3
Jan
Throwback Thursday: Numbears
Numbears: A Counting Book
By Kathleen Hague, Illustrated by Michael Hague
Find it at: Your Library | Amazon | Indiebound
Published: Henry Holt and Co. an imprint of Macmillian (May 1986)
My husband was recently having a conversation with his twin sister about a book that has plagued them since early childhood: Numbears: A Counting Book is a rhyming picture book that teaches children the method of counting 1-12 with Michael Hague’s trademark illustrations. Upon hearing this for the first time, I completely dismissed the notion. How could a few cute, cuddly bears affect them that much?
Each illustration has one hidden number that corresponds with the number referred to in the verse on the opposite page. The majority of the numbers are obvious, plain as day, like the below illustration for “one” (my incredible photo editing skills point out the hidden “1″ with a red arrow).
Easy as pie, right? Wrong. For twenty some years they’ve never, not ever, been able to find the number “5″ in the snowy picture below. When this forgotten childhood mystery recently resurfaced, Will interlibrary loaned the book in hopes his adult eyes would put his mind at rest from what was started many years ago. The quest for “5″. He tried. I tried. Nothing. (Nothing!) You can’t even bring this book up to him without him getting immediately angry, full of threats that he’ll “write a letter to the publisher.”
(click image to enlarge)
Here is your challenge if you wish to accept it:
Find “5″.
End the search once and for all.
You’re our only hope…
Each page ALSO has the number of items in it as well as the numeral. For example, the page for 4 has the numeral “4″ in it, as well as four eggs in a nest. Each page seems to have this, except 5 and 10, where we can only find the countable items, but not the numerals themselves.
I think I have found the number 5 – On the left side of the picture there are some twigs sticking up next to the bridge. Attached to the central twig is the number 5. What do you think ?! Now I’ll look for the ten!
Ooh… I didn’t see that possibility. There has been some debate on my husband’s Facebook page on whether it’s on the far right wooden post too. I think I’ve looked at the picture so much I’m going cross-eyed!
My secret pain. I’ve been looking for the five for over 20 years.