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Counting Creatures

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Counting Creatures by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sharon King-Chai
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous book this is! A simple premise of how many babies does each animal have, with sumptuous color and lift-the flap excitement makes Counting Creatures one of my newest faves. Children will enjoy guessing how many babies will be revealed under each flap and then counting them with you. The author does a great job with accurate terminology for each kind of baby as well. (Leverets, anyone?) As Donaldson gets to the end, when more and more babies come to be, she adds a surprise that will have you turning right back to the first page to start over! Snuggle up with your littles to Counting Creatures, you will love this one.

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Swallow the Leader

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Submitted by Ms. Shannon!

Swallow the Leader: A Counting Book by Danna Smith and illustrated by Kevin Sherry. Take a dip under the sea with a group of fantastic rhyming fish friends! You can swim and play together with the turtles, whales, rays, blowfish, and crabs. We watch our aquatic friends and pretend to be a different underwater creature on every page. Follow the leader is a super fun game to play with lots of friends, everyone can pitch in. Can you splash like a fish? Can you snap like a crab? Can you count to ten? We count and we rhyme and we play and we swim and we might have forgotten to LOOK OUT FOR THAT SHARK! AAAGHHH! See this book listed in our catalog

Ten Tiny Babies

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Submitted by Mr. Eric!

Have you ever heard the old saying “the tiniest baby screams the loudest?” Well, Ten Tiny Babies, written and illustrated by Karen Katz, will have you and your little one screaming for joy as you read through this fun counting book together. What is more adorable than one tiny baby? Ten adorable tiny babies! Slowly, one by one, babies join together to wiggle their toes, jump around, and play silly games, until we have a total of ten cute babies. After all that activity they quickly tucker out and take a much deserved nap. This book is an excellent example of a counting book that will teach your child the basics of counting through the use of adorable illustrations of goofy babies. (Pro Tip: As you read the book to your child, pause on each page to count each of the babies, encouraging them to count with you!) See this book listed in our catalog

1 Big Salad

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Submitted by Ms. Sam!

1 Big Salad by Juana Medina is a delicious counting book that kids and adults will equally love with it’s nutritious fun elements. From 1 through 10, each ingredient for the big salad is depicted as a fun little animal. We begin with 1 Avocado Deer and move to 4 Carrot Horses to 7 Radicchio Lions to 10 Clementine Kitties. Each page will help kiddos practice their counting skills as well as use their imagination to see the fruit/veggie animals. All ten ingredients make up a wonderfully healthy salad that might even grab the attention of the pickiest eaters. There is also a quick and simple recipe for salad dressing in the back! See this book listed in our catalog

A Tower of Giraffes

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Submitted by Ms. Cassie!

A Tower of Giraffes: Animals in Groups by Anna Wright is a gorgeous book filled with animals, illustrated in inked collage. This book will teach your thoughtful little one more about collective nouns. From a parcel of penguins to a scurry of squirrels, you’ll never be at a loss to describe a group of animals again! This book is a wonderful way to teach new vocabulary while enjoying the beautiful aesthetic she’s created. See this book listed in our catalog

Count the Monkeys

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Submitted by Ms. Wendy!

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett. Right from the title page, Barnett breaks down the wall between a book and the reader. He talks directly to the kids reading, and encourages them to “count the monkeys.” Unfortunately, a wide variety of creatures have scared the monkeys off each page, and the narrator needs children to help him get rid of them so we can count the monkeys. This book is a wild ride that invites interaction. With everything from shouting and hand motions, to banging pots and pans (if you’ve got them), kids will love Count the Monkeys! See this book listed in our catalog