Dynamic illustrations and appealing words combine to introduce beginning math concepts and reinforce visual literacy—"an exceptional introduction to mathematics."* Whether shared at home or in the classroom, t his picture book is a fun way to learn basic math concepts. "An unusually stimulating counting book that holds appeal for a wide spectrum of ages."— Publishers Weekly If each orange has 8 slices and each slice has 2 seeds, then how many seeds are there in all? You'll have fun multiplying, adding, and counting your way through the math puzzles hiding in the world all around you. Clear and colorful artwork by Donald Crews, the award-winning creator of  Freight Train  and  Truck , gives young readers helpful hints to solve the engaging and age-appropriate word problems. "The vibrant style of Crews's gouache artwork is well matched to this exceptional introduction to mathematics."— School Library Journal* Kindergarten-Grade 3-- The vibrant style of Crews's gouache artwork is well matched to this exceptional introduction to mathematics. A situation is presented in simple sentences. ``On my way to Grandma's I saw 2 fat cows. Each cow had 2 calves. Each calf had 4 skinny legs,'' and the questions follow:``How many fat cows. . . calves . . . legs were there in all?'' The bright, cheerful illustrations boldly amplify the scenes, making interaction easy and fun. Tana Hoban's Count and See (Macmillan, 1972) and 26 Letters and 99 Cents (Greenwillow, 1987), and Mitsumasa Anno's Anno's Counting Book (Crowell, 1977) are other fine counting books. This one, however, takes the concepts a step further to challenge older children's thinking skills without being patronizing or sacrificing integrity for the youngest audiences. Teachers will find it useful for beginning multipliers. The book concludes with the age-old riddle contained in the poem, ``As I was going to St. Ives.'' Its answer is a lighthearted way to finish such an engaging, attractive addition to the concept picture-book genre. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, OH Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. In the style of Giganti and Crews's How Many Snails? (1989), 11 opportunities for children to begin to grasp the concept of multiplication--or simply to count items that may mount into the 50s. The tone is unabashedly didactic: ``Each duck said, `QUACK, QUACK, QUACK.' How many [big] ducks...? How many baby ducks...? How many `QUACKS' were there in all?'' This may sound textbook- like, but plenty of other lessons are introduced in picture book format--so why not basic math? Giganti does leave young readers to make certain discoveries--e.g., the big and little ducks must first be combined if the total number of ``quacks'' are to be derived by multiplying. Crews's crisp, bright double spreads educate the eye to color and design while keeping the numerical component of his illustrations absolutely clear. A humorous final touch: the riddle about the man going to St. Ives--the context increases the difficulty! Unusually handsome and useful. (Picture book. 3-8) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. If each orange has 8 slices and each slice has 2 seeds, how many seeds are there in all? You;ll have fun wether you multiply, add or count your way through the math puzzles hiding in the world all around you. In this companion volume to How Many Snails?, dynamic illustrations and appealing words combine to introduce beginning math concepts and reinforce visual literacy. "An unusually stimulating counting book that holds appeal for a wide spectrum of ages....Crew's typically bold, uncluttered pictures make counting easy for the smallest fingers."--Publishers Weekly. "The vibrant style of Crew's gouache artwork is well matched to this exceptional introduction to mathematics." -- School Library Journal Paul Giganti, Jr., teaches mathematics to teachers at the University of California at Berkeley. He is himself a graduate of UC Berkeley, with a degree in mathematics, and he taught in the public schools for fifteen years. He lives with his family in Albany, California. Donald Crews is the renowned creator of many celebrated children's books, including the Caldecott Honor Books Freight Train and Truck . He and his wife, Ann Jonas, live in New York's Hudson River Valley.