Counting Book for Children

A New Paperback Edition of It’s a Firefly Night is Now Available

IT’S A FIREFLY NIGHT
Written by Dianne Ochiltree
Illustrated by Betsy Snyder
(Blue Apple Books; $12.00 Paperback, Ages 3-7)

 

cover art by Betsy Snyder for It's a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree

 

Five years ago Good Reads With Ronna first reviewed Dianne Ochiltree’s splendid It‘s a Firefly Night. We’re back to introduce the story for a new audience to enjoy since it’s just come out in paperback from Blue Apple Books. This new edition features an attractive glittering cover that adds to the magical feel of the story. With at least five weeks left of summer, there’s still time to enjoy the wonder and delight that fireflies bring with “their dancing-light show” to all who see them. 

What child (or adult for that matter) doesn’t love fireflies? After all, they are the first sign that summer has truly arrived. It’s a Firefly Night is a beautiful and joyful picture book that celebrates every child’s rite of passage into the warmest season of the year. Additionally the story demonstrates a strong daddy daughter bond as evidenced by his encouragement of his child to explore the night sky.

The concise flowing, rhyming prose by Dianne Ochiltree offers the youngest readers insight into the story of a little girl and her dog who are out in the yard with a jar, chasing, capturing and releasing fireflies back into the air. Just reading the book will make you want to get out into the fresh air with your family. In the back of the book is a spread with factual information about fireflies. Did you know that fireflies are beetles? There’s also a page with prompts to get kids drawing, counting and writing about fireflies.

 

“Flickering quicker,
they sparkle and shine.
I love catching fireflies,
but they are not mine.”

 

FireflyNight_int_illustration by Betsy Snyder
Interior spread from new paperback edition of It’s a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree with illustrations by Betsy Snyder, Blue Apple Books, ©2013

 

What makes this book standout are the vivid collage illustrations by Betsy Snyder. The colors are both deep and brilliant, depicting the most magical night sky you could ever imagine. It’s a Firefly Night is a great way to kickoff summer with your kids. Just be prepared to get out in the yard with them chasing those glowing parklers as soon as they appear. Click here for a link to a downloadable story hour kit ideal for libraries, bookstores, classrooms and families.

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Splash!

deep puddleLast week Debbie Glade reviewed a terrific counting book about primates, so she thought it perfectly fitting to review a very different (but equally as fantastic) counting book this week.

I love it when my dog pulls me toward a puddle so he can splash through it like a toddler. What little kid doesn’t love a puddle? There’s just something so wholesome about it, don’t you think? The Deep, Deep Puddle ($16.99, Dial Books, Ages 3-6) by author and former teacher, Mary Jessie Parker, will enchant even the youngest of readers and set imaginations soaring (or swimming!).

One day, in a big city, it starts to rain and a small puddle forms. It rains and rains and rains and the puddle grows as do the number of items and creatures who fall into it. From taxis and street vendors to cats and dogs, everything seems to disappear in the ever growing puddle, counting from one to twelve things. Then something amazing happens to make the puddle shrink more and more and more. And the counting goes backwards from twelve to one.

What I love about The Deep, Deep Puddle is that it is so absurd, albeit ultra creative, making it a wild adventure to read as the cover clearly shows. The words have unique sounds, so fitting for a young child’s book, and the vibrant illustrations by Deborah Zemke couldn’t be better. I enjoyed studying each picture for a while, and their adorableness made me smile.

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If you’d like to teach your child to learn to count in a fun, fun way, and you love looking at beautiful illustrations, this is the perfect book.

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