July 15, 2019
Ten young chicks make their way to the park for a day of fun, incorporating math into every playground activity: counting steps, tilting on a seesaw (“2 chicks light plus 3 chicks heavy equals... 5 chicks bobbing”), and playing together. In nearly every spread, one “lonely mouse” longingly watches as the chicks count from game to game. When the group’s basketball becomes stuck in the net, the stacked chicks—shown in a vertical spread, “stretching, strrrretchiiing”—come up two inches short. And with the aid of the mouse, a formerly lonely plus-one, the chicks free the ball and celebrate the addition of a new friend. Stephens deftly interprets the usefulness of being able to quickly count and add, and Liu’s texturized digital illustrations convey all the fun of the playground alongside simple mathematical concepts. An enjoyable resource for young ones stepping up their counting game. Ages 4–8.
August 1, 2019
PreS-Gr 1-Stephens presents 10 chicks as they head to the park. "Count their happy beaks." There is a lot of fun games and plenty of things to count and add in the park. "2 chicks far plus 2 chicks near equals... 4 chicks playing tag." And so it goes with the see-saw, climbing bars, slide, hide-and-seek, follow the leader, etc. all while a lonely mouse watches and mimics the fun. The chicks are having a good time and taking turns mathing until their basketball gets stuck in the net. Even 10 chicks stacked up can't reach it, but luckily the mouse comes to the rescue by scampering up the chicks and tapping the ball free. Ten chicks plus one helpful mouse equals a new friend. Stephens's text includes plenty of adding while still having a bit of a plot and being fun to read. Liu's illustrations give the text context and distinct characters including a mother hen with a much needed whistle around her neck. The chicks are easy to see and count and the lonely mouse adds some depth and humor to the action. The book's back matter depicts different ways to group numbers and add them (number bond, tally marks, etc.) as seen in the story. VERDICT Ten cute chicks plus one lonely mouse equals a fun math story that can be used at various levels. A good general purchase.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
June 15, 2019
Ten exuberant chicks head to the park for playtime and a self-guided math lesson. The chicks, who sport feathers in various shades of yellow, brown, and black, have brought a notepad and are "ready to add!" They observe and calculate different chick configurations within each game or on a piece of playground equipment. Throughout, "a lonely mouse watches," mimicking their play from afar. Ten stacked chicks are ultimately not tall enough to reach a basketball lodged in the hoop; but 10 chicks "plus 1 helpful mouse" are! The sums do not appear in order (4, 5,6, etc.), and this lack of pattern discourages guessing. They do appear on the same spreads as the setup: On the left, "2 chicks far plus / 2 chicks near equals..." appears within eyesight of "4 chicks playing tag" on the right. This design aspect suits the book to younger readers who are still being introduced to basic arithmetic functions and are not quite ready for independent work. On each calculation page, a chick uses the notepad to visualize one of many addition methods. Backmatter gives further explanations on these tools, describing a standard equation, tally marks, number lines, a number bond, and fingers "(or feathers)," among others. Hand-done textures on the digital illustrations appear delightfully scratched, as if by chicken feet, and playful, emphasizing the lighthearted tone of the lesson. Practical application mixes with play, adding up to enjoyable learning. (Picture book. 4-7)
COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.