COUNTING OUR WAY TO THE 100TH DAY!

One hundred short poems plus one hundred jazzy illustrations add up to a satisfying whole in this poetry collection aimed at elementary-school children celebrating the one-hundredth day of class. The subject matter of the bouncy, humorous poems includes an amazing variety of math concepts as well as a sprinkling of science, history, language arts, and even a recipe, all relating to 100 in some way. Many of the poems are math problems in disguise, but delivered with a light touch that incorporates curriculum concepts with deft skill. A few of the poems stumble a little in their meter or have slightly skewed rhyming pairs, but the overall effort will find a favored place in hundreds of classrooms. Salerno’s bright gouache paintings include 100 smiling children on the cover and all sorts of funny animals and situations. His accurate illustrations of 100 items can actually be counted by sharp-eyed kids: yes, there really are 100 spots on that lime-green, polka-dot gecko. Teachers will think of dozens of ways to use this collection, not only on the hundredth day of school, but on all the other days as well. (Poetry. 5-9)