Twenty is Too Many - Hardcover

Sometimes, just sometimes, mind you, 20 guinea pigs can be too many. On a small green teetering boat in the middle of the sea, for example. That's when it might be a good idea for 10 to jump ship, leaving 10 floating guinea pigs (20-10=10). But soon one guinea pig is carried away by a bunch of balloons, leaving nine waving guinea pigs (10-1=9). And another swings off a rope, leaving eight seasick guinea pigs (9-1=8). Rodent by rodent, the furry little critters remove themselves from the scene, surfing, exploring, sneaking, fishing, until finally just one remains. But "one... can be fun."

In this sequel to her enormously popular addition picture book, One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough, Kate Duke now tackles subtraction. Giant numerals are incorporated into the seaworthy story line: a big purple number 4, for example, is wedged into the sand of the tiny tropical island and used as an anchor for the boat when all the remaining seafarers come ashore. The adorable, whimsically watercolored guinea pigs exude personality as they clamber all over the numbers, reminding young readers that, like a solitary guinea pig, math can be fun! To reinforce the subtraction lesson, the equation is printed after each artistic representation of the problem. The final scene shows all 20 guinea pigs reunited on the island, diving, daydreaming, and exploring to their hearts' content. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

PreSchool-Grade 2-Twenty guinea pigs can be too many if they are crowded into one small, sinking boat. It floats more easily after 10 of them hit the waves. Then, one by one, others leave. One floats off with balloons; another decides to explore the island. A fisher pig gets pulled away by a huge sea serpent; and one sneaks away with the contents of the picnic cooler. Eventually, only one is left, "And one-can be fun." The text illustrates the pattern of subtraction by one. "Nine waving guinea pigs minus one swinging guinea pig leaves eight seasick guinea pigs." The lively watercolors offer humorous detail and foreshadow the action. Careful observers will note that the rope from which one creature is swinging is frayed. The next page shows the animal plummeting into the water. Tiny pictures in the margin reassure readers that nothing horrible happens despite the mishaps. Subtraction equations are superimposed on the illustrations, and the large numbers sometimes become part of the action. A seasick mariner rests on the loop of the eight, and the boat is tied up to the base of the four. Rollicking action, humor, and appealing characters make this clever book a fun way to learn the concept of subtraction and it provides an excellent companion volume to the author's addition book, One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough (Dutton, 1998).
Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN
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