Zero can be a difficult concept for kids to grasp. Browse these titles to spark meaningful conversation about zeroes and encourage kids to find the zeroes in various everyday environments.

1. Zero Is The Leaves On The Tree
By Betsy Franco

From the branches of a tree to the stars in the sky, Betsy Franco provides tangible ways for kids to understand zero in relation to other numbers and things in their surrounding environments. Paired with delicate illustrations, this book sneaks in several educational components.

Watch Prathit read the book below in this episode of Can I Read to You?

2. Zero
By Kathryn Otoshi

Otoshi personifies zero in a book that makes the number a relatable character. Feeling worthless and left out in the beginning, zero (and the reader!) realizes her self-worth by the end.

3. A Place for Zero
By Angeline Sparagna LoPresti

Welcome to the land of Digitaria where the numbers love to play the game Addemup, but Zero has nothing to add! Will Zero find his place on his journey of self-discovery? Read along and find out!

4. Zero The Hero
By Joan Holub

While this book’s educational message is prominent, it’s also a story about friendship and kindness. Packed with comic book illustrations and conversations between characters, kids will love this book for it’s multi-faceted approach.

5. Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None
By Wendy Ulmer

Harry the bunny has a math problem! He needs to blow up 100 balloons and he’s not sure if he’s done it. Full of charming pictures, this book provides easy-to-follow math concepts for kids through the eyes of an adorable bunny.

6. From Zero to Ten: The Story of Numbers
By Vivian French

Where do numbers come from? Zoom through history and fly across the world with the animals of Write Around the World to learn about the universal language: numbers.

7. Less Than Zero
By Stuart J. Murphy

This book is a great introductory lesson to negative numbers. Follow Perry the penguin’s monetary journey as he earns, spends, finds, loses, and borrows while saving up for an ice scooter.

8. Curious George The Donut Delivery
By H. A. Rey

Everyone’s favorite monkey is back! Explore the concept of zero and count by tens with Curious George, who adds a few extra zeroes to his donut order without realizing just how big his delivery problem will become.

About Danielle Steinberg

Danielle Steinberg

Danielle received her Masters in Education which led her to a spot on the PBS Parents team in 2011. She now works full time as a producer of content and social media for PBS Digital Studios and continues to work as a web producer for PBS Parents.

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