Count Me a Rhyme: Animal Poems by the Number [Hardcover]

Jane Yolen (Author), Jason Stemple (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

In this unique counting book of poetry, a follow-up to their critically acclaimed book Color Me a Rhyme, celebrated writer Jane Yolen and photographer Jason Stemple create a delightful mix of poems and pictures that capture animals by the numbers. Vivid, playful poems tell the stories of one elk, two birds, three fish - from on through ten and then many - as they go about their day either solo or within a special circle of friends. Jason Stemple's intimate photographs allow us to peek at some common creatures that enjoy the company of others.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5-A beautiful, readable companion to Color Me a Rhyme. Each of Yolen's poems mirrors the subject in tone, rhythm, word choice, or shape. For example, the ceaseless motion of spiders is described as Six spiders throwing/Out a glistening strand;/Six spiders going/Hand over hand over hand over hand,/Hand over hand over hand over hand. The simplicity of swallows on a line is captured in a haiku, Nine little swallows,/Like notes on a music staff,/Wait to sing their songs. Throughout, the poet's wry observations surprise and entertain. Stemple's vibrant, full-color photographs give readers much to study and absorb about each animal: mist, silver web strands, the points on an elk's antlers, a mullet's eyes and mouth, a snail clinging to a slender blade of grass. The well-composed images provide a perfect complement to each poem. Roman numerals and words related to the featured number are included in the page design. A joyful collection of unusual animals, appealing poems, and excellent photographs.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI
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From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. This handsome number-themed book of poetry and photography looks to nature for inspiration. Stemple's color photos of animals in the wild represent the numbers from 1 to 10 and the concept "many." Each photo fills a wide, double-page spread, forming the backdrop as well as the inspiration for the poems, which are succinct, sometimes witty, and well suited to reading aloud. Words and symbols and numerals related to the number enrich each spread. For example, "Nine Swallows: A Haiku" ("Nine little swallows, / Like notes on a music staff, / Wait to sing their songs") appears against the Wedgwood-blue sky of a photo of nine birds sitting on a high wire. Printed in light blue and white are the words NONET, novena, and ninth and the numerals 9 and IX. Some of the photographs are notable for their clarity, others for their subtlety, but all represent their subjects with sensitivity and finesse. A worthy companion to the author's Color Me a Rhyme (2000). Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Wordsong (January 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159078345X
• ISBN-13: 978-1590783450
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #576,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."