Counting with Barefoot Critters

by Teagan White

What is a day of counting with Barefoot Critters?

Reading
Making pancakes
Helping friends
Exploring
Swimming
Playing pirates
Learning about numbers!

Join this adorable cast of animal characters as they explore numbers and counting over the course of a day, having fun at all stops along the way.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Counting, Childrens, Storytime, Number, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 9, 2016

About the author

Teagan White is a freelance illustrator specializing in intricate drawings of floral and fauna, playful watercolors of animal characters, and illustrated typography. She is very interested in nature's subtle, gentle reciprocity and wild, tragic discord, and combines this inspiration with nostalgic colors, decorative arrangements of organic forms, and meticulous detail. Her clients have included Target, Papyrus, American Greetings, Random House, Penguin Books, Simon & Schuster, Nike, Honda, Wired Magazine, and the Washington Post, with projects ranging from advertising and editorial to children's books, greeting cards, and textiles.

Though originally from and quite fond of Chicago, Teagan moved to Minnesota to go to the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and received her BFA in illustration in 2012. She now lives in Minneapolis, where she spends her tiny amounts of free time following tangled animal paths through forest and field, squishing along reedy riverbanks, attempting to befriend gulls on rocky lakeshores, delighting in the routines of backyard bunnies, picking wildflowers, and collecting animal bones.

Reviews

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5ish stars.

A counting book that distinguishes itself from countless (haha) others by use of really lovely, critterful (that's now a word) illustrations including a numbered map at the beginning and some cute rhymes and sequencing. The rhymes act as hints to allow young listeners to predict the next number and the sequential story subtly promotes a decent message as well. I'd probably use it primarily at home, possibly as a bedtime story.

Illustrations: 4
Text: 3

[Heather Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! So cute!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some activities, like a quiet reading, is perfect for one barefoot critter. Cooking pancakes is great for a pair. But a race is better with five, and nine is the best number to play in the fort. And what about when crossing the dark spooky forest? Better if the whole dozen of them is there, so there is nothing to be scared of!

Counting with barefoot critters is a counting book in beautiful rhymed prose and full of cute illustrations. At the beginning for the book there is a amazing map to follow the critters adventures. It is a great option for a read aloud time. I'm interested in read a previous book in this series, Adventures with Barefoot Critters, which plays with the letters and seasons.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find more children's book reviews in Reviews in Chalk

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED!!!

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 5 out of 5]

COUNTING WITH BAREFOOT CRITTERS
Written and Illustrated by Teagan White
August 9, 2016; 32 Pages
Penguin Random House; Tundra Books
Genre: reading, counting, picture book, children's

(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.)

4 1/2


"What is a day of counting with Barefoot Critters?

Reading
Making pancakes
Helping friends
Exploring
Swimming
Playing pirates
Learning about numbers!

Join this adorable cast of animal characters as they explore numbers and counting over the course of a day, having fun at all stops along the way." (From Publisher)



I love the gorgeous illustrations. It reminded me of books from my childhood and one I would read to mine. The story is simple is about counting which is perfect and works for this book.

k (My Novelesque Life)

[Angelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet counting book with nice rhymes.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Barefoot Critters book and it's all about counting. It starts off with one little critter reading a book. More critters join in the fun and come to play as the book progresses all the way up through twelve. The story is written in rhyme and it flows beautifully. It's the perfect companion book to Adventures with Barefoot Critters, especially if your child likes super cute animals and beautiful illustrations.

My blog: Batch of Books

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This different counting book is in rhyme and starts with one critter reading alone, then after each verse there is one more critter added for other fun each time. It goes from 1 to 12. Lovely illustrations.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a brilliant little book and it was really enjoyed. The images are great and I loved how it rhymed. Will definitely be looking to purchase a hard copy to keep.

[R. C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever encountered a counting book I wanted to move into and take up as a lifestyle, but this one has illustrations that look like grandma's home cooking tastes, descriptors of friendship that feel like heaven -- actually it refers to itself as heaven, to rhyme with seven, and it's right, and I want to do all the activities accomplished in the pages, especially to the exclusion of all other adult responsibilities.

