Pre-K
Growing Reader
Books Like Press Here: 8 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 eight books like Press Here that are favorites at our house.
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Splat!
Available from:Get ready for all kinds of messiness! Turn the pages to get a pie straight to the face or experience an onslaught of water balloons. Parents will appreciate that the comedy in this book requires no actual cleanup; kids will love the laughs and playful take on what a book can be and do.
(Ages 3 - 5)Available from: -
This Book Is Magic
Available from:My family is obsessed with this book! Using your “magic finger,” you say magical phrases for each page and make ships disappear, books turn enormous, and fireworks go off. The illustrations are bright and fun, and this book instantly became my new gift of choice for young children.
(Ages 3 - 7)Available from: -
On the Spot
Also available from:Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s legacy of creativity and originality lives on in this new book that’s perfect for kids looking to take charge of their story. Here she teams up with Lea Redmond to create a Mad Libs-style adventure where readers are asked to fill in key pieces of the story. Using the stickers at the back of the book, or their own found objects, kids can make and re-make the story, with hilarious results.
(Ages 3 - 7)Also available from: -
This Book Will Not Be Fun
Available from:The bespectacled, bow-tied mouse narrating this book is doing his darndest to make sure the reader has a peaceful time of it — despite all the shenanigans going on in the background (including a Word-Eating Flying Whale!). Don’t worry, assures the mouse, this book will be no fun at all! Or will it be the most fun?
(Ages 3 - 7)Available from: -
I Will Chomp You
Also available from: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)Also available from: -
Find Fergus
Also available from: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)Also available from: -
Don’t Touch This Book!
Available from:Of course you’re going to want to touch this book. But you really can’t. Larry knows you’re thinking about it and he knows it’s tempting, but just don’t. Okay, maybe if you just use one finger. But whoops! What just happened? On every page, things go hilariously awry as Larry learns to share his beloved book.
(Ages 4 - 8)Available from: -
Wreck This Picture Book
Also available from:The bestselling creator of Wreck This Journal has brought her creative energy to picture books, culminating in the ultimate interactive experience. Reading is an active experience, Smith says, and books are meant to engage all the senses — so get ready to sniff, shake, tap, smell, hug, and even wear this one-of-a-kind book.
(Ages 5 - 8)Also available from:
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2021.