View source for Counting Lions by Katie Cotton and Stephen Walton

{{infobox2
|title=Counting Lions
|author=Katie Cotton and Stephen Walton
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|genre=For Sharing
|summary=A beautiful book of black and white drawings of wild animals as a counting book will stun adults and amaze children.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=32
|publisher=Frances Lincoln's Children's Books
|date=October 2015
|isbn=978-1847807212
|website=http://www.stephenwalton-wildlife-art.com/section669847.html
|aznuk=1847807216
|aznus=1847807216
|cover=1847807216
}}

'''Longlisted for the 2017 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal'''

There are counting books, good counting books and ones where the pictures blow you away, whether you are an adult or a child.  ''Counting Lions'' falls into the last category. Just have a look at that lion on the cover: that's not a black and white photograph - that's a drawing and you're going to see another nine of the same glorious quality.  In her foreword to the book, Virginia McKenna says that with pictures like these words almost seem unnecessary as we can see all that we need of the unique form and beauty of each creature.  But there are words too.

I'll confess that the first time I read the book (and it's happened with other people too) I didn't even read the words.  I gazed in absolute awe at Stephen Walton's art.  That lion: ''cold eyes'' said my husband, but then this is not a pretty picture of an animal, but a portrait of an animal constantly on the alert for danger.  I was sad that much of the next picture - of two gorillas - was lost in the gutter, but it's difficult to see how it could have been done better.  Then, I saw three giraffes and my heart was lost.  They're all legs and neck and one is trying to nibble at the root of his tail.  Of the four tigers, three are young, still sheltering at the side of their mother.

There are five elephants - two adults and three calves.  You can see every wrinkle on their skin, count every blade of grass.  They're stationary but you get a sense of ''movement'' and of the surrounding space.  The six Ethiopian wolves might ''look'' playful, but it's only a friendly tussle before their day's patrol of their land begins.  The seven penguins are waiting for snow - it's going to affect their ability to fish.  For them it's all about survival.

The eight turtles surprised me - I thought they were flying!  They've just crossed the ocean in search of their place of birth - it sounds like an adventure, but, for them, it's a normal journey.  The nine macaws perch on a branch, their tails pointing at the ground. You might almost think that they're having a good gossip...  My husband's favourite picture (and it ran a close second for me) is of the ten zebras, drinking at the river, with one opportunistic bird perched on a relaxed back.

It's difficult for the words to stand up to images like these, but Katie Cotton manages well.  There are short pieces on each page - a gentle, friendly introduction with more detail about the animals at the back of the book including their status as endangered (or otherwise) animals.  A frightening four of the species are endangered with another two - including that watchful lion - classified as vulnerable.

It's a stunning, beautiful book which makes some important points about wild animals, both to children and adults, without being in any way preachy and it's highly recommended.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

For more exquisite picture book drawings we can recommend [[Dog on a Train: The Special Delivery by Kate Predergast]].  For another important picture book have a look at [[Where's the Elephant? by Barroux]].  You might also enjoy [[The Road Home by Katie Cotton and Sarah Jacoby]].

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[[Category:Katie Cotton]]
[[Category:Stephen Walton]]