HOW TO TWO

So much more than a counting book, this heartfelt and timeless story is about inclusivity and the joys of making new friends, from the co-creator of the New York Times bestselling Ladybug Girl series

A child's solitary day at the playground turns into a boisterous park-wide adventure as one boy on the slide becomes two kids on the see-saw, then three jumping rope. Before long, ten new friends are playing like they've known one another forever.
With its deceptively simple text and a rich visual narrative, How to Two is a playful counting and reverse-counting concept book as well as an exuberant celebration of inclusive play, friendship, and community.

Pictures worth a thousand words: This text's limited vocabulary is just right for children learning to count, and the illustrations add layers of storytelling--about various modes of play and making new friends--that are ripe for discussion.

More than a concept book: David Soman's art delivers a clear message about friendship, empathy, and inclusivity, as kids of different races, ages, and sizes come together to play.

Fresh art style: Award-winning author-illustrator David Soman takes an adorable, pre-school slant on his art style, one that still captures the classic-feeling, every-kid appeal that fans have come to love and expect from him.

Easter eggs: As the number of playmates grows, readers can search and find the corresponding number of critters (pigeons, chipmunks, etc.) frolicking in each image.

A sweet surprise ending: The protagonist learns "to two" with a new friend on the see-saw, but when the day is done, he discovers that sharing a book with his mother is another way to "two."

A classic in the making: Like Kevin Henkes's A Good Day and Marla Frazee's All the World, this beautiful, layered concept book should be part of every toddler's library.

David Soman hails from a family of artists, and has been drawing since he could walk (over to the kitchen walls to draw on them). He is the New York Times bestselling co-creator of the Ladybug Girl series with his wife, Jacky Davis, as well as author and illustrator of Three Bears in a Boat and The Monster Next Door. David, Jacky, their children, and a big furry dog live in New York's Hudson Valley. When not working on picture books, shoveling snow, or chopping firewood, David is an instructor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.