The Crayon Counting Book

Jerry Pallotta Math Books

by Pam Muñoz Ryan, Jerry Pallotta

Crayons aren't just for coloring anymore!

This colorful rhyme teaches counting by twos–two different ways. First, use the even numbers to count up to 24. Then start over with the odd numbers. Along the way you'll learn unusual colors, like iguana and fiddlehead. Do any of them sound familiar? They should! They come from the pages of Jerry Pallotta's alphabet books.

Counting has never been more fun or colorful!

Genres: Mathematics, Counting, Childrens, Picture Books, Number, Education, Art

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Pam Muñoz Ryan is the author of the New York Times Best Seller, ECHO, a 2016 Newbery Honor Book, and winner of the Kirkus Prize. She has written over forty books for young people—picture books, early readers, and middle grade and young adult novels. She the author recipient of the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, the Willa Cather Award, the Pura Belpré medal, the PEN USA award, and many others. Her novels include Esperanza Rising, Riding Freedom, Becoming Naomi León, Paint the Wind, The Dreamer, and Echo. She was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, holds a bachelor's and master's degree from San Diego State University and lives in north San Diego county with her family.

Reviews

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a counting book but it is an unusual one and I would have added on the front "The Crayon Counting Book: Learning Even and Odd Numbers". Although the title would have been a bit on the long side it would have given the readers a heads-up as my sister didn't do so when she gave me the book to read without me getting a sneak-peek or anything.

For children who are learning to read this book may make it harder for they are taught how to count using even numbers first and then the book goes into counting odd instead of just counting normally. When children are having problems counting to begin with they don't need something else to confuse them.

Otherwise I did like the fact that the page had the number spelled out in the top and across from it the actual number as well so children can learn that way. At the same time both spellings and numbers were colored by either new crayons being introduced or the subject matter like blue crayons instead of just being your typical black print.

The other thing I found interesting was the fact that the authors chose not to use just perfect crayons. There were crayons whose wrappers were pulled off or a bit torn. There were perfect whole crayons, unsharpened crayons and those that were stubs on their last crayon legs. The realism of these is what gave this book an extra star although I am still trying to figure out if all these colors were actual colors found in a modern box of crayons since I don't remember those names growing up.

All in all a decent book for older children who are learning odd and even numbers as well colors although they still may not understand the various hues. Otherwise avoid teaching your children with this book if they don't have the concept down yet for counting 1, 2, 3.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book to help teach counting in twos. The book counts up to two dozen by counting first in the even pairs and then in odd pairs. The use of crayons in the pictures to demonstrate the numbers, can easily be translated into a bodily-kinesthetic activity where students use real crayons to interact with the text. Plus, the pages rhyme creating an easy to remember saying that helps count by twos.

[Carlie Engels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable book for teaching counting to primary grades. Pam Munoz uses rhyming text to explain counting which makes the story fun to listen to as well as read aloud! The story also teaches even and odd numbers by illustrating even numbers of crayons first then odd numbers. An art teacher could also use this story to teach different colors and hues. The illustrations in the story are fun. When teaching even numbers, each page looks like a wooden desk with paper and crayons on top. When Munoz begins explaining odd numbers, the illustrations change to make it seem like the crayons are drawing on the white paper. This change in illustrating technique could be to enhance the difference between even and odd numbers.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A colorful book that uses illustrations of crayons to count by twos; beginning with all even numbers from zero to 24. The second half counts all of the odd numbers. It is simple and to the point. I would use this as a read aloud to introduce even and odd or just the first half of the book for the two times tables. (K-2)

[Hatka Kecalovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book The Crayon Counting Board Book by Pam Munoz Ryan introduces students to the concept of counting by twos. The book can be used as a good resource for lessons on counting and even or odd numbers. the book can also be used to introduce students to different colors. The book can also be used for lessons on rhyming. This book can be used in Pre-K to 3 grade classrooms.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to teach counting by twos in both even and odd numbers. It presented the opportunity for us to talk about what an even and odd number is as well. Great book for a child who has counting down and needs a challenge. Nice rhyming too.

[Sherry Thornberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has plenty of educational elements. It demonstrated adding, odd and even number counting,rhyming words, vocabulary, and adverbs. This would be a great read aloud to begin a math lesson with.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a neat book to introduce counting by pairs to students. Students would enjoy the interactive pictures. This could possibly be turned into a smartboard lesson.

[Lyndsay]

I like this because it incorpartes the colors with numbers.

[Codie Gates · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, we get practice at counting by two's in two different ways. First we count by the even numbers, then we count the odd numbers.

[Morgan Wright]

This book would be good for kindergarten. It uses crayons to teach even and odd numbers. It adds two crayons at a time, sometimes by color, to introduce the next number.

[Sharon Schlup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for K-2 Odds and Evens and counting by 2's intro.

[Delaney Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: informational nonfiction
Grade range: PreK-1
First of all, this nonfiction book rhymes! While learning how to count, the reader learns about colors (primary and secondary), shades, counting by twos, odd numbers, and even numbers. The Crayon Counting Book is packed full of educational information. It can support learning in so many different ways. It can be used to talk about numbers, but it can also be used to talk about colors and shades. The book did not get boring because the rhymes were different on every page.

[Allison Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early Primary

Informational Nonfiction

This book is a simple way to learn numbers as well as colors at the same time. I liked that it focused first on counting by even numbers, and then on counting by odd numbers. The tendency to rhyme throughout the book makes it flow easily and is more memorable. And the fact that it also managed to introduce different color names such as "primary, binary, multicolored, shades, etc" is a good way to build their art vocabulary at a young age too.

[Kirsten Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

TOPICS:
counting by 2s, odds/evens, crayons

BOOK CONNECTIONS:
Other books by Jerry Pallotta
The Day the Crayons Quit - Drew Daywalt
The Crayon Box That Talked - Shane Derolf
Even Steven and Odd Todd - Kathryn Crystals

[Lucca · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed looking through this book. I loved the extra learning of evens and odds, as well as, art vocabulary. Tones, hues, and shades.

[Cody · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok, need to be more creative, but art was good