"If Digger finds the digits 0-9 he can make a number to chew anytime!"
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Digger Digs Digits by Jean Griffing Madden Illustrated by Ivy Marie Apa Trafford Publishing
book review by Michael Radon
Designed as an entertaining way to teach children the difference between numbers and digits, Jean Griffing Madden's Digger Digs Digits tells the story of the dog Digger, who enjoys chewing on digits. Having buried the digits all a year ago, Digger happily sets out on his quest to remember where he put them all. Finding them one by one and exploring the world around him at the same time, Digger's story comes to life through the superb illustrations created by Ivy Marie Apa. Digger's happy expressions and the interesting critters he meets pop off the page and get children excited about reading and learning. From ants and bees to scarecrows and birds, a whole cast of characters are there for children to meet as they follow Digger.
Digger Digs Digits sets itself apart from other educational stories by teaching something that doesn't immediately come to mind, though the lesson itself doesn't stand out on its own. As such, this book performs better as a teaching aid to an already established lesson plan. With its bright, cartoonish, and happy illustrations, this book is appropriate for children whether they're already attending school or not. By defining the difference between digits and numbers for children, it helps them get a grasp of basic math concepts that will help them as they learn to do more complex things. It's is a good addition for children in any home or classroom.