A funny counting book for ages 3 and up

Things I Did Not Knock Over

by Emily Krill

One cup on the floor. Not me.

Meet a very proud cat who knocks over nothing, ever. Or so she says. This funny counting book counts from 1 to 10, with one more fallen thing on every spread. She saw nothing, and her excuses get bolder.

Paperback, $14.99 Free activity sheets

Five stars from Readers' Favorite.
Read the review

Published October 2026 by Matchy Matchy Press, Pittsburgh

Front cover of Things I Did Not Knock Over: a regal black and gold collage cat sits against floral wallpaper.

About the book

Inside this counting picture book

The floor is crooked. Gravity. The moon. You, probably.

By the time the pile reaches ten, kids will be shouting "Not me!" right along with her.

Big numerals from 1 to 10 that help kids recognize and count numbers
Ten everyday objects to find, count, and name: a cup, a spoon, a teddy bear, a plant, a teapot, a spinning top, an alarm clock, a lamp, a framed portrait, and a trophy
Short, funny sentences that are easy to read aloud and fun to repeat
A surprise ending that makes kids want to read it again

Praise

Five stars from Readers' Favorite

"A fun, educational, illustrated children's book."

Olga Markova, Readers' Favorite

The reviewer praised the familiar objects, the full-page imagery, and the new words young readers pick up along the way. She recommends it for ages three and up.

Perfect 5 out of 5 scores for appearance, plot, development, formatting, and marketability.

Read the full review

A peek inside

The pile grows.

A few spreads from the book. Count along, and keep an eye on the cat.

5 things. Gravity. The cat waves a paw beside a pile of toppled objects.

7 things. The moon. The cat lounges in front of a large pale moon.

10 things! Who would do this? The cat stretches over the whole pile.

Who did it? Not her. Pick up this funny counting book and count along.

About the book

Collage and counting.

Counting that feels like a game.

Each spread adds one more thing to the floor, so children can point, count, and spot what is new. The pile stays in the same place from page to page, which makes it easy for young readers to follow and recount.

Antique paper collage.

The art by Emily Krill is built from computer-generated images collaged with ink-washed antique papers, including old blueprints and mid-century wallpaper, with gold Art Deco details on the cat. The warm, textured art rewards a second look and a third.

Perfect for:

Preschool and kindergarten story time
Bedtime reading and read-aloud sessions
Early math and number practice at home or in the classroom
Cat lovers and fans of silly picture books
Birthday and holiday gifts

For teachers, librarians, and families

Free activity printables: a calico cat collage sheet, a Things That Fell coloring sheet, and a Count the Things counting sheet. Print them at home or in class at www.EmilyKrill.com/activities.

Get the free activity sheets

Printables are free for classroom, library, and home use. Please do not sell them.

Book details

The specifics.

Title: Things I Did Not Knock Over
Subtitle: A Funny Counting Book for Ages 3+
Author and illustrator: Emily Krill
Publisher: Matchy Matchy Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Published: October 2026
Pages: 31
Format: Paperback, full color, 8.5 x 8.5 inches
ISBN: 9798160671277
Price: $14.99
Audience: Ages 3 and up
Category: Picture book, counting, humor, cats

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About the author

Emily Krill

Emily Krill is a Pittsburgh-based artist who creates large-scale collages from antique paper. ZYNKA Gallery represents her, and The Pittsburgh Foundation and BNY Mellon Bank hold her work in their collections.

She has written about paper ephemera for the Ephemera Society of America and Contemporary Collage Magazine. Things I Did Not Knock Over is her first picture book.

See Emily's collages

Press and review copies

Review copies and interviews

Digital review copies, high-resolution images, and interviews are available on request.

Email Emily Download the media kit