Baby Bear Counts One

July 15, 2013
Wolff follows Baby Bear Sees Blue with a counting-themed sequel built around tender mother-child exchanges. Winter is approaching, but Baby Bear still has curiosities that need to be satisfied, especially with so many strange noises around him. A “Whap! Whap! Whap!” signals three beavers “gathering twigs before winter comes” and “gobble” sounds belong to six gloriously feathered turkeys seen feasting on bunches of deep purple grapes. Wolff devotes two spreads to nearly every number, creating a leisurely pace and giving children and parents time to count the creatures while examining the many secondary details packed into each woodland scene. Ages 2–6.

Starred review from July 15, 2013
The season's turned from summer to fall since Baby Bear learned about the colors in his world (Baby Bear Sees Blue, 2012). Now, as he and Mama observe many creatures getting ready for winter, he learns to count. In every way a lovely companion to the previous tale, this also stands well on its own. Baby Bear plies Mama with incessant questions--as preschoolers will do--and his patient parent answers and instructs. With each successive question and answer, the cub counts one more than before, from one to 10. As Mama forages for roots at the pond, Baby Bear asks, "Who is clapping for us, Mama?" "Those are the beavers," responds Mama, "gathering twigs before winter comes." A page turn reveals a trio of them, gnawing brush, swimming and slapping the water with an impressive, paddlelike tail. "Baby Bear counts 3." Wolff's lush watercolors illuminate black-inked linoleum prints. Her striking compositions play with perspective and depth of field, enabling children to enjoy bird's-eye views as one woodpecker and then nine geese fly high, then higher, above Baby Bear. When the cub sprawls among wildflowers counting seven bees, readers are eye to eye at ground level, amid fallen apples, snails and a fuzzy caterpillar. Brimming with visual treasures and ending with snowflakes--"too many to count"--this joyous treat will reward both family and group sharing. (Picture book. 2-6)

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August 1, 2013

PreS-First seen in Baby Bear Sees Blue (S & S, 2012), the curious cub returns in this fall-themed counting book. Mama Bear gently answers Baby Bear's questions about who is making a noise as he counts different animals gathering food, migrating, or dashing through the woods and fields in preparation for winter. Each spread includes onomatopoeic words to suggest the animal to both children and the bear. Wolff's stunning linoleum block and watercolor illustrations are suffused with autumn light and color, and the creatures appear to swim, fly, and jump off the pages. Extreme close-ups are juxtaposed with larger framing illustrations that celebrate the season, the creatures portrayed, and the playful bear. Successful as a counting book, an autumnal celebration, and a cozy book to share either one-on-one or in a group, this title will be warmly welcomed in all libraries.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2013
Preschool-K This follow-up to Baby Bear Sees Blue (2012) finds Mama and her cub on the cusp of winter. Baby Bear is curious about the sounds he hears around him, asking Mama questions like Mama, who woke me? After each inquiry, a page turn reveals the source of the ruckus: woodland folk who are busy preparing for the upcoming season. A woodpecker hunts a beetle (1 woodpecker, Baby Bear counts), 2 squirrels gather nuts, 3 beavers ( Whap! Whap! Whap! ) find sticks, and so on. When Baby Bear gets to 10, it's snowflakes he is counting, and that means it's time for Mama and baby to hibernate. As with the first book, Wolff gently introduces the natural world and seasons to toddlers, who will find plenty to explore in the double-page spreads, as frogs leap into ponds, and birds perch in tree branches. The linoleum block illustrations, hand colored with watercolor, present fall in all its spectacular glory, and the warmth between Mama and her child shines through. Ideal for both one-on-one and group sharing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)