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Oakley the Squirrel: Camping 1, 2, 3!: A Nutty Numbers Book
Real squirrels, real photos! Learn your numbers with Oakley the Squirrel in this charming counting book featuring Oakley and friends on a camping trip.
Oakley the Camping 1, 2, 3! is a counting book like no other. Oakley helps readers learn to count as he experiences the fun of a camping trip. Every page features photos of real squirrels! Photographer Nancy Rose lures squirrels into her photo frame using strategically placed peanuts, so they appear in squirrel-sized sets that replicate human life, complete with tents, s'mores, campfires, and more. It's irresistible!
Oakley the Camping 1, 2, 3! is a counting book like no other. Oakley helps readers learn to count as he experiences the fun of a camping trip. Every page features photos of real squirrels! Photographer Nancy Rose lures squirrels into her photo frame using strategically placed peanuts, so they appear in squirrel-sized sets that replicate human life, complete with tents, s'mores, campfires, and more. It's irresistible!
30 pages, Board Book
Published May 9, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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June 30, 2026Mom thought I wasn’t very interested, but when the book was over, I wanted to read it again!
April 30, 2023
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Possibly the best money I have ever spent for my school library was to buy a copy of Rose's 2016 The Secret Life of Squirrels. Rose entices real squirrels to pose in her back yard for her books, and makes all of the tiny props herself. Even middle school students find her books fun and fascinating, and now even the youngest readers can count along with Oakley the squirrel.
Oakley and his friends are on summer vacation, and go camping at the lake. They take an adorable red and white camper filled with coolers, bedding, equipment to go fishing, and plenty of food (like barbecued cashews!) to eat. They go merrily through their day until it is nighttime, and finish their relaxing day with roasted marshmallows and a cozy tent for sleeping.
Children will enjoy looking through the pictures to find all sorts of small details, and adults will marvel at Rose's artistry. How did she get the squirrel to sleep in the sleeping bag? What are the tiny, roasted marshmallows made of? I spied part of an onion bag serving as a volleyball net, and popsicles sticks made into a picnic table. If you haven't seen her work, it is hard to describe just how brilliant her tableaus are!
The verse is also very good, and I'm quite picky about rhyming and meter. Counting books are a great way to get young readers ready for school, and I appreciated that the pictures at the back of the book that show the number in large font along with the appropriate amount of items. This is useful in reviewing numbers and laboriously counting each one, which really helps with number skills.
Squirrel books are always fun, and this board book is an excellent way to introduce Rose's work. Oakley begs to be paired with Gundersheimer's How Many Squirrels in the World?, another counting book, as well as Zion's classic Harry's Squirrel Trouble. Older readers will enjoy Ehrenberg's Pearl and Squirrel series to round out their reading; just be prepared to provide a lot of nuts for snacks. You might even need to spend a lot of time counting squirrels in the wild.
Possibly the best money I have ever spent for my school library was to buy a copy of Rose's 2016 The Secret Life of Squirrels. Rose entices real squirrels to pose in her back yard for her books, and makes all of the tiny props herself. Even middle school students find her books fun and fascinating, and now even the youngest readers can count along with Oakley the squirrel.
Oakley and his friends are on summer vacation, and go camping at the lake. They take an adorable red and white camper filled with coolers, bedding, equipment to go fishing, and plenty of food (like barbecued cashews!) to eat. They go merrily through their day until it is nighttime, and finish their relaxing day with roasted marshmallows and a cozy tent for sleeping.
Children will enjoy looking through the pictures to find all sorts of small details, and adults will marvel at Rose's artistry. How did she get the squirrel to sleep in the sleeping bag? What are the tiny, roasted marshmallows made of? I spied part of an onion bag serving as a volleyball net, and popsicles sticks made into a picnic table. If you haven't seen her work, it is hard to describe just how brilliant her tableaus are!
The verse is also very good, and I'm quite picky about rhyming and meter. Counting books are a great way to get young readers ready for school, and I appreciated that the pictures at the back of the book that show the number in large font along with the appropriate amount of items. This is useful in reviewing numbers and laboriously counting each one, which really helps with number skills.
Squirrel books are always fun, and this board book is an excellent way to introduce Rose's work. Oakley begs to be paired with Gundersheimer's How Many Squirrels in the World?, another counting book, as well as Zion's classic Harry's Squirrel Trouble. Older readers will enjoy Ehrenberg's Pearl and Squirrel series to round out their reading; just be prepared to provide a lot of nuts for snacks. You might even need to spend a lot of time counting squirrels in the wild.
