Count My Cupcakes 123

Five smiling anthropomorphic cupcakes rendered from soft, squishy rubber peer up from the die-cut pages of this counting book, a companion to You Are My Cupcake. First, all five cupcakes “shimmy across the floor” of a sweet shop. When a friendly milkshake arrives, “Oops! Now there are... 4.” The arrival of other sweet friends—a rolling doughnut, a twirling ice cream cone, and a tumbling cookie—displace all of the cupcakes except one: “One yummy cupcake/ Swinging to and fro./ She feels a little lonely./ Where did everyone go?” Readers may wonder, too, were they eaten? Happily, a final spread reveals that all is well: “Five yummy cupcakes/ Happy as can be./ Together with all their friends,/ Hooray! Laughing joyfully.” Wan’s distinctively cute artwork and the irresistible tactile element hit a sweet spot. Ages 3–5. (Apr.)