Counting with Kailee

Kerais Sutton drew on her real niece and a real family outing to White Rock Lake in Dallas to write this warm 2020 picture book, and that personal origin shows in how naturally the counting lesson sits inside an actual relationship. Two-year-old Kailee and her aunt walk and explore together, naming and counting what they find — a gentle, interactive early-math experience grounded in everyday family life. The Black representation is genuine and central rather than incidental, which matters at this age level. Sutton received a 2023 Publisher's Choice Award for the title, and a growing series of Kailee books suggests an engaged readership. The honest caveat is that independent critical coverage is quite limited, and as a self-published title the production quality may vary from traditionally published picture books. For toddlers and preschoolers ages 2-5, especially those who benefit from seeing themselves reflected in books, this delivers on its modest, warm goal.