At the Edge of the Woods: A Counting Book

Two things I like in books 1. Illustrations so vivid and glorious that my son sits, silently, taking it all in. 2. A story so simple and fun to read, and illustrations so interesting, that he can't help but point with excitement at the creatures and says "Read it again Mommy" when we are done. This book did both. The description has it for older, but my 29 month old son loves loves loves it!

My toddler son has spent hours glued to our backdoor window, which opens on our modest suburban backyard, watching birds, squirrels, and deer. Now he is glued to "At the Edge of the Woods" where he sees all of his wild friends beautifully illustrated, doing exactly what the real creatures do. He particularly loves finding them when they are hiding in the woods, and points again and again to make me name them as he learns to say the names himself. Even though the illustrations are stylized, the expressions and activities are wonderfully in keeping with the true lively nature of the animals. I love reading it to him - singing, really - Ms. Cotten's text is enlivened by internal rhythms and the natural musicality of the words themselves. She chooses words that are simple yet unexpected, demonstrating a richness of vocabulary that I have not seen in any counting books, and too few story books. I know this is one of the books (Ms. Cotten's "Snow Ponies" is another) that my son will eventually be reading aloud to me, because the quality of the prose, and the creative hide-and-seek with the animals, will continue to capture his attention and imagination as he grows.

This charming counting book combines the drama of story (watch out for that big burly bear!) with a lyrical counting rhyme that invites singing as the numbers of animals multipy at the edge of the deep dark woods. Cartwright's cheerful illustrations are perfect for preschool storyhours and large enough for group sharing. A wise selection for teachers, librarians, and families with young children.