Barn Cat

Rating:
Summary: Counting in Barn Cat
Review: Barn Cat is a well-illustrated book, which aims at teaching children to count. Throughout the book, Barn Cat is looking for something unknown to the reader. While the readers continue through the book to discover what item the cat is searching for, the cat sees one grasshopper, two crickets, and three butterflies, continuing until he sees ten sparrows. Being completely unaffected by most of the creatures with which he comes into contact, Barn Cat continues to sit at the red barn door until his owner pours his milk. In "On Some Burdens Carried by Pictures," David Topper states that well illustrated books are a source from which an array of information can be obtained in a clear and effective way. For him, a picture in a book is a "tour de force," meaning a strong convergence of emotional response and intellectual process by the reader. The exposure to pictures, which represent an important, specific object, will make the readers "catch," or in other words, learn, the idea. Barn Cat's illustrations employ this learning technique and help to teach the readers to learn to count. The readers of Barn Cat understand the printed word and see the visual images in the book, which aids in their understanding of counting and numbers. One technique used in Barn Cat, which helps readers to learn to count, is number recognition. Number recognition is emphasized with large, bold numerals appearing in black in the right hand corner of the pages. These numbers are not a part of the picture on the page, but instead are set aside, in order to be obvious to the readers. The viewers hear or read the word representing the number "seven," for example, then see the actual number on the same page. This ingrains the number into the readers' minds and associates the word with the visual image of the written number. This association is important for readers who are beginning to learn to the concept of numbers and counting. Topper emphasizes this importance when he says that the illustrations must be similar to the important issues expressed in the story. By this, he means that the illustrations must have an important purpose in the story. In Barn Cat, the purpose of the number illustrations is to help the readers learn to count. Another technique used in Barn Cat, which helps readers to learn to count, is the use of a specific number of objects on each page. The viewers read or hear the word representing the number "three," for example, then count the objects on the page from one to three. All of the objects are beautifully illustrated in colorful drawings, which help to capture in the readers' attention. For example, the readers count three golden butterflies that appear to be fluttering across the page. Now, the readers can associate the word "three" with the actual amount of objects on the page. Topper emphasizes the importance of this technique when he discusses that illustrations make the printed word concrete. This technique is especially useful to readers because they look through the cat's eyes into the cat's world and count the objects that the cat counts, which can draw the readers into the pages of the book. The readers have the feeling of looking through the cat's eyes because of the plot and illustrations of the book. The last technique used in Barn Cat to help readers learn to count is the use of the plot in the book. On each page, the narrator repeatedly asks, "Barn cat, what are you looking for?" The readers of the book make a journey with Barn Cat to discover the answer to this question. Throughout the search for what Barn Cat is looking for, the readers see the world and count the objects with the cat. For example, when the cat sees ten flying sparrows, his eyes are looking into the air. The readers follow the cat's gaze and are looking and counting with Barn Cat all ten sparrows in the air. Another example is when the cat sees "eight barking, leaping pups," he hisses. This makes the reader see the eight pups as frightening, like the cat sees them, rather than playful. The sequential order of numbers is also taught in this book through the plot. The question, "what are you looking for," which the narrator asks the cat, and indirectly the readers, makes the readers excitedly turn the pages to find the answer to the question with the cat. This emphasizes to the readers the sequential order of numbers from one to ten as the cat finds his milk. The viewers either read or hear the order of the numbers as they count the objects and see the numbers, both in word and numeral form, which reinforces the sequential order of the numbers. An example of this reinforcement is seen when the cat sees ten sparrows. The text reads, "A flock of sparrows-8, 9,10?" Each technique used in Barn Cat makes this a wonderful book for teaching the readers how to count. After reading this book, one should have knowledge and understanding about the numerals, amounts, words, and sequences associated with specific numbers, which are all necessary to know how to count.

