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Number Garden: Introducing first numbers through nature
- GenresPicture Books
14 pages, Board Book
Published February 18, 2025
About the author
Isabel Otter
89 books15 followersIsabel Otter is a children's book editor and writer. She grew up in rural Herefordshire and is happiest climbing mountains in muddy boots. Isabel loves weaving stories and writing about the world around her.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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May 29, 2025See my full review here: https://yabookscentral.com/number-gar...
NUMBER GARDEN is a seek-and-find, lift-the-flap adventure centered around numbers. Each page features a scene with a flap to lift and some die-cut elements for some peek-throughs. The text asks readers to find and count certain elements, such as grasshoppers or plant pots, and other interactive questions ask children related things, such as who is doing an action on the page or what flowers they would like to grow.
What I loved: This is a fun, interactive board book that is great for toddlers and preschoolers. The level of questions will work best for older toddlers/preschoolers, as there is a bit of a search-and-find element on top of the counting. Great details and use of color make the illustrations a pleasure to visually explore, as they search among them.
The font is clear and easy to read throughout. The flaps and die-cut peek-throughs also add to the fun of exploring the book. The settings in nature around plants and gardens are really lovely and encourage children to explore the world around them.
What left me wanting more: As a small thing, some of the search-and-find elements can be a bit tricky, and it requires a lot of mental work to both hunt for the type of bug and count them. As there is no answer key, it can be tough to be sure readers are counting correctly/finding them all. That being said, the important element is the counting, so it isn't terribly important if they are all found, as long as the ones found are counted!
Final verdict: NUMBER GARDEN is an interactive exploration of nature and counting that will work well for older toddlers and preschoolers.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
NUMBER GARDEN is a seek-and-find, lift-the-flap adventure centered around numbers. Each page features a scene with a flap to lift and some die-cut elements for some peek-throughs. The text asks readers to find and count certain elements, such as grasshoppers or plant pots, and other interactive questions ask children related things, such as who is doing an action on the page or what flowers they would like to grow.
What I loved: This is a fun, interactive board book that is great for toddlers and preschoolers. The level of questions will work best for older toddlers/preschoolers, as there is a bit of a search-and-find element on top of the counting. Great details and use of color make the illustrations a pleasure to visually explore, as they search among them.
The font is clear and easy to read throughout. The flaps and die-cut peek-throughs also add to the fun of exploring the book. The settings in nature around plants and gardens are really lovely and encourage children to explore the world around them.
What left me wanting more: As a small thing, some of the search-and-find elements can be a bit tricky, and it requires a lot of mental work to both hunt for the type of bug and count them. As there is no answer key, it can be tough to be sure readers are counting correctly/finding them all. That being said, the important element is the counting, so it isn't terribly important if they are all found, as long as the ones found are counted!
Final verdict: NUMBER GARDEN is an interactive exploration of nature and counting that will work well for older toddlers and preschoolers.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 8, 2025
Can’t think of many board books I have rated 5⭐️s but today I gave this one and another Tiger Tales title, “Say Cheese” just that. This is not your typical counting board book for babies through kindergarten. No simple page with a butterfly and a big number 1 on it! No, this one has beautiful gardens filled with flora and fauna galore and asks children to count objects they see within the picture and provides plenty of opportunity for more counting as well as conversation about all the different types of gardens and the living and non-living objects you would see in each. There is even back matter in this book for littles describing the gardens featured in this beautiful book-orchards, rock gardens, greenhouse, vegetable gardens, ponds and meadows. Truly a book that will grow with a child and its sturdy pages and fold out flaps should last throughout that growth. Wonderful book for ages 0-5 and highly recommended as a baby shower gift or when celebrating a child’s 1st or 2nd birthday.
Thanks, Tiger Tales/Penguin Random House, for providing a finished copy to librarians at the 2025 Texas Library Association annual conference!
Thanks, Tiger Tales/Penguin Random House, for providing a finished copy to librarians at the 2025 Texas Library Association annual conference!
December 1, 2024
A turtle named Marigold walks readers through a garden where they meet all sorts of counting possibilities, including flowers, dragonflies, stepping stones, and pots. The counting starts with one and concludes with ten. There are several different animals amid the brightly colored scenes that comprise this useful counting book. The gatefolds through which youngsters can peek add to its appeal for a young audience. The design is simple yet visually appealing, making it possible to enjoy multiple times.
May 11, 2025
This is a visual processing nightmare. The illustrations are very busy, the contrast could definitely use work, and there are SO many questions per page. I literally had to shut this and give up after two pages.
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February 19, 2026This is an eye-catching and informative counting book that is well written for the age group. The flaps and counting activities make it especially fun and interactive.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews