Molly Counts

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian who has recently relocated to
North Wales, Pennsylvania.

These two recent additions to the Molly Bear series of board books for
toddlers are identical in format to the earlier ones, but are a little
more challenging in terms of content in that they aim to teach color and
counting respectively. The books are appropriately sized and shaped for
the youngest readers. The character of Molly is an appealing teddy bear
with a large head and simple facial features.

In Molly Draws the lesson is color. On each page a different color is
introduced as Molly is depicted in a playful activity with a colored
object, such as a yellow swing. The illustrations are clear, with detail
kept to a minimum. The last page invites readers to identify the colors
that Molly uses to paint a picture, thereby reinforcing the
identification of the color.

In Molly Counts, Molly prepares for bed by gathering various objects,
such as bottles, dolls, pillows, and books to take to bed with her. By
the final page it is hard to find Molly beneath her pile of 55 objects.
As well, the objects are intricately patterned and it is difficult to
distinguish them from the many details that surround them. It may be
beyond the scope of most toddlers to enumerate these objects at the end
of this book.

These Molly Bear books have all the qualities of popular board books as
well as an educational component that will appeal to many parents.

Recommended.