Introduce letters, colors, and numbers to the littlest readers with our book picks featuring these important early concepts! Explore basic colors with Stanley and friends, or dive into the ocean to admire vibrant corals and schools of fish. Then plan a party with Stanley and learn to count, or head to the barnyard to follow one hungry fox on the prowl for three tasty hens. Perfect for read alouds with young bookworms at home or in the classroom!

A Unicorn on a Unicycle
by Linda Graham-Barber
illustrated by Jordan Wray

Follow along with a cool cast of critters as they parade down a road, led by unicorn a unicycle. Let’s count all the wheels on their scooters, bikes, and cars as they go by! 1, 2, 3… How many wheels can you see at the Zoom-Zoom-Whee Jamboree?

Hey! A Colorful Mystery
by Kate Read

All is quiet in the deep blue sea, when a rumor bursts forth about a “great big fish hiding in the deep!” One by one, new fish are sucked into the growing story—the red octopus was really rattled, which petrified the purple puffer fish, and startled the blue shoal, until they all flee…into a deep, dark cave. Uh-oh! That’s no cave at all, but the mouth of a whale! An interactive read aloud perfect for early childhood education units on colors, friendship, and marine life. Back matter includes an introduction to color theory.

One Fox

One Fox
A Counting Book Thriller

by Kate Read

One hungry fox with two sly eyes is on the prowl…three plump hens had better watch out! Rich and colorful illustrations plunge the reader into a dramatic and exciting story set in a moonlit farmyard. With something different to count on each page, learning to count from one to ten has never been so thrilling! This surprisingly simple counting book with a gripping tale, great for early education and read-alouds, has a hugely satisfying ending that’s sure to delight generations.

Stanley's Colors

Stanley’s Colors
by William Bee

Stanley’s back in a board book series about early childhood concepts! This time, everyone’s favorite hard-working hamster learns about colors while also exploring exciting vehicles. Each spread features an action shot of Stanley with a different mode of transportation in a bright hue—he’s “fixing his red car,” “riding his yellow motorcycle,” and even floating in a pink balloon with his buddy Little Woo.

Eek!

Eek! A Noisy Journey from A to Z
by Julie Larios and Julie Pashckis

This charming story begins quietly as Mouse selects a flower for someone very dear to him. Then the fun kicks in! To complete his journey, Mouse must make his way through the alphabet. One sniff of his special flower―Achoo!―and a bee flies out―Bzzz! Readers will love meeting the colorful characters along Mouse’s trek and will cheer when he reaches his destination and presents the flower to…. Well, that part of the story is a surprise!

Stanley’s Numbers
by Stanley’s Numbers

It’s another busy day for Stanley and friends as they plan a party and learn to count! Each page in this cheerful board book by William Bee features everyone’s favorite hard-working hamster Stanley and his buddy Little Woo as they learn numbers and gather the food, drinks, and décor that they’ll need for their festivities—“Stanley has one Jell-O salad,” “Stanley and Little Woo hang seven party flags.” All of the steps add up to a merry ending with friends! Number concepts are introduced within the context of a fun, simple story, which adds to its appeal.