School Library Journal Starred Review

PreS-Gr 1-Few children will be able to resist the appeal of Christopher Rabbit and his newfound passion. From the minute Ms. Goat begins counting with the class at the start of the school day until he falls asleep in the evening, Christopher seeks out things to count. Children will be familiar with the items that he selects, which include toys; his family's boots, shoes, and sneakers; the number of times Beaver's stone skips across the pond; butterflies in the air; ants on the ground; and the friends he spies during hide-and-seek. As the day comes to an end, Christopher realizes that his last task is too big: "One, two, three-oh no!-It's impossible! There are just too many stars to count." He then settles down for the night with a final count of "one kiss" as his mother tucks him in. The simplicity of this charming story is what sets it apart from others that aim to introduce this concept. The text's deliberate pace is a perfect match for the pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations that allow Christopher's joy to dominate the spreads. His enthusiasm for his new skill is reflected in his expressive bunny ears. By downplaying the items and focusing on the act itself, Gorbachev has created a book that stands apart from the many others on the topic. Not only is it a wonderful read-aloud, but it also works well as a beginning reader.-Maura Bresnahan, High Plain Elementary School, Andover, MA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

The joy of learning numbers at school sets Christopher Rabbit off counting everything he sees. The book lacks conflict--at the end of a long day of counting and playing, the sleepy rabbit gives up trying to count the stars and is happy to receive one bedtime kiss--but it ably conveys the excitement of learning. Delicate pen-and-ink and watercolor paintings illustrate the story.

Kirkus Reviews

Learning about numbers opens a world of discovery for a curious rabbit. Teacher Ms. Goat uses a basket of oranges to introduce a lesson on counting to the rapt class, which includes a large cross section of animals (turtle, fox, pig, etc.). Practically jumping out of his desk, young rabbit Christopher excitedly takes part and, arms spread wide with joy, leads the parade of students out of school, counting everything in sight. At home, he counts the fish in his aquarium, the plates and cups in the kitchen and all the shoes in the house. Even more opportunities present themselves outside. After dinner (during which he naturally counts all the peas on his plate), Christopher yawns and yawns. Mother Rabbit puts him to bed. "One kiss," he says, drifting off to sleep. Gorbachev's terrifically detailed illustrations, in watercolor and pen-and-ink, greatly enhance the simple, straightforward story. (Picture book. 3-6)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Unlike many counting books that seem to stomp decisively through numbers one to 10, Gorbachev (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Heron and Turtle) camouflages the concept in a story about a gentle rabbit named Christopher who simply falls in love with counting. After a successful lesson at school, Christopher counts everything—pencils, fish, toys, plates, cups, shoes, steps and flower petals—and although the pages are not accompanied by numerals, there are plenty of opportunities for readers to count along with Christopher. Pen and watercolor paintings sweetly capture Christopher’s wide-eyed, slightly screwball delight. The dialogue grows somewhat stilted (“ 'Hey, Christopher! We are going to play basketball with the Herons. Come play with us!’... 'Not today. I’d rather count how many baskets you make’ ”) and the plot a little pale. However, the exhilaration Gorbachev conveys in his paintings of Christopher is infectious, and readers may very well be tempted to join in this protagonist’s numbers game. Ages 5-up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Apr.)