One little blueberry can cause a lot of trouble! Two ants, three ladybugs, four caterpillars, and more hungry bugs all want it for themselves. Who will get the tasty snack? Learning to count from one to ten is a treat with this lively read-aloud that’s sure to surprise! Preschoolers will delight in following the blueberry, highlighted on every page with spot lamination! Sturdy cardstock pages make this book just right for little hands.

One lone blueberry's journey from bush to treat forms the narrative thread for this nimble counting tale. The little fruit gains momentum as it rolls across the fields and leaves a growing group of insects in its wake. As the bugs multiply, their action follows suit, moving from passive observation to an animated protest at the disturbance. Two red ants point as the food flies past, while caterpillars stretch up into the air when they spy the bouncing berry. Spare declarative phrases maintain a lively pace; largely unforced rhymes clip along as the characters build from one to 10. Enthusiastic dialogue adds energy. "Nine hungry spiders crawled closer to their treat. / Ten hopping grasshoppers said, 'Hey, it's time to eat!' Before the ravenous creatures can pounce, a speedy intruder snatches the fruit into the sky. Each smiling character reflects the chipper tone throughout, and even the berry thief becomes more friend than foe. Predominant backgrounds of blues and greens provide variation through shading. Glossy spot lamination showcases the blueberry, adding textured shine to the expansive scenes, and sturdy cardstock backing supports the sprawling grass and vast blue sky. Breezy and sweet fare. 

 

February 15, 2011 Kirkus Reviews

'One little blueberry fell onto the ground.' This event sends nine different kinds of bugs chasing after the shiny, tasty treat, but a bluebird dives down to retrieve the 'yummy prize' before any of the insects can get a taste. Children will enjoy the rhyming and shiny laminated accents in the illustrations and the classic counting-book style. The heavy cardstock pages make the book easy to manipulate for the targeted audience. This is an average offering, but the ending will delight toddlers. – Rachel Artley, Watertown Elementary School, TN

 

June 2011, School Library Journal