The Baseball Counting Book

An agreeable rhyming counting book with a baseball theme. The story opens on a little league field where the Blue Sox and the Stars face off. "Come play baseball/ You could be a hero./ The game's starting score/ is zero to zero." The teams of boys and girls run up the numbers to 20, and baseball rules and lore are imparted painlessly. "When there's a full count, we say, 'Three and two.'/ Five fingers up!/ His turn's almost through." A grand slam ends the game, with 19 ice cream cones and 20 baseball cards that give a clear and accurate summary of the main rules of the game. Shaw's stocky…

This picture book uses baseball to count from 0 to 20 in rhyming verse. The rules and culture of the game are introduced as two Little League teams compete. The Blue Sox versus the Stars--who will win? Included in the text are the obvious choices of one ball, two teams, three strikes and less obvious choices such as "seventeen pairs of eyes watch the boy at home plate." However, at certain points this pattern strains: "Thirteen good-luck charms/ make some players feel/ That they will be safe/ when they try to steal." Shaw's acrylic paintings capture the excitement of a good game played by…

The author has chosen a very appealing and relevant subject-baseball-to help teach children to count from 1 to 20. Her presentation in the form of rhyme is particularly appealing to children, both for its rhythm and its predictability. Each page is full of counting opportunities through its text as well as its fine illustrations.
Throughout the book, many opportunities can be found to extend its role as a counting book into other areas of mathematics and into other disciplines. For example, exploring such shapes as home plate, the baseball field, the ball, the bat, and the megaphone can become…