Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Softly realistic colored-pencil drawings on colored backgrounds show children's hands in varying skin colors making the American Sign Language sign for a number, accompanied by a corresponding number of objects from one to 20, plus 25, 50, 75, and 100. Signs that require motion are shown by a lightly drawn hand at the start position, an arrow indicating the movement, and a more solidly drawn hand for the next position. The illustrations depict either toys or objects from nature: 50 fish, 75 beads, and a glorious double-page spread of Noah's Ark for 100. Visually, the book is a delight, with charming pictures to pore over. Although counting books are legion, those that include signs are not. This is a title worth having, particularly because it can be enjoyed by children who aren't familiar with ASL. A fine companion to Rankin's Handmade Alphabet (Dial, 1991).-Pam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Preschool) Rankin follows The Handmade Alphabet (rev. 11/91) with this companion volume, which provides instructions for signing the numbers one through twenty (plus twenty-five, fifty, seventy-five, and one hundred). Her highly realistic illustrations, again in vibrant colored pencil on charcoal paper, provide more to look at than did the previous volume. Easily recognizable and child-appealing objects, such as toy boats, dinosaurs, and origami cranes, accumulate on the pages and are identified in the back of the book. Rankin starts the book with a note that explains how to interpret her signing illustrations. Most are clear, but those that require movement are at times awkwardly drawn; readers may need to consult a second source to confirm the directions. Nevertheless, this is a valuable and attractive contribution to the available literature that introduces American Sign Language to young people. ellen fader (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Rankin (The Handmade Alphabet, 1991, etc.) returns with another elegant study of American Sign Language, demonstrating the count up to 100. The imaginative drawings show the hand in starting position, the direction of the motion, and the final position for each number. Some sequences are quite challenging, but the presentation is utterly charming: every page presents a number, shows the handwork, and, against a brown-paper background, a corresponding number of objects. Butterflies, wildflowers, toy dinosaurs, dolls, fish, and more are on display, while the last page furnishes inquisitive readers with the names of the objects presentednot just four butterflies, but an Adonis blue, a monarch, a purple spotted swallowtail, and a cloudless sulphur. (Picture book. 4-10)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
