Quack and Count

Two intriguing books by Keith Baker invite toddlers to see the world differently. In Who Is the Beast?, the animals of a lush, multi-patterned jungle ""see his stripes, yellow and black"" as well as the beast's tail, strong legs and green eyes. All clues point to the tiger, but a surprise ending imparts the gentle lesson that we are all more alike than we are different. In Quack and Count, seven ducklings splash and play in different combinations that introduce basic addition: ""7 ducklings, 5 plus 2/ Playing games of peekaboo."" Collage art fills the jungle and pond life scenes with a riot of colors and textures. (Sept.)