EYFS Number Books

The books in this list can be used in the Early Years to explore different aspects of number. You can see other collections of books, including the full list of books recommended by the NRICH team, on our Bookcase Maths page.

Billy's Bucket

Age 3 to 5

Billy can see all kinds of amazing things in his bucket, including seven sea lions and a walrus. His parents think he just has a big imagination - but when they borrow his bucket, they're in for a surprise!

I Spy Numbers

Age 3 to 5

In this book, each photograph contains a big numeral from 1 to 9 surrounded by lots of small objects. Can you see how each object is related to the number in the middle?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Age 3 to 5

In this engaging classic picture book, children are invited to use their fingers to explore the numbers up to five.

Handa's Hen

Age 3 to 5

Handa's hen has gone missing! While she's looking for her hen, Handa finds lots of groups of animals that she can count - two butterflies, three mice, four lizards...

One Gorilla: A Counting Book

Age 3 to 5

One gorilla, two orangutans, three chimpanzees... This counting to ten book focuses on members of the primate family.

One to Ten and Back Again

Age 3 to 5

The colourful pictures in this book tell the story of two friends, Nick and Sue, who show us all their favourite things by counting them from one to ten and back.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

Age 3 to 5

This book offers a context in which to count to 10 using pictures of children from all over the world, as well as the reader's own fingers and toes.

Mouse Count

Age 3 to 5

One fine day, ten little mice took a nap in a meadow. Along came a hungry snake, who counted the mice into a jar for his dinner. How will the mice escape?

Ten Terrible Dinosaurs

Age 3 to 5

Ten terrible dinosaurs standing in a line, soon began to mess about, until there were... nine! Find out what happens as the dinosaurs leave, one by one, until there is just one dinosaur left.

Kipper's Toybox

Age 3 to 5

Kipper counts out all of his favourite toys, but the number he gets isn't the number he was expecting... are all of Kipper's favourite toys in the box?

Handa's Surprise

Age 3 to 5

Handa carries a basket of seven different fruits to her friend. As she makes her journey, seven different animals each steal a fruit from her basket! This richly illustrated book is an engaging context in which children can explore the concept of 'one less'.

Dog's Colourful Day

Age 3 to 5

Dog is white with one black spot on his left ear. Throughout the day, Dog gets very messy, and by the end he is covered with lots of different coloured spots! Can you count them all?

Anno's Counting Book

Age 3 to 5

Explore how a village changes over twelve seasons in this beautiful watercolour counting book.

Ten Black Dots

Age 3 to 5

What can you do with ten black dots? Lots of things! Follow the pictures and count the dots in each one, all the way up to ten.

Who Sank the Boat?

Age 3 to 5

In this book, five animals get into a boat - but which animal causes the boat to sink?

Abigail

Age 3 to 5

Abigail loves to count. She tries to count the dots on the ladybug and the zebra's stripes, but they won't stay still! Will Abigail find something she can count?

Maisy Goes Camping

Age 3 to 5

Maisy and her friends put up a tent to go camping in. But how many of them can fit in the tent at once?

10 Apples Up On Top

Age 3 to 7

In this captivating rhyming story, a dog, a lion and a tiger all try to balance ten apples on their heads while tightrope walking and roller skating!

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Age 3 to 7

Pete the cat wears his favourite shirt with four groovy buttons. But what happens when one of the buttons pops off and rolls away? This story introduces children to subtraction number sentences.

One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab

Age 3 to 7

This 'counting by feet' book offers opportunities to focus on counting and introduce multiplication with its entertaining illustrations.

The Doorbell Rang

Age 3 to 7

Ma has made plenty of cookies for her children, but then the doorbell rings. And rings... And rings... This book is perfect for discussing sharing equally.

The Shopping Basket

Age 3 to 7

With Steven having to fend off various animals on his way back from the shops, he arrives home with fewer items than his mum requested. This book is a great context in which to count, and in particular to talk about 'one less'.

How Big Is a Million?

Age 3 to 7

Pipkin is a small penguin who asks big questions. He wants to know how big a million is! He finds ten fish, a hundred penguins in a huddle and a thousand snowflakes... but will he find a million of anything?

The Great Pet Sale

Age 3 to 7

This book tells the story of a pet shop where lots of animals are for sale at a variety of prices - but which will the boy choose?