2 Is for Dancing: A 12 3 of Actions

In this follow-up to C Is for Curious: An ABC of Feelings , readers are introduced to numbers and actions. Each spread of this unique concept book features a designated number of creatures performing an activity, accompanied by a descriptive sentence set in large type. Hubbard's zany characters breathe life into the highly visual verbs she has chosen: floating, riding, celebrating. Although children will enjoy poring over the spiffy abstract paintings--perhaps too much so for the volume's intended audience--young counters may be thrown off track. The illustrations are frequently so cluttered with wacky touches that the central subject gets lost. This could prove confusing for those just beginning to identify numerals and associate them with quantities, as the artwork's intricacies are a poor match for the simple premise at hand. More successful as an inventive picture book, this is not the best choice for those interested in a counting title. Ages 2-6. (Oct.)