Missing Mittens by Stuart J. Murphy

Read the book with the children discussing each page as you read it.   Help the children understand the difference between odd and even numbers.  Have the children choose a number between 1 and 10.  Ask the children to use their fingers to show that number.  Now ask children to see if each finger shown on the left hand has a partner to touch on the right hand.  If it does then the number is even.  If it doesn't ask how that little finger without a partner may feel.  Possible responses may be "sad", "lonely."  Explain that the finger left alone feels left out and odd.  Reread the story, count the numbers of mittens in each picture.  Point out that the animals need one more mitten than is present.  Talk about why the animals need an even number of mittens.