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The number system is created when a stone-age girl (who thinks too much) encounters her need to know how many gourds she needs.
In this comic and fanciful tale of courage and ingenuity, cave girl Ugh Poppi goes on a quest to provide for her family. When she meets a new friend, they discover the value of creative thinking and the power of numbers.
When their last gourd smashes to the ground, Ugh Poppi's cave family needs her help. She sets out on a perilous adventure to find the gourd patch beyond the Big Wide Open Place and across the Not-So-Far-Away River to gather enough gourds for her large family. When she meets a helpful stranger, it becomes clear they have a problem: cavemen don't know how to count. But Ugh Poppi, whose name means "girl-who-thinks-too-much," meets every challenge with imagination and a positive approach to problem solving. By working together, she and her new friend create an astonishing invention that will change everyone's life forever.
How Counting Came to Be is a beautifully illustrated and lively children's book in the tradition of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories. Whether read aloud or solo, this book provides a funny and charming adventure where thinking, persistence, and collaboration lead to a life-changing discovery about math and the world around us.
An important, formative, and broad genre such as children's literature can make reviewing difficult. There are illustrations to consider, the style and maturity of the language, the themes of the story itself, and on and on. It's a precious and dear genre that somewhat defines who we are as adults and as well as what our literary tastes will be. Sometimes I really hate reviewing children's books because it's hard to be anything but harshly critical.
When I review a children's book, specifically a board book or read-aloud, I look for some specific qualities. Illustrations hold great weight, both in their professionalism and also in their ability to convey the sentiment or style of the book. The writing should be youthful, light, easy, but engaging. The story should not introduce hot political or social topics, neither should it hold sexual overtones or suggestive/rude discussion.
Mandy Monath's How Counting Came to Be blew all my expectations out of the water!
First, the story itself was so endearing. For Christian homes there might be a tendency to shirk away from stone-age stories and writings, but I don't think that should give parents pause here. If you liked Rudyard Kipling, if you enjoy light but tall tales, this is just the book for you and your young ones! The focus is not on an evolutionistic view of creation, nor of proving one way or the other how man came to be. Rather, this is a quirky and enjoyable romp about the invention of numbers. If you still hesitate, this book could be considered an opportunity for discussion about where man came from and how we came to be where we are today.
The illustrations are very well done. They bring a warm and inviting tone to the book while also maintaining a professional look. Too many indie or self-published books lack in the illustration department. Not so here! You will enjoy the pictures as much as the story!
I am glad to say I can wholeheartedly recommend Mandy's newest book for your shelf. Take the time to read it out loud, you might find yourself smiling and laughing with the little ones in your life!
Reviewed by
I greatly enjoy finding good literature for friend, family, and stranger alike, as I have been doing on my blog for 3 years. I enjoy Action/Adventure, Middle Grade/Children's lit, Classics, Christian Fiction, Theology, Non-fiction/Biographies, Fantasy, some Youth lit, and anything about libraries!
Synopsis
In this comic and fanciful tale of courage and ingenuity, cave girl Ugh Poppi goes on a quest to provide for her family. When she meets a new friend, they discover the value of creative thinking and the power of numbers.
When their last gourd smashes to the ground, Ugh Poppi's cave family needs her help. She sets out on a perilous adventure to find the gourd patch beyond the Big Wide Open Place and across the Not-So-Far-Away River to gather enough gourds for her large family. When she meets a helpful stranger, it becomes clear they have a problem: cavemen don't know how to count. But Ugh Poppi, whose name means "girl-who-thinks-too-much," meets every challenge with imagination and a positive approach to problem solving. By working together, she and her new friend create an astonishing invention that will change everyone's life forever.
How Counting Came to Be is a beautifully illustrated and lively children's book in the tradition of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories. Whether read aloud or solo, this book provides a funny and charming adventure where thinking, persistence, and collaboration lead to a life-changing discovery about math and the world around us.
About the author
Mandy Monath writes children’s books, poetry, essays, short stories, and plays. A North Carolina native, Mandy prizes precise and clear language, vivid imagery and lively dialogue. Her collection, This Is Like That: Poems and Process (2022), combines poems and reflections on creativity. view profile
Published on February 01, 2024
3000 words
Worked with a Reedsy professional 🏆
Genre: Children's
Reviewed by
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