A young girl and her mother spend the day at the beach in this lovely little counting book, which also offers a gentle tribute to the mellow delights of the seashore. With a rhyming text - "Three thistly cockleburs, prickly and brown / Four soft seagull feathers gently floating down" - that chronicles the many objects that the girl finds in her exploration, and watercolor and pencil illustrations that perfectly capture the peaceful mood of the day, One White Wishing Stone will transport young reader/listeners to an idyllic world of enchantment.

I don't know that I would ever have picked this up on my own - alphabet and counting books are usually outside my areas of interest, when it comes to children's books - but two friends rated it very highly, and I was curious (thanks, Lisa & Kathryn!). Kristina Swarner's illustrations really were lovely, with their beautiful blue and golden tones, and their sense of depth and mystery. I was reminded of some of my own childhood sojourns on the shore... ( )

This counting book (numbers 1-10) features appropriately soft illustrations, things it makes sense to count, and interesting vocabulary. The whole works together to make that rarest of things: a counting book worth spending time with. Nicely done. ( )