July 14, 2023
First sentence: Summer vacation has finally begun. Oakley and friends are ready for fun! They picked a nice campground right next to a lake. Let's look at and count all the things that they take! 1 Red and white camper with an awning for shade. 2 blue and white coolers filled with food that they made. 3 pads and pillows for sleeping in tents.
Premise/plot: Oakley the Squirrel (and friends) is going camping. This counting book showcases that vacation.
My thoughts: Could there be a cuter board book?!?!?! I haven't read the previous Oakley the Squirrel book. (I believe it is an alphabet book). But this one was charming. I loved seeing all the squirrels and squirrel-size objects. Just extremely cute-sy and fun. Counting books abound. But not all are this adorable and unique.
Premise/plot: Oakley the Squirrel (and friends) is going camping. This counting book showcases that vacation.
My thoughts: Could there be a cuter board book?!?!?! I haven't read the previous Oakley the Squirrel book. (I believe it is an alphabet book). But this one was charming. I loved seeing all the squirrels and squirrel-size objects. Just extremely cute-sy and fun. Counting books abound. But not all are this adorable and unique.
June 28, 2023
Oakley The Squirrel: Camping 123! A Nutty Numbers Book is an exciting, educational, unique, cute, creative, and fun board book! This book is perfect for every lover of camping. It would be a fantastic book to read before a little ones first time camping. This book also helps teach children how to count to ten. It offers a visual and clearly describes the color of certain items. Oakley and his adorable Squirrel friends are going camping! What should you pack for the perfect camping trip? Find out as Oakley and his friends set up their campsite. Readers also learn about sever fun activities they can do in nature like fishing, building a sand castle, barbecuing, outdoor games, and much more!
September 6, 2023
It's summer vacation and to Oakley the Squirrel, that means it's time to go camping. But he and his friends have to make sure they've packed everything they need, so they take the time to count each item. All are pertinent things needed for a fun camping trip. Everything is mini and squirrel size which is just too adorable.
This book will help teach young children to count to ten while encouraging outdoor activities. The format is set up perfectly to hold a child's interest. From the bright font for the items we're counting, to the strategically placed squirrels, it kept my daughter smiling as she counted. While she already knows how to count, she still loved testing her skills and pointing to each item. I love the camping theme and how it encourages children to use counting when planning activities.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to younger children who are learning to count and enjoy animals and camping.
This book will help teach young children to count to ten while encouraging outdoor activities. The format is set up perfectly to hold a child's interest. From the bright font for the items we're counting, to the strategically placed squirrels, it kept my daughter smiling as she counted. While she already knows how to count, she still loved testing her skills and pointing to each item. I love the camping theme and how it encourages children to use counting when planning activities.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to younger children who are learning to count and enjoy animals and camping.
December 11, 2023
Oakley the Squirrel stars here as a live-action squirrel in a picture book! These funny squirrels are staged and photographed with a whole camping set-up, in what I have no doubt was very difficult to pull off. The cute squirrel friends have lots of miniature items, which we get to count. It's darling. Visually, very interesting for small children and the outdoorsy theme is very hip.
Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
August 22, 2023
4.5 stars--Oh my goodness, look at this book. Wonderfully charming and adorable, as real squirrels and chipmunks appear to pose with tiny camping gear. Kids and adults will be giggling as they marvel at the tiny sets the author has built and the sweet wild critters who stop by for a snack.
Veg*n parents note: A brief reference to fishing equipment; otherwise this one will be a hit with young animal lovers.
Veg*n parents note: A brief reference to fishing equipment; otherwise this one will be a hit with young animal lovers.
August 24, 2023
An adorable rhyming preschool concept counting book with photographs of real squirrels on a camping trip. The colorful settings are carefully detailed and will fascinate readers of all ages. Every page is delightful! A fun board book to read and share!
July 11, 2024
This is one of the cutest books I've ever seen. The preschoolers I read it to loved the photos of squirrels and their chipmunk friend having a camping adventure! Not gonna lie, I loved it too...the cover of the book was what decided my preschool outreach theme this month!
June 8, 2023
Adorable counting and rhyming board book
June 10, 2023
This is an adorable number book! I liked the review at the end.
July 17, 2023
Squirrels cutely posed and counting.
July 23, 2024
Super cute board book for toddlers.
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November 15, 2024ETS
April 21, 2025
A group of squirrels and chipmunks are placed in "camping scenes"; and readers are encouraged to find and count specific items.
Cute.
Cute.
June 25, 2026
Cute camping counting book. Funny pictures of squirrels doing outdoorsy things.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews