Burly the Squirrel: The Counting Game - Book 1

Pacific Book Award Winner
Winner of the 2026 Pacific Book Award for Best Children's Picture Book (5 and Younger)

Professionally evaluated by Dr. Jacqueline Leahy, Ed.D., Burly the Squirrel(TM) - The Counting Game helps children build confidence with counting, number order, and early math skills through interactive participation and play.

Book 1 - Counting 1 to 20

Burly the Squirrel(TM) - The Counting Game turns early counting into a simple, hands-on adventure. Children help Burly follow a winding acorn path, counting up from 1 to 20 on the left side, then back down on the right as each acorn drops into his basket.

This back-and-forth pattern helps children understand how numbers move, not just memorize them. They begin to experience "one more" and "one less" naturally while building a strong foundation for number order, sequencing, and early subtraction skills.

The interactive number path encourages children to follow along with their fingers, participate aloud, and stay actively engaged through story, repetition, and movement-based learning. Younger children can begin by counting up the left path only, then grow into the full up-and-down routine as their confidence builds.

Perfect for ages 3-7, this first book lays the groundwork for the full counting journey ahead.