My children also liked the book. I had to talk about the pictures a lot in order to keep my 18-month-old engaged, but they are in that sweet spot where they have enough detail to keep a toddler looking while you talk, but not so much detail that your toddler gets overwhelmed and throws his body forward and you are done reading. My three-year-old, who can count to seven reliably, will benefit from going up above ten on a regular basis with this title, and, I think the Barefoot Critters was the inspiration for today's desire to make a pirate ship out of a cardboard box. Bonus points for being a title that I can read to both at once.

All around win.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gently drawn animals, "critters," go through pint-sized adventures."

Rhyming text, always intent on counting, is soothing as well. Here's a sample, taken from the page entitled SIX!

The race made us hungry; it's time for a break
And there's room at the table for six to eat cake.
Laughter and food with friends is like heaven
When our plates are all clean we'll see what's up with . . .

Besides counting and cake, what else happens between these covers? The critters might be:

- Reading
- Making pancakes
- Helping friends
- Exploring
- Playing pirates
- Incessantly learning about numbers.

THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK GOT ME THINKING

ALL critters -- except for us humans, and horses -- aren't they always barefoot?

FIVE STARS for helping young reader. Also for enhancing this adult's sense of the cuddliness built into life.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woodland animals, endearing illustrations, rhyming verses & numbers - my 3 year old son asks for this one again & again. The first page has a fox curled up on a couch reading a book with a cup of steaming tea. And a little mouse is on the other side of the room cozy with a book, too. My son and I squish together in our recliner and talk about all the details we notice in the artwork on each page.

[Milton Public · Rating 3 out of 5]

The meter doesn't always hold up, and if you, like the first of the critters, is someone who thinks that starting the day with a book, the incremental adding of friends until everyone you know is hanging out until night time might make you panicky.
But the pictures are super cute and the numerals are presented to your kids in a no-pressure way.

[alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids really enjoyed the way the rhyme cued them to count the numbers. They also loved the map at the front and finding the new friend on each page. Lovely details, we spent more time looking at the book than I expected.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written in rhyming verse that anticipates the next number, counting up from 1 to 12. The rhyme helps a preschooler remember the number on the top of their tounge. So clever Teagan White! I also love the illustrator’s style!

[Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our 3-year-old loved this one. He loves animals, and he made real progress in counting while we had this out from the library. The way the next number is revealed after the page turn made this really fun to read aloud.

[FM Family · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 3.5 year old was really into counting but not into books without dialogue so this one was a gamble. But it was not well received, unfortunately. But like the other Barefoot Critters Stories, it is cute and engaging with lots of detail in the illustrations and a sweet coziness throughout.

[Jessalyn Plant · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are so sweet. I love the variety of creatures the author chose to include although size wise things don't make a ton of sense. I also appreciate that instead of just counting to 10 this book goes up to 12.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute, but the scansion is off.

[Andrea Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The art is fantastic. Cute critters and rhyming, couldn't love this book more!

[Phyll · Rating 4 out of 5]

super charming with sweet rhymes probably best for bedtime or other snuggly situations where little readers can look closely at the text. best critters IMO were [SPOILER] the triceratops and bat.

[Shauna Ludlow Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet counting board book with beautiful watercolor illustrations of animals. They have fun adventures with friends—some
indoors and some outside.

[Shannon]

Okay, so Teagan White is who everyone has to beat y'all. Queen of children's books. Get this lady an animated show on Nick Jr.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, whimsical pictures. I love the map at the beginning.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations!

[Sarah N · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! I also appreciate how you can count the main animals on one page and have a matching number of little animals (birds, insects, snakes, etc.) on the opposite page.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun counting book with nice illustratuons

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The adorbs is strong with this one. *squee*

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A library book for Maisie. It is beautifully illustrated and has lots of wonderful little details.