Look Out Numbers, Musk Ox Is On The Move

Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.

The Milkmaid and her Pail

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.

Albert Einstein

When angry, count to ten before you speak.  If very angry, count to one hundred.

Thomas Jefferson

Counting is part of everything we do everyday.  We learn about numbers at such an early age, it becomes as natural as blinking and breathing.  If you should happen to think learning to count is not important or downright fun, spend a day with kindergarten students, seeing the look of amazement in their eyes when they master counting from one to ten.

Five-year-old children are not the only ones who get a kick out of knowing numbers.  The dubious duo who made their first appearance in A Is For Musk Ox have returned in Musk Ox Counts (A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press) written by Erin Cabatingan with illustrations by Matthew Myers.  Mr. Que Sera Sera is still driving his striped companion crazy with his inability to follow the plan.

Hey!

What's going on?

Where's the

musk ox?

Musk Ox has decided to spend some time on the page for the number two with the yaks.  Being on the page for the number one was a tad bit too lonely for someone who enjoys the limelight as much as this guy.  Zebra is quick to point out the problem; there is now a zero where there should be a one and there are three where there should be two. 

Never one to not have a comeback ready, Musk Ox assures Zebra he will fix it.  His solution is to place a sign on Zebra's back reading, 1 Zebra Kick Me.  Maybe that page is now fixed (he has no way of knowing) but Zebra still believes the number two page is a mess. 

Musk Ox counters saying there really are only two yaks but Zebra says there are still three animals. That's when Musk Ox begins his biggest brainstorm yet; suggesting the book be changed to an addition book. His mathematical thinking is not what you might expect; 1 musk ox + 2 yaks = 3 hoofed, cold-loving animals.

Zebra begs him to go back to page one which Musk Ox reluctantly does, for about thirteen minutes.  Then he's off to another page.  Elephants scare him away, he scares birds away.

His numerical musing again leave much to be desired. (Much eye-rolling will be taking place.) Those birds he scared away, think the animals for page six look mighty tasty.  As Zebra trots to his own page for the number seven, Musk Ox has other plans.

At this point Zebra is fit to be tied; he's missed his page and landed among snakes, sleeping bears and a dog show.  Musk Ox's quick fix is to have them lie on their backs looking like they are ready to make snow angels.  Zebra's depression is now full blown.

The book is ruined. Zebra has no page.  Wait?! Musk Ox has an idea?!  It must be some idea because there goes Zebra chasing Musk Ox off the page and that rascal is grinning from ear to ear.

It is evident that Erin Cabatingan loves these two characters despite the fact they can rarely, if ever, agree on anything.  The conversational word-play, comprising the entire narrative, is a duel in the interpretation of what makes a counting book; it's Zebra versus Musk Ox, traditional versus devil-may-care. These two are ready to leap off the page into your presence with pizazz.  Here is one sample of an exchange between the two.

M: It's a good thing musk oxen have 4 stomachs, * (Technically, it's 4 chambers, but that just sounds weird.) just like cows.  Otherwise I don't know what we'd do for this page.

Z: You also have four feet.

M: So? That's not special.  Any old ninny can have 4 feet.

Z: I have 4 feet.

M: My point exactly.

There's not a single corner of wasted space on this title, beginning with the front cover; Matthew Myers takes us right into another rollicking romp with Musk Ox and Zebra.  Musk Ox leaves his mark with a less than complimentary drawing of Zebra on the blackboard.  On the back cover Zebra is on a scaffolding drawing 1rowdy musk ox + 1 annoyed zebra = 1 awesome counting book.  Of course Musk Ox is tucked into the bottom corner looking rather chagrined.  When you open the cover there stands Musk Ox, smiling broadly with a saw at his feet, having cut out the "o" so his face could peek through on the front.

Paintings by Myers extend the dialogue and generate enough humor to have your face aching from laughter.  Pale steely purple, tones of rose, sky blue with and without clouds, gray, white, gold provide backgrounds for his energetic visuals.  The body language and facial expressions match the moods of every single moment.  

Depending on the point in the story, the illustrations may be single or double page; some of the singles have Musk Ox's and Zebra's heads placed in cut-out circles as they speak, much like the people on the television show, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.  The placing of details adds to the comedy; the yaks and Musk Ox are playing Twister, Musk Ox is lounging with a pipe blowing bubbles, in the bear den there is a TV set with a remote lying on the ground, letters piling up near a mail slot and the tie, Zebra wearing a tie magnifies the difference between these two tenfold.  As I was trying to select a favorite illustration, I could not.  They are all uproarious.

