Numbers At Play: A Counting Book

Combines counting with poetry, fine art, and photography

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- This interesting book combines arithmetic with art appreciation. Readers alternately count objects or look for the numeral itself in a variety of photographs, paintings, and sculptures by a diverse assortment of artists including Jasper Johns, Paul Gauguin, George Segal, and Winslow Homer. Obviously, a wide variety of media is included. The idea is fresh and nicely presented, but the rhymes accompanying the illustrations are rather forced. Still, primary-grade children should respond to the playfulness involved, and adults will enjoy the art along with them. --Meryl Silverstein, American Museum of Natural History, New York City
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a counting-book companion to Sullivan's Alphabet Animals (1991), the numbers up to 10 as seen in works of art. From the title-page photo of a ten-man bicycle (1896), the images chosen are unusual, diverse, and of excellent quality; mostly, they come from the 20th century (Ferdinand L‚ger, William Henry Johnson, Robert Indiana), though Renoir and Winslow Homer also appear. A couple of the photos compound the artistry: a shot of children climbing on Central Park's ``Alice in Wonderland'' statue and another of a young dancer mimicking George Segal's ``The Dancers.'' There are two illustrations for each number: one in which objects may be counted, another where the numeral appears one or more times. Sullivan's slight verse is of no particular consequence (`` `How many children?'/asked the March Hare./Try to count seven/playing there''), but serves well enough to round out this handsome, intelligently conceived offering. Full citations to the art, with brief but informative comments on the artists. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.