Numbers in Nature

What in the World? Numbers in Nature
by Nancy Raines Day; illus. by Kurt Cyrus
32 pages; ages 4-8
Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), 2015

What in the world comes one by one? 
A nose.
   A mouth.
      The moon.
         The sun.

So begins this innovative counting book. From one to ten, in rhyming couplets, Nancy Day explores sets of things in nature: legs, arms, flowers. I love how she uses three parts of a bee's body (head, thorax, abdomen) to invite readers to look more closely at insects. There's another reference to insect legs (6) but when she gets to 8 it's not spider legs she's counting, but octopus limbs.

The language is soft, lyrical. The illustrations are warm, full of details that pull you into the scene. And on every page: What in the world comes grouped in ____? Until the end, when Day asks, "What comes in sets too big to count?"

This is a perfect book for engaging children in counting and observing the natural world around them. Why not head out on a counting walk? How many legs on a bird? How many wings? Where can you find five of something in the natural surroundings of your neighborhood?

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copy provided by the publisher.