How to Make the Most of Picturebooks through Talks and Math: Our Review #1.

Picturebooks are more than just colorful pages—they open the door to endless conversations. But how to make the most of stories we read with young children?

In 2025, we will be reviewing, each month, five picturebooks. We will give a quick overview of the plot (without spoilers : ), and share topics you could embrace. We hope it helps you make the most of those picturebooks, through talks and math. Yep, math is everywhere—even in books! If you need a refresher, check our previous post offering an overview of early mathematics.

Excuse me, I’m trying to read, by Mary Jo Amani and illustrated by Lehla Eldrige

Quick overview. The book tells the story of a child trying to read outdoors in Africa, surrounded by all sorts of animals: zebras, giraffes, impalas, and lions. How distracting can they be??! This book is a lot of fun, with the child trying to read peacefully while animals create all kind of distractions. The “amazing zebra” will surely bring giggles to children and grown-ups nearby.

Stuff to talk about… The book provides a fantastic opportunity to discuss Africa and its animals but its villages, compare to what children in the audience might be familiar with. It also opens the door for conversations about facts vs. fiction. The zebra is clearly fictional, but what about the impalas—are they real or not?

… including mathematics. Counting the animals is an obvious choice—such as matching the number of animals on each page to the total at the end. However, the book also offers a great chance to engage young children with spatial sense. Each page presents the same child reading her book in various locations—inside an alligator’s mouth, on a rhinoceros’s horn, etc. Discussing the child’s position in space relative to the animals can add to children’s vocabulary, and spark fun conversations about location and perspective.

The city girls, by Aki

Quick overview. A delightful adventure following 16 little girls as they explore a city, from walking down the sidewalks to taking the train and visiting a museum. The illustrations are vibrant, and the use of color is playful, even highlighting certain words in the text to make the reading experience more interactive and immersive. The book is also a rhyming book, always a winning feature with young children, making the story engaging and fun while keeping anyone’s attention. We also appreciated how the book introduces the 16 girls on the very first page, providing their names and presenting a wonderfully diverse group of characters.

Stuff to Talk About… The book offers numerous opportunities for conversation and exploration. While you can first enjoy the overall narrative, each page can also open later on the door to discussing the locations the girls are visiting. Have you been on a train before? To a museum? What do you think of living in a city? The book suggests additional themes to discuss at the end, such as buildings, structures, housing, and homes—each offering a chance to extend the conversation and explore new vocabulary.

… including mathematics. The book features the 16 girls prominently on each page, making it an ideal opportunity to engage with numbers and operations. Should we check and make sure 16 girls are indeed taking the train? 12 are waiting to get on the train, and four are already on, do we have them all? Counting the girls with the child(ren) not only reinforces counting but also allows for discussions on groups of numbers, addition, subtraction, etc—a fun way to bring math into an everyday context.

Rex wrecks it!, by Ben Clanton

Quick overview. A cute and engaging tale about Rex, a young dinosaur/monster/dragon, who has a habit of wrecking the constructions of his classmates—until they decide to build together. This story is relatable for young readers, especially those navigating emotions like frustration. The use of bold fonts is a useful and playful touch. By emphasizing certain words, it guides the reader to adjust their tone and voice, making the story more dynamic and interactive. This subtle tool helps hold the child’s attention and brings the story to life, encouraging them to connect with the text more engagedly.

Stuff to Talk About… This book is excellent for sparking conversations around social-emotional development, such as handling conflict and understanding different emotions. It provides a great opportunity for young children to explore concepts like being upset with others, making amends, and the power of teamwork and collaboration. The book can also open the door for discussions about friendship and learning to share and compromise.

… including mathematics. The construction play, particularly with wooden blocks, naturally lends itself to math concepts. You could explore topics like counting blocks, comparing sizes, and discussing the different shapes that can be used. There is also an opportunity to introduce spatial awareness vocabulary, such as “next to,” “on top of,” “rotate,” and “flip,” which would deepen children’s understanding of space, position, and orientation. This is a great way to integrate early math skills in a hands-on, playful way, especially as wooden blocks are often found in preschool settings.

The water princess, by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Quick overview. The book tells the beautiful and moving story of a little girl, ‘Princess Gie Gie,’ who walks daily with her mother to a well to collect water. The illustrations are stunning, with warm, vibrant colors that transport readers to Africa, making us feel as though we were right there alongside Gie Gie. The strong bond between Gie Gie and her mother, as well as the connection she shares with her father when he returns from the fields, is truly inspiring.

Stuff to talk about… This book offers a powerful opportunity to discuss with young children how millions of children lack easy access to clean water, encouraging empathy and broadening their understanding of the world around them.

… including mathematics. The story provides a natural link to concepts of time and distance. Gie Gie spends the whole day walking to the well and back, which opens up great opportunities to discuss how far she travels. How many miles could we cover in a day? How far would it take us to walk from school or from home?

Scroll, by Hui Li

Quick overview. In this beautifully crafted story, Lulu and her dog are introduced to the world of Chinese characters by Lulu’s grandfather. As the story unfolds, Lulu’s imagination takes flight, and she begins to create her own characters, blending the magic of storytelling with the art of calligraphy. The illustrations are astonishing, made with calligraphy, big brushes, and watercolor, and creating a serene atmosphere. The colors are calming and visually soothing. We were also struck by how each character’s meaning is thoughtfully included alongside its depiction, making the book not only visually appealing but also culturally rich.

Stuff to talk About… The book opens up great discussions about letters and writing and how different cultures use different characters or alphabets to write words and tell stories. The author’s note at the end highlights that Chinese has over 5,000 characters, which could lead to a conversation about how languages evolve and how writing systems have developed over time. The story also presents a lovely opportunity to talk about learning from relatives, particularly the special bond between Lulu and her grandpa. This could lead to discussions about the valuable lessons children might learn from their own grandparents or other family members.

… including mathematics. Young children may find it challenging to grasp the concept of time and this book could serve as a gentle introduction. The idea that Chinese characters have evolved over thousands of years provides an entry point to discussing time on a larger scale—how some things change quickly while others take much longer. One can also talk about the passing of time and the concept of “before and after,” which connects to math concepts like sequencing and chronology.

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By exploring stories, sparking discussions, and connecting to math, picturebooks offer endless opportunities to engage young children’s thinking and imagination. Stay tuned for our next review, where we’ll dive into a new set of books next month. 

In the meantime, the Fellows and I would love to hear from you : ) 

What caught your attention in the five books we shared today? What other topics would you discuss with young children?