cover image 1 2 3 . . .

1 2 3 . . .

Clotilde Olyff. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), $13.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-395-70736-4

Call it high concept in pop-up form. This arresting number book does double duty, introducing young readers not only to the numbers one through 10, but also to an equal number of typefaces. Bold in its simplicity, with big, bright pop-up numbers afloat in a sea of white space, the book is a graphic designer's dream, sweeping through Bauhaus and Broadway to Pioneer, Helvetica Black and Moonbase Alpha, among other typefaces. Readers are encouraged to match the shape of each number against a sort of typeface totem-pole that borders the left-hand page. The only caveat: this stylish book may hold more interest for adults than for the preschool set. Ages 3-8. (Sept.)