Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers [Hardcover]

Jerry Pallotta (Author), Shennen Bersani (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Presents information about a variety of sea creatures, from one striped Bass to 100 black pipefish.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4–A handsome companion to Underwater Counting: Even Numbers (Charlesbridge, 2001). Pallotta still counts by twos, but slips into the realm of odd numbers, which may prove a slight challenge to readers conditioned to even numbers. However, he does slide into the "evens" for the numbers 50 and 0 at the end of this eye-catching book. Bersani's bright, realistic colored-pencil illustrations will lure readers into perusing the factoid-loaded, simple, conversational text. From "1 Striped Bass" to "23 Horseshoe Crabs" to "50 Blue Sharks," this book offers a colorful, engaging, and intriguing slant on the technique of counting.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Eschewing the counting-book convention of presenting consecutive numbers, this exuberant offering counts by twos to 50 and includes only odd numbers (except for the deliberate inclusion of 50 and 0). Pallotta, creator of The Ocean Alphabet (1986), returns to the sea for his inspiration, so readers will find creatures from 9 little green crabs to 15 limpets to 33 sand dollars. Each entry includes an informal, nontechnical, endearingly disjointed paragraph about the marine animal pictured: "Count these twenty-nine blue mussels. Not many mollusks have a blue shell. If you ever look for blue sea glass, mussels can confuse you." The facts are as likely to be about the harvesting of the animals as about their biology, and occasional outbursts such as "Yay! Thirty-three!" add to the overall sense of giddiness. Bersani's mostly realistic colored-pencil illustrations are pleasing in both palette and composition. Future bean counters will revel in counting ("49 smelly smelts") in this innovative introduction to odd numbers and contagiously silly underwater adventure. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881061514
• ISBN-13: 978-0881061512
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,651,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The art of Shennen Bersani Books, February 20, 2010

By 

Artlover "Experience It All" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers (Hardcover)

This book, "Ocean Counting", is a beautifully illustrated classic.

Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers
Let My Colors Out
Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers
snakes long longer longest
Sharks Big Bigger Biggest
Nana, What's Cancer?
Icky Bug Shapes (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

It's been a few years since it's printing, but art schools and illustrators alike use it as a standard. All of Shennen Bersani's books are fantastic pieces of fine art that bring out tremendous emotion, happiness, and family challenges. Every page deserves to be displayed in the best of frames in any museum.

Even her animal books that portray the realistic and factual sea life in "Ocean Counting" and her Italian and Spanish printings of "Ocean Creatures" - one of her all time best, plus it's a rare and fantastic Z-fold pop-up design to kill for!!! I don't think we can get it in the U.S., but definitely worth trying. "Snakes, Long, Longer, Longest" and "Sharks, Big, Bigger, Biggest" have become classics in most classrooms and libraries everywhere. From emotion filled characters in "My Sister, Alicia May", to the heart-felt love of a child thrown into family life challenges in, "Let My Colors Out", they all deliver way above any possible expectation. Every page is exceptional.

All of her art is bursting with the story's impact, emotion, and colors that deliver love and learning. However, "Ocean Counting" will always be a realistic classic in classrooms, libraries, and homes for many years to come.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book, December 26, 2007

By 

E. Patermo "Eric P." (Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers (Paperback)

Get all of Palotta's books. This is a favorite one because he hides the numbers inside the pictures.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding pictures, July 25, 2007

By 

Dina Mullan (NY, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ocean Counting: Odd Numbers (Hardcover)

This book covers a lot of different fish.
Great pictures, a lot to learn and than go to the beach to identify fish