Mokomaki - Hardcover

Kontinen, Satu

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1576878058 ISBN 13: 9781576878057

Publisher: POW! Kids Books, 2017

Synopsis

Meet the Mokomaki, a group of adorable little birds who cavort playfully through the pages of this picture book while teaching the basics of numeracy to preschoolers.

A mommy fox is searching for her lost baby, and asks the Mokomaki for help as she looks--the little birds cheerfully mount a search through the forest, where they meet lots of other creatures, who helpfully join in--and kids can, too! As they search, readers practice sequencing, sorting and classifying, comparing, and grouping while looking for the missing fox.

About this title

About the Author

Satu Kontinen is a graphic designer who lives in the very snowy country of Finland, where she was born. She runs her own design company called Satukala, and with a partner she has set up the Nuppu Print Company, specializing in stationery, art prints, and textiles. One year she left the wintry white landscape of her native land for an extended stay in the lush country of New Zealand and was inspired by all its vibrant colors. It wasn’t until her son was born that she discovered a love for children’s illustration and storytelling, but once she began it was as if the passion had lived in her secretly all along. This is her first picture book.

From School Library Journal

PreS-K—This quirky series title by Finnish designer Kontinen stars the Mokomaki, little birds who live in the Mokomaka forest where animal moms and dads enlist the birds' help in finding their missing offspring. A zebra, for example, has lost her baby among a group of 10 zebras on the opposite page. Each creature is slightly different—some have more or fewer stripes, others are almost all black or white—and it is the readers' task to spot the baby that matches the parent. In the process, children will learn about counting and colors and a little about animal features ("Tigers have stripes...But these guys have spots!"). The text can be choppy as the Mokomaki contribute brief asides to the activity, so the book doesn't work well as something to read through—but the search-and-find activity is fun and satisfying. VERDICT Though Mitsumasa Anno's books are much better, this title could work with children who are drawn to the spare aesthetic of his Anno's Counting Book.—Henrietta Verma, National Information Standards Organization, Baltimore

About this edition

• Publisher: POW! Kids Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1576878058
• ISBN 13: 9781576878057
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 24