Two Ways to Count to Ten

     

      Two Ways to Count to Ten is written by Ruby Dee and illustrated by Susan Meddaugh. Ruby Dee was an actress. This book is about a king leopard that is looking for someone to marry his daughter and take his place as kind one day. He tells all of the animals to throw the spear and count to ten before it falls to the ground. Only one animal is able to do it because he is clever and counts in a different way.

      Two Ways to Count to Ten is a folklore children’s picture book. This folklore story has talking animals and has been told before by a different author. The illustrations are a combination of color pencil and water color paint. The texture of the color pencil in combination with the water color paint compliments the text. The animals were drawn in a more realistic fashion rather than a cartoon fashion. The illustrator used many details that enhanced the text in a way that even young readers would be able to understand how the characters were feeling.

Discussion Questions:
·         Who do you think will be the next king?
·         Why did the animals dance for the king?
·         Why did the king have the animals throw the spear and count to ten?
·         Why did the antelope count in a different way?

Activities:
·         For older grades, using this book have the students complete a worksheet about folklore stories and fables. Build onto this by having them fill out a chart to discuss the moral of this story.
·         For younger grades, have students write a story about how they would have counted if they were an animal in the story.

Other books by this author:
·         Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears
·         My One Good Nerve: Rhythms, Rhymes, Reasons

Reference:

Dee, R., & Meddaugh, S. (1990). Two ways to count to ten: A Liberian folktale. New York: H. Holt.