Tlotlego is hosting a tea party for the WHOLE family.
“How many people are coming for tea, Koko?”
“You, me, Mama, and Papa. And your little sister, Tshiamo.”
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Tlotlego counts the teacups as he takes them from the kitchen.
“One, two, three, four, and one for Koko!”
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Tlotlego goes to the stoep and places the teacups down on the table.
“One, two, three, four, and … ?”
“I only see four cups,” says Koko, “but we are five people.”
“When I was in the kitchen before, there were five cups!” Tlotlego exclaims.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Tlotlego counts the pretty little plates as he takes them from the cupboard.
“One, two, three, four, and five! There’s a plate for each of us.”
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Tlotlego goes to the stoep and places the plates next to the teacups.
“One, two, three, four, and … ?”
“I only see four plates,” says Koko, “but we are five people.”
1, 2, 3, 4.
Tlotlego counts the biscuits as he takes them from the jar.
“One, two, three, four, and five!”
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Tlotlego goes to the stoep and places the biscuits on the plates.
“One, two, three, four, and … ?”
“I only see four biscuits,” says Koko, “but we are five people.”
Tlotlego is very confused.
He knows he has been counting correctly.
Before he had five biscuits, and now there are only four.
HOW did the biscuits become less?
? ? ? ? ?
Tlotlego counts the sugar cubes as he takes them from the jar.
“One, two, three, four, and five!”
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Tlotlego goes to the stoep and places the sugar cubes on the table.
This time, he is sure he hears a giggle.
“One, two, three, four, and … ?”
“Five!” shouts a voice from under the table.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Tlotlego bends down to look under the table.
To his shock, he sees a complete tea set laid out under the table!
There are the missing teacup, plate, biscuit, and sugar cube.
FIVE!
When Mama and Papa come home from work, they all have tea on the stoep.
One, two, three of them having tea at the table, and two of them having tea below!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Credits
Originally published by Book Dash under a Creative Commons Licensed BY 4.0. This book can be read for free on https://bookdash.org/books/tlotlegos-tea-party/ and was created by: Nabeela Kalla (Editor), Laura de Lange (Writer), Ashlyn Atkinson (Designer), Nicolene Louw (Illustrator)
