Written and Illustrated by: Innosanto Nagara
For Ages: Infant and up
Topics Covered: Community, Activism, Literacy.
Summary: This book is a companion to A is for Activist, focusing on numeric literacy coupled with characteristics of a strong community. Most bold on the pages are the diverse illustrations which have the number hidden within it as well as a duck for the reader to find. The words have a lyrical quality to them, and help the audience get into a rhythm while reading. “Eight picket signs showing that we care” for example, has the number 8, the written word, and the visual representation of eight picket signs. All of these together aid in the development of algebraic thinking, a crucial developmental stage for all young children. Nagara truly is a visionary in children’s literature, and Counting on Community is a must for every young reader’s library.
About the Author & the Illustrator:
Innosanto Nagara was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, and moved to the U.S. in 1988 to study zoology at UC Davis. A couple of decades later, he is a graphic designer. He is a founding member of Design Action Collective, a worker-owned cooperative design studio in Oakland that is dedicated to “serving the Movement for social change”. He’s very lucky to be able to do what he does best (graphic design) for the people and organizations he respects the most (activists) who are working towards a better world.