This is much more than a simple counting book. The author uses a regular vocabulary, and then supplies a glossary at the end to help your child learn words like "cheeky," "studious," and "athletic." It's really wonderful to find a book that helps with general learning. The illustrations are simply adorable. We had a lot of fun naming our ten monkeys, and then re-reading it using our names for the ones who were engaged in that page's activity. The book is a lot of fun to read to a child because of the rhyming format, and yet it is not the practical tongue-tripping frantic pace of some children's book. I highly recommend this book!