Zero Is the Leaves On the Tree

September 1, 2009
K-Gr 2-"Zero is...the sound of snowflakes landing on your mitten. 0 sounds." "Zero is...the kites in the sky once the wind stops blowing. 0 kites." Using these and other evocative examples from children's everyday experiences throughout the seasons, Franco explores the concept of zero. The gouache illustrations are done in soft, muted tones and have a naive charm that will have substantial child appeal. Most of the scenes are set outdoors, clearly depicting and emphasizing the book's link to the passing seasons. While the idea is a simple one, the presentation is such that it could easily be used to encourage youngsters to think of ways they could use any of their five senses to experience having zero of something. Like Franco's "Mathematickles" (S & S, 2006), this is another fine addition to the growing number of books that make math concepts both enjoyable and memorable."Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2009
Preschool-G Picture books about numbers typically go from one up to 10. The idea of zero may be a bit more abstract, but this picture book communicates the concept in child-friendly terms: Zero is . . . the balls in the bin at recess time. 0 balls, or . . . the sound of snowflakes landing on your mitten. 0 sounds, or the kites in the sky once the wind stops blowing. 0 kites. Pictured in a series of wide, double-page spreads, two girls and two boys reappear singly or in groups. The childrens activities follow the cycle of the seasons through the year, but the books focus stays on the central idea of zero as a lack of something. Although some readers may quibble with certain ideas (are there really zero ripples in the pool before the first swimmer jumps in?), Franco offers a series of evocative sensory images. Nicely composed and often quiet in tone, Ariharas gouache paintings illustrate those images with sensitivity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)