Great Picture Books of Numbers and the Alphabet

I adore the playful use of the alphabet and numbers through picture books.  My youngest is still working on learning these.  My oldest, while he knows his alphabet and numbers quite well, is thoroughly invested in these books.

It is so difficult to limit the list of alphabet books, because we love so many.  When I started looking at this list I thought I would have the top five of both categories, but there are just too many great choices.  The best way to learn is through repetition and having many books to pull from can really help.  I try to always have some of these books on hand. 

Great Numbers Books

10 Minutes Till Bedtime
by Peggy Rathmann
From the author of the classic Good Night, Gorilla, comes my children's favorite book about numbers.  My son really figured out numbers using this book.  There are ten hamsters with shirts numbered 1-10.  Each picture can be used as a seek-and-find.  They do some pretty silly stuff while getting ready for bed.  Entertaining and educational - the perfect combination.

Museum 123
by Metropolitan Museum of Art
City 123
by Zoran Milich

These are both creative books showcasing the numbers using art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and photography from around New York City.

Zero

by Kathryn Otoshi

This book delves into the value of numbers and adding zeros to make 10, 100, 1000....  Great for learning numbers, value and accepting being different. It is amazing that Otoshi managed to fit all of these into one simple, yet beautiful book.

20 Hungry Piggies
by Trudy Harris, illustrated by Andrew N. Harris

Most other books only go up to the number 10, so this book is good to expand upon the early number learning.  The big, bad wolf even makes an appearance, but how the pigs rid themselves of him is so much fun!

Some classic numbers books that we have enjoyed: 

1, 2 Buckle My Shoe
by Anna Grossnickle Hines

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3

by Bill Martin Jr and Michael R Sampson, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Ten, Nine, Eight
by Molly Bang

Ten Little Caterpillars

by Bill Martin Jr

Great Alphabet Books

Astonishing Animal ABC
by Charles Fuge

One of our favorite alphabet books is from our beloved author/illustrator, Charles Fuge.  More lovely illustrations of animals and some creative animals.  Some of illustrations show more use of the letters than is in the text, so it is fun to discover more with the kids.  The end is a surprise that it is not a zebra, which was a disappointment to me at first, but the kids love it because it is silly.  

Creature ABC
by Andrew Zuckerman

Gorgeous photography of animals.  

Alphabeasties: And Other Amazing Types 

by Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss 

"Beasties" of animals made using type.  Such a fun, creative way for kids to see the letters of the alphabet repeatedly.

The Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town

by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

A really excellent way to introduce the alphabet. 10 Minutes Till Bedtime engages my children in a way similar to this book.  Each letter of the alphabet is going to sleep and on the final pages we talk about all the letters together and the nearby objects that start with their letters.  The illustration by Melissa Sweet is so adorable and really makes the letters come to life.

E-mergency!
by Tom Lichtenfeld
Brilliant play on words - the "E" is down for the count.  Th story gts difficult to rad bcaus all of ths lttrs ar missing.  Fun, but mayb mor so for th advancd :) 

An Annoying ABC

by Barbara Bottner
An awesome use of alliteration and bad, bawdy behaviors make this an entertaining read for kids.  We can talk about manners and the alphabet all in one!

Alphabet City
by Stephen Johnson
OR 

ABC NYC: A Book about Seeing New York City
by Joanne Dugan

These are both books of clever photographs in which you can find a letter of the alphabet. Alphabet City is more outdated while the latter is a more modern version, but both are enjoyable to discover where the photographer found the letters.

LMNO Peas
by Keith Baker

Highlights hobbies and careers using each letter of the alphabet.  Wonderfully illustrated and great use of "pea-ple."

A is for Salad

by Mike Lester

This book is so ridiculous, but so fun. Really should be for older kids who have a grasp of the alphabet already.  All the letters are jumbled - an alligator is eating a salad, so to get the most out of this book the children have to understand that the A is really for the Alligator.

Some classic alphabet books that we have enjoyed: 

Eating the Alphabet
by Lois EhlertChicka Chicka Boom Boom
by Bill Martin Jr

Dr. Seuss's ABC

by Dr. Seuss

Animalia
by Graeme Base

We love new books at our house - if you love any literature on this topic that didn't make my list, please do share!

Our Absolute Favorite Author/Illustrator

I have always loved books. My entire life I have been fascinated with them, the beauty of them.  I was an advanced reader at a young age and just wouldn't put books down.  I still find myself doing that, although in the past few years it is usually Childrens' Picture books that catch my fancy.  Of course, these do combine two of my favorite things: literature and art.  


Picture books can be truly engaging, educational and beautiful.  My husband and I spend a lot of time reading books to our children, ages 2 and 5.  They in turn spend a lot of time curled up with their favorite books.  Our 5 year old, Greysen, is just grasping basic reading skills, so a whole new world of reading is opening up to him.  Camden, our precocious 2 year old, will rarely sit still, but loves to sit in front of the bookcase and "read" all of the books - her often word-for-word retelling is amazing.


I think books hold an amazing power for children to learn and grow.  Not simply for the language skills, but also the life lessons.  I will try to label all of the books that I post so that the topics covered are easier to access.  My local librarians are incredibly helpful when it's come to finding books on particular topics: sharing, anger, loss, bullying.  I have looked in the past for a website to help me find great books within these topics, but have found none.  If you know of any, please share them here.  


What better way to start this blog than with our favorite author/illustrator, Charles Fuge. This does not cover one particular topic, but we enjoy his books so thoroughly that he must be the first thing that we share.

I believe our first encounter with Charles Fuge was with his book I Know a Rhino.  We happened upon it at the local library and oh what fun!  


"I know a Rhino, We like to take tea, I have two sugars, and Rhino has three"


Very simple rhyming and fun animal illustrations.  That is probably what we love most about Fuge's books.  I don't know a child that doesn't adore animals and his illustrations certainly make the animals adorable.  


Sadly, this book is out of print, but you can find it at the library or in used format (that's where I got our copy).


When I discover an author/illustrator that I love, I enjoy searching out their other literature.  We have found that we like (and subsequently own) nearly everything that Fuge has written/illustrated.  

Bedtime Hullabaloo! is by far our favorite book.  Written by David Conway and illustrated by Charles Fuge, Bedtime Hullabaloo! is just so much darn fun.  While I've read some critics feel that the alliteration and wordplay is uneven, my whole family thinks it is great fun.  


"One night on the silly savannah a ludicrous leopard is leapfrogging to bed..."


Greysen and Camden can recite the whole book (and can tell someone when they've read it incorrectly!).  We plan to share it at a Campfire Stories event at our library this week.


Once again, Fuge's illustrations are playful and amusing images of animals.  

We have read every book on the list below of Fuge's works and loved them all.  His earlier works are not as playful, the animal illustrations are a little more realistic, but still beautiful.   We usually give gifts of books and those pictured here are top choice!

Greysen and Camden's review of all of the above books: "We love the animals and the stories that have stuffed animals.  We love the animals.  We love the animals!"

I tried to label each book as to the main topics or themes covered.  I will likely revisit many of these books in future posts.  

Charles Fuge Illustrated Books
Title	Author	Labels
Whale is Stuck/Whale Gets Stuck	Hayles, Karen	cooperation, problem solving
Flea's Best Friend	Fuge, Charles	dogs
Dinosaurs! : a spot-the-difference puzzle book	Parker, Steve	puzzle
Sam's Sneaker Search	O'Brien, Claire	lost, found, shoes
My dad!	Fuge, Charles	dad, father
It's a Monster Party!	Pym, Tasha	differences, new friends
I Know a Rhino	Fuge, Charles	bedtime, animals, rhyme
Trumpet: the little elephant with a big temper	Clarke, Jane	temper, tantrum, anger
I Love It When You Smile	McBratney, Sam	bad day, bad mood, smiling
Yes We Can!	McBratney, Sam	individuality, friendship
This is the Way	Fuge, Charles	animal sounds, animal actions
Yip!Snap!Yap!	Fuge, Charles	sounds
Astonishing Animal ABC	Fuge, Charles	ABC, alphabet, animals
Bedtime Hullabaloo	Conway, David	bedtime
Three Little Dinosaurs	Fuge, Charles	flight, dinosaurs, friends
Wombat Series:
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball	Churchill, Vicki	favorite things, bedtime
Found You, Little Womat!	McAllister, Angela	getting lost, being found
Swim, Little Wombat, Swim!	Fuge, Charles	making new friends, differences
Where To, Little Wombat!	Fuge, Charles	adventure, home
The Adventures of Little Wombat	multiple	(includes the first four books)
Watch Out, Little Wombat!	Fuge, Charles	imagination, monsters
Gilbert Series:
Gilbert the Great	Clarke, Jane	loss, making new friends
Gilbert in Deep	Clarke, Jane	fearless, danger, adventure
Gilbert the Hero	Clarke, Jane	baby, brother