Count the Birdies

Matthew Porter’s Count the Birdies is a beautifully designed and crafted board book that not only helps children learn to count, but to recognize colors as well. Based on Japanese woodcuts, Porter’s lovely illustrations picture house sparrows perched on white pear blossoms, tiny hummingbirds flitting among pink cherry blossoms, and other common birds and flowers. Refreshingly modern, yet imbued with vintage charm, the vibrant, elegant illustrations capture the attention of both young readers and their parents.

Matthew Porter’s Count the Birdies is a beautifully designed and crafted board book that not only helps children learn to count, but to recognize colors as well. Based on Japanese woodcuts, Porter’s lovely illustrations picture house sparrows perched on white pear blossoms, tiny hummingbirds flitting among pink cherry blossoms, and other common birds and flowers. Refreshingly modern, yet imbued with vintage charm, the vibrant, elegant illustrations capture the attention of both young readers and their parents.

Children's Literature

The illustrations are unusual in this ABC book. Research revealed that Porter used acrylics on wood, and the texture of the wood is apparent in the pictures. The birds are different colors, but they all have a similar appearance. It opens with a big Arabic numeral and the word one on the first page, and opposite there is a picture of a bird sitting on a branch. The scheme is consistent all the way to ten. The lesson is straightforward, but can be extended by creative parents and caregivers, by talking about wings and counting the birds as well as the flowers or by naming the various colors of the birds. Those who are learning to count may need some assistance by working with a reader who can guide their fingers across or up and down the page to count the requisite number of "birdies." Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot