When “one famished fox” with “two sly eyes” encounters “three plump hens,” the outcome seems inevitable as the counting continues all the way up to “ten sharp teeth.” But in a dramatic page turn, the story arc pivots when “one hundred angry hens” prove they rule the roost. Only 40 words from start to finish convey setting, characters, and a plot with satisfying moments of tension and comedy. Vivid collage and paint illustrations on generously sized pages encourage reader interaction, from counting to cheering on the plucky poultry. Highly Commended, 2020 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3–6)

“1 One famished fox” begins this book that counts from 1 to 10. The items to be counted proceed from the fox, to the fox's eyes, to hens, the henhouse, and other tension-building objects as the story builds to an anticipated climax. But wait! After 10, the story suddenly skips to 100, and then immediately back to 1 for a surprise ending. Text follows a consistent pattern: cardinal numeral, word for numeral, adjective, noun (except for inclusion of one prepositional phrase). Illustrations clearly depict what is to be counted and construct the narrative to the enticing conclusion.

Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor, de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, 2020 Mathical Book Prize (PreK), Parents' Choice Gold, ALSC Notable Children's Books, Capitol Choices Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens, Cybils (Fiction Picture Books), Charlotte Zolotow Award (Highly Commended), USBBY Outstanding International Books, – Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year, New York Public LibraryBest Books for Kids, CCBC Choices (Concept Books).

Author/illustrator lives in England.

U.K.. Originally published in U.K. by Two Hoots, an imprint of Pan Macmillan in 2019. Published in the United States by Peachtree in 2019.