Ages 3^-6. Fuchshuber's innovative counting book introduces the concept of multiple-birth offspring in the animal kingdom--from humans to hedgehogs to beetles. Leading the parade of carbon copies are twins Paul and Peter, alike as "two peas in a pod." But the boys know they are different, and as the story goes on, a variety of animal parents count their children, applauding their uniqueness. "Three is just the right number," says Papa Lion. Mother Mole sings the praises of four, and Mama Owl touts her "happy family of five," and so on. Mother Beetle, who has 50 young ones, puts it best: "Each of my little babies is a unique individual. . . . I've heard the talk about peas in a pod, and since when are all the peas in a pod alike?" The delightfully personable characters celebrate individuality, and the book's clever design, which incorporates small pictures of the babies into the text, adds to the fun. Original as well as educational. Kathleen Squires --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews
People say that, except for different colored socks, twins Paul and Peter are ``alike as two peas in a pod.'' Their mother disagrees, and so does Mrs. Bear about her two offspring, Papa Lion about his three, Mother Mole about her four, Mother Beetle about her fifty, all the way up to Mrs. Frog, who loves all her polliwogs but doesn't even attempt to count them. This import matches a series of affectionate family gatherings, most placed in delicately brushed natural settings, with a short text linked by parental indignation and illumined by flashes of witPaul and Peter reappear at the end to make final comments, but as the two sometimes switch socks, who says what? A reminder, both clever and wise, that all children are individuals, even if they share a birth with one or more siblings. Anyway, as Mother Beetle points out, ``since when are all the peas in a pod alike?'' (Picture book. 6-8) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
See all Editorial Reviews
