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A simple, beautiful introduction to math for the youngest readers
Every child is a natural mathematician, according to Mitsumasa Anno. Children are constantly comparing and classifying things and events they observe around them. As they try to bring sense and order into what they observe, they are actually performing basic mathematical feats.
With Anno's Counting Book, the creator of the brilliantly inventive Anno's Alphabet invites young readers on another stimulating adventure of the imagination—this time into the world of numbers and counting.
Gentle watercolor pictures show a landscape changing through the various times of day and the turning seasons, months and years, and the activities of the people and animals who come to live there. But the seemingly simple plan of the book is deceptive: look more carefully and you will see one-to-one correspondences; groups and sets; scales and tabulations; changes over time periods; and many other mathematical relationships as they occur in natural, everyday living. The reader is subtly led to see and understand the real meaning of numbers.
Look at this book and look again. Each time you do so, you will find another application of a natural mathematical concept that you had not noticed before.
Mitsumasa Anno was one of Japan's leading illustrators and book designers as well as an award-winning contributor to the children's book field. His challenging books entice the reader into the exciting world of imagination and logic. He was always been fascinated by topology and by the beauty of the mathematical world, and this is evident in all his works. Born in 1926 in Tsuwano, a small historic town in the western part of Japan, the artist graduated from the Yamaguchi Teacher Training College and served as primary school teacher for some time before starting his career in art. He lived in the suburbs of Tokyo with his wife, a son, and a daughter until he passed away in 2020.
Mitsumasa Anno was one of Japan's leading illustrators and book designers as well as an award-winning contributor to the children's book field. His challenging books entice the reader into the exciting world of imagination and logic. He was always been fascinated by topology and by the beauty of the mathematical world, and this is evident in all his works. Born in 1926 in Tsuwano, a small historic town in the western part of Japan, the artist graduated from the Yamaguchi Teacher Training College and served as primary school teacher for some time before starting his career in art. He lived in the suburbs of Tokyo with his wife, a son, and a daughter until he passed away in 2020.
“An excellent introduction to number systems and a beautiful wordless picture book as well. A counting book that’s numero uno. — School Library Journal
“Handsomely designed and produced, with graceful, leafy borders, carefully rendered pictures, and, facing them, woodgrain upper-case letters that seem to have been lovingly hand-carved, this looks like the beautiful sort of book that wins prizes for graphic excellence. And so it is.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“One of the few truly intelligent counting books ever produced-and a work of art besides. Anno’s village is alive in his lovely watercolor paintings, and every child will be subtly, irresistibly pulled in, counting trees and trucks, flowers and fish, ducks and diapers.” — New York Times
“The best alphabet book of the year.” — Time magazine
“A clean, subtle ABC worth the long look that will idelibly imprint each letter.” — American Library Association (starred review)
