Sandra Boynton: Numbers and the Alphabet

Sandra Boynton books are just fun reads, even if they have a little hidden lesson behind the witty lines and lovable characters. Here are a few of her books that I have read and recommend that review numbers, the alphabet and colors.

COUNTING:
1. Hippos Go Berserk!: This is my all-time favorite and I think it is Boynton's first book. It counts from 1 to 9, and back down again. It stars a favorite Boynton character, a hippo, who is lonely so she calls a couple friends. And next thing you know she is having a hippo house party! But of course, the party has to end sometime and the hippos all go home again.

2. One, Two, Three!: This counting book goes from 1 to 10. With each number, you have more of Boynton's characters to count. Cats, hippos, ducks, pigs - you see them all. And once ten characters fill the page at once, well, it gets a little loud.

3. Doggies: This is a counting and barking book. There is not a lot of witty writing, but there is a lot of barking, panting and whining. Keegan and Lochlan love the barking as we introduce a new dog with every number.

ALPHABET:
4. A to Z: Another simple book without a lot of writing. But we do see some zany illustrations from Boynton as she pairs each letter of the alphabet with a fun animal in action. Keegan's favorite is the zebra zigzagging. But Sandra does throw in some imaginary animals and actions in the mix.

COLORS:
5. Blue Hat, Green Hat: Any toddler will take to this book immediately as there is a fun "oops" on every page. Boynton has four characters - an elephant, moose, bear and turkey, putting on different colored articles of clothing. Everyone gets it right, except the turkey. So whenever you get to the turkey, for example with a shoe on his head, you say "oops". before you know it your toddler will be beating you to the punch.

The board books range in price from $5.99 to $9.99. They are great for small hands, as they usually measure 6 inches by 6 inches. Hippos Go Berserk! is a little longer and One, Two, Three! is a little taller. Overall, they are sturdy little books that you can trust your babies and toddlers to read on their own.

Tomorrow I'll talk about her bedtime and morning books. And also show a softer side of Boynton's writing.