One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough [Hardcover]

Kate Duke (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1998 | Age Level: 3 and up

A little guinea pig is quite lonely until, one by one, nine others, plus ten of their moms or dads, add to the general excitement.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Duke (Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One) adds another feather to her cap with this addition primer. The book's title comes from the opening vignette, which finds a single, sad guinea sitting by a checkerboard. But this guinea pig is soon joined by a peer to make "two smiling guinea pigs," and the story is off and running. The gang of guinea pigs grows one by one during a romp through a sunny, playground-like landscape; large, colorful numerals take center stage in each scene, providing the audience with easy-to-follow visual cues. To drive home the notion of numeric language, the appropriate equation (e.g., 1 + 1 = 2) is printed in the lower-right corner when each stage of addition is completed. Duke connects each successive vignette with zest and imagination: for example, the "five flying guinea pigs" who are gleefully bouncing on a trampoline land smack in the middle of another guinea pig's elaborate sand castle, creating "six sorry guinea pigs." At last, nine guinea pigs, cranky after their long day, are pacified by a 10th, "big" guinea pig; returning home, they are reunited with their parents for a total of 20 guinea pigs?"and twenty," Duke concludes, "is plenty." With mixed media drawings that bubble with energy from beginning to end, this is an exuberant and clever introduction to math. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3?Duke's adorable guinea pigs romp through the pages of this cleverly layered and constructed concept book. Counting and basic addition of numerals from 1 to 10 are introduced in a spare but clever text. Visual reinforcements abound as one guinea pig totes one wagon that holds one of each kind of toy. As the numbers of animals increase, so do the objects on each page, implicitly introducing the concept of sets as the spread with three "giggling guinea pigs" shows them cavorting amid three crayons, three balloons tied to one guinea pig's waist, and three paper clips tossing or tipping from another one's ears. Math symbols such as equal and plus signs are incorporated into the acrylic illustrations in which pastel pinks, sunny yellows, and baby blues predominate. As the numbers increase, so do the frivolity and energy of the pictures as these little creatures seem to almost leap, run, or spread themselves from one page to another. After 10, the addition of another 10 "mom or dad guinea pigs" is a great way to end, since "twenty is plenty."?Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525459189
• ISBN-13: 978-0525459187
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #573,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Guinea Pig Pleasures, October 28, 2004

By 

Allison L. Shaw (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough (Hardcover)

Plenty of company joins one lonely guinea pig in this counting book for young children. As Duke adds each unique guinea pig character to the mix, the reader carries out a simple addition equation. Numbers occupy a significant portion of each illustration which also introduce the + and = signs. Even with 10 guinea pigs, however, Duke gives each one a personality and spans a range of emotions and activities with lonely, smiling, silly, giggling, singing, dancing, jumping, flying, proud, sorry, smart, helpful, hungry, sneaky, fighting and good guinea pigs. The fluffy watercolor guinea pigs have a gentle yet frisky quality that keeps the pages turning as they roll from equation to equation. Excellent for introducing the mathematical concept of addition to a very young audience. Ages 3-5.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, September 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough (Hardcover)

This book is great for my 4 year old who is just beginning to learn about addition. The illustrations are cute and the wording is so funny! We always read it more than once at a time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very cute book for those who love guinea pigs., May 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough (Hardcover)

Story and pictures are very cute. My son is 7 and this book is a bit too elementary for him. Would have suited him better a couple years ago.