Ten, Nine, Eight
Molly Bang

You will need a copy of Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang for this discussion.

Ten, Nine, Eight (Scholastic, 1983) well deserves its selection as a Caldecott Honor Book. Using the fluidity and flexibility of tempera, Molly Bang created a quiet, bedtime setting for her counting book. The book is designed as a bedtime countdown game, counting backwards from ten to one. The final illustration is in the form of a circle [zero] as the count is complete and the child snuggles in her bed. The characters are a black father and his daughter as they participate in their bedtime ritual. The father's pride and love of his child are beautifully depicted in his gentle smile and focus on the child's face. [Quibble I personally would have loved an illustration which shows him reading aloud to his child as part of the bedtime preparation. Perhaps two strong arms could hold a book to share. There does seem to be a book on the table beside the chair. Difficult to illustrate, I know.] The every day family scenes remind me of John Steptoe's early books which depicted fathers caring for their children.

The Illustrations and Art Activities

The illustrations are representational (realistic)in style. In the paperback edition, the color values vary but are fairly dark to capture the night time setting. She uses a variety of color mixtures [primary, secondary, tertiary].

Bang includes details, as in the illustration for number 5, with its floral patterns in the chair and on the wallpaper. Yet the scenes do not look too busy or cluttered. That illustration also shows how she picks up colors from central objects, for example the child's gown, and uses those colors to outline other objects, the lamp shade and the floor board. As an art lesson with older children, teachers might have young people compare this illustration with the opening one. Why does the opening illustration which features the same content seem to have a more 3-D effect than the illustration for number 5? You can discuss perspective here. Another example. This use of color lightens and freshens some of the darker scenes. Children might discuss why she uses darker colors as in number 4 in some of her illustrations.

Counting Concepts

As a counting book, Ten, Nine, Eight reinforces the concept of counting backwards from ten to one. I had some difficulty with number 9 and the objects in the picture. Why? Without looking very closely at the picture, you can count nine objects, including the cat, for nine soft friends. No problem. But there is a small mouse you might miss at first glance. There are nine toys, including a yellow horn which I originally counted. Then I was confused. What am I counting?

Some questions/concepts from Number 5:
Is the horn "soft"? You decide. Why or why not?
Why does the horn stand out so clearly on the page?
Because the color intensity of the yellow horn causes it to stand out from the darker background.

My Response

What do I particularly like about this book? Father and child are darker skinned. Their facial features portray their African heritage. As Lucy Simms, black educator, once said black children's skins come in many shades of color. The text, with its repetition of consonant and vowel sounds, captures the quiet tone of the book. This is a fine bedtime or pre-nap book for any child. I, like the children, enjoy the inquisitive cat, especially the scene where the cat seems to be chewing on the shoe. I also liked the illustration on the paperback's cover with its inclusion of a model rocket among the toys. As noted above, I had a false start in my counting activities but recovered nicely, I thought

Overall, this is a lovely book which I would delight in sharing with any child.

Return to: Counting Books