A book about counting can also be a book about making an impressive number of dog noises. Or keeping track of a household of pets. That's the part we'd start with when choosing one: what else is going on besides the numbers, and does it sound like something you'd want to read again?
Dogs, pets and changing groups
Doggies adds dogs and their different barks as it goes. The counting and the chorus grow together, which gives an adult quite a bit to play with in the reading.
Fifteen Animals! is about fifteen pets and their names. One, Two, Three! follows groups of animals from one through ten and back again. They're all counting books, but a shelf with one of each would have three rather different stories on it.
If you'd like a change of tone beside the number books, Little Pookie introduces its character through affectionate observations. It doesn't need to do the same job as the counting story to belong in the same little pile.
Let the story have the first reading
We'd read through once without adding a question to every page. There's a rhythm to hear and a collection of animals to look at. Later, if a group catches someone's attention, you can point and count together, or notice the new character who has arrived.
And if the dog voices are the whole attraction that day, you can stay with the dog voices. A book can have numbers in it and still be enjoyed simply as a funny animal story.
A few blocks beside the book
Gladfolk's maple alphabet and numeral set has six physical blocks, with letters and digits spread across the faces. For a child who meets the toy's actual age guidance, you could put a few in a line, count the group and then gather the same blocks into a different shape.
The small number of pieces is worth understanding before you plan an activity. Six blocks can make a little group to count alongside a book about many animals; they won't reproduce every scene. And because the digits share blocks, some numbers may not be possible to display at the same time. Have a look at the faces before promising a particular arrangement.
There's more about those physical differences in our wooden block and letter-board guide. The book can also stand on its own if the wooden pieces aren't suitable for the child you're reading with.
Choosing one to give
It can help to describe the gift in ordinary language: this one has all the dogs; this one has the pets and their names. That's more revealing than calling every title a learning book. Check the language and physical edition as you choose from our Sandra Boynton collection.
For another kind of page to explore, there are alphabet stories and books about opposites. A few different themes can give a small shelf plenty of places to go.
Leave a comment