Countablock

Title: Countablock 
Author: Christopher Franceschelli  
Illustrator: Peskimo 
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed 
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book/Board Book 
GoodReads Summary: Following on the heels of a successful abecedary, Countablock features thick pages cut into the shape of each numeral, creating a peek-through guessing game around the number form itself. One acorn becomes . . . one oak tree! From snowmen to puddles and eggs to chicks, quantities are illustrated twice: both before and after their “transformations.” As children interact with the pages, they will familiarize themselves not only with the numbers 1–100 and associated quantities, but with each numeral’s physicality—angles, holes, and curves, both front and back. Die-cut numerals include 1–10, and 20–100 by tens. Illustrated by hip British design team Peskimo, this fresh take on the 1-2-3s encourages readers to manipulate numbers in a whole new way.
What I Think: We completely adore Alphablock in our house and were so excited to add Countablock to our book collection. We've almost outgrown most of the board books in our house. Sometimes, we pull them out of the box where we house them, but it's more rare these days now that Little Bean is almost 4 1/2. But Alphablock and now Countablock are two board books we love. They are super thick and super chunky and engaging. Each page leads to the next with great, colorful illustrations and some cut-outs as well. Little Bean loves to read this book himself but Peanut loves reading aloud to him as well. It's fun to see both kiddos get so excited about a book.  

In the summary, they point out that this is a fresh take on a counting book and I completely agree. I'm not sure I've seen another board book that counts to 100 and makes it this fun. I can see sharing this book at home and in a kindergarten classroom. It has tons of appeal whether the reader is 1 or 100.
Read Together: Alphablock  by Christopher Franceschelli, Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett, Let's Count Goats by Mem Fox
Read Alone: Grades Pre-K - K 
Read With: Grades Pre-K - K 
Snatch of Text: 

"THREE BOXES BECOME

THREE FORTS!"   

I *heart* It: