2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge: Numbers
We’re officially halfway through the 2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge with today’s letter “N” for numbers. Counting is one of the earliest literacy skills that kids learn and there are dozens of counting board books available! And I love that you can find really different and diverse books about numbers that kids will relate to. You’ll find everything from animals, to trucks, friends, to outer space and a whole lot in between!
Counting is a skill that little ones learn early and books can help kids identify what the number looks like written down as they count items on the page. So whether you’re counting the infinite ways that babies are loved by their families or the number of animals on the planet, kids will love to interact along with the story as they count along with you with every turn of the page!
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2026 Blogging A to Z Challenge: Numbers
Count to Love by Andrea Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney
Count to love on fingers and toes.
1-2-3-4, touch your nose!
Snuggle up with your little one to celebrate sweet baby love! You won’t be able to resist this adorable board book full of cutie charms, belly kisses, and magic wishes, just-right for fans of bestselling books like Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. With bouncing, rhythmic text from New York Times bestselling author Andrea Davis Pinkney and warm, winsome illustrations from Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning illustrator Brian Pinkney. This joyful celebration of roly-poly, perfectly huggable, oh-so lovable little ones that is just-right for the whole family, for Valentine’s Day and all throughout the year! So get ready to count to love… because once you start, you just won’t stop!
First Friends: Numbers by MK Smith Despres, illustrated by Aya Watanabe
At drop off there’s one kiss goodbye, one hug hello, and ten waves goodbye when it’s time to go. Count through the day from playtime to naptime at daycare!
- Introduces early math and counting concepts
- Shows a diverse cast of toddlers going through their daily routines at daycare
- Seek-and-and items through out the book from the last page
Name Your Numbers by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, illustrated by Edward Underwood
Whether it’s an elephant’s two tusks, a lion’s four paws, a koala’s five claws, or a goose’s ten feathers, each animal on these cheery pages has something to count. But what about Crocodile Claire, popping up at the end? Who dares to count her teeth? The rhythmic, singsong text combined with sweet, simple illustrations will have toddlers laughing along while learning numbers from one to ten.
On Powwow Day by Traci Sorrell, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight
This eye-catching, interactive board book is sure to keep toddlers engaged. Count one through ten as you make your way through the day of the powwow, looking for colors, family members, jingle dresses, musical instruments, and tribal citizens in this introduction to a traditional Native event.
123 Who Comes Next? By Amy Matsushita-Beal
Here comes a boy, that is 1. Next comes a girl, that together makes 2. A lady joins the two, which makes them 3. Then comes a dog! How many will they make?
Creatures great and small—and even a vegetable—all come together to help children learn to count 1 to 10 and to recognize numbers. Young readers will be eager to see who comes next, and what number they are. The last page, of course, is the most surprising and fun to all!
10 Little Construction Trucks by Annie Bailey, illustrated by Jeff Harter
Ten little construction trucks excited for the day.
They can’t wait to get to work, but something’s in their way!
On each page of this exciting board book, young readers can count down construction vehicles from ten to one. Along the way, they’ll learn about different machines on a construction site, such as bulldozers, rollers, forklifts, and concrete mixers. With action on every page, this is the perfect book to read aloud with your little vehicle fan.
3, 2, 1 To the Moon! by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Joey Chou
With 3, 2, 1 to the MOON!, children will:
- Learn to count from 10 to 1 with the Moon leading the way
- Discover the Moon’s phases and orbit through an innovative spinning wheel cover
- Enhance hand-eye coordination by playing with the interactive features and flipping pages
- Stay entertained during road trips and airplane rides with Moon by their side!
With funny characters, stand-out illustrations, and an innovative cover, this board book is an out-of-this-world learning experience!
Two Dogs on a Trike by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal
One by one, each dog escapes its yard and joins the adventure in this hilarious counting story. Vehicle-obsessed readers will love seeing all the modes of transportation that the pups use—until the family cat decides to round them all up to go back home.
Walk with Me by Nancy E. Uslan
Explore the outdoors in this vibrant counting adventure! Count lizards, monkeys, zebras, and more colorful animals in this delightful rhyming journey set in Rwanda and illustrated with bright patterns inspired by East African kitenge designs. Just right for reading to little ones, this vivid book is the perfect introduction to counting from one to ten.
2026 is my eleventh year participating in the Blogging A to Z Challenge! This year, my theme is Board Books for Babies with a focus on providing book suggestions that parents and caregivers can share with, of course, babies, but also toddlers and preschoolers! Each letter of the alphabet will focus on a different subject and will provide nine titles for each subject. While there are dozens of classic board books out there, this list includes titles published in the past 5-6 years, so you’ll get to learn about new titles, authors, and publishers! Stop by daily to check out the new books and other posts that I’ll be sharing in April.
