Count Them While You Can . . .: A Book of Endangered Animals

by Anne Bowman

It is said that as many as 150 species become extinct every day—this book inspires children to help take a stand in reducing that number
 
Taking the reader on a trip around the world to meet 10 endangered animals whose futures hang in the balance, this engaging and highly illustrative book travels from the snow leopard in the Himalayas to the black-footed ferrets in the prairies of Wyoming and South Dakato to show a wide array of animals on the countdown to extinction—some of which are already extinct in the wild. Using a combination of counting verses and straight facts, it highlights the struggles the animals face for survival in hopes to educate children on their plight and inspire them to help. Each animal is accompanied by a gentle verse in the style of the traditional song "Over in the Meadow" that describes the habits of these creatures, while information boxes point out the bleak facts of their near extinction.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Nonfiction, Science, Nature

24 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2011

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Count Them While You Can (both written and illustrated by Anne Bowman) introduces younger children to ten critically endangered animal species (through a repetitive, poetic song that also practices and reinforces the numbers from one through ten). The rhyming text is actually an adaptation of the popular folksong Over in the Meadow, and can thus of course also be sung to its tune (and it would have been an added bonus if a musical score for the song or perhaps even an accompanying CD had been included, as not everyone will necessarily know the tune, the melody for Over in the Meadow). Now I do tend to find the presented text of Count Them While You Can to be a bit too repetitive and monotonous for my own personal tastes, but I also believe that for younger children, especially if this book is to be used as a read or sing aloud activity, the very repetitiveness of the rhyming sequences would likely not only help practice the numbers, but also reinforce both the names and habits of the ten endangered animal species featured.

The lush and intricate accompanying illustrations not only bring each of the ten species and their habits, their struggles, to descriptive and realistic life on the page, they also help to furhter reinforce the numbers, as each number featured corresponds to the quantity of baby animals illustrated. And furthermore, I think that it is absolutely brilliant of Anne Bowman to feature not just adult animals, but family units (adults and their offspring). One cannot deny the "cuteness factor" of most baby animals and anything that even somewhat helps to make children (and their parents, their caregivers as well, of course) more aware of the plight, of the dangers faced by so many animals species, of the fact that there are animal species in imminent danger of extinction, is a very very good and in all ways a positive thing indeed. And while Count Them While You Can is, of course, first and foremost a book meant for and geared towards for primarily younger children (ages three to five perhaps), the fact that Anne Bowman has also provided much supplemental (and scientifically detailed) information and data about the ten species of endangered animals (as well as information on endangered species in general) makes Count Them While You Can also a useful tool for discussing extinction, conservation etc. with slightly older children (who might not be all that partial to reading or singing the actual text, the song, but might well be curious about the habitats, sizes, eating habits, threats etc. of the ten featured species). Most highly recommended!

[Christiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhyming text to the tune of "Over in the Meadow" introduces children to endangered animals such as the Leadbeater's Possum, the Kakapo, the Numbat, and the Black-Footed Ferret. Despite its potentially sad subject matter (Guam Micronesian Kingfisher's, for example, are already extinct in the wild) the book is quite kid-friendly, even for the youngest readers. A fact box on each page is useful for older children who may want more information. Realistic watercolor illistrations add to the charm.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. It completely captured my attention and my children's attention (ages 6, 9, and 11...all three enjoyed it immensely). Introduces animals that are currently (as of 2008/2009...I appreciated that it shared the date that data was available about numbers remaining) endangered. The book contains rhymes about each animal and her babies. Then on the facing page it includes facts about their habitat, food, threats, numbers left in the wild/in captivity, and care for their young.

Great information, great illustrations, great selection of animals...fabulous.

[Barb Keister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each two-page spread starts with a poem about an endangered animal accompanied with a chart providing information about habitat, size, young, food, threats, and the number left (whether in the wild or in captivity,)

[Shannon Lionheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

May be hard to follow for younger children.

9-12