By Sara Pinto The Number Garden (1 Ltf Brdb) [Board book]

by Sara Pinto

Can you count all the fun things in this perfect partner to The Alphabet Room? Following the success of Child magazine award winner The Alphabet Room, Sara Pinto uses the same format but turns to numbers to present a most delightful story-within-the concept book. A resourceful pair of rabbits plant carrot seeds and celebrate in a garden that grows as the numbers add up. Twelve elements—one sun, two rabbits, three garden chairs, through twelve stars at night—all add up to 78 items and one engaging (and deceptively educational) day. Carrots are planted, weeds grow, hilarious garden gnomes find their sunglasses, Chinese lanterns are lit, and a good time is had by every bunny. A perfect toddler-friendly gift.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

Unknown Binding

First published February 17, 2009

Reviews

[Laura Hoekstra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clever and charming board book with counting and surprises behind each flap.

[Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so utterly charmed by the at first humdrum, then increasingly wacky illustrations.

[picturethisbook.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Counting books are a dime a dozen, and unfortunately, most of them are boring, no-brainer reiterations of the same number/object sequence. Of course, that's not to say that these don't serve their purpose for infants, but beyond the age bracket of, say, under 12 months, I think toddlers (and their parents) will need something more creative to sustain their interest.

Enter, stage left, The Number Garden, a quirky book that is the antithesis of a simple counting book — yet it can function as just that if you wish.

The book starts off with the number 1 (also spelled out) and on the facing page is the word sun and a large image of it. This is where it gets interesting: the sun is actually printed on a large square flap that can be opened up to reveal a plain landscape with a rising sun. Next, the number 2 spread shows two rabbits, and the flap opens up to reveal the same landscape, but this time the sun has risen up a little higher and the two rabbits are now in the picture, admiring the sunrise. This format of more and more objects being added to the landscape — each time in new, quirky ways — continues until the number 12, when all 78 objects are incorporated into the final spread.

The great thing about this book is that it kinda grows with the child as he/she learns to appreciate the little details in the illustrations, and I love how the different objects interact to tell a coherent story without using any words — a clear notch above what most of the counting books out there are offering.

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[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fun picture book (no words) has all the right ingredients: numbers, a hard-working rabbit, a lazy rabbit, and (spoiler alert!) in the end a bunch of garden gnomes get wasted. Well, that's my interpretation....I'm actually glad my toddler ripped a page out of this library book so that we can buy it.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is getting kind of close to what I think is a great counting book. They have the number and it is spelled out then on the fence door the objects. When you open the door the objects start to collect. Ages 3+

[Mehta]

A clever counting book with flaps to lift. back pages show the objects counted throughout the book, and then count up all the objects, showing kids how to count to 78, in addition to the numbers 1 through 12 counted in the main part of the book

[Beth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely one of the most enjoyable counting books that I have seen!