Over in the Meadow

"Over in the meadow / in the sand in the sun / Lived an old mother turtle / and her little turtle one. / Dig said the mother. / We dig said the one. / So they dug all day / in the sand in the sun." Oliver A. Wadsworth's well-loved, late-19th-century counting rhyme transforms itself again in this gently endearing picture book Over in the Meadow, illustrated by Anna Vojtech. Preschoolers will be captivated by the soft, steady rhythms of the poem and its serene expression of the mother-baby bond. Each spread, counting from 1 to 10, shows a mother animal and her young (two babies, three babies, four babies, etc.), but toddlers can also locate twosomes, threesomes, and foursomes of other living creatures in the meadow scenes to count as well. In the "old mother owl" spread, there are three owl babies, three beetles, three ants, three acorns, and three caterpillars! What makes this book stand out from a sea of counting books are the spectacular, luminous illustrations--set off masterfully by an elegant but playful design with generously sized type and clever illustrative accents (four little ratties, little bees five, etc.) This new take on an old favorite belongs on every preschooler's shelf! (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson

Anna Vojtech was born in Prague, in what is now the Czech Republic. She has worked as an editor, an illustrator, a film animator, and a set designer. She lives with her family in Magnolia, Massachusetts.