Cheers for a Dozen Ears: A Summer Crop of Counting

The team behind the shapes-focused Pick a Circle, Gather Squares returns with a counting book that emphasizes eating fresh, local produce. A mother and her two children with sun-varnished faces and mussed hair, visit a farm stand, first selecting “1 watermelon so smooth and round./ 2 purple eggplants that weigh two pounds.” Vibrant variations in color and composition in Swan’s collages point to the myriad of edible treasures to be discovered at the fruit stand or farm. Chernesky closes by underscoring the importance of supporting local growers: “But first, put some money in the can./ Farmers work hard to feed the land.” Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Susan Hawk, the Bent Agency. (Mar.)