Children regard counting as play, not as the beginnings of math.
Too bad that attitude goes away long before algebra.
It would be tough for a 5-year-old to compute the number of terrific counting books out there. Here are two recent titles.
"1, 2, Buckle My Shoe" (Harcourt, $16, 32 pages; ages 4-7) by Anna Grossnickle Hines is a lovely take on the classic nursery rhyme.
Hines made a quilt for each cheerful illustration, using fabric, buttons, yarn, rickrack and a combination of fanciful machine and hand stitching. Each number appears big and bold on its own page, with the same number of bright buttons.
On alternate pages, a girl wearing star-patterned overalls shuts the door, picks up sticks and carries out the other actions in the rhyme.
The buttons provide counting practice. At the end, a two-page spread repeats the numbers in their original fabrics. This time, they are matched with fabric hands that have the corresponding number of buttons sewn to the tips of fingers.
The reproduction quality is so terrific that youngsters will run their fingers over the pages expecting to feel cloth and buttons.
Fair warning, "The Baker's Dozen: A Counting Book" (Henry Holt, $16.95, 32 pages; ages 4-7) by Dan Andreasen might require a walk to the pastry shop after each reading. It's mouth-watering.
The tale follows a rosy-cheeked baker through the early hours as he readies the day's wares.
Andreasen's rhymes are deft: "In tins the perfect size he bakes three cherry pies." He bakes until he gets to 12 cupcakes. The baker's dozen comes in the 13 customers waiting outside as he opens the doors.
Andreasen, who has provided wonderful illustrations for many picture books, outdoes himself with these lusciously colored oils. The baker is endearing. And he doesn't just bake – he provides circuslike antics, balancing 10 tortes on an index finger or juggling the cupcakes.
The last double-page spread shows all the scrumptious- looking pastries lined up next to their numerals.
What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com
Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)
Here are some rules of the road:
• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "report abuse" button to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.
• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.
• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.
• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand. If you want to discuss an issue with a specific user, click on his profile name and send him a direct message.
• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.
• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.
• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.
• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.
You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "report abuse" button to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.
If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them, but you may ask our staff to retract one of your comments by sending an email to feedback@sacbee.com. Again, make sure you note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us your profile name.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.