Animal 123

This spirited counting board book with a padded cover starts off with a minor disaster (“Rabbit had a birthday card ready to go, but 1 angry fox made him lose it—oh no!”) and builds from there. The rabbit skittishly hops past a series of caricatured animals set against a photo-collaged background of grass and dirt. The animals try to stop the rabbit to no avail (“6 ducks quacked to alert him... 7 mice squeaked to divert him”), and at 10, realizing he's lost the card, the rabbit retraces his steps, as the numbers count back down and the animals show him the way. The lively artwork and story line make for an entertaining lesson in numbers. Also available: Animal I Spy . Up to age 4. (Apr.)