Submitted by Ms. Tammy!
Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr. In this attractive counting book the ten little caterpillars featured on the cover creep and crawl through gardens, vegetable patches, and apple orchards. Each caterpillar gets its own spread, with one climbing a cabbage head, another carried off to school in a jar, and another falling into the sea. As children turn to each page they’ll find familiar images, such as a rose or a bee, while expanding their knowledge of others, such as a muskmelon, monarch eggs, and even a sea bass, all identified with labels. In the predictable ending, the tenth caterpillar emerges from his chrysalis a beautiful butterfly. The concluding pages identify each caterpillar with information about what they eat, and reveal the type of moth or butterfly they become as a result of their metamorphoses. See this book listed in our catalog
Counting
One Little Blueberry
Submitted by Ms. Tammy!
One Little Blueberry by Tammi Salzano. One little blueberry falls onto the ground causing a lot of trouble! As it rolls down the hill it passes two ants, three ladybugs, four caterpillars, and more hungry bugs, all the way to ten hopping grasshoppers. They all want the juicy blueberry for themselves, chasing it down the hill. Who will get the tasty snack? Learning to count from one to ten is a treat with this lively read-aloud that uses large, brightly colored insects for each number. In the background on each page you can see the previous bugs heading down the hill in order. Preschoolers will delight in following the blueberry, and will be surprised at who gets to eat the juicy treat. See this book listed in our catalog
Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos
Submitted by Ms. Janis!
Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos by Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy and Ulises Wensell. This is one of the famous counting rhymes in Spanish folklore. Ten puppies start the story, and they decrease one by one with each turn of the page. One vanishes in the snow, at the fireworks, in a new home, and other places, until only one puppy stays with the little girl. The realistic images capture the spontaneous, playful, and affectionate nature of the puppies. The text can be sung or spoken in Spanish or English. The English translation is well done, and maintains the story’s authenticity while accurately reflecting the original poem. In the back of the book there is music for the song, and also guitar chords. The large illustrations will make this a favorite for story times, as well as an excellent source in helping children to develop pre-reading skills. It also introduces children to early math concepts such as addition and subtraction. See this book listed in our catalog
Counting Chickens
Submitted by special guest blogger Ms. Jen from the Lexington Park branch!
Did you know mobiles were created back in 1954 in Denmark? The super stylish Counting Chickens by Harriet Ziefert, with mobiles by Flensted, showcases a unique art form, while inspiring counting fun, and paying close attention to the details. The cover has mobile cut-outs, and the pages are shiny, with illustrative mobiles that literally “pop” off the page. A creative take on a counting book, the pages have chickens, with eggs, fish, elephants, dolphins, boats, toucans, bats, cats, and more! Asking the listener things like “How many flying? How many standing? How many more? How many in all?” makes this an interactive reading experience! Easy to read, and fun, this book is great for all ages. It capitivates the audience with its bright colors and inquisitive format. Good for people both young and old, who love counting, crafting, and appreciate art in all forms! See this book listed in our catalog
One Drowsy Dragon
Submitted by Ms. Janis!
One Drowsy Dragon by Ethan Long. As an adult dragon tries to sleep, a growing crowd of little dragons make all kinds of noise to keep the tired dragon awake. Each page shows a new scene with increased chaos, progressing from ONE marching dragon clanging on a cup, to NINE rockin’ dragons jamming in a loud band! Finally, TEN tuckered dragons think it’s time for bed, but the big dragon, with its deep snores, wakes up the little dragons! This is a fun counting book, that includes rhymes. This book is also a good story time choice, as it covers several popular picture book topics like counting, colors, dragons, and bedtime. The fun sound effects are also great for sharing with a group of children. See this book listed in our catalog
ROAR!
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
I just finished reading ROAR: A Noisy Counting Book, by the dynamic team of author Pamela Duncan Edwards and illustrator Henry Cole, aloud to a group of children and they loved it! How does a lion cub say hello? He ROARS, doesn’t he? Well it’s pretty scary getting roared at by a lion, as the cub in this story quickly discovers. He’s trying to be friendly, but whenever he ROARS a greeting to anyone they go running in the opposite direction! Will he ever find a suitable playmate? Read ROAR to find out, and then come see the writer at the library! That’s right! Pamela Duncan Edwards will be visiting the Lexington Park branch on April 18 at 2:00 to talk about her experience being a children’s author, and to sign books. It’s a free program, and there’s no registration required, so we hope to see you there! See this book listed in our catalog