Synopses & Reviews
Who hasnand#8217;t gone to a birthday party and had and#147;present envyand#8221;? Who hasnand#8217;t felt the pride of thinking of just the right gift, only to find out that someone else has thought of a better one? Who hasnand#8217;t had to learn the hard way that the greatest gift of all is friendship? This is the lesson the nine animals are about to learn as they make their way to the palace to celebrate the raja-kingand#8217;s birthday. Why nine animals? And why the well? Because James Rumfordand#8217;s original fable is also a counting book, where we learn that our ten Arabic numerals came not from Arabia, as one might think, but from India.
With its pictures of paper collage reminiscent of the glorious designs on the walls of the Taj Mahal, Nine Animals and the Well will teach, amuse, and delight.
Review
"A delightful way to incorporate literature, social studies, and art into an elementary math curriculum"
Review
'"This is a rich picture book that can be used on many levels, whether telling stories, teaching math, or discussing history."'
Review
'"The truest show of skill does not belong to the agile animals or even to the Monkey…but to Rumford for concocting this dexterous fable and number lesson."'
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'"Children will delight in this tale and its vibrant collage illustrations, decorated and refined with brush, pen, and pencil."'
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'"Stripes and mottled shading and texture, and the palette of complementary greens and reds supplies both harmony and contrast."'
Review
and#147;A captivating fable and an effective counting book.and#8221; School Library Journal, Starred
and#147;This is a rich picture book that can be used on many levels, whether telling stories, teaching math, or discussing history.and#8221; The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
and#147;The truest show of skill does not belong to the agile animals or even to the Monkeyand#133;but to Rumford for concocting this dexterous fable and number lesson.and#8221; Horn Book
and#147;Children will delight in this tale and its vibrant collage illustrations, decorated and refined with brush, pen, and pencil.and#8221; Kirkus Reviews
and#147;Stripes and mottled shading and texture, and the palette of complementary greens and reds supplies both harmony and contrast.and#8221; Publishers Weekly
and#147;A delightful way to incorporate literature, social studies, and art into an elementary math curriculumand#8221; Book Links, ALA
About the Author
Master storyteller James Rumford combines his love for art and history in his picture books. Each of his books is vastly different in its content, design, and illustrations but one aspect remains constant throughout his work: his passion about his subjects. Rumford, a resident of Hawaii, has studied more than a dozen languages and worked in the Peace Corps, where he traveled to Africa, Asia, and Afghanistan. He draws from these experiences and the history of his subject when he is working on a book. His book Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing was a 2005 Sibert Honor winner.