What do you think?
Rate this book
Reese's Pieces Count By Fives
Different kinds of trucks moving Reese's Pieces show how to count to 100.
32 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2000
About the author
Jerry Pallotta
264 books117 followersMy full name is Gerard Larry Pallotta but my mom always called me "Jerry". I was born on March 26, 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts. My mom's name is Mary, and she came from a family of ten children. My dad's name is Joe, and he came from a family of five children. My grandparents were immigrants of Italian descent. I have the nicest parents in the world. They have always been unselfish and ready to help me, even today. I have four brothers and two sisters: Joey, David, Andrew, Danny, Cindy and Mickey. I have seventy-two first cousins. When I was growing up, there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
My family moved to Medford, Massachusetts when I was young. I went to elementary school at Mt. Trinity Academy, not far from where my publisher is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. I never wrote a book in elementary school, and we never kept journals. In the neighborhood where I grew up, almost every family had seven to nine children. I guess that you could say that there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I went to high school at Boston College High School, a Jesuit all-boys school in downtown Boston. The priests and other teachers were really wonderful. I played football and ran track. I had a great high school experience and I think later it made my studies in college much easier. My sons Neil and Eric graduated from Boston College High School in 2001 and 2003. Neil was named after a teacher I had, Fr. Neil Callahan, S.J. I never wrote a book in high school, and I never wrote for the school newspaper. I was too shy and was afraid of what other kids would think.
After high school I went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I majored in business, a subject that would help me later in life when I decided to publish my first book. At Georgetown, I met my wife, Linda. In college I was an average student and was captain of the Georgetown University Rugby Team. I never wrote for the college newspaper, and I never imaged writing books. A couple of years later, Linda and I got married and I started to work at an insurance company in Boston. During the first six years of being married, we had four kids. It seemed like there were...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
Today, we spend a lot of time with my 31 nieces and nephews...again...KIDS EVERYWHERE!
I learned valuable skills while talking to people, selling insurance and collecting money. When I came home from work, Linda would ask me to "read to the kids!" I loved reading to my kids and I learned to appreciate children's books. The first few books that we bought were alphabet books and counting books. "A" was always for Apple and "Z" was always for Zebra. One day I decided, "Hey, I can do this!" I had an idea. I would write an alphabet book about the Atlantic Ocean. I spent every summer at Peggotty Beach in Scituate, Massachusetts. I have great memories of lobstering, fishing, mossing, clamming and rowing in my dory.
My first book was written in 1985 when I was 32 years old. I came up with the idea, wrote it, designed it, researched it, edited it and my cousin, Frank Mazzola, Jr. illustrated it. I published it myself under the name of Peggotty Beach Books. What fun! It was first printed on July 7, 1986. I'll never forget that day. The book eventually became the #1 best selling book at the New England Aquarium. I was afraid that only my mother would like it. Teachers and kids told me they really liked my book.
While speaking in schools, teachers also told me they were looking for simple non-fiction nature books. It gave me the confidence to write more. My next book, "The Icky Bug Alphabet Book", has sold more than 1 million copies. My third book, "The Bird Alphabet Book" was voted one of the best books of the year by Birders World Magazine. I now have over twenty alphabet books. My goal has always been to write interesting, fact-filled, fun to read, beautifully illustrated color children's books. Thank you to all my illustrators: Ralph Masiello, Frank Mazzola, Jr., Rob Bolster, Edgar Stewart, Leslie
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 29, 2019
SUMMARY: This colorful illustrated book uses construction vehicles to count and maneuver candy pieces around to help the reader count from 1 to 10 and then by 5's up to 100. NOTES: I have loved Jerry Pallotta's alphabet books for years. This was the first in the counting books that I have read. I enjoyed learning about the different construction vehicles in the book but I felt that they distracted me from the counting which was the main focus of the book. However, children (especially boys) may be inspired to reconstruct the pictures using real candy and toy trucks. -- As the number of candies increased, I was a little overwhelmed at the number on the page to count, but again they were grouped into sets of five which made counting easier. -- Can also talk about patterns because the placement of the candies in sets change from picture to picture. -- Can be combined with The Doorbell Rang concept and divide the candies equally among the children present (if using real candies).
November 6, 2020
An older title that is so loved by my students. Not only do they count by ones to ten, but they count by 5's to 100. Along the way readers listen to the names of the amazing construction vehicles throughout. I gifted it to a teacher after sharing it in Zoom this year.
June 20, 2017
this book made me hungry. my nephew will love the heavy focus on trucks and the different types. I like the candy.
September 6, 2015
This book uses the popular candy, Reese's Pieces, to count from one to ten, then from 10-100 by fives. The theme used is a construction site where various construction vehicles are used, such as a crane, tanker truck, cement mixer, scissor lift, road cutter, and backhoe, to move the candy pieces around. I can see using this book during a math lesson where children are learning to count by fives. The story is a bit lengthy so just be sure you give yourself enough time! The end highlights the number zero with a twist, someone eats all the candy and the low-bed trailer arrives to take all the construction vehicles to another site!
March 15, 2012
Reese's Pieces Count By Fives is a great book that introduces numbers 1-10 and 10-100(by 10s). For younger students, this book would be great for a math lesson that introduces numbers 1-10. This book also introduces counting by 10s. This book would go along perfectly with a math lesson for younger grades. The book engages young learners because it uses candy! A teacher could even do an activity where students use candy to count, just like the book. Great book for grades PreK-1st.
April 8, 2013
Hand out Reese's Pieces to the class (emphasize that they are not to be eaten until after the lesson!), then read this book and have students group their Reese's by fives, tens, twos, twenty-fives, etc. to count the totals that they have. This book gives an opportunity for students to tangibly understand the concept of multiplication and grouping. This could easily springboard into a lesson on division or fractions as well. Great for K-3rd grade~
February 19, 2013
This book is helpful in helping the students memorize their multiplication tables. Reese's Pieces comes in various colors; borwns, orange, red, and yellow. This book would help teachers guide students that need a visual when multiplying. This book would be useful for students that are in 3rd grade.
March 11, 2013
* Great way to use fun and yummy manipulatives to learn the skill to count by 5. The only caution I have is the peanut based candy ( perhaps I can substitute it with regular m&m's.)
Students: 1st- 3rd grade
Content:
- Colors
- Counting
- Counting by 5
- Multiplication
Students: 1st- 3rd grade
Content:
- Colors
- Counting
- Counting by 5
- Multiplication
November 11, 2011
This book teaches children to count by 5's in a fun way by using Reese's pieces!
July 28, 2012
Great for teaching pre-k and kindergarten students to count by fives.
November 20, 2012
This is a great book to do a math lesson with counting. This book teaches children how to count from numbers 1-10. I would use this book to do a lesson with young children.
March 12, 2013
Math
Count by 5
Real life maipulatives
Classroom activity
Count by 5
Real life maipulatives
Classroom activity
March 28, 2017
I think that this is a good counting book for kids who like trucks and construction equipment.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews