Bears tumble in!
Learn to count with this rhyming tale of twelve teddy bears tumbling from page to page. Not just a counting book, it also teaches toddlers colors, shapes, and counting by sets as the bears dance, jump, and play. When it’s time to leave, the bears scurry out in groups as readers count down to zero.
Back matter includes a review of the colors, shapes, numbers, and sets presented. Hands-on interaction makes this book perfect for use with bear counters and other classroom manipulatives.
From the Publisher
A rhyming text encourages children to participate by counting the bears (which resemble gummy bears), naming their colors, and identifying various shapes. "First one is red./Yellow makes two./A green bear is three./Count four with this blue." Illustrations and text proceed from 1 bear to 12 and clearly develop concepts for colors, shapes, adding and subtracting, and grouping numbers in sets. Children can easily match numbers with corresponding teddy bears and one large number; all are placed on clean white backgrounds. The artwork is hand-drawn digitally in Adobe Photoshop. This title would be a fun way to introduce these basic skills.
—School Library Journal
Publishers Weekly
This clever counting book with a squat, rectangular shape features 12 digitally rendered, gummylike bears who introduce themselves by their colors (red, yellow, green, and blue), and their ranks soon grow. “One red marches in to make five bears in all./ When yellow joins, too, six teddies sit tall.” The arithmetic becomes more complex, as the bears “choose partners,” which results in “six sets of two,” followed by “three sets of four,” demonstrating how 4+4+4 and 6+6 each add up to 12. The bears also form basic shapes, before bears begin to leave to explore subtraction. The rhymes are occasionally clunky, but the concepts are clearly illustrated, and readers will be drawn to the bears' chunky, glinting shapes. Ages 3-6. (Feb.)
School Library Journal
PreS—A rhyming text encourages children to participate by counting the bears (which resemble gummy bears), naming their colors, and identifying various shapes. "First one is red./Yellow makes two./A green bear is three./Count four with this blue." Illustrations and text proceed from 1 bear to 12 and clearly develop concepts for colors, shapes, adding and subtracting, and grouping numbers in sets. Children can easily match numbers with corresponding teddy bears and one large number; all are placed on clean white backgrounds. The artwork is hand-drawn digitally in Adobe Photoshop. This title would be a fun way to introduce these basic skills.—Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA
Kirkus Reviews
McGrath's latest math concept book (The M&M's Brand Counting Book, 1994, etc.) successfully and rather simply presents young children with not only the concept of counting, but also colors, addition and subtractions, shapes and sets of 12. Although it is not introduced in the text, observant readers will also notice the patterning in the teddy bears' presentation. Rhyming verses give children the chance to participate with their voices as well as with their counters as they follow the teddy bears through their paces: "One red marches in / to make five bears in all. / When yellow joins, too, / six teddies sit tall." Nihoff's digitally hand-drawn illustrations accurately reflect the colorful plastic counters familiar to so many, while his tweaking of the arm and leg positions keeps the pages lively. White backgrounds keep the focus on the concepts. The wide availability of teddy-bear counters makes this book useful to many audiences, not just those in educational settings. (Picture book. 3-6)
Children's Literature - Sue Poduska
With all the counting books on the market, authors practically have to come up with a new numbering system for such a book to be considered worthwhile. McGrath does not attempt that, but succeeds in creating an interesting approach to the topic. The young reader discovers colors, shapes, and basic arithmetic applied to everyday life situations, in addition to fun rhymes and cute bears. She should guard against oversimplification, however, because kids can be so literal. Nihoff does a great job of following the text and creating illustrations that can pull in kids. The bears are cute and portrayed vividly in primary colors. The paw prints are extra whimsical bonuses. The bears could have used some different expressions in addition to their movements and postures. Reviewer: Sue Poduska
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