If you are not acquainted with Musk Ox and Zebra you need to meet them as soon as you can, starting with Musk Ox Counts written by Erin Cabatingan with illustrations by Matthew Myers.  Expect readers and listeners alike to enjoy counting along with this pair over and over. Then make sure you have a copy of A Is For Musk Ox at the ready.  I do believe a third book is planned for the future.

Please follows the links embedded in the author's and illustrator's names above to access their websites.  To see more illustrations from this title, follow this link to the publisher's website.

Move Over Apple, Here Comes Musk Ox

The use of language, the formation of words, in storytelling and how we use them, written or spoken, almost has a magical quality to it.  When you think how they can make you feel, where you can go or how attached you become to characters, real or fictional, it's astounding. This is one of the reasons I have been captivated by and motivated to collect alphabet books over the years.

Textual presentations, storylines, coupled with the pictorial interpretations are as unique as the authors and illustrators themselves.  My fifty plus collection has recently grown by another title, A Is For Musk Ox ( A Neal Porter Book, Roaring Brook Press) by debut author, Erin Cabatingan with illustrations by Matthew Myers.  It would seem that Musk Ox wants to give this volume his own special twist.

Hey!

Hey you,

Musk Ox!

Did you do this?

Did you eat

that apple?

Pieces of apple, a discarded core, lying about his feet, apple juice dripping from his mouth, Musk Ox is confronted by a perturbed Zebra.  Finally admitting his guilt, he tells the disgruntled Zebra that on the contrary, the book is not ruined but saved.  In fact he has the perfect solution, "a" should be for musk ox.  

Of course, Zebra believes this suggestion to be ridiculous.  Musk ox does not start with "a".  In fact, there is no "a" anywhere in those two words.  Ever persistent, ever persuasive Musk Ox has the perfect answer, a musk ox is awesome, lives in the Arctic where some of the state of Alaska is located.

Zebra relents moving on to the letter "b".  Musk Ox wants that too, claiming musk oxen fur is brown and black.  Completely disgusted at this point, Zebra says he can have "b" and "c" as well.  For Musk Ox, that is like waving a red flag at a bull; it's full steam ahead.

When there is not an actual fact to fit a letter, Musk Ox continues to enumerate his many and wonderful attributes, at least in his opinion.  Lest you think, it's smooth sailing all the way to "z" for this hooved, horned herbivore, think again.  Letters "k", "l" and "m" result in some rather testy back and forth discussions between the two characters.

To be perfectly clear not every letter representation is replaced with musk ox.  He does have some alternatives which he justifies using his own personal brand of logic.  When Musk Ox finally arrives at "z", he and Zebra finally agree but to the delight of the former and the total humiliation of the latter.  Why is Zebra chasing Musk Ox?


Told entirely in conversations between Zebra and Musk Ox, with Musk Ox taking center stage for many of the letters, Erin Cabatingan gives her characters personality with a punch.  These two don't mince words (or thoughts) having discussions loaded with attitude.  It's a game of one-upmanship in the world of alphabet.  Here is a sample passage.

U is for musk ox
Because musk oxen 
have underwool!

You said that already.

Well, what do you want
me to say? Underwear?
Some parents might
not like that.


When looking at the front cover, the first thing you notice is the cutout, the bite out of the apple, framing Musk Ox with Zebra standing, hands on hips, looking at that strip of words glued over apple.  On the back cover is Zebra's own alliterative views glued over A Is For Musk Ox because...are annoying, and always about as aggravating....  Matthew Myers colorful visuals rendered in oils on illustration board are full of expressive spunk and your-stomach-will-hurt-from-laughing-so-much humor.

A variety of pale backgrounds showcase his characters and their faces as does the changes in perspective and zooming in for close-ups.  Depending on the letter and conversation his backgrounds might mirror the narrative; bookcases in a library, snowy Arctic abode of Musk Ox complete with a recliner and television set with rabbit ears.  The excluded word is shown somewhere in the overall illustration; clown shivering outside the window of Musk Ox's home, a shattered lamp, a tiny green turtle in the snow.  Myers chooses to use a single page, half page or even a double-page spread to focus on a letter adding to the flow, creating a sense of movement.


If you're looking for an upbeat, snappy alphabet book packed with hilarity, A Is For Musk Ox written by Erin Cabatingan with paintings by Matthew Myers is a sure bet.  Reading it aloud with a voice brimming with expression, will have listeners laughing like crazy.  I can also see this working well as a reader's theater title.

Here is a link to the publisher's website for more illustrations.  If you follow the link embedded in Matthew Myers' name you can see other visuals as well as informative pages revealing his illustrative process.  Here is a link to the ARKive for Muskox.