THE VERY BERRY COUNTING BOOK

Children can learn to count from one to 10 in a berry appetizing way.

This lovely counting book, reminiscent of old-fashioned botanical illustrations, introduces children to a variety of berries. Examples range from the well-known staples, such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries, through the less-familiar, such as mulberries, salmonberries, and elderberries, to the surprising, such as green grapes and red grapes. Yes, those are berries too. Each berry illustration is set against a soft cream background that further contributes to the antique feel of the book. The number—presented in both numerical and word form—is followed by a simple two-word descriptor of the berry in question: “sour cranberries,” “tasty blackberries,” “plump green grapes,” “tart elderberries.” The color of the text matches its berry. The presentation is deceivingly simple, yet it offers so much: numbers, colors, vocabulary in the form of berry names and adjectives, and, last but not least, art appreciation. Here’s hoping it will also open up appetites and a taste for the simple, healthy pleasures in life.

A simple, elegant book.