One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me!

by John Micklos Jr., Clive McFarland (Illustrator)

This playful counting book shares the colorful highlights of the four seasons in charming illustrations.
 
Count your way through the seasons! In spring, the tree’s leaves appear, one by one. By summer, there’s a glorious canopy. And when autumn winds blow, leaves fly from the tree, one after another, leading us into winter. There’s a world of activity to spy in and around this beautiful tree as the wild creatures, and one little boy, celebrate the cycles of nature. As little ones count leaves, look for animals, and enjoy the changing seasonal landscape, bouncy rhymes and bold illustrations make learning to count easy—corresponding numerals reinforcing the learning fun.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting, Childrens, Storytime, Nature, Fiction, Mathematics

32 pages, Board Book

Published September 6, 2022

About the author

John Micklos, Jr. has written more than 60 children’s books spanning a wide range of ages and genres. His work includes picture books, poetry books, and numerous nonfiction books. Popular titles include One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! (Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, 2017) and Raindrops to Rainbow (Penguin Workshop, 2021). Both books were selected for inclusion in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

John’s other top-selling books include 125 True Stories of Amazing Pets (contributor), published by National Geographic Kids. He also has written dozens of biographies, history books, and social studies books for educational publishers such as Capstone and Cavendish Square. Biographies include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amelia Earhart, Alexander Graham Bell, Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, Sequoyah, and others. History topics include the Revolutionary War (six-book series), Civil War, Challenger tragedy, Gold Rush, Lewis and Clark Expedition, and many others.

A resident of Newark, Delaware, John enjoys visiting schools (in person or via Zoom) and conducting writing workshops with students of all ages. His presentations and workshops center on writing poetry, nonfiction, and persuasive pieces, as well as the art of research and revision, to name just a few. Learn more about John’s work at www.JohnMicklosWriter.com.

Reviews

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

"One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count With Me!" is a delightful introduction to both counting and the seasons. It starts in the spring with just one leaf on the tree and takes us all the way to ten leaves, then too many leaves to count (summer). Then autumn arrives and the leaves drop one by one until it's winter then we move back to spring and the leaves begin appearing again. The leaves are a little small for counting when read to a group of children but work when just one or two children are reading the book.

The artwork is mixed media done in moderate colors. There are enough details to make the pictures realistic and appealing but not so many that they overwhelm young readers. There's a squirrel who appears on every page which makes for a nice game of where's the squirrel. My class of one and two year olds love the page where a mouse sleeps on a bed of leaves. They like to linger on that page when I read the book at circle time. The rhyming text is simple and repetitive and complements the illustrations.

"One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me!" is a fun and delightful book about counting and seasons for toddlers and preschoolers.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this newest selection from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - it has so much going on for such a simple book! First there's the counting of the leaves - first 1-10 then 10-1. Then it goes through all four seasons with the tree. Then it was especially fun to follow the background characters through each picture - the squirrel that lives in the tree, the bunny that lives outside, and the little boy in the nearby house. Lastly it gets bonus points for the back flap of the book having a list of suggested activities for parents to do with their toddlers and young children both while reading the book and after!

[Jj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, this is a good one. I will definitely be using it with the baby and toddler audiences this autumn. Seasons? Check. Counting? Check. Fun, bright illustrations with a child of color? Check! Just the right amount of text for a 0-5 group? Check! Also, did I mention the TREE is the main focus? Yes, I suspect this is going to be added to my tried & true lineup soon. Thanks to Penguin Random House for the review copy!

[Adonis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite book for almost a year! At 2 years old, I want to read this every day! We've had to buy multiple copies of this book because I read it myself and tear it up.

[George Rojas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book by John Micklos Jr, illustrated by Clive McFarland uses numbers by following a boy who counts the leaves of trees. Aside from counting the leaves the boy learns about seasons and some of the uses that leaves have for animals and human enjoyment. What makes this picture book interesting is the boy’s journey in learning about leaves and the different seasons. Numbers make this process understandable as he counts the leaves during different seasons; spring, autumn, and winter. In addition, basic knowledge is added to the representation of numbers in this picture book because it not only teaches children how to count with numbers, but it also provides basic knowledge of the seasons. Children can learn from this book in a beneficial way related to the concept of numbers and counting. The little boy’s character is an integral part of this book that allows children to gain this knowledge. Nancy J. Johnson’s essay “Through the Sliding Glass Door: #EmpowerTheReader” brings forward the significance of characters in children’s literature; “We know that children make personal connections as they respond to characters’ thoughts, feelings, and intentions” (2018, pg. 570). Taking Johnson’s statement into account, children can make connections to the character's intentions and actions as they might share similar experiences to the little boy; one experience can be jumping in a pile of leaves. The connections made to the character helps facilitate the knowledge of counting and the different seasons that are provided through numbers in the picture book.

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is going to sound stupid, but I thought the illustrations were confusing. The tree had "buds" and "leaves" and you're only supposed to count the leaves. I also think using leaves is confusing because singular and plural are different words. That being said, I like the style of illustration, and also teaching about seasons. I've read other reviews, and it seems like I'm the only one who found counting confusing. I think if your child is open to the difference between buds and leaves, they'll be fine with this book, but if they want to count all of the green things on the trees, they'll be frustrated.

