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		Seven Stars More! written and illustrated by Kathy Mallat 1998 Walker & Company Tr $14.95 / ISBN 0-8027-8675-8 RTE $15.85 / ISBN 0-8027-8676-6
Abby isn't tired ... so she tries counting sheep - and books and toes and many of her favorite possessions, which are scattered around her room. With its rhythmic language patterned after the classic rhyme "One Potato, Two Potato," this delightful bedtime counting book is sure to lull young children to sleep.
Personal Note Three year old Britany was the model for the little girl in my second book, Seven Stars More!. On the day that I was to photograph her, I arrived at her Grandmother's house with the pajamas that I needed her to wear for the reference photos. Britany took one look at the pajamas and announced that she was not wearing them. "Why not?", I asked. "Because I hate them!" replied Britany. I panicked, but decided not to force the issue, and instead used the time to visit with Britany's aunt, Debby Cardinali. As we talked, Debby and I noticed Britany moving closer to the pajamas in the chair. Within a half-hour or so, she had changed not only her mind, but also her clothes. With the pajamas finally on, she announced "I'm ready!" So off we went to shoot the photos. Britany turned out to be a most cooperative model. Within 20 minutes, I had more than enough pictures to complete the illustrations for the book. Thanks, Britany!				Britany The cover art
Britany			The finished art
School Library Journal November 1998 PreS -- A cleverly designed picture book from the endpapers decorated with bright yellow stars and fluffy white sheep against a blue background to the double-page spreads with the text on one side and illustration on the other. Abby can't go to sleep so she begins to count various objects in her room, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, more." Numerals are used in the text immediately followed by a picture of the item the child is counting. 0pposite each of these textual pages are full-color illustrations that depict the girl in her room counting the sheep on the wallpaper, dots on her teddy bear, etc. The border around the text changes with each object the little girl is counting. At the book's end, Abby, who is comfortably snuggled in bed, begins to count the stars on her bedspread but before she reaches seven she is asleep. From endpaper to endpaper, the delightful drawings and borders are bright yet soothing. A pleasure to look at, this worthwhile purchase will work well as a concept book or as a bedtime story. --Olga R. Barnes, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC
School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews August 15, 1998 Mallat's picture-book solo is a combination counting book and lullaby. Abby is in bed but she isn't tired; she begins counting, first the sheep on her wallpaper, then the fish in her mobile, then the dots on her teddy's pajamas, and on through many of the items in her room. Mallat's simple rhyme- "Abby counts the books that she just read. / She counts the leaves scattered next to her bed." - is punctuated by Abby's counting. Everything about the book suggests sublime innocence, from the text and the decorations surrounding it, to the chubby, realistically-drawn Abby, to the rhythm, similar to "One Potato, Two," that serves as a lulling background beat. The repetitions and Abby's movements - in bed, out of bed, back into bed - should make this book a gateway for listeners to the sometimes-elusive Land of Nod. (Picture book. Ages 2-6)
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