Reading to Willow - Counting with Oswald

What Daddy thinks:
Learn to count from 1 to 10. Practice your memory by remembering the order Oswald (a purple octopus) and weenie (his dog who looks like a hot dog, the edible kind) receive the items that you are counting. It’s a short book with bright colors. It’s a board book with a puffy plastic? cover.

My only gripe? At the end Oswald shows his friends that if they all carry one item they will have no problem transporting everything to the park for their picnic. This feel good ending leaves Oswald (who has the most arms of any of his friends) with nothing to carry. How convenient. Is that what I’m teaching my daughter? Pawn off everything onto your friends so they can do all the grunt work while you enjoy bossing them around? Some team spirit. I jest but still, the ending makes me mad every time.

What Mommy thinks:
I think it's a cute book that teaches different creatures and objects as well as counting. Sure, she can't count yet and right now she just looks at the pictures, but overall I like it. It's also a great size for taking on the road, be it in a car or on a plane. Willow can hold it herself, no problem!

What Willow thinks:
Willow would much rather eat this book than have you read it to her. Maybe she likes the way the cover feels. She does tend to put the corners of most of her books into her mouth.