Number Books
Nibbles Numbers
By Emma Yarlett
A brilliant interactive number book that little ones can really get involved with!
Nibbles is a cheeky little yellow monster who munches his way through the pages, making counting to 10 feel playful and fun. Children can count along, spot what Nibbles has been up to and enjoy trying to catch him as they move through the book.
It’s funny, colourful and full of opportunities for talk, counting and joining in — definitely one of my favourite number books for younger children.
Click the link below to check out Nibbles Numbers on Amazon.
Counting Colours
By Roger Priddy
A brilliant large-format book that combines counting, colours and searching all in one.
Each page is packed with colourful objects for children to spot, count and talk about, making it perfect for encouraging number recognition while also building colour vocabulary and observation skills.
I especially love how much there is to look at — children can come back to the pages again and again, noticing something different each time. It’s a really lovely book for turning early maths into something playful and interactive.
A brilliant choice for little ones learning their colours and beginning to count.
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Ten Little...
By Mike Brownlow & Simon Rickerty
The Ten Little series is brilliant for early counting, but Ten Little Dinosaurs is one of my favourites.
As the dinosaurs disappear one by one, children can join in with counting backwards from 10, while the story also gives you so much more to explore. There are opportunities for movement, sounds and sensory play too — from stomping like dinosaurs to talking about what they might see, hear and even smell in their world.
It’s fun, repetitive and really easy for little ones to join in with, making it a great book for building early number confidence through story and play.
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Mr Snail's Counting Trails
By Rosie Greening
Oh, I really like this one! Mr Snail’s Counting Trail is such a lovely hands-on number book for little ones.
Children can feel and trace the numbers with their fingers, and the book actually guides them in the correct direction for forming each number — a brilliant gentle introduction to early number writing without it feeling like a worksheet.
There are also little flaps to lift as Mr Snail delivers his post to different homes, which adds another lovely interactive element, and the rhyming text makes it really enjoyable to read aloud.
It’s playful, tactile and packed with early maths opportunities. This is one we’ve gone back to over and over again — definitely a favourite for younger children.
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Ten Black Dots
By Donald Crews
Ten Black Dots is such an interesting counting book — simple, but really quite captivating.
Each page shows how black dots can become part of something completely different, which makes it brilliant for counting but also for encouraging imagination and creativity.
What I really like about this one is how easily you can take the idea beyond the book. Give children some black loose parts — buttons, counters, pom-poms, stones, bottle tops — and see what they can create with them. Can one dot become an eye? Two dots become wheels? Five dots become part of a picture?
It’s a lovely example of how a simple counting book can lead into open-ended play, creativity and mathematical thinking.
Definitely one I really like and would recommend.
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Keep Checking Back!
I’ll keep adding to this list as I discover new favourites, revisit old ones and find number books that are just too good not to share.
These are all books I genuinely enjoy using with little ones, so do pop back from time to time to see what’s been added.
And remember — the best books don’t have to stay on the page. Use them as a starting point for talk, play, counting, creating and exploring together.
Affiliate disclosure
Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to buy something through one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share books and resources that I genuinely recommend.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.