Everyone Counts

by Judy Sierra (Author) Marc Brown (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

From the bestselling creators of Wild About Books comes a rhyming, counting, and teamwork-focused picture book about the beginnings of a new zoo!

When Takoda the tiger cub happens upon a tumbledown mall, the lone cub imagines a zoo. All Takoda needs is a capable crew to lend a paw or two--or three, four, or more.

Two rhinos, three lemurs, four oryx, and eventually ten crocodiles turn up to help. Soon the animals are finding places to pitch in: bears are carving out burrows, elephants are stomping the way for a playground, and crocodiles are crafting a waterslide.

It seems everyone's got something to do--everyone, that is, except for ten eager bugs. Will they be underestimated for their size or will this be a new kind of zoo where everyone counts?

Judy Sierra's rhymes and Marc Brown's colorful, folk-inspired art lend themselves to themes of counting and teamwork in this new picture book all about how a tiger cub and a whole lot of friends to count on add up to one wonderful zoo.

A Bank Street Best Book of the Year, Outstanding Merit

"The creators of Wild About Books and Wild About You! again demonstrate finely tuned creative teamwork in this nimble tale about cooperation, inclusivity, and the rewards of a job diligently done."--Publishers Weekly

"Sierra's rollicking rhymes are fun to read aloud and listen to, and Brown's gouache and pencil illustrations give children lots of details to pore over. This rhythmic, imaginative romp practically reads itself aloud."--Kirkus

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Kirkus

Sierra's rollicking rhymes are fun to read aloud and listen to, and Brown's gouache and pencil illustrations give children lots of details to pore over. This rhythmic, imaginative romp practically reads itself aloud.

Publishers Weekly

The double meaning of its title sets the clever tenor of this book's contents, as playful cumulative verse and peppy gouache and pencil illustrations reveal a menagerie of industrious critters transforming an abandoned mall into a zoo. One tiger cub has the initial vision for the project, and two "rough, tough" rhinos arrive in bulldozers to get things rolling--and rudely dismiss a fleet of insects who offer to help: " 'Not a chance, ' said the rhinos./ 'You bugs are too small.'/ 'You're pests. You're annoying./ You don't count at all.' " As other animals arrive in increasingly ascending numbers, they tackle some numerically fitting tasks: six giraffes build six tall towers, and nine moose dig a moat ("nine feet deep, nine feet wide"). And 10 crocodiles construct an elaborate waterslide that the rhinos try to claim--until the insects reappear and cunningly show the bullies just how annoying they can be. The creators of Wild About Books and Wild About You! again demonstrate finely tuned creative teamwork in this nimble tale about cooperation, inclusivity, and the rewards of a job diligently done. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1--When a group of animals decide to transform an abandoned mall into a beautiful new zoo, they learn the valuable lesson that everyone has something to contribute. The work begins with two burly rhinoceros demolishing the mall; but when a group of eager insects try to join their crew, the cantankerous rhinos call them pests, and tell them they are too small and that they "don't count at all." The construction continues with lemurs, bears, elephants, etc. all building an amazing zoo, which even includes a fantastic water slide. Everything comes to a head when the pugnacious rhinos declare the slide their personal property. The banished bugs from earlier choose this moment to make themselves known and suffice it to say, the rhinos are abashed and soon everyone is having a rollicking good time. Sierra takes on numbers and bullying in a playful manner that is well-suited for young listeners. The rhyming text coupled with detailed illustrations make for a fun storytime read. VERDICT Kids will enjoy poring over the artwork and the charming end pages, which are replete with silly number puns told by the bugs.--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

ALA/Booklist

With its Seuss-like rhymes, opportunities to count up and down from 10, and strong design choices, this book will find many fans.

Review quotes

 
Judy Sierra
Judy Sierra is the acclaimed author of many picture books, including the award-winning Wild About Books; ZooZical; Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf; The Sleepy Little Alphabet; We Love Our School!; and Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur. She holds a PhD in folklore, is an experienced puppeteer and storyteller, and lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband, Bob, and their poodle, Keiko. You can visit her at JudySierra.net.

Marc Brown is the renowned illustrator of Judy Sierra's Wild About Books and ZooZical, but is best known worldwide as the creator of Arthur the Aardvark, the star of many picture books and the five-time Emmy Award-winning TV show. He lives in New York City and on Martha's Vineyard with his wife, artist and psychologist Laurie Krasny Brown, and their cats, Lola and Romeo. You can visit him at MarcBrownStudios.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525646204
Lexile Measure
540
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 17, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV009030 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Counting & Numbers
JUV002000 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | General
Library of Congress categories
Animals
Zoos
Stories in rhyme
Counting
Cooperativeness

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