Chicka Chicka 123

by Bill Martin & Michael Sampson
illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Chicka Chicka 123 is a companion to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and is definitely a teacher's favorite for teaching numbers and counting! In the story, 101 numbers climb up an apple tree (1-20 one by one, then by 10s). As each group of numbers climbs up, a worried zero asks "Chicka Chicka 1,2,3...Will there be a place for me?"

Before zero has a chance to climb the tree, along come two bees and all the numbers scramble down. Luckily, zero finally figures out his place and saves the day. School Library Journal right called it a "deliciously sweet selection, and a nifty counting book to boot." We agree. :)


Awards Won
    * American Library Association Notable Children's Book of the Year
    * Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor Book of the Year


Reading Levels
Interest Level:  Preschool - Gr. 1             DRA Level: 18                  
Guided Reading: K                                Lexile Measure: 470L                      


You can see someone read the entire picture book, courtesy of "hotstuff2807" at YouTube.  To see the video, simply click on the YouTube image below:

To learn more about this book, click the link below.  Please note that if you purchase an item from Amazon, they give us a small referral fee.


Related Activities
The Virtual Vine has over a dozen ideas for using the companion book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, in the the classroom. What a great resource! Many can be adapted to use with Chicka Chicka 123. You can create a reading center with a palm tree (shown at right), play a game of 'coconut bowling', create a palm tree painting using forearms and hands and letters [or numbers] going up the trunk (also shown at right), taste test a coconut, make special letters, play a shell game, etc. To see the full list of Virtual Vine activities to accompany this book, please click here.


Also, the DLTK's website has Chicka Chicka Boom Boom coloring book pages and two paper craft activity plans--one for preschool and one for Kindergarten. You can adapt them to a numbers focus, or read the ABC book in conjunction with Chicka Chicka 123, then do the activities. Click here.

Please note that if you purchase an item from Amazon, they give us a small referral fee. And that helps us cover the costs of this website.




You may also want to check out other books in Chicka Chicka series. To learn more, click on the book covers below or the link above.