Review by Booklist Review
Ages 4-6. In this picture book, which cleverly handles the principles of addition and subtraction, a young black girl keeps track of what's going on in her backyard. "I have a pond in my backyard. I have one turtle, two catfish, three frogs, and four goldfish. I feed them every day." Jonas provides a peaceful, lazy scene at the edge of the pond and under the water. At the bottom of the spread, the narrator asks, "How many are in my pond?" Then, in the following spread, the peaceful scene is disrupted when the turtle jumps into the water and a wave of water splashes out. Each successive spread introduces more chaos, as all the animals, including the pet cat and pet dog, jump in (or fall in) the water or climb out. The number of animals in the water changes with each turn of the page, and careful readers/viewers can have fun counting while they follow the natural reactions of the animals to each other. A clever concept book with physical humor and exciting acrylic paintings that capture the heat and drama of a sunny summer day. (Reviewed June 1 & 15, 1995)0688110517Kathy Broderick
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
"I have a pond in my backyard. I have one turtle, two catfish, three frogs and four goldfish," announces the young narrator of this cheerful counting tale. She also has a dog and cat which, though far less enamored of swimming than the other creatures, also end up in the pond. The setting remains constant as Jonas's (Where Can It Be?; When You Were a Baby) art and text follow the numerous ins and outs of the pondside animals ("My dog and cat climb out. A dragonfly falls in. One frog hops out"). After noting each change, the child repeats the question, "How many are in my pond?" The real freshness here lies in Jonas's luminous illustrations, rendered in acrylic paints on clear acetate, which show playful action and humorous shifts in perspective as tiny and larger animals-and eventually the girl herself-slip into the water-each making a "SPLASH" of proportionate size. Ages 3-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2From the title page to the end, Jonas creates a book that keeps asking ``How many are in my pond?,'' but in which counting is not the centerpieceit's the splash that really counts. As in many of her books, the text is not confined to one part of the page, but changes color, size, and shape to work as part of and reinforce the illustrations. The blues of sky and water, soothing green of the lawn, and straight lines dominate the serene first page, but the mood abruptly changes as the turtle, then the frogs, the dog, cat, and even the young narrator jump into and then climb out of the water. White foam sprays up, the word ``splash'' floats above the spray, ripples appear on the water's surface, and the question waves at the bottom of the water. Each time, the response will be different as the number of creatures in the pond changes. On the last page, calm is restored, and the young African American narrator feeds her fish. This is an inventive picture book more than a concept book, since no numerals appear on any of the pages. Enjoy it as a beautifully illustrated, lively story about a girl, her pets, and lots of water.Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A young girl and a turtle, a dragonfly, a cat, a dog, two catfish, three frogs, and four goldfish in ever-changing combinations swim, fall into, and climb out of a backyard pond. The antics encourage the use of math skills to respond to the repeated question 'How many are in my pond?' Large typeface, a limited vocabulary, and pleasant repetition make the book an excellent choice for both group and individual sharing. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
