"Count Pet" | Reviewed by Chris Stuckenschneider

Toddlers will delight in the chunky, rhyming board book “Count Pet,” another in a series of books by Matthew Van Fleet. This adorable newbie features stand-out photos by Brian Stanton and clever pull-tabs kids are sure to get a kick out of, certain to improve their fine motor skills too.

The cover is pure eye-candy, displaying what youngsters can expect with the turn of a page—unusual, and more common animals, domestic and wild, each introduced with an accompanying number.

Number 1 and 2 kick off the fun, “a shiny orange fish” the center of attention for “chinchillas with tails that swish!” Kids will relish pulling the tab to make one chinchilla’s tail wave like a flag in the wind.

Children then meet 3 round, mask-faced creatures they might not be familiar with—“prickly spined hedgehogs,” eyeing a pile of 4 “sleepy puppy dogs,” one pup more adorable than the other as they slumber away in dreamland.

Number 5 and 6 show parrots on perches watching bunnies chew carrots, in a spread of riotous color. The bright gold, red, and orange parrots make a striking contrast to the bunnies soft, brown fur. With the pull of a tab one bunny nibbles with crazed speed, spelling fun on a page sure to spawn giggles.

Right up through number 10, delectable animals are on parade, garish-green frogs, chickens with fuzzy chicks, and 9 “crouching, curious cats, pawing yarn balls,” the pull of a tab lets one Simease give a purple yarn ball a good whack.  

A surprise ending brings all the animals back together again for a birthday celebration and a numerical countdown, a wrap up to help kids reinforce what they’ve learned.“Count Pet” is a sure bet, an interactive charmer that kids will ask for again and again.

For more entertaining learning, check out Van Fleet’s other newbie, “Shape Pet.”

Buy the book.