The 123 Tree
by Adam Thompson, illustrated by Erica Harrison
Interest age: 0 to 4
Published by Messy Press, 2026
About this book
As the sun slips behind the 123 tree, there's a rustling of leaves. Who could it be? Count the animals as they get ready for bed. They're reading books, having a bath and brushing their teeth - all apart from the owl, who's just waking up!
An adorable rhyming board book that could help to lull a baby or toddler to sleep. The artwork is stunning, with a sky that moves from a sunny yellow, through the pinks and purples of sunset to the deep black of night. There are cute details to spot on each spread, like the yellow wellies on the white birds, and you learn which animals wake up at night and which settle down to sleep. Plus the numbers go from 1 to 10, so there's the option to count the animals too, for slightly older children. Simple and effective.
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Lists of recommended reads
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Counting books
1, 2, 3... it's time to get counting! It's never too early to start learning about numbers, and books are a great way to make that fun. We've put together a list of some of our favourite counting books to help your little ones get to grips with maths - and whether they're totting up gorillas, fruits, or even legs, they'll be enjoying themselves so much that they'll be memorising pi before you know it.