CHRISTMAS COUNTING

A book that not only deals with the two ideas in its title but also with change and the passage of time. The first Christmas, a man puts one star on a tiny live tree that he brings into his new house; on the second, he has a bride, and there are two hearts for the same tree, now larger; and so on, until on the ninth Christmas the tree is too big to come in—and the parents, two children, dog, cat, etc. bring in the tiny new tree that has sprung up next to it, deck it with all their accumulated ornaments—and then put nine strings of lights on their old friend outdoors and sing ten carols. Reiser's art may be unassuming, but it's cheerful and accessible; her elaborate interweaving of concepts has been developed with admirable creativity and care. (Picture book. 4-8)