So Much Learning, So Few Words

Picture from Amazon.com

Anno's Counting Book

by Mitsumasa Anno

Published by Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, 1975

Summary: "Introduces counting and number systems by showing mathematical relationships in nature."

Strengths: This wordless, but simply and meaningfully illustrated book provides a wonderful visual and basis for learning or reinforcing number knowledge. Each spread shows a scene on a hillside with different objects, such as children, buildings, and trees, which are all in sets of the number on which that page focuses. I like that all of the sets of objects are not placed together, but that you need to look around and count all of the objects in each set. Each number also is expressed numerically and then with blocks, so that children can count the blocks and visualize how many a certain number is in comparison to a larger number. The book also shows the changing seasons and the development of a town throughout a year. Children may even notice that the number also corresponds to the month in which the picture takes place. I also really like how the clock on the church steeple shows the time based on the number of the page, so when there are sets of three on the page, the clock shows that it is three o'clock.

Concerns: This book needs to be used in a specific context because it does not have words or a plot. Children may wonder about certain things not being in sets of the number on the page, like the number of windows not corresponding to the number because the focus is on the number of buildings.

Classroom Use/Other comments: This is a great book to learn about "one to one correspondences", which the author mentions at the end of the book along with other instructional information. Children will enjoy finding each set of objects and this is a great integration of math. Teachers can have children write a story to go along with the story in order to provide a context for writing. Children can read this individually to practice counting and to work on their observation skills. This book would be enjoyed by all ages, but would be great for children learning to count, around ages 3-7.