1) There is a charm about this book that you cannot find in a conventional book purchased from a bookstore. It is made well, but is clearly handmade with love rather than machine-made.

2) Both our twins could not wait to get their hands on this book as soon as they saw it. Every full-color page contained engaging images, many of which the twins recognized.

3) I like that the legibility of the numbers and the clarity of the quantity of objects to be counted were not compromised by the creative layouts.

4) The ring used to bind this book's pages together was decorated with gross grain ribbon. This is a very cute touch . . . one of the things that gives this book character. I would have preferred that there were two rings down the left side of the book instead of just one. At times, the twins had difficulty keeping the pages from slipping and sliding in their hands. This was a little distracting when I was trying to get them to pay attention to the numbers and the counting.

5) The page that received the most attention was the train-themed number 6 page. Both twins happened to recognize some of the train cars they own. Other pages that made them smile quite a bit were the ones containing Elmo, an 8-scoop ice cream cone, and the page featuring ten cakes.

I think this book would make a great gift for any child age 2 and up who no longer puts objects in his or her mouth. Although the book's pages are smooth, they most likely would not hold up well if they became very wet.

You can find My First Counting Book at Soulful Creations on Etsy. Check out this shop for handmade note cards and more items especially designed with children in mind.