How Many Animals Can Fit in This Book?

Natalia Yaskina is a picture book maker and illustrator based in New York, originally from Moscow, Russia. She studied illustration and book design in the Moscow State University of Printing Arts. Natalia has over 10 award-winning books, published in Russia, Germany, Austria and China. Her illustrations have been featured in many picture book exhibitions and competitions, including the Illustrators Exhibition at the BCBF in 2024, the Golden Pinwheel Exhibition at the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair in 2023 and the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava in 2021. Natalia has three kids and when not drawing love to sketch and travel.

There's just enough room in this counting book for one ant, but a bevy of animals manage to squeeze their way in, too.As the story opens, the ant prepares to bite into a delicious apple. "You want to know how many animals can fit in this book?" our diminutive protagonist asks. "I'll tell you. This book is perfect for 1 ant!" Suddenly a lion pushes its paw in: "2 lions can fit in here, too!" Despite the ant's reservations, the big cats stick around. Along come three crocodiles, four zebras, and five meerkats. Finally, 10 ladybugs shove in, and the ant shouts, "That's ENOUGH!" The ant bites one of the lions, the bustling scene is cleared as the other animals are frightened away, and the ant is alone again. Readers will love the clever ending, in which the ant decides to find an empty, quiet book, and the crew of animals lumber along, too. Yaskina's simple illustrations serve the dual purpose of engaging little readers in a seek-and-find while also encouraging counting practice. The animals appear in different positions, running, prancing, and hopping with each turn of the page. All have simple block coloring and a two-dimensional appearance; their wide eyes have black centers. Ripe for rereading, the text follows a predictable, repeated pattern of question and answer that's pitch-perfect for the toddler crowd, while the contrast between the curmudgeonly ant and the blissfully unaware animals is laugh-out-loud funny.Playful and silly.