January 2014
Photo © Dan Formento.
Alison Ashley Formento is the author of multi-award-winning nature picture books This Tree Counts!, This Tree, 1, 2, 3, These Bees Count!, These Seas Count!, and These Rocks Count! (2014). Her debut young adult novel Twigs (Merit Press) is edited by New York Times bestselling author Jacqueline Mitchard and was named one of New Jersey's "2013 Hottest Teen Reads." Alison has written for several national publications including The New York Times, The Writer, and Parenting, and regularly appears at schools, libraries, bookstores, conferences, and festivals. She donates a portion of her book proceeds to AmericanForests.org.
"In a charming...small-town drama, Madeline 'Twigs' Henry navigates family secrets, boyfriend troubles and a friendship with a spirited older woman. The larger-than-life characters and gestures bring humor and action to the story.... Twigs is a compellingly flawed character, and [her] growth is palpable."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Not only does this tree count, it matters!...The message branches out into a concisely written story with a child’s point of view that is enlivened with realistic and artfully composed paper-cut and digital-collage illustrations. Teachers will welcome this “going green” tale, which ends with the junior tree huggers planting more trees."
—Booklist
"...the adventures of this multicultural class of kids are sure to interest readers, and Snow makes it easy to identify and count the items in the pictures. After learning all about how bees count, readers will be counting on Mr. Tate's class to give them another environmental armchair trip."
—School Library Journal
"Captivated readers will imagine they feel the warm sun, salty ocean spray, and cooling breezes along with the students."
—School Library Journal
"Formento once again underlines the value of the learning that takes place outside the classroom."
—Publishers Weekly
"This useful addition to classroom units on ocean life and pollution is the sequel to This Tree Counts! (2010) and These Bees Count! (2012)."
—School Library Journal