Is there such a thing as pre- abstract-algebra books? I am taking Abstract Algebra now and it seems most of its examples come from elsewhere. For example, I know what permutations are in counting, but the kind Algebra studies seem to be somewhat different. And to me these concepts Algebra comes bundled with is the most difficult part of studying it. It's like studying Calculus without knowing anything in elementary algebra. Doable, but difficult. 
What are some books I could study to close the gaps? 

If you're studying abstract algebra starting with group theory, Nathan Carter's Visual Group Theory is a great way to get used to the concepts before diving in deeper. On the other hand, if what you're having trouble with is proofs, sets, functions and relations, it could be worth picking up Daniel Velleman's How to Prove It or a similar book. Another idea, in preparation for studying rings and fields, is to study some elementary number theory first. In fact, some abstract algebra books begin that way, such as Lindsay Childs's A Concrete Introduction to Higher Algebra. 
