Counting Through the Day

In a companion to B Is for Bedtime, a child counts the items that she discovers in her cheery rural surroundings from morning until bedtime. “Three ripe bananas ready on a plate./ Four little wheels take me to the gate,” narrates the toddler, dressed in overalls and adorned in a fabric cape; the accompanying images show her clambering onto a small chair for breakfast and riding a red wagon. After counting to 12, Hamilton has the girl admire the “hundreds” of books piled on the floor (far fewer are actually pictured) and note “Millions of stars of stars to count./ One day I might try.” Presented on card stock pages with rounded corners, Pignataro’s cozy mixed-media artwork celebrates the familiar objects and moments that are central to a toddler’s world. Ages 3–6. (June)