Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Annemarie from Wordplay (2017) and her class work on set theory.Annemarie's homework assignment is for the students to draw a dozen items in sets: Three sets of four, four of three, and two of six are all valid. While Annemarie tries to decide what she wants to draw, she wonders what her classmates are working on, and the book cuts to various kids and their work. Initial examples (four sets of three, the most common set division selected by the students) are organized with the extra visual division of the four panels on each page, building to full-page images that encourage kids to count the items in the illustration to determine the sets. There's also a delightful sequence that shows four seeds, then four saplings, then four trees, which pieced together read as a comic strip. The book doesn't teach math so much as it encourages developing number sense through play. The art (digitally colored) has minimal shading and emphasizes basic shapes in both characters and their drawings, making it easy for child readers to imitate while playing along and drawing their own sets. Annemarie's a brown-skinned girl with black hair and glasses in a class filled with racial diversity and led by a teacher who has dark brown skin, black hair, glasses, and a jaunty bow tie.So exemplary an execution of a simple concept that it can be read multiple ways—as multiplication, counting, sorting—without sacrificing fun. (Early reader. 5-8)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

K-Gr 2 Annemarie and her classmates, who readers met in Brunetti's Wordplay , are back with a new homework assignment. They need to draw 12 things but in sets. Three sets of four? Four sets of 3? Two sets of 6? It's entirely up to them. The students (and there are, of course, 12 of them) each find an ingenious way to draw 12 of their favorite things as they create art and also begin learning the basics of multiplication. This is a charming beginning reader graphic novel. The art features colorful backgrounds and ethnically diverse characters, rendered with eye-catching crisp lines and basic shapes. The panels alternate between full-page and four-panel pages, chock-full of hidden sets of threes that children will have fun finding, counting, and sorting, all without realizing that they are learning math. The action moves forward smoothly, and the word bubbles are well positioned, with black text and numbers highlighted in color. As with all of the publisher's works, this title ends with tips for reading comics with kids and includes grade suggestions and reading levels. Brunetti's second volume is a lovely graphic story that teaches a simple concept in a most engaging way and will be snapped up by fans and newcomers alike. VERDICT Another winner for beginning readers. Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

ALA Booklist (Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Annemarie has moved on from compounds (in Wordplay?, 2017) to math in this visually clever introduction to basic multiplication. Her teacher asks her class to draw 12 things for homework, but they have to be in sets. Annemarie feels a little stuck and wonders what her classmates are up to, and subsequent pages reveal their creative ideas: a three-picture series of four seeds growing into four trees; a dragon with four heads, four feet, and four tails; four rows of three donuts each; two rows of six roses; and so on. Brunetti's friendly, genial artwork, composed of crisp shapes, straight lines, and flat, bold colors, contains groups of three or four on nearly every page, which little ones will like hunting for. Best of all, though, is many different, creative ways the students complete the assignment. Their projects range in size, complexity, and format, but they all show 12 objects, which nicely reinforces the elementary math concept. The premise may seem simple, but Brunetti gives it plenty of depth. This entertaining, playful concept book teems with charm.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Annemarie (from Brunetti's Wordplay) and her classmates are assigned to draw twelve things in sets; she and the others brainstorm with their parents how best to complete the assignment. A simple easy-reader text (leveled for "brand-new readers") and brightly colored comic-panel illustrations will help young children grasp this introduction to patterns and basic multiplication. Appended with tips for reading comics with kids.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Annemarie from Wordplay (2017) and her class work on set theory.Annemarie's homework assignment is for the students to draw a dozen items in sets: Three sets of four, four of three, and two of six are all valid. While Annemarie tries to decide what she wants to draw, she wonders what her classmates are working on, and the book cuts to various kids and their work. Initial examples (four sets of three, the most common set division selected by the students) are organized with the extra visual division of the four panels on each page, building to full-page images that encourage kids to count the items in the illustration to determine the sets. There's also a delightful sequence that shows four seeds, then four saplings, then four trees, which pieced together read as a comic strip. The book doesn't teach math so much as it encourages developing number sense through play. The art (digitally colored) has minimal shading and emphasizes basic shapes in both characters and their drawings, making it easy for child readers to imitate while playing along and drawing their own sets. Annemarie's a brown-skinned girl with black hair and glasses in a class filled with racial diversity and led by a teacher who has dark brown skin, black hair, glasses, and a jaunty bow tie.So exemplary an execution of a simple concept that it can be read multiple ways—as multiplication, counting, sorting—without sacrificing fun. (Early reader. 5-8)

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

Cartoonist Brunetti (Wordplay) stages another concept-driven comic for early readers. -For your homework, you-ll draw 12 things, but in sets,- a teacher wearing a plaid shirt and bow-tie instructs. In full-bleed and four-panel spreads using dialogue balloons, Brunetti shows the children-s thought processes: -I can-t decide... Draw 3 things, 4 times each? Or 4 things, 3 times each?- one boy ponders. A glance at a carton of eggs makes the assignment more clear: -Oh, as long as I have 12! Mom, I-m hungry!- Another student draws a monster with four heads, legs, and tails. Brunetti-s India ink and digital art features playful scenes; figures have ball-like heads, blocky torsos, and elongated arms. As the characters work through the multiplication concept on their own terms, readers are sure to arrive at a clearer understanding. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)