Penny, The Review Group's reviewer Penny for Your ThoughtsThe Review Group
Children's ✦ Penny’s Take

The Counting Race

Margaret McNamara · 2003
68/100
👎 Skip It

A solid, trusted early reader that does exactly what a beginning-literacy classroom book should — appropriate Lexile level, positive teamwork message, and a 20-year series track record. It is formulaic by design, and it will not surprise anyone, but it earns a reliable place on the classroom shelf.

✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
📚 Buy the book 📱 Read on Kindle 🎧 Listen on Audible affiliate links · support the site, never the verdict
As an Amazon Associate and Audible affiliate, Penny earns from qualifying purchases. This never affects the verdict — see our affiliate disclosure.
Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety98
substance55
craft60
originality45
accuracy85
hype60
age-fit90
human-eye62
Penny’s verdict68
Cross-pollinate