Animal Numbers

by Bert Kitchen

Young readers learn the numbers from one to ten--as well as fifteen, twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five, and one hundred--in a counting book that depicts an animal parent and its brood

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books

24 pages, Hardcover

First published July 3, 1987

About the author

Bert Kitchen has illustrated more than seventeen books for children. He has worked as an animator, textile designer, fine artist, and commercial artist. He lives and works in London.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the copy that is archived on OpenLibrary.org. I think it's pretty enough that if you can get a copy from your library, check it out. It does go 1-10, then 15, 25, 50, 100 (or something like that). *Very* simple main text, but includes animal facts in the back.

[Christina Cabezas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Animal Numbers
Author: Bert Kitchen
Genre: Counting Book, Picture Book.
Theme(s): Animals, Counting.
Opening line/sentence:
Answer me this
If you're in the mood,
How many babies
In each mother's brood?
Brief Book Summary:
The book offers a unique way to learn counting, as readers are encouraged to count the number of baby animals per page. The book counts from numbers one through ten, and then by fives, tens, and 25. The back page of the book includes a list of animal facts about each animal present in the book.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Jill Bennett (Books for Keeps No. 68, May 1991)
These large paperbacks by Bert Kitchen are pure picture books, apart from a final page of animal facts in the former and the alphabetical list in the latter. Both are superbly executed collections of paintings set against large calligraphic symbols. Watch out, though- in the case of the counting book, you must only count the baby animals, for example, the five baby lizards crawling over the adult reptile. Neither is a first counting or alphabet book and I feel they're probably appreciated by adults rather than young children. Category: Junior/Middle....Walker, 3.99 each. Ages 8 to 10.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Publishers Weekly (Publisher Weekly)
Using beguiling, naturalistic art, this counting book pictures 15 different adult animals with their offspring, and asks the reader to determine "how many babies/in each mother's brood." PW declared this "an exceptional volume." All ages. (Feb.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both of these reviews touch on the book's unique take on a counting book: asking the reader to count the number of baby animals on each page. However, it is true that the reader must take caution in counting only baby animals, and must not include the adult animal in each picture. Additionally, this book may be more appropriate for older learners and not for young children who are still learning to count.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
This book includes fabulous illustrations on each page, including some double-spread illustrations. There is the proper number of baby animals on each page, an impressive feat for the higher numbers such as 75 and 100. The book offers a unique way of offering the reader to interact and the list of animal facts at the back of the book is a great addition for higher-level readers.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think this book would be great for reviewing counting numbers. Students can read the book and count the number of baby animals per page, then make their own book of counting numbers and animals. For older learners, students could use the book to do a project on animals and their babies, while incorporating the number of babies that each adult animal typically gives birth to.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Number Book
Grade Level: Kindergarten

This book goes through the numbers 1-10, 15, 25, 50, 100. On each page their is a specific animal, and then their are that many animals pictured.

I feel like this book can really only be used for kindergarten. It is great in the essence that it introduces numbers and gives the students a real life connection.

Activity 1: Give the students blocks, and for each number have the students connect that many blocks.

Activity 2: Allow the students to create their own number book, by using certain numbers. Let them pick what they want to use to signify the numbers used in their book.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun counting book that has very few words. The rhyming introduction is short and each two-page spread depicts a different number of animal babies. We had fun guessing what each animal is, some are obvious, others are a bit more subtle. After we finished the book, I read the Animal Facts at the end that describes each animal and how many babies each animal typically has. Our youngest brought this book home from her first grade class to practice her reading. We enjoyed reading it together.

[Paige Wehmeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been a favorite of mine from my childhood. I enjoy this book because it includes animals and numbers, so the reader gets to learn about both topics in one interesting read. The illustrations are so enticing and are accurate to the numbers even all the way up to 100 common frog. Even in the back of the book their are interesting little blurbs about the animal that represents each number all the way up to the number 100.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Count the babies of each animal. There is not a lot to this book--it is essentially wordless, but it provides the names of the animals at the end of the book.

[Buxmont Uu]

CMMW 35

[Jenna Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book. My 1 yr old loves it too, especially the page with the dogs which she likes to 'count. She will spend ages looking at the pictures. I need to learn the names of the animals though.