Zero

Author(s) Kathryn Otoshi
Illustrator(s)
Age Group 4-8
Publisher KO Kids Books
ISBN 978-0972394635
Year 2010

Zero is a big round number. When she looks at herself, she just sees a hole right in her center. Every day she watches the other numbers line up to count and thinks: "Those numbers have value. That's why they count." Zero feels empty inside. She watches One having fun with the other numbers. One has bold strokes and squared corners. Zero is big and round with no corners at all. "If I were like One, then I can count too," she thinks. So she pushes and pulls, stretches and straightens, forces and flattens herself, but in the end she realizes that she can only be Zero. As budding young readers learn about numbers and counting in this story, they are also introduced to accepting different body types, developing social skills and character, and learning what it means to find value in yourself and in others.