[Victoria Elias · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good to teach children how to count from 1 to 10 with leafs on the tree. The book also goes through the seasons spring, fall, winter, and summer. When the leafs start to fall in the fall season, counting goes from 10 to 1. I liked how the illustrations goes with the counting process to count how many leafs are on the tree or how many leafs are falling from the tree. Not only are children learning to count with this book, but are also learning the seasons as well! The more the merrier!

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fun picture book uses brightly colored illustrations and rhyming text to engage kids in counting forward and backward through the changing seasons. As spring arrives, young readers are invited to count the budding leaves and then when summer is over they are again encouraged to count backwards as the leaves disappear. This would be a good concept book to share during the fall season and again in the spring.

[Dulce German]

One leaf, Two leaves count with me is a book to help students count, it counts up then counts down. It is also a book talking about the different seasons. The structure is simple we start by counting up which leads to Spring that we count down and it leads to Fall. The illustrations seem to be like cut-out paper, so like like a craft thing. I like how the book doesn't just teach students how to count up and down but it also teaches them about the seasons.

[Linda (bythebellbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playful and colorful way to help little ones count! The rhymes are super simple, making it easy for toddlers to follow along as they count from 1 to 10 with the leaves on a tree.

The illustrations by Clive McFarland are bright and cheerful, showing the tree’s leaves grow in spring and fall away in autumn. It’s the perfect mix of counting and exploring the seasons, keeping kids engaged and having fun as they learn. A great pick for nature lovers and little counters!

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take a fun and colorful trip through the seasons by counting the leaves on the tree. Count UP as they appear in the spring, and DOWN as they change color and tumble from the limbs in the fall. And, then the whole thing starts over again. I liked this one. The text is breezy, and Clive McFarland's illustrations are winning.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book I wish I had for my fall storytimes. The book starts in spring and counts up to 10 while encouraging participants to count with the reader. Then fall arrives and counts backwards down from 10. I really like how there are multiple numbers on each page so it isn't too long for preschoolers. Would make a great storytime read aloud in spring or fall.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thinking of adjusting my plans for a story time so that I can include this book. It is a great combination of bright clear illustrations with a terse text that has perfect rhythm and rhyme. Plus there's the idea of the tree cycle, with leaves changing color and falling, but new leaves growing next spring. I may need a second copy of this for my program collection.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This simple rhyming book has lots of STEM content (pun intended) with math and botany as you count the leaves as they grow on the tree in springtime, then count down as they fall and play with them in the autumn, then back around to spring. Recommended for ages 3-6, perfect for preschool and kindergarten curriculums.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple rhyming texts are sweet and fun. The illustrations are too cute! This will make an excellent read-a-loud but will also work well if you'd rather cuddle on the couch with your little one. Definitely recommend.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun counting book from one to ten and back again. I love the way John Micklos Jr. incorporated the seasons in this counting books. Clive MacFarland's simple, yet bright and colorful, illustrations add to the seasonal story. This would be a great book for preschoolers or kindergarteners.

[Madi Harenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! is a great story for young readers to learn about counting and seasons. There are many themes and lessons incorporated into the book, so it is a great resource. The story brought numbers to life and made great correlations to other content areas.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun way to get ready for fall! This book is great for learning to count, and the four seasons. What's more fun than counting the leaves as they change colors with the seasons, and fall from their trees in the fall. This book is great for pre-k classes and at home libraries.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think some of the pages are a little tricky for storytime (the ones that just have a bunch of trees each with a different number of leaves on them), but otherwise a cute rhyming/counting story about changing seasons. Could make a cute flannel story.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book invites the reader to follow the seasons, beginning with spring and ending with winter, and count up 1 to 10 and then down 10 to 1.

Disclosure: Dolly Parton was kind enough to send our family this book through her Imagination Library Foundation.

[Mrs Heet -Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic picture book that incorporates counting and the seasons. We get to see how a tree and it's leaves change during each season of the year. Bright and clear illustrations add to the appeal of this book. Perfect for preschool aged children or younger.

[Cassie Veselovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable counting story perfect for the fall months or any session for little ones about the changing seasons. The toddlers picked up right away what was happening with the tree and were so happy to see spring come again and the buds return!

[Ashley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this book with my 4yo for a couple years now and I like the straightforwardness of counting 1-10 through the seasons, told through rhyme. We have been able to talk about numbers and what goes on in different seasons.

[Teresa Alpizar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational Nonfiction
Prek-1st Grade
This picture book is a fun way to intrigue young children to count numbers! I really like the colorful illustrations that show the seasons. This book would be great to include for science and math units!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are cute. This is nothing groundbreaking, but I think it could work in storytime. I like the idea of counting up to and then backwards from ten as the leaves grow and then fall.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice. showed progression of seasons as it relates to leaves

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for books about the seasons of the year. A nice counting book and fun illustrations.

I love the cover - rake them up and jump!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great counting story that revolves around a tree throughout all the seasons. Great read-aloud for 4-6 y/o. Cute illustrations.

[Joan Arbogast · Rating 4 out of 5]

This concept book covers counting and seasons, making a full circle starting with spring, progressing from season to season until spring has sprung again.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable read aloud.