Number rhymes - Opal Dunn

Numbers are fun and reciting rhymes is a natural way for young children to pick up number words and enjoy using them. This entertaining collection of rhymes explores counting backwards, counting in twos, and counting numbers beyond 10. From 'Five Little Monkeys' and 'Ten in a Bed' to 'One, two, buckle my shoe' and 'One hundred bees round a hive', these rhymes provide a rich range of enjoyable opportunities to familiarise children with ways of manipulating numbers.

An introduction, 'Cracking the Code', discusses ways of learning to count and use numbers beyond 10 - tens and teens - thus providing a useful help for adults.

Collected by a highly reputable early years educationalist with the clear aim of developing early number skills, these rhymes are vividly illustrated by an exciting new talent in children's picture books. This is a book that no early years stage class should be with out and is a natural companion to the author's previous book, Number Rhymes to Say and Play.

Opal Dunn is widely known as a specialist in books on early first and second language development. She has been a consultant to the Council of Europe on children's bilingual education and acts as consultant to the British Council's LearnEnglish Parents programme. She has been short-listed for the Eleanor Farjeon award for services to children's literature and in 2008 received the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun for over 30 years work with bilingual Japanese children.Opal's books for Frances Lincoln are Acker Backa Boo, El Gato Leo Goes to School, El Gato Leo Comes to Play, Leo le Chat Goes to School, Leo le Chat Comes to Play, Hippety-hop, Hippety-hay, Un Deux Trois and Number Rhymes to Say and Play. She lives in South London.

4*: A visual treat from its energetic front cover right through to the dynamic end papers. It takes a playful approach to numbers with ten jolly rhymes.. The illustrations are hugely enjoyable as well as enhancing the meaning.