Favorite Counting Books

I remember how much I enjoyed a counting book with a twist. I do completely believe in the power of picture books to teach math concepts but I do need a little something extra as I am reading the book for the tenth time. My own counting picture book library was not too robust so I trolled through a 4-foot stack of counting books to find these treasures. I hope that you and your child enjoy them. What are your favorite counting books? Please leave a comment and I’ll keep adding to this list.

p.s. If you like this post, you might like Best Picture Books That Teach Math Concepts or Best ABC Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers.

26 Favorite Counting Picture Books

One is a Pinata: A Book of Numbers by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by John Parra

Use this bilingual counting book to introduce kids to Spanish and Latino culture! [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Chicka, Chicka 123 by Bill Jr. Martin, Michael Sampson, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

A sequel to Chicka Chicka ABC, this book is perfect for a child learning to count to 100. We use the front and back inside covers to count to 100, count by 10’s, and count by 5’s. It’s also fun to point out patterns because the numbers are wonderfully color-coded as in, hey look how all the numbers in this column end in the number 2! [picture book, ages 2 and up]

The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe! by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Colin Jack

I love this funny picture book that also manages to sneak in many different ways to count including in Spanish, by two’s, by three’s, and backward! [picture book, ages 3 and up]

How To Count to 1 (and don’t even THINK about bigger numbers!) by Caspar Salmon, illustrated by Matt Hunt

A comical romp through the numbers, counting 1 through 10. This book also inspires readers to count up to 100 by insisting that this book is really about counting to the number 1, a clever strategy with laugh-out-loud humor. Also, it’s impossible not to count higher, given the engaging illustrations! This is a surefire way to get kids counting (and laughing)! [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Frank and Bert by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros

A game of hide and seek between two best friends is also a lesson in counting from 1 to 10 and also from 1 to 100! But this is also a story about kindness and letting your friend win too! [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Doggies by Sandra Boynton

If you love dogs, you’ll love this counting and barking book with an emphasis on barking! [picture book, ages 1 and up]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

A wonderful, enduring classic! [picture book, ages 1 and up]

Kahlo’s Koalas: 1, 2, 3, Count Art with Me by Grace Helmer

This board book uses animals and well-known artists to teach counting. Kids will learn about Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Roy Lichtenstein, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, Wassily Kandinsky, Vincent Van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Andy Warhol, and Claude Money including their styles of painting while searching and counting animals. Art history has never been so fun! [board book, ages 1 and up]

Bunny Party by Rosemary Wells

Max and Ruby have a party and the guest list keeps expanding. This is a great book that sneaks in counting with a story. It’s also fun to match the numbers with the guests. [picture book, ages 1 and up]

Icky Bug Numbers 1 2 3 Book by Jerry Pallota

Wonderful realistic bug illustrations plus counting 1 through 20 and even skip counting by 2’s. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Pigs from 1 to 10 by Arthur Geisert

Numbers are hidden in beautiful black-and-white illustrations. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

We All Went on Safari by Laura Krebs

As you count through Tanzania with Maasai friends, you will also learn Swahili! [picture book, ages 3 and up]

How Many Donkeys? An Arabic Counting Tale by Margaret Read MacDonald and Nadia Jameel Taibah

This tale combines Middle Eastern Folklore about a wise fool Jouha with counting to ten in both English and Arabic. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

100 School Days by Anne Rockwell

When my kids were in Kindergarten, their teacher tracked the 100th day of school and everyone brought in 100 objects in a bag to celebrate just like in this book. It’s also a great book for counting by 10’s to 100. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Tails by Matthew Van Fleet

My kids all loved this touch-and-feel book. [picture book, ages 1 and up]

Max Counts His Chickens by Rosemary Wells

Max and Ruby search for marshmallow chicks but Max is having trouble finding any. Count the chicks as Ruby finds with and then match them to the number. [picture book, ages 1 and up]

Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles by Christopher Wormell

Gorgeously illustrated and, finally!, the number as a symbol and word! [picture book, ages 1 and up]

1 2 3 Moose by Andrea Helman

A beautiful photographic counting book of the Pacific Northwest with great factoids. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Come Out and Play: Count Around the World in 5 Languages by Diane Law

A fun picture book to get exposure to different foreign languages. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

One Watermelon Seed by Celia Barker Lottridge

This gardening counting book is great because it also counts from 10s to 100. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

Eight Animals on the Town by Susan Middleton Elya

A counting book with Spanish mixed in! [picture book, ages 2 and up]

I Knew Two Who Said Moo by Judith Barrett

A counting and rhyming book with great vocabulary! [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth

All my kids loved touching the 3-D ladybugs that appear on every page. [picture book, ages 2 and up]

Seashells by the Seashore by Marianne Collins Berkes

A counting book that identifies different seashells. A must for anyone who regularly goes to the beach or for a little one who loves to collect shells. [picture book, ages 2 and up]