Counting on Fall

Launching the four-book, seasonally themed Math in Nature series, Flatt asks the question “What if nature knew numbers like you?” What follows is a series of imaginative verses that suggest ways that animals might behave differently if they understood numbers and knew how to count. “If the bears were aware,/ would they think that it’s fair,/ if one were to gobble/ more than his or her share?” writes Flatt, while two blueberry-colored bruins chow down on branches of berries. Barron’s cut-paper collages have the crispness of an autumn afternoon, and Flatt smoothly touches on estimation, counting by fives and tens, counting backwards, and other mathematical concepts while maintaining a gentle, whimsical tone. A “Nature Notes” section gives additional information on the flora and fauna introduced. Ages 5–7. (Sept.)