Rock It, Sock It, Number Line - Hardcover

Bill Martin, Jr. is the author of the best-selling Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and many other beloved books for children, including Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? and Here Are My Hands. He lives in Campbell, Texas.

Michael Sampson collaborated with Bill Martin, Jr. on Swish! He is also the author of The Football That Won and Star of the Circus. Mr. Sampson is a professor of education at Texas A&M University and lives in eastern Texas.

Heather Cahoon is the illustrator of Ten Friends by Bruce Goldstone. Ms. Cahoon lives with her husband in upstate New York.

Visit Bill Martin Jr his web site: www.billmartinjr.com

reS-K-"On the castle side/of the garden green,/vegetables grow/for the king and queen" begins this rhyming counting book. Children will enjoy the smiley-faced, flesh-colored numbers that dance and cavort with the garden-inspired characters throughout the pages, and the silly verses that go with them, counting to 10 and back again. The computer-generated illustrations in an appealing and hip layout are engaging, with smiling faces for okra and broccoli alike. However, this book does not measure up to the classic status of Martin's titles written for the same audience, such as Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (S & S, 1989) and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Holt, 1983). The rhythm is occasionally forced, and there are some potentially confusing scenes. Young children will most likely expect the number identified on each page to match the number of objects described there, but this is seldom the case. For example, when "Two flips/into the air,/lands on the back/of a hungry hare," three hares appear in the illustration. Shortcomings notwithstanding, this picture book is quite enjoyable. The "Rock it, sock it,/number line!/numbers and veggies-/party time" refrain is catchy and could certainly be enjoyed in a program about numbers, gardens, or even soup.

Piper L. Nyman, Fairfield/Suisun Community Library, Fairfield, CA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.