One Watermelon Seed

Previously announced Here's a wonderfully innovative book for children who are just learning to count, but who are bored with simple counting books. As we watch Max and Josephine tend their garden, there are ample opportunities to count -- from 1 to 10 as the garden is planted and from 10 to 100 (in tens) while the garden is being harvested. But there's more to count than plants. Bees, ants, worms, butterflies and other animals also adorn the pages, and children will want to count them too. Bold, colorful illustrations by Karen Patkau accompany Celia Barker Lottridge's direct text. Not only is the book good arithmetic fun, it also offers a fascinating introduction to gardening as well. "The text leads clearly and progressively through the numbers while suggesting the joys of watching something grow. The illustrations are colorful, energetic and imaginative." -- London Free Press (Ontario)