One Yellow Sun

Starred review from August 15, 2020
Die-cut dots create evocative numerical representations in this clever graphic board book. Rarely have ordinary circles communicated so much, so well. Following the title page, the book opens on a clean white page with 10 tiny die-cut holes representing "10 silver beads"; a lavish silver page underneath creates the illusion of 10 sparkly, scattered treasures. As the numbers progressively count down, the dots grow larger, becoming a cluster of "6 blue blueberries" against a bright green field or two sizable "orange oranges" on crimson. Its final spreads, depicting an oversized "1 yellow sun" and a white page devoid of any dots representing "0 white snowballs," are simple triumphs. No detail is amiss. There's judicious use of embossing, eye-catching silvery spheres on the endpapers, a shiny, goldenrod spot-gloss cover, and clean, richly colored backgrounds that make the dots burst outward, especially a group of "4 pink bubbles" that bounce against a lush plum background. Too often, counting books feel stale, but the novelty of the well-built die cuts, combined with the ease with which they demonstrate beginning numeracy, makes this one fresh, engaging, and informational. Concluding with a clear bar chart showing the successive quantity of each type of dot further solidifies its use as an early math text. Simplicity at its finest--don't miss this innovative board book that's as beautiful as it is educational. (Board book. 1-3)

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October 15, 2020
Preschool This elegant primer counts down from 10, utilizing circular cutouts to overlay two contrasting colors per spread, with each circle representing a named object. We go from 10 silver beads to 9 gray pebbles to 8 black raisins; color is infused through 7 green peas, growing brighter until finally 2 orange oranges give way to 1 yellow sun and, delightfully, 0 white snowballs (a solid, uncut white background). The use of similar circles?increasing in size as the quantity shrinks?maintains visual consistency while still being dynamic, if somewhat abstract, and smooth cutouts add enjoyable textures for tactile little hands. A striking balance of art and practical application that will call to newer humans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)