At the Edge of the Woods, A Counting Book ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

At the Edge of the Woods, A Counting Book
By Cynthia Cotten
Illustrated by Reg Cartwright
(Henry Holt and Company, 2002)

What first attracted me to this book was the illustrations. They are vibrant, nature-based, colorful, and big! My next thought about checking out At the Edge of the Woods, A Counting Book was that this book is about nature, the woods, animals, and counting! Sounds like a perfect picture book to me.

At the Edge of the Woods, A Counting Book is written in rhyme. I can hear the singsong chant rhythm when I read the words. Numbers and number words are highlighted and featured on each page. Readers will enjoy counting up to ten and seeing what animals come next in the story. At ten, a big burly bear comes out from his lair, which leads to a countdown from ten as all the animals scatter away to hide.

Early readers and preschoolers will love At the Edge of the Woods, A Counting Book. I think even my grandson will enjoy it, though he is going to first grade and can count beyond 10. He loves to go camping, so this book will remind him that bears live in the woods and may sneak out while he is camping.

I suppose we shall have to discuss how bears most often stay far away from humans, unless they leave out tasty garbage and food. But it will be worth the talk to enjoy this book.

KID KANDY:

Counting and Singing Fun

Dig out 10 toy animals. They don't have to be forest animals. Hide all the animals under a dish towel. Bring out one at a time, counting animals as you go. How many do you have?

Play this counting game with a friend or sister or brother. Choose the scariest animal and make it be the last one to line up. Pretend that it scares all the other animals and they run away and hide! Count down from ten as they run away.

Now you can count from 1 to 10 and back down again.


You can also sing and count at the same time. Here are some silly songs to sing.


"One, Two, Buckle My Shoe"

"Five Little Ducks"

"Five Green and Speckled Frogs"

The Baker's Dozen, A Counting Book ~ Wacky Wednesday Picture Book & KID KANDY

The Baker's Dozen, A Counting Book
by Dan Andreasen
(Henry Holt and Company, 2007)

Everyone knows how many treats are in a baker's dozen, right?

Maybe not. It is sort of wacky that a dozen equals 13 when it is used to describe baked goods. Of course, I would love one more bakery treat than 12 when I purchase a baker's dozen - oh, let's say of donuts or cupcakes or brownies or anything full of calories and flavor!

The Baker's Dozen, A Counting Book, is full of examples of delicious bakery chef created delectables. Each page gives descriptive vocabulary words for special desserts and places the number of goods on that page in a prominent location. Every illustration shows the baker performing a baker's task as he prepares yummy mouthfuls of joy.

Food is important to me and desserts are special treats. Readers who appreciate baked goods and young children who are learning about numbers will enjoy counting their way through The Baker's Dozen, A Counting Book.

KID KANDY:

What is a Baker's Dozen?

Materials: egg carton, variety of counting objects

Help your child place one item in each egg section of a carton. Count the objects together. Trade objects and count something else. Discuss that 12 is called a dozen, but in the baking world a baker's dozen is 13.

Help your child figure out how to put 13 things in the carton and count them.

Play a counting game. Ask your child to close his eyes. Place either 12 or 13 objects in the carton. Tell your child to count the objects and tell you if it is a dozen or a baker's dozen. Repeat the game again and make sure you take a turn closing your eyes!

After you are done, go to the bakery and buy a baker's dozen of a special treat to share for dessert. Your child will surely remember baker's dozen after that!

One Child, One Seed, A South African Counting Book - Terrific Tuesday Picture Book & KID KANDY

One Child, One Seed, A South African Counting Book
Written by Kathryn Cave
Photographs by Gisele Wulfsohn
(Henry Holt and Company, 2002)

One Child, One Seed, A South African Counting Book is a beautifully photographed counting book based on children, families, and people in South Africa.

Nothando lives in South Africa with her aunt and grandmother. The story tells the tale of Nothando planting a pumpkin seed. Each subsequent page continues counting higher and higher and show many scenes in South Africa. Sidebars tell more about the lives of Nothando, her family, and her friends.

One Child, One Seed, A South African Counting Book is filled with interesting cultural information. A pumpkin seed graph, numbers, and number words are features in this picture book. Children who are learning to count will enjoy this book. Anyone who wants to learn more about other countries and the lives of other children will learn much from reading One Child, One Seed, A South African Counting Book.

KID KANDY:

Make a seed graph.

1. Find some seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, or other large seeds).

2. Print numbers 1-10 down the left side of a piece of paper.

3. Print the number words (or ask a parent or older sibling to help you) beside each number.

4. Place the correct number of seeds in a row beside each number.

5. Read your graph! Count the seeds, read the number words, and have fun sharing your graph.

Counta Block - Wacky Wednesday Picture Book & KID KANDY

Counta Block
Written by Christopher Franceschelli
Art by Peskimo
(Abrams Appleseed, 2014)

Today's Wacky Wednesday pick is Counta Block. Not that this awesome counting and thinking book is wacky, but the size and heft is pretty unusual and amazing.

Counta Block, shaped like a block, is solid and will last for many readings by the younger crowd. It's a counting book from 1-10.
Counta Block then goes on counting with the 10's (10, 20, etc.). The final number, 100, is a fold out page with a 100-piece puzzle illustration.

I love this counting book! Not just for the board book quality and number cut-outs, but the thinking component. Each number begins with a certain item, and then the counting page is what those things become . . . ten pails of sand become . . . ten sand castles! Readers are encouraged to figure out what the initial objects transform into on the next page.

Love this concept book! Other than it potentially being used as a weapon (being thrown at a sibling), every family with young preschoolers would benefit from reading Counta Block.


KID KANDY:

Do Your Own Counta Block Project

1. Make it easy. To begin, do only numbers 1-5.

2. Choose 5 simple things from the home. For example:

~ 5 pieces of paper become . . . 5 paper hats

~ 2 eggs become . . . 2 Easter eggs (or boiled or fried)

~ 1 bulb becomes . . . 1 flower

3. Have fun counting and thinking about numbers!

(P.S. Take digital photos of each number set, print out pictures, and glue them to cardstock to make your own family number book.)

10 Valentine Friends - Picture Book

10 Valentine Friends
By Janet Schulman
Illustrated by Linda Davick
(Scholastic Inc., 2011)

10 Valentine Friends is a fun holiday counting book. Counting and rhyming! Readers will enjoy the antics of the 10 kids as they decorate, make valentines, and get ready for a Valentine's Day party. Pink, red, and other bright colors fill this counting book with plenty of Valentine love.

KID KANDY:

Counting Fun ~ Purchase Valentine conversation hearts.

You can:

- use an ice tray to practice 1:1 correspondence - one heart in each ice cube spot.

- count as high as possible (adults can help kid counters count higher). How many are in the bag (or box)?

- sort the conversation hearts by color or sayings. Which color has the most hearts? The least hearts?

- evenly divide hearts so that all family members receive the same number. How many hearts does each person get?

- practice simple addition by making small groups of hearts (1-5). Help count on and add the two groups together.

Math is fun, specially with cute sugary hearts. Happy Valentine's Day!

Angie Quantrell loves combining reading fun books and doing math activities that go along with the books. Little Valentine conversation hearts are the perfect treat for reading + counting.