East Coast Counting

East Coast Counting is a learn-to-count book, one having a regional focus in that the things to be counted are linked to one or more of the Atlantic Provinces. After using the opening spread to identify the four provinces making up this region of Eastern Canada, the book then moves on to individually introduce the numbers from 1(One) to 12 (Twelve). Eight of the 12 numbers are treated via double-page spreads while the remaining four share facing pages.

As can be seen in the excerpt above, Baker uses a two-part text with one part describing or explaining what it is that she has visually used to represent the focal counting number. The second part features the number in both its numerical and alphabetical forms. A strong feature of the book is that Baker repeats the number sequence each time an additional number is introduced, thereby reinforcing children’s understanding of number order.

Though many of the book’s readers may not live in this part of Canada, they will still find numerous opportunities for recognition. The book’s “Two horses” may live on Sable Island, but horses, bears (Four), kayaks (Five), flowers, (Seven), puppies (Eight), chickadees (Nine), toes (Ten) and faces (Twelve) can all be found in the rest of Canada. However, Baker establishes the regional focus through the place settings for the to-be-counted objects. Consequently, the “Five kayaks” aren’t just any five kayaks; they are the quintet being paddled during low tide though the strange rocky island formations in the Bay of Fundy. And the “Ten toes are wiggling in the warm, soft sand of [Prince Edward Island’s] Cavendish Beach.”

The familiar is also contrasted with what likely may be new to some young readers who may not have yet encountered jellyfish (Three), buoys (Six) or dolphins (Eleven). The closing “Twelve beautiful faces” are most reflective of the nation’s cultural and religious composition.

Baker’s watercolour illustrations are superb. Readers can almost hear the waves washing against the rocks at Peggy’s Cove with its “One lighthouse” or feel the wind that is blowing the manes and tails of the “Two horses” on Sable Island beach. The velvety softness of the eight Newfoundland puppies is almost tangible. In her illustrations, Baker has not overlooked one of the most important criteria for a counting book - the objects to be counted must be clearly differentiated from one another.

East Coast Counting doesn’t just end with 12 (Twelve) as Baker has added a four-page illustrated section headed “In case you were wondering...” In the first three of these pages, she returns to each of the numbers and provides additional information. For instance, related to the excerpt’s “Nine chickadees”, Baker adds:

9 Black-capped Chickadees are the provincial bird of New Brunswick. They are common throughout all four Atlantic provinces and may be found in abundance in Daly Point Nature Reserve just northeast of Bathurst Harbour, New Brunswick. The other east coast provincial birds are Atlantic Puffin (Newfoundland and Labrador), Osprey (Nova Scotia) and Blue Jay (Prince Edward Island).

Baker also includes illustrations of the other three provincial birds. The pages’ remaining illustrations consist of the provincial flowers of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador as it turns out that the seven flowers, Pink Lady’s Slippers, are the provincial flower of Prince Edward Island. Along with illustrations of the four provincial flags, the closing page features a map of the four provinces and situates five of the named locations being.

East Coast Counting is a book for all of Canada. It’s an excellent learn-to-count book that blends the familiar with the new.