FISH EYES

Returning to the electric color contrasts of Growing Vegetable Soup (1987), a new Caldecott Honor winner (for Color Zoo, 1989) presents an innovative counting book with gorgeous, wildly colored fish-that-never-were against a deep blue ground. An almost-invisible black fish (and text) presages the next number before each page turn ("2 jumping fish plus me makes 3"). Having the fish's eyes punched out not only adds a bit of see-through fun but allows tactile counting to reinforce the learning experience. A visually exciting book that will probably inspire children to draw imaginative fish of their own.