Rating:
Summary: Counting in Barn Cat
Review: Barn Cat is a well-illustrated book, which aims at teaching children to count. Throughout the book, Barn Cat is looking for something unknown to the reader. While the readers continue through the book to discover what item the cat is searching for, the cat sees one grasshopper, two crickets, and three butterflies, continuing until he sees ten sparrows. Being completely unaffected by most of the creatures with which he comes into contact, Barn Cat continues to sit at the red barn door until his owner pours his milk. In "On Some Burdens Carried by Pictures," David Topper states that well illustrated books are a source from which an array of information can be obtained in a clear and effective way. For him, a picture in a book is a "tour de force," meaning a strong convergence of emotional response and intellectual process by the reader. The exposure to pictures, which represent an important, specific object, will make the readers "catch," or in other words, learn, the idea. Barn Cat's illustrations employ this learning technique and help to teach the readers to learn to count. The readers of Barn Cat understand the printed word and see the visual images in the book, which aids in their understanding of counting and numbers. One technique used in Barn Cat, which helps readers to learn to count, is number recognition. Number recognition is emphasized with large, bold numerals appearing in black in the right hand corner of the pages. These numbers are not a part of the picture on the page, but instead are set aside, in order to be obvious to the readers. The viewers hear or read the word representing the number "seven," for example, then see the actual number on the same page. This ingrains the number into the readers' minds and associates the word with the visual image of the written number. This association is important for readers who are beginning to learn to the concept of numbers and counting. Topper emphasizes this importance when he says that the illustrations must be similar to the important issues expressed in the story. By this, he means that the illustrations must have an important purpose in the story. In Barn Cat, the purpose of the number illustrations is to help the readers learn to count. Another technique used in Barn Cat, which helps readers to learn to count, is the use of a specific number of objects on each page. The viewers read or hear the word representing the number "three," for example, then count the objects on the page from one to three. All of the objects are beautifully illustrated in colorful drawings, which help to capture in the readers' attention. For example, the readers count three golden butterflies that appear to be fluttering across the page. Now, the readers can associate the word "three" with the actual amount of objects on the page. Topper emphasizes the importance of this technique when he discusses that illustrations make the printed word concrete. This technique is especially useful to readers because they look through the cat's eyes into the cat's world and count the objects that the cat counts, which can draw the readers into the pages of the book. The readers have the feeling of looking through the cat's eyes because of the plot and illustrations of the book. The last technique used in Barn Cat to help readers learn to count is the use of the plot in the book. On each page, the narrator repeatedly asks, "Barn cat, what are you looking for?" The readers of the book make a journey with Barn Cat to discover the answer to this question. Throughout the search for what Barn Cat is looking for, the readers see the world and count the objects with the cat. For example, when the cat sees ten flying sparrows, his eyes are looking into the air. The readers follow the cat's gaze and are looking and counting with Barn Cat all ten sparrows in the air. Another example is when the cat sees "eight barking, leaping pups," he hisses. This makes the reader see the eight pups as frightening, like the cat sees them, rather than playful. The sequential order of numbers is also taught in this book through the plot. The question, "what are you looking for," which the narrator asks the cat, and indirectly the readers, makes the readers excitedly turn the pages to find the answer to the question with the cat. This emphasizes to the readers the sequential order of numbers from one to ten as the cat finds his milk. The viewers either read or hear the order of the numbers as they count the objects and see the numbers, both in word and numeral form, which reinforces the sequential order of the numbers. An example of this reinforcement is seen when the cat sees ten sparrows. The text reads, "A flock of sparrows-8, 9,10?" Each technique used in Barn Cat makes this a wonderful book for teaching the readers how to count. After reading this book, one should have knowledge and understanding about the numerals, amounts, words, and sequences associated with specific numbers, which are all necessary to know how to count.

Rating:
Summary: Seal of Approval
Review: I judge a good children's book, from the number of times my two-and-a-half year old daughter makes me read it to her. From a selection of 5-10 books borrowed from the library each month, the one that gets the most attention, are the ones worth writing a review about, but this one especially was a favorite! I must've read it about 40 times, and it she still asked "Read it again mommy"! The ending is really cute, the Barn Cat is enticed by many things throughout the story - crickets, butterflies, birds, etc.. - but she was not in the slightest bit interested in any of them... until... you'll have to read and see. Its a charming book, with a catchy rhyme and was definitely given the seal of approval.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully illustrated with woodcuts
Review: Though this book is billed as a counting book, the mathematical aspect is secondary to the gentle rhythmic poetry and the unique looking woodcuts.

The poem follows the barnyard wanderings of one fat, furry striped cat as she encounters a growing number of insects and animals. "Barn cat, what are you looking for?" The answer lies in the cool stoneware pitcher that a little girl carries from the farmhouse.

The illustrations are splendid; they evoke the rural New England countryside, which was surely the illustrator's inspiration, as she hails from Vermont. The woodcuts were made on a nineteenth-century hand press and painted by hand with an earthy palette. You won't have to be a cat lover to enjoy this beautiful book.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully illustrated
Review: What a wonderful book for your infant. Mary Azarian's illustrations are captivating for even the youngest reader. My son, who at 6 weeks barely sits through two pages of most books, is fascinated by the beautiful illustrations of butterflies, dragonflies, and sparrows (not to mention Barn cat himself). The story takes Barn cat on a hunt for something he is looking for and in the process introduces children to many different species of life in the country. Best of all, Saul goes beyond the typical cow, pig, and chicken and includes less popular but beautiful species that your child will love.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully illustrated
Review: What a wonderful book for your infant. Mary Azarian's illustrations are captivating for even the youngest reader. My son, who at 6 weeks barely sits through two pages of most books, is fascinated by the beautiful illustrations of butterflies, dragonflies, and sparrows (not to mention Barn cat himself). The story takes Barn cat on a hunt for something he is looking for and in the process introduces children to many different species of life in the country. Best of all, Saul goes beyond the typical cow, pig, and chicken and includes less popular but beautiful species that your child will love.