數字在哪裡

by Taro Gomi

　　什麼可以讓我們知道鞋子的大小？
　　什麼可以告訴我們時間？
　　什麼可以代替我們的名字？

　　生活中到處都有它們。有了它們，我們可以知道時間和日期、可以了解水果哪個貴哪個便宜、可以搭上正確的公車。用它們，我們可以打電話、可以玩遊戲、可以標示道路的規定，還可以找到自己的位子！它們真是奇妙，也很好用，它們是……數字！

　　我們每天都會看到數字、用到數字。這回創意大師五味太郎用「數字」當主角，讓孩子體會數字的魅力。他列舉許多生活中會用到數字的地方，引導孩子們去注意到環境週遭裡的數字，能夠漸漸了解到數字的各種功能以及所代表的意義。

　　此書以圖畫書的方式將知識介紹給孩子，用各種生活場景呈現「數字無所不在」的概念；從家裡到菜市場和百貨公司，再坐車上高速公路，看見在運動場上跑步、打棒球的孩子以及比賽的球員，或是進到教室裡發現小朋友用數字在做各式各樣的計算……。透過五味太郎的畫筆和明亮對比，每一個日常片刻都變成了一幅美麗的圖畫！

　　全書色彩豐富飽滿，充滿趣味的構思，鼓勵孩子仔細觀察世界，讓孩子們用最輕鬆的方式體會數字的重要性，並且能開開心心的學習數字！


Traditional Chinese edition of Suji no ehon by Gomi Taro. What can tell us the size of shoes? How about time? and what can be a substitute of our name? Gomi Taro teaches children about numbers that they see everyday. In Traditional Chinese. Annotation copyright Tsai Fong Books, Inc. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

Genres: Picture Books, Mathematics, Number, Childrens, Storytime, Counting, Nonfiction

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2012

About the author

Taro Gomi (五味太郎) is a major children’s illustrator and writer. He has more than 400 book titles to his credit. His work has been widely translated into 15 other languages.


Tarō was born in Tokyo and he graduated from ID department, Kuwazawa Design Institute. His readers range from babies to adults, with an equal number of fans overseas. His work has been appreciated considerably with both domestic and international honours such as the Sankei Jido Shuppan Bunka Award, Bologna Children's Book Fair Award among others.


Along with authoring children's books, he is well-known in the fields of Stationery design, clothing design, production of young children's animated videos, CD-ROMs, essays etc.


His popular books published in English include Everyone Poops, Santa Through the Window, Where's the Fish?, My Friends and The Crocodile and the Dentist.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love every book Taro Gomi makes, and this is no exception. Such a simple but smart take on showing how numbers are part of life and all the places and ways they show up.

[Chance Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I know numbers.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curiously reissued in 2017; feels dated.

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Numbers in the world. Pairs well with Welcome to My House (words in categories). I tagged it math, but I love that math is mentioned at the end, almost as an afterthought.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Taro Gomi gives us a simple math concept book that is delightful. Readers will note that this is not a counting book, rather one that shows some of the ways we use numbers.

An unseen narrator begins listing the many places one can find numbers: on a clock and calendar; thermometer and weight scale; telephone and TV set; grocery and clothing stores; cars, highways, and homes; at sporting events; to play games and do math in school. There is no plotline, rather it reads more like a guided tour. Tomi's use of white background for his color-infused watercolor illustrations make them pop.

It has taken 32 years for this book to be translated from Japanese, requiring some of the artwork needing to be reworked in order to show a western alphabet for English readers in the illustrations instead of kanji. (A couple of illustrations still retain the original kanji, though they are either very tiny in size or blend into the background and are not integral to the text.) The timeless quality of this book overall shows it stands the test of time, even though technology has progressed beyond the illustrated telephone and oral thermometer shown in the book.

A first choice to add diversity to concept books about numbers.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Know Numbers! is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Taro Gomi. It is a book that shows the significance of numbers in everyday life.

The text is simplistic and straightforward. It shows how numbers are rather important for everyday life, like telling time to using them in mathematics. The illustrations are simply wonderful and reminiscent of watercolors.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. At first I thought it was another counting book, but when I picked it up (mainly because it was a Taro Gomi book) I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a book that shows how important numbers are in everyday life. From telling time, weights and measures, measuring distance, doing mathematics, and many more examples.

All in all, I Know Numbers! is a wonderful children's book about the importance of numbers in everyday life and how knowing numbers are really important.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book was originally published in Japan in 1985, its text and colorful, richly-hued images somehow still seem fresh and relevant. Readers will come to realize that math and numbers aren't just for a math classroom but are found in the real world. Using numbers helps us navigate the world since it's important to know what day of the month it is as well as what time it is. In simple fashion, the author shows readers all the many uses for numbers, ranging from prices for produce, clothing sizes, distance, and even order or where to sit at a large event. The last page even shows that pages have numbers as well. This is a fun and informative book. Many teachers are in search of books that show the relevance and real life application for math concepts, and they will find this book quite useful.

[Kristen Hylton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good book for storytime!

This book shows how we use numbers in everyday life: clocks, calendars, telephones, price tags, sizes on shoes, license plates and bus numbers, road signs, sports, games, etc.! As I read the book I asked the kids to point out numbers around us in the room, and asked if they could recall other places they'd seen numbers around. I also asked if they could recognize and point out some of the numbers in the book (What bus number is this? What numbers are in this address? What number is on the blue flag? What color shirt is player number three wearing?).

The kids had fun looking at the pictures and telling me the numbers they knew that they could see, so this was a really good way to reinforce number recognition. Number literacy is important too, because as this book shows, numbers are everywhere in our world!

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using vividly colored, simple illustrations that are Taro Gomi’s trademark, this concept book is not a counting book, as you might expect, so much as it is one that demonstrates for young readers just how useful numbers are in helping us navigate the world. After all, the world is full of things that rely on our understanding their use of numbers - clocks, calendars, prices, telephone numbers, the numbers on seats and sport jerseys, even the numbers on the pages of I Know Numbers! But while it might not be a counting book per se, as you read it with your young readers, they can certainly practice lots of number recognition on each page. Numbers are really such an abstract concept that a book giving them real life context is truly welcomed.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taro Gomi is a favorite Japanese author/illustrator of mine. This particular title is not the normal counting book, but one that illustrates various places were numbers are used, for example numbers are used for prices when we buy items, numbers are used to understand the rules on a highway, and numbers are used to find your seat at a concert or sporting event. Copyrighted in Japan in 1985 and published in the United States explains why the illustration for the phone is out of date. Good title to explain where and how numbers help us.

Scott County Public Library, Georgetown, Kentucky

[Janet Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this was originally published in Japan in 1985, the number concepts still hold true today. The content provides perfect examples where numbers are everywhere in the world and mean something, just like we see print letters and words that mean things all over the world. This is a must read for all non-readers to expand upon their early literacy skills!

[Tina Sorensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good tool for a child who is learning about numbers. However, it is a little too obvious that it has been translated from Japanese. A little on the boring side -- could be more fun. Okay for teaching a concept.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good! I like that he describes a variety of ways in which numbers are used- some of them are ones I would not have even thought of, but a child would notice or it would mean something to them. Such good artwork!

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an all inclusive look at numbers and where they are found and how they are used. Vivid illustrations add to the text.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I've seen such a book before, explaining numbers. Well done.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to show children where, why, and how numbers are relevant and used in their daily life.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, but not necessarily one I’ll read repeatedly.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for ages 4-7.

[Johana Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read at the NAEYC conference.

[Anna Smithberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

It isn’t often that a number book is about all the different things numbers are for beyond how many of a specific thing you have. Charming and informative for littles.

[kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute illustrations, educational, but boring

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. A good way to show that numbers are not just for math but help with lots of things!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Numbers are everywhere!” (2)

“(Numbers are on pages, too!)” (32)

I Know Numbers!

by (2) Taro Gomi (4+4=8)

This children’s book received a total score of 8/10. In other words, 4/5 */stars.

[Mely · Rating 2 out of 5]

repetitive, no storyline to it. Points out the obvious. since it's made for a child and interactive, it's just okay. (via a father's opinion)

[Phyll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive, but surely useful in the right context. I think "Sometimes numbers replace names" could have been translated differently

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Taro Gomi book, introducing littles to the joys and uses of numbers! You will love the enthusiastic illustrations of kids learning about numbers.

[Farhana Afroz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to read this book. A nice book to teach the young children numbers.

[Marcie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprised they brought this back because there is some old technology (tv, phone, letters) that might have to be explained to today's preschoolers.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed this more than I expected us to. Berry excitedly pointed out where the numbers were (we're still working on which are which) on each page.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I never just sat down and thought about all the ways we use numbers. Good thing I read this book. A great math lesson for the kindergartens.