cover image Counting in the Garden

Counting in the Garden

Emily Hruby, illus. by Patrick Hruby. AMMO (Ingram, dist.), $14.95 (56p) ISBN 978-1-934429-70-9

Graphic designer Patrick Hruby teams with his sister for a trip to the garden that alternates between wordless spreads and pages with brief counting phrases. A doll-like boy counts the different kinds of life in his garden: "4 fun sunflowers, with very long stems... 5 fresh watermelons, shiny and green." All of the flora and fauna, including a purple and pink striped onion and kitelike butterflies, appear in a finale, crowded with life. Full of vibrant, flattened, geometric shapes, Hruby's work offers a fresh, welcoming vision of the joys to be found outdoors. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (Sept.)