ALA Booklist

This bright, well-designed book challenges young children to think analytically about what's on its pages. Each double-page spread includes a large, colorful illustration, three related statements, and three questions that can be answered by counting. For example, On my way to the store I saw 4 trees. Each tree had 3 bird's nests. Each bird's nest had 2 spotted eggs. How many trees were there? How many bird's nests were there? How many spotted eggs were there in all? Since each spread introduces a new venue, there's a great variety of settings (circus, barnyard, backyard) as well as a mix of things to count (trucks, trikes, gumballs). Crews makes the most of the graphic opportunities with art that fills but doesn't overload the pages. Since the objects are organized into sets and subsets, this could be used to introduce the concept of multiplication as well as counting and addition. A welcome choice for math shelves in school and public libraries. (Reviewed Mar. 15, 1992)

Horn Book

For more advanced counters than the audience of their previous collaboration, 'How Many Snails?' (Greenwillow), this book offers plenty of opportunities for counting as high as fifty-four and practicing some basic addition. Crews's bright, graphic pictures are easily read and perfectly suited to this kind of concept book.

Kirkus Reviews

In the style of Giganti and Crews's How Many Snails? (1989), 11 opportunities for children to begin to grasp the concept of multiplication—or simply to count items that may mount into the 50s. The tone is unabashedly didactic: Each duck said, `QUACK, QUACK, QUACK.' How many [big] ducks...? How many baby ducks...? How many `QUACKS' were there in all?'' This may sound textbook- like, but plenty of other lessons are introduced in picture book format—so why not basic math? Giganti does leave young readers to make certain discoveries—e.g., the big and little ducks must first be combined if the total number ofquacks'' are to be derived by multiplying. Crews's crisp, bright double spreads educate the eye to color and design while keeping the numerical component of his illustrations absolutely clear. A humorous final touch: the riddle about the man going to St. Ives—the context increases the difficulty! In the style of Giganti and Crews's How Many Snails? (1989), 11 opportunities for children to begin to grasp the concept of multiplication—or simply to count items that may mount into the 50s. The tone is unabashedly didactic: Each duck said, `QUACK, QUACK, QUACK.' How many [big] ducks...? How many baby ducks...? How many `QUACKS' were there in all?'' This may sound textbook- like, but plenty of other lessons are introduced in picture book format—so why not basic math? Giganti does leave young readers to make certain discoveries—e.g., the big and little ducks must first be combined if the total number ofquacks'' are to be derived by multiplying. Crews's crisp, bright double spreads educate the eye to color and design while keeping the numerical component of his illustrations absolutely clear. A humorous final touch: the riddle about the man going to St. Ives—the context increases the difficulty! Unusually handsome and useful. (Picture book. 3-8)"

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

PWs starred review praised this counting book as unusually stimulating, commenting that it holds appeal for a wide spectrum of ages. Ages 3-up. (Apr.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-- The vibrant style of Crews's gouache artwork is well matched to this exceptional introduction to mathematics. A situation is presented in simple sentences. On my way to Grandma's I saw 2 fat cows. Each cow had 2 calves. Each calf had 4 skinny legs,'' and the questions follow:How many fat cows. . . calves . . . legs were there in all?'' The bright, cheerful illustrations boldly amplify the scenes, making interaction easy and fun. Tana Hoban's Count and See (Macmillan, 1972) and 26 Letters and 99 Cents (Greenwillow, 1987), and Mitsumasa Anno's Anno's Counting Book (Crowell, 1977) are other fine counting books. This one, however, takes the concepts a step further to challenge older children's thinking skills without being patronizing or sacrificing integrity for the youngest audiences. Teachers will find it useful for beginning multipliers. The book concludes with the age-old riddle contained in the poem, ``As I was going to St. Ives.'' Its answer is a lighthearted way to finish such an engaging, attractive addition to the concept picture-book genre. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, OH