1, 2, 3 A Child's First Counting Book by Alison Jay

Jay, Alison. 1 2 3 A Child's First Counting Book. New York: Penguin, 2007.

Named to the Texas Library Association's 2008 2 x 2 Reading List this gorgeously illustrated story within a story follows a little girl as she falls asleep while reading a book of fairy tales. Forwards to ten and backwards again to one the girl soars through the air on the back of a giant golden goose and encounters a multitude of fairy tale characters. Three pigs, framed pictures of their respective straw, stick, and brick houses arranged artfully on the wall, seven gingerbread men, one poised for flight, and Little Red Riding Hood, confronted by a wolf with ten sharp teeth, are some of fairy tale world's favorites who are given the two-page-spread star treatment. Jay's soft, crackle-glaze, American Primative style illustrations tell the story of the little girl's dream journey through fairy tale land while the reader counts along with the spare text. Much more than simply a counting book, children three and up want to pour over 1 2 3 A Child's First Counting Book again and again; each time discoving something new.