Baby & Toddler

Pre-K

Growing Reader

Books Like Press Here: 11 Interactive Stories for Hands-On Kids

by Janssen Bradshaw

I clearly remember the first time I saw Press Here by Hervé Tullet.

My first baby was only a few months old, so she had no interest in it, but my husband and I looked through the whole thing together, completely awed by the creativity and cleverness of the concept of an interactive book.

It’s been over 10 years since it came out, and I’ve discovered a whole host of other interactive books similar to Press Here. They are some of my children’s favorites, getting read over and over again.

And why not? When a page turn makes it seem as if you’re controlling the action on the page, it’s just a magical reading experience!

Here are 11 books like Press Here that are favorites at our house.

Who Bit My Book?

Who Bit My Book?

by Elsa Mroziewicz

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Toddlers will love this interactive board book that asks readers to guess who is hiding behind the flaps on each page. Humorous visual clues like bite marks, scratches, droppings, and footprints offer giggle-worthy hints at the mysterious animals’ identities. This book will become a storytime favorite!
(Ages 0 - 3)

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Boop the Snoot

Boop the Snoot

by Ashlyn Anstee

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Babies love to poke things with their little fingers, and this adorable board book gives them plenty of chances. So warm up your booping finger and prepare to boop dog snouts, tortoise shells, bunny tails, and more!
(Ages 0 - 3)

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Ploof

Ploof

by Ben Clanton and Andy Chou Musser

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From the creator of Narwhal and Jelly and the co-creator of Science Explorers comes a new interactive board book for little readers. A little cloud named Ploof wants to play with you but feels shy. As you say hello, make funny faces, and interact with the cloud, Ploof feels more confident and comes out of its hiding spot. It’s an excellent book for teaching social-emotional skills to preschoolers.
(Ages 2 - 5)

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Who Has Wiggle-Waggle Toes?

Who Has Wiggle-Waggle Toes?

by Vicky Shiefman, illustrated by Francesca Chessa

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Children can get their wiggles out while learning about their body parts with this adorable book. They will shimmy, shake, wiggle, and stomp along to the cheerful instructions. It’s the perfect book to add some movement to storytime!
(Ages 2 - 5)

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Dandelion Magic

Dandelion Magic

by Darren Farrell, illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa

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A dandelion grants a boy’s wish to turn into a pirate in this interactive picture book. Readers will wish on a dandelion, scare away a sea monster, and blow raspberries. Pirate lovers and fans of Press Here will love participating in this swashbuckling adventure!
(Ages 3 - 5)

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High Five

High Five

by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

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From the creators of Dragons Love Tacos comes a funny and interactive picture book about a high-five contest. Giving high fives is an essential life skill for most kids, and this book will help them hone it to perfection. Kids will perform hand stretches and slapping exercises with the characters as they prepare for the big day.
(Ages 3 - 5)

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How to Talk Like a Bear

How to Talk Like a Bear

by Charlie Grandy, illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths

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Most kids have dreamed about talking to animals at some point, and this book shows them how — with hilarious results. Warm up your vocal cords before reading this story because you’ll need to growl, grunt, and roar your way through it.
(Ages 3 - 7)

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I Will Chomp You

I Will Chomp You

by Jory John, illustrated by Bob Shea

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Jory John always delivers the laughs, and this toothy story is no exception. A grumpy monster blusters and pleads and warns the reader that he’ll give them a chomp if they don’t stop reading. You see, the monster has a secret treasure inside that he doesn’t want the reader to find. The silly monster makes himself ever sillier as he falls behind until the funny, delicious end.
(Ages 3 - 7)

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There’s a Bear in Your Book

There’s a Bear in Your Book

by Tom Fletcher

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Help Bear get ready for bed in the latest book from the bestselling author of There’s a Monster in Your Book. Young readers will enjoy tucking Bear into bed and yawning with him as he settles down to sleep. This gentle story will encourage children to drift into dreamland as they follow the same routine.

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Find Fergus

Find Fergus

by Mike Boldt

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Fergus the bear has many talents, but hide and seek isn’t one of them. Prepare for some belly laughs while Fergus hides in all the most obvious places. At the very end, Fergus finally figures it out — in a two-page, fold-out panoramic that will test readers’ seeking skills for real.
(Ages 3 - 7)

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Hands-On Science: Matter

Hands-On Science: Matter

by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Druscilla Santiago

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Young scientists will love this interactive book from the Hands-On Science series. Readers will pour, blow, and smash ingredients together, then turn the page to discover what happens. This mess-free and scree-free science experiment will be a hit with kids and their parents!
(Ages 4 - 8)

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2024.