David Carter’s 100-a fun, rabbit hole way to learn counting

Our 3.5 year old is just learning how to count past 20.  He immediately liked David Carter’s 100 when he saw the book because of the crisp, bright illustrations.  I didn’t realize how good the book was though until our 8 year old niece came over and started to look through the book.

She looked through each page and then opening each flap that revealed the next number as it counted to 100.  Each page counts 5 more as you fold back a flap that hides an illustration and the next number as it counts.   She was carefully opening each flap, reading the words and practicing her numbers.

“Are you learning any new words”, I asked as she was reading.  She went on to tell me that she learned the word ‘majestic’, as well as, a couple other new words.  It was a good way for her to review the numbers, learn new words and think about the question that each page asks you.

The questions ask you what you can find in each environment on the pages.  The environments all have different characters and take place in the city, forest, farm, jungle, garden, shopping or with the dinosaurs.

It’s not a pop-up book, but it certainly feels like one.  It’s more appropriate to call it an inverse pop-up book.  As you open each page and turn back the flaps you get sucked in and want to see what animals are next.  It’s like Alice and the rabbit hole, where you go in, expect one thing, get something different, but enjoy this journey as much.

Even adults that can easily count to 100 will enjoy going through this book with their children.  Because each page is loaded with five flaps they’re heavier than normal pages and could rip easily.  If your small child is going to look at the book have the do it with you so that they don’t rip it.  Our 8 year old was safe with the book, our 3.5 year old looks at the book with our supervision.   Bonus, if you’re teaching the numbers in another language you can simply go over the book with them and do it in both languages for review and education.