The Looking Book: A Hide-and-Seek Counting Story

by Mary Ann Hoberman, Laura Huliska-Beith (Illustrator)

When a sly cat disappears on page one of this book, readers are invited to join Ned on his search among lively verse and zany pictures to count their way through the pages and solve the mystery of the missing cat.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Mary Ann Hoberman was an American author of over 30 children's books.

Reviews

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun. I have the older version with illustrations by Jerry Joyner, and it's much better than the updated version. The rhyme scheme is fun, there's good rhythm, a little bit of practice counting, and the cat is named Pistachio! I just love it.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a lot going on in this book -- maybe a little too much -- but the rhyming text was decent, and it was fun looking for the cat on the pages. Also, for a book written in 1973, the illustrative style for this book has held up remarkably well.

[JustOneMoreBook.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty-eight pages of mystery, mischief and marvelously meandering rhyme take us on a distraction-packed cat-finding mission that introduces youngsters to the numbers 1 to 28 and — perhaps, more importantly — introduces adults to the delightful art of dawdling.

Listen to our chat about The Looking Book on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/1...

[Laura Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The Looking Book would be great to use in a classroom. The book was easy to follow with very creative illustrations. There are many captions that the reader can read. The Looking Book is an interactive counting book that allows students to read parts or all of the text on a page. It would be good for students who are not always focused on reading because they could skim each page and learn about numbers.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, the main character has lost his cat and spends the whole story searching for him! The cat is actually on each and every page, which creates a fun challenge for the reader. As Ned searches for his cat, the text uses rhymes to make the story flow with a nice rhythm. Definitely a great read aloud or for a one on one session where the child can take the time to search for Ned's cat on every page.

[Tyffani Mine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictional narrative is a about a young boy who lost his cat. The boy searches for his cat throughout each page of the book and while the reader may find the cat hidden within the scenery, the boy does not see it until the end. This would be a great book to talk about setting because each page reveals an interesting yet different setting. The book also contains different rhyming schemes, so it could be use to teach rhyme and various rhyming patterns.

[Gala · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a counting page book. The story was not consistent; sometimes the words rhyme and at other times the story was narrated.The counting book was a little boring. Maybe fifth graders would enjoy reading this book. I think that a child who lost a cat or some other pet may enjoy this book.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun hide and seek counting book with cute rhyming and pictures.

[Greta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rhyme is amazing. She sets up the rules at the beginning and so the meter can change from page to page throughout the book. The book is long though, and hard to get through.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for rhyming concept. Colorful illustration and probably good for second grade or higher because of the lenght of the book.

[Tricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can barely offer any comments on this one...we were looking for the cat on every page and that was really the highlight. The text was not.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute for counting to 28.

[Joy Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has several elements that can be used to teach a variety of elements. Counting, page numbers, rhyming, and varied illustrations are all included.

[Lauren Johnson]

This is a great book for counting. It also could be a great interactive book when reading it with students. A great introduction to numbers and how numbers are used in everyday life.

[Deja Bertucci]

cats, looking, interactive, like a where's waldo with a story, kinda.