Our top 10 counting books

Elmer’s First Counting Book  David McKee
Andersen Press
Age 0-3

In this bright and attractive elephant shaped counting book children will meet Elmer and some of his friends. Count the animals on each page and talk about what they are all doing.
See lovemybooks ideas for sharing the first story about Elmer.

Alphaprints 123  Roger Priddy
Priddy Books
Age 0-5

A board book with lovely textured animal pictures made from finger prints. It would be fun to make your own using finger paint. Includes numbers up to ten and a counting rhyme on every page.

Count to 100  Felicity Brooks, Sophia Touliatou (Illus)
Usborne
Age 3-7

This is a very attractive book with gorgeous illustrations to count on every page including flowers, animals, and the night sky: from one full moon to 100 twinkling stars. Young readers are encouraged to count in ones up to twenty and then introduced to whole tens (30, 40, 50 etc) to 100.

In addition to the counting on every page other concepts are introduced (eg first and last, lowest and highest) and there is plenty to spot, ‘I’m the biggest [animal]’ says the whale which is the smallest? Every double page provides lots to talk about together. Readers are encouraged to voice preferences – which flower do you prefer?

Watch the publisher’s introduction to the book: 

Count with little fish Lucy Cousins
Walker
Age 0-3

This is a perfect first counting book for the very young. The illustrations of the different fish (thin fish, fat fish, shy fish and scary fish) are beautiful, brightly coloured and patterned and might inspire some ‘fishy’ painting. Numbers are included as words and numerals. There is a pleasing rhyme to the text making it tuneful to read aloud and return to.

Gorilla Anthony Browne
Walker Books
Age 0-5

Anthony Browne is one of our most successful picture book makers. Most of his books are for over sevens and if you know his work you will recognise that gorillas often feature. In this beautiful counting book with detailed illustrations a broad family of primates are the focus.

A Million Dots, Sven Völker
Cicada Books
Age 7-11

This book takes its readers from one to a million in twenty dramatic double page spreads.

Each spread includes numbers represented in digits and words, and sums which take you to the next page where the first challenge is to read the next number. The focus is on doubling and the speed with which you reach over a million is mind boggling. Parents and children will find themselves competing to see who can calculate the next number.

The illustrations highlight all that could (potentially!) be counted in the world around us from the number of apples on a tree, to the numbers of freckles on a face moving on to all that probably could not be counted such as the number of blades of grass on a sports field or stars in the sky. Children can be encouraged to look out for other examples in the world around them.

The design is bold and attractive and the final spread is an extra delight, a gatefold page emphasising the magnitude of the final number (1,048,576!)

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle
Penguin
Age 0-5

A picture book classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar tells the story of a rather greedy little caterpillar searching for food. Children can count the foods the caterpillar nibbles through as well as learning about the life cycle of a butterfly, the days of the week and healthy eating.
See lovemybooks ideas for sharing The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer Dan Crisp (illus)
Child’s Play
Age 0-3

This is an illustrated version of the well-known rhyming song with holes for little fingers to explore. Great for joining in and counting the illustrations build a story alongside the rhyme.
See lovemybooks ideas for sharing Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer.Hippos go Berserk age 3-5 Sandra Boynton Simon and Schuster

One Moose Twenty Mice Stella Blackstone and Clare Beaton
Barefoot Books
Age 3-5

A counting book with numbers up to 20. The lovely images are created from felt applique. As well as counting the animals there is fun to be had in spotting the cat hiding on every page.

Countablock Christopher Franceschelli
Abrams Appleseed
Age 3-7

Beautifully designed, the thick pages of this book are cut into number shapes. Peep through to see what’s coming next. As well as a counting book there are transformations to discover with one egg becoming one chicken and two snowmen become two puddles. Numbers up to 100.