Amy-Jill Levine

Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

"One sheep makes a difference. Without her something is missing. Now my flock is complete." Oh, no! The man is missing his sheep! The woman is missing her coin! The father is missing his son! Can you help them find what they are looking for? Who Counts? is a creative retelling of three popular parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. As young readers count to help the characters find what's missing, Who Counts? teaches that every one of us counts in God's eyes and that everyone should feel counted. The stories are beautifully illustrated with modern-day characters and a diversity of ethnicities so that all children will be able to see themselves in the stories. Who Counts? is featured on the Junior Library Guild Fall 2017 list.

100 Sheep, 10 Coins, and 2 Sons

Who Counts?

Renee Delcourt

I adored this book.
I had originally thought this was a counting book. More for learning and encouragement purposes for my younger kids and reading circle. There was counting, but it was more about the fact that one was missing. It was separated into three stories. The first was counting sheep, the second was a missing drachma, and lastly was about a father and his two sons. 
The first two were very similar in context Counting one hundred sheep or ten drachma and one goes missing. When they find their missing piece they are so excited that they throw a party and say that without them all they aren't whole. Last story, however, is slightly different. A man has two sons, one sons uses the money his father gives him to go traveling and the second stays home and helps with the farm. When the younger of the two sons comes home from traveling he's broke, hungry, and in need of clothes. The father cares for him and throws him a party, but forgets to invite his eldest son who stayed. When the father realizes his mistake he runs to his son and apologizes and explains that he completes their whole and without him at the party they are missing a piece. They last story drives home the importance of family, but it also imparts the message never take people or things for granted, like the father did.

I loved the message of this book. It was a little long for my two youngest, but I would suggest this for kids around 4 and up. The illustrations were appropriate for the stories and there were so many of them. Bright, colorful, and catchy Perfect for keeping a kid focused on the book and immersing themselves in the story.

I will definitely be suggesting this book to other parents and teachers and once I get a hard copy plan to read it to our reading circle.

Who Counts? 100 Sheep, 10 Coins, and 2 Sons

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