Counting Books

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When her children Matthew and Andrew were small, Elizabeth (one of the co-authors) would often recite “One, two, buckle my shoe . . .” as she helped them learn to tie their shoes. Soon it became a favorite jingle to chant around the house. She also mentioned that “Five Little Monkeys” was her mantra at bedtime, as the boys went into overdrive activity on the bed while putting on their pajamas.

Numbers are everywhere in a child’s environment: on the clock, on the front of their homes or apartments, on billboards, on the dashboard of the car, even on the buttons on the television remote control! The concept of counting is best learned through manipulating concrete objects, of course, but counting books offer opportunities to introduce and reinforce one-to-one correspondence, recognition of numbers, counting sequentially, sets, sorting, and other essential mathematical concepts. Look for counting books that clearly present the objects to be counted, make sure that sets or groupings are obvious, and try to select books that feature common objects for the youngest children to count (Huck et al., 2001).

Very young children will enjoy Tana Hoban’s Count and See (1972), which photographically presents common objects, street scenes, everyday situations, and diverse children. A companion book is 1,2,3 (1985) by Hoban. Familiar objects are presented in photographs (toes, fingers, shoes, etc.), as well as the number names and numerals, making the book easy to use.

Denise Fleming’s book, Count! (1992) combines colorful, action-packed illustrations with descriptive text to help youngsters learn about counting from 1 to 10 and then by 10s to 50. Animals and insects are featured on double-page spreads, accompanied by the corresponding numeral, number words, and set. Fleming’s use of handmade pulp paper in bright primary colors makes the objects easy to count.

Bedtime is the subject of two counting books featuring families. The Midnight Farm (Lindbergh, 1987) is a soothing lullaby that describes nighttime among the animals on a farm. The beautifully muted two-page spreads by Susan Jeffers take the reader on a midnight trip around the farm with a mother and son, while the text weaves in a counting rhyme as the pair encounters animals on their nocturnal exploration. Ten, Nine, Eight (Bang, 1983) conveys tenderness, security, and the loving relationship of father and daughter as they get ready for bed. The numerals clearly stand out on a white background, accompanied by a short, descriptive phrase about the objects to be counted. The illustrations are presented in warm colors and simple vignettes. Both of the books would be soothing to read to children at the end of a long day.

A family shops together and prepares a meal in Feast for Ten (Falwell, 1993). It’s tempting to try to feel the textures in the collage illustrations, made from different types of fabric. The numerals stand out clearly and the objects are easy to count. The story line offers a warm affirmation of African American family life as each of the family members participates and cooperates.

Counting Books

• Big Fat Hen (Baker, 1994)
• Counting to Christmas (Tafuri, 1998)
• Let’s Count it Out, Jesse Bear (Carlstrom, 1996)
• Mouse Count (Walsh, 1995)
• One Red Sun (Keats, 1999)
• Over in the Meadow (Keats, 1971)
• Roll Over: A Counting Song (Peek, 1999)
• Ten Black Dots (Crews, 1986)
• Ten Cats have Ten Hats: A Counting Book (Marzollo, 1994)
• Ten Little Bears: A Counting Rhyme (Hague, 1999)
• Ten Rosy Roses (Merriam, 1999)
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Carle, 1969)