The Big Storm: A Very Soggy Counting Book (with audio recording)

by Nancy Tafuri, Nancy Tafuri (Illustrator)

Overview

Ten adorable animals take cover from a storm in this eBook edition of Nancy Tafuri’s counting book.

 As clouds amass overhead and rain starts to pour, ten little woodland animals hurry to find shelter. The text counts up as Bird, Mouse, Squirrel, Rabbit, Chipmunk, Woodchuck, Raccoon, Possum, and Red Fox all run for cover--then Skunk squeezes in and makes it 10! All night, they huddle together in the safety and warmth of the hollow, as the thunder claps and lightning flashes outside. In the morning, the storm has calmed, but the animals still hear the grumble of thunder in the distance. Imagine their surprise when they find the noise is coming from a bear! From 10 to 1, all of the animals scurry out of the bear's lair to find a big, beautiful day outside.

The Big Storm was selected for Southeastern Connecticut's One Book, Every Child Project!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442481855
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	08/13/2013
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	10 MB
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Nancy Tafuri is the much-loved creator of more than thirty books for young children, including the Caldecott Honor Book Have You Seen My Duckling? and I Love You, Little One. She lives with her husband and daughter in Roxbury, Connecticut.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-K—Youngsters will begin counting up to 10 immediately as the gathering clouds and wind force a bird to take cover in a hollow part of a hill. Next comes a mouse scampering for shelter, followed by a skittering squirrel. They are soon joined by a rabbit, a chipmunk, a fox, etc. In the morning, after the skies clear, the 10 small woodland critters continue to hear "a rumble and a grumble in the air" and realize that their cave was already occupied by two sleeping bears. Children can then count back down as the animals make a hasty exit. Characteristic of a beloved Tafuri tale, this title accomplishes much with simplicity. Repetitive words—"rumble" and "grumble"—add tension to the plot. Dramatic poses picture the animals' wariness of the storm ahead. They are drawn huddled together for the night as a cozy bunch. An autumn-colored palette with orange-and-yellow leaves swirling across a spread is rendered in watercolor and watercolor pencils. A large black font shows each numeral up to 10. This book could be used for remembering sequences and lessons in "What happened next?"—Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

School Library Journal

When a storm starts to brew, the forest animals all take cover in a cave. Bird flies in first as the clouds get darker. Second is Mouse, who scampers in with the wind. Swirling leaves make Squirrel head for cover, while Rabbit leaps at the lightning. Finally the rain starts and sends Chipmunk to safety. Thunder is the final straw for Woodchuck, Raccoon, Opossum, Red Fox and Skunk, who make ten. The animals huddle all night through the storm. The morning dawns bright and clear, but why do they still hear a rumble and grumble? The slow counting build-up is nicely succeeded by a quick countdown as the animals all head back to the forest. Rendered in watercolor inks and pencils, Tafuri's illustrations have a charming quality-future artists can see the pencil marks and aspire to create illustrations of their own. Careful observers will notice the tracks leading into the cave (even before the first animal enters) and can test their knowledge by matching them to the correct animal. Just in time for summer thundershowers. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews