Let's Add Up!

Finished November 27

Let's Add Up! by Victoria Allenby, illustrated by Maggie Zeng

I always like finding good number books for children, so this is a winner. A careful look at the cover gives a clue to the theme of the book, the number 10. The book goes over various combinations of numbers that add up to 10, and also uses the same combination to introduce the idea of sorting. For example the first combination of 5 drums and 5 tambourines equals 10, but it also shows the concept of these two different things also being sorted as musical instruments, and then follows that with the introduction of them being put to use, resulting in a band. The pictures bring even more depth to this, with each drum being different from the others and each tambourine unlike the others. 

The book gives so much to explore with this in terms of sorting and adding that it can support a lot of discussion. 

I also really like the diversity of the children depicted here, showing different races and abilities among them. The drawings have movement and interest, and looking closely offer more things to talk about. At the end of the book, suggestions are given for more activities that involve classification, adding, observing, counting, and being creative. A great choice for any young reader.

From 1 to 10

Finished July 27
From 1 to 10 by Mies Van Hout, translation rights arranged by elami agency

This picture book is a great first book for learning numbers. Each number has a double page with the number written largely, and a word below and the illustration showing the word. The words used here are not the usual ones you see, but they are relatable and fun, starting with 1 belly, with a picture of a large blue bear with an oversized red belly.
With its bright colours and simple yet fun and easily identifiable images, this will appeal to a variety of youngsters. (Can you guess the cover picture is 2 ears?). All of the animals depicted in the drawing are happy and smiling, especially the one with 9 teeth! I'm sure my friend at work who does Baby storytimes will love this one.
At the end of the counting is a short section for parents, emphasizing the importance of learning to count, and giving tips on various methods to introduce counting into the child's everyday life.