How Many?

Guido Van Genechten (1957, Belgium) studied drawing and painting, graphics and photography. Afterward, he worked for many years in the graphic industry. Now Guido works as a fulltime illustrator of children’s books. In 1998 he won the international Illustrator’s Award City of Hasselt with his picture book Ricky. This prize was the beginning of his international career as a children’s book illustrator. Since that moment, Guido Van Genechten has created many best-selling stories and received several awards. In 2007 he was the winner of the Reader’s Digest Award for Best Children’s Book Illustrator. And in the past ten years, his books were published in 30 countries around the world.

"Counting one to 10 with stuffed animals. This board book opens with the question “How many stuffies do you have?” From just one for Duck to 10 for a child named Tim, there’s no wrong number. Van Genechten’s illustrations feature mostly animal characters with their stuffies. Each layout includes a small chalkboard with the corresponding numeral. All of the animals and their cuddly friends are drawn in soft colors with fuzzy edges, adding to the snuggly feel of the book. The stuffed pals are chosen as specific fits for their owners, sometimes with a wink to readers. Duck, for example, has just one stuffie, but it’s almost too large for the little bird to carry. Penguin lines up a row of seven tiny snowmen, while the tallest animal (Giraffe) totes along eight of the smallest (mice). A sweet end to the book shows Tim, who has light brown skin and textured short black hair, in bed with 10 stuffies, the very same animals towing along their own loveys on the previous pages. This is a sweet read-aloud for introducing numbers and counting to a lapsitting child. The simple, large illustrations and anthropomorphized animals are appealing. While there is nothing groundbreaking here, it’s still instructive and enjoyable. (This book was reviewed digitally.) As undeniably charming as a child’s beloved stuffie." - Kirkus Reviews