How to count to 1 (and don't even think about bigger numbers!) by Caspar Salmon, illustrated by Matt Hunt

Mac Barnett's Count the Monkeys will always be my gold standard for silly counting books, even though I had to discontinue reading it for a while because the kids were so bloodthirsty in their suggestions for getting rid of the lumberjacks. However, this is a nice alternative with less violence and lots of silliness.

Bright, simple collage colors open the story with a red apple on a white page and a cheerful narrator encouraging readers to get ready to count what they see. The pictures quickly add up, with two whales, a variety of silly objects in space, a slew of worms, and a plethora of framed objects. However, readers are told to count only one - one sausage on a whale spout, one worm in disguise, and finally, one trophy.

The endpages include all the things from the book and a few more, and invite the reader to count all one... hundred!

For full appreciation of the chatty narrator and their continued directions to "only count ONE!" you will need an older audience, one who understands how counting books are "supposed" to work to get the subversive nature of the title. However, even if younger ones don't quite grasp the humor, they will enjoy counting with the simple, blocky pictures and and picking out the goofy touches like a pair of underpants floating in space, a worm in mustache and hat, and a goldfish wearing glasses.

Verdict: An additional purchase, but it will probably be well-received where interactive books that subvert a traditional narrative are popular.

ISBN: 9798887770246; Published June 2023 by Nosy Crow; Review copy provided by publisher