Tougher Than Your Toddler: Robust Lift-the-Flap Books

There’s nothing quite like a brand-new, beautiful lift-the-flap book. And there’s nothing quite as sad as a lift-the-flap book that doesn’t have any flaps left. Those babies and toddlers can be destructive!

These ten books will stand up to grabby little hands (and stay magical) read after read.

Eric Carle's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Other Nursery Rhymes

by Eric Carle

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Dust off your vocal cords! This nursery rhyme collection from the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar can endure all the love your toddler gives it. Five popular nursery rhymes with flaps to lift make it the perfect interactive bedtime story.

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Does a Firefighter Fly a Rocket?

by Danielle McLean, illustrated by Brian Fitzgerald

Vehicle-loving toddlers can’t get enough of this sturdy board book. Help your little one match the job to the right vehicle as you read about firefighters, bus drivers, and construction workers. Read the companion book, Does an Astronaut Drive a Tractor? for more matching fun.

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Find Spot at the Library

by Eric Hill

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Every child needs a few Spot books on their shelf, and this one is an excellent choice. Spot goes to a costume party at the library, where he reads stories and dresses up as his favorite characters. Tiny readers will love hunting through the pages, lifting flaps, and finding the cute yellow dog.

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Tuck Me In!

by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt

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What child wouldn't love getting to be the one who does the tucking in?

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Open the Garage Door

by Christopher Santoro

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Lift the flap to reveal a police car, race car, ice cream truck, and more in this interactive board book for car-crazy kids. Bright, colorful illustrations and plenty of flaps to lift make it a popular choice for toddlers that love vehicles.

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Inch by Inch: A Lift-the-Flap Book (Leo Lionni's Friends)

by Leo Lionni, illustrated by Jan Gerardi

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Introduce your child to the adorable world of Leo Lionni with this sturdy board book. You’ll follow and inch worm through the pages and lift flaps to help him measure his animal friends. Colorful illustrations and charming characters make it the perfect book for babies and toddlers.

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Looking for Mommy

by Becky Davies, illustrated by Anna Doherty

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This book is almost too cute for words! A little bunny wants a hug from its mother and goes searching for her. Readers help the bunny by lifting flaps and revealing forest animals until they find the mother. It’s the perfect book to read with a little one on your lap.

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Eyes, Nose, Toes Peekaboo!

by DK

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Babies love learning about themselves and seeing pictures of other children. This colorful lift-the-flap book features photos of toddlers pointing out and naming their body parts. Tiny readers will practice finding eyes, ears, fingers, and toes with this interactive book.

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That's Silly!(TM) at the Zoo

by Highlights

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Animals, humor, and over 40 flaps make this silly book a storytime favorite for toddlers. Visit the zoo and reveal one goofy surprise after another with every page turn. Extra-large sturdy pages and colorful illustrations make it ideal for handsy toddlers.

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Llama Llama Hide & Seek

by Anna Dewdney

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Llama Llama has lost his beloved stuffie and needs your help to find it. Lift the flaps and look under the bed, in the toy bin, and in the dresser drawers to track down the missing toy and find an extra-special surprise at the end.

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022.