The One and Only 1, 2, 3 Book

September 23, 2013
Using the jittery linework that has been the hallmark of his artwork and animation, Blechman follows 2007’s Franklin the Fly with a gently disruptive counting book. A red numeral one with stick arms and legs greets readers on the first page, smiling as it gestures to a trophy: “I’m the one and only one, and here’s my number 1 cup.” It makes sense that this top dog doesn’t like to share the spotlight, and the one’s smile vanishes when a purple two shows up (“I’m two, with two shoes”), followed by a green three being trailed by three cows, a four with (why not?) “four cups of fresh coffee,” and so on up to 10. “This is getting too crowded!” complains the one, marching off. “I have to find an empty page!” But solitude proves fleeting as a handful of black letters show up, with the “a” asking, “Is this the Alphabet Book?” The story’s light humor doesn’t exactly stand out in a crowded field of rowdy and ambitious counting books, but its entertaining characterizations and offbeat charms have appeal nonetheless. Ages 4–up.

October 15, 2013
Numbers and letters vie for supremacy in this amusing picture book. "I'm the one and only one," announces Number 1, brandishing his number 1 cup. Neither Number 2, with two shoes, nor Number 3 (with three cows) nor any of the other numbers--not even 5 with five elephants--is able to compete with Number 1. Chaos threatens to erupt when a lowercase letter a appears in the mix, humbly asking if this is the alphabet book? By the time the pages have filled with planes, cups of coffee and dancing frogs, Number 1 is feeling claustrophobic. He runs to an empty page with his precious cup. For a few minutes he is alone, "Just me. The one and only one!" His hard-won solitude is short-lived, however. The errant letter a appears again, along with a handful of letters, all searching for the alphabet book. This is, of course, the numbers book! Renowned cartoonist Blechman manages to put an original spin on a well-worn theme. His whimsical and wiggly numbers are brimming with character and help to transform the frequently tedious ordeal of learning to count into a lightly humorous explication with which kids, parents, librarians and teachers can have fun. The hand-lettered speech balloons might occasionally be hard for beginning readers, but the sense is usually obvious from the context. Not quite as simple as ABC, but great fun nonetheless. (Picture book. 3-6)

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January 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 2-Jittery, cartoon illustrations and lots of white space bring this chaotic, funny counting book to life, starting with proud number one showing off his "Number 1" trophy cup. Unfortunately, his confident smile starts to fall on the very next page when number two shows up with two shoes. A new numeral joins in with each page turn, bringing a collection of the appropriate number of things along (cows, coffees, elephants, airplanes...). Just as things start getting really crowded, a lowercase letter "a" shows up for comic relief: "Is this the alphabet book?" Upon the arrival of number 10 and his 10 dancing frogs, frustrated number one grabs his cup and heads for a clean page, but just as he gets comfortable, that pesky letter "a" is back with 10 other letters trooping across the spread behind him: "Is this the alphabet book?" All the numbers and letters are full of energy and personality, making for entertaining forays into counting and storytelling.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

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