumn, I See a Pattern Here, That's a Possibility!, 100 Ways to Celebrate 100 Days, Great Estimations, Greater Estimations and The Beastly Feast. He estimates that he has written more than 2,000,000 words. He lives in New York City. Visit him online at brucegoldstone.com and follow him on Instagram @brucegoldstonebooks.
Over the past 25+ years, Julien Chung has created a lot of crazy characters for book publishers, art directors, and product designers around the world. He also designs pages and illustrates everything from superhero ducks to globe-trotting pigs for Montreal’s French-language newspaper La Presse. When he's not drawing animals with hats, Julien enjoys collecting comics and hunting for flea market treasure. He and his wife live in Montreal, QC, with a lovebird named Cookie.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Zero Zebras:

* "Another heady foray into math’s conceptual reaches, with zero chance of failing to entertain." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Praise for Awesome Autumn: All Kinds of Fall Facts and Fun:

*“One of the most comprehensive books about autumn available for kids. A solid choice for audiences of mixed ages... Wonderfully apropos pictures, solid information and sheer breadth are sure to make this an elementary-classroom staple.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Goldstone delivers a thorough overview of the season of autumn and what it entails in terms of the environment and weather, plants and animals, and human traditions and experiences... Encourage[s] kids to actively embrace the season with all their senses, and a list of fall activities carries that idea through to the end.” —Publishers Weekly

“Will do well in the laps of or on the desks of the children who are reading it... This is a good reference book for young scholars who will love both the photos and the fun facts.” — School Library Journal

“Goldstone offers a richly varied view of autumn... which is sure to be popular with classroom teachers.” — Booklist

Praise for Great Estimations:

“With an appealing layout that lends itself equally well to browsing or curriculum support, this lively book would be an excellent addition.” — School Library Journal

“A model of how to do it right.” — The New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher

★ 2022-07-27
A counting book cleverly designed to raise awareness about nothing.

“Zero is a big nothing,” Goldstone rightly writes, “but it’s also a big deal.” Younger audiences will definitely get a sense of what he means from this effervescent animal count, which begins with “I see one wallaby…” and goes on from “Two tuna splish / and splash / and splosh…” to “Twelve turtles / wallow in mud”—each verse ending with a refrain that is some variant on “and zero zebras.” Zero zebras are indeed what viewers will find in the cheery illustrations, too, as Chung employs bright colors and precisely drawn geometric shapes in neat but lively compositions that feature arrays of (other) creatures, inconspicuously placed numerals, and, for sharper eyes to spot, glimpses of the odd foxtail, beach ball, or other visual reference to scenes just past. Then, after closing with a veritable litany (“When the stars come out tonight, / zero zebras do, too. / Along with zero pandas / eating zero bamboo”), the author eases in the mind-blowing notion that zero isn’t really a number at all but more of an idea, not unlike a different but adjacent concept: infinity. For an author who has already introduced picture-book readers to probability, pattern recognition, and estimation theory, it hardly seems a stretch. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Another heady foray into math’s conceptual reaches, with zero chance of failing to entertain. (Math picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews