Hootenanny!

PreS-K—Five owls help youngsters learn to count from one to five as they get ready for a party at the top of an old oak tree. The first little owl showers, brushes his teeth, and is ready to go. He wakes a sleepy friend, who dons a comical spotted bow tie and accompanies him on his journey. "Now 2 owls are ready to play." The friends then stop by to collect a third owl, who plays the saxophone. "A party's not a party without a happy tune." Before long, the fourth and the fifth owl join the parade of revelers, and they march, dance, and prance on their way to the gathering, which is in full swing. After each owl joins the procession, a toe-tapping refrain is repeated: "Hootenanny, hootenanny—it's time for fun. Hootenanny, hootenanny—the party has begun." The text is printed in a large, easy-to-read font with each numeral highlighted in a different color. The bright spreads feature a rainbow of colors, smiling characters, and some humorous details. With its jazzy vocabulary and cheerful illustrations, the book lives up to its title. This festive title may be paired with a longer counting book like Eric Carle's adventurous 10 Little Rubber Ducks (HarperCollins, 2005).—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA