ONE, TWO, THREE... CRAWL!
by Carol Thompson ; illustrated by Carol Thompson
Spare text and dynamic illustrations pair well in this ode to crawling.
The only signs of grown-ups in this title are a few pairs of shoes under a table; the low-to-the-ground universe presented here belongs to the wee ones. An adorable cast of multiethnic tots crawls, wobbles and falls. They wind their way through tunnels, climb over one another and scurry under tables. The final spread, reading simply “Creepy crawl. / Sleepy crawl,” depicts a toddler poking gingerly at a wiggly worm and another who has apparently collapsed from all the excitement. With bottom in air, thumb in mouth and cheek to the floor, he is fast asleep. Thompson’s collage illustrations create a textured world of sweet, slightly quirky-looking babies rejoicing in their newfound mobility. Other titles in the series include One, Two, Three…Climb! (978-1-84643-617-8), One, Two, Three…Jump! (978-1-84643-615-4) and One, Two, Three…Run! (978-1-84643-616-1). Like One, Two, Three…Crawl!, these offerings are characterized by minimal text and illustrations of moving kiddos full of determination and joy, if not always grace.
A simple but effective celebration of the thrill that comes with moving under one’s own steam. Get ready for repeat readings.
(Board book. 6 mos.-3)