Our top 10 pop-up & interactive books

Dear Zoo Rod Campbell
Macmillan Books
Age 0-3

An interactive, lift-the-flap picture book which engages young children’s interest and keeps them guessing about what each new pet will be. See lovemybooks ideas for sharing Dear Zoo in our Animals section. Also in this section you will find ideas for sharing Where’s Spot? Another great lift the flap story for young children

Animal Opposites Petr Horacek
Walker Books
Age 3-5

Children can explore animal opposites from a small ladybird and a big elephant to a still sloth and a bouncy kangaroo as they lift the flaps to reveal the pop ups. Watch the book trailer here.

In the Dark Dark Wood Jessica Souhami
Frances Lincoln
Age 3-5

This enjoyable picture book captures young children’s attention and demands participation throughout. A scary folk tale where children turn the pages, open the flaps and join in with the spooky sounds. See lovemybooks for sharing In the Dark Dark Wood in our scary things section.

Ten Little Penguins Joelle Jolivet and Jean Luc Fromental,
Harry. N. Abrams
Age 3-5

Reminiscent of ‘Ten Green Bottles’ and ‘Ten in a Bed’ this is a beautiful, paper engineered pop-up book with a rhyme on each page as the countdown begins and one after the other the penguins disappear.

There are NO Cats in this Book Viviane Schwarz
Walker Books
Age 3-5

Despite the title there are cats in this book in fact but they are trying to escape and see the world. The cats speak directly to the reader inviting them to help them disappear. Includes flaps, pop ups and a postcard to read when they finally succeed. See also ‘There are cats in this book’ and ‘Is there a dog in this book?’

Open Very Carefully: A Book with Bite N. O’Byrne & N. Bromley
Nosy Crow
Age 3-7

From the title on the reader is encouraged to be very careful reading this book! The narrator is trying to tell the story of The Ugly Duckling but is disturbed by a crocodile who gets into the book and starts eating the letters! Readers are encouraged to rock the crocodile to sleep and shake him out of the book.

See the book read aloud here, this video includes ideas for making your own peg crocodile too

Meerkat Mail Emily Gravett
Macmillan Books
Age 5-7

A ‘no place like home’ story as Sunny the Meerkat goes off on a rather disappointing holiday. The postcards he sends to his family back home from his travels are fun to lift and read.

The Jolly Postman Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Puffin
Age 5-7

A wonderfully interactive and classic children’s book telling the story of a postman on his round, which includes many familiar fairy tale characters. Children can open the envelopes and read Goldilocks’ apology to the Three Bears and a legal warning for the Big Bad Wolf from Miss Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs. See our ideas for sharing the Jolly Christmas Postman in our Special Times section.

Press Here
HervéTullet
Chronicle Kids

Age 3-7

A book that is an interactive game from cover to cover. The reader is invited to press here and turn the page – magical things happen with each instruction every time a dot is touched or rubbed or the book is shaken or tilted. The dots multiply, magnify and reposition themselves. Pure genius. Great fun to share, children will want to see what happens again and again. See also Mix it Up and Say Zoop! for more interactive fun from the same author.

Watch a trailer
Mix it U

Watch the book read aloud

You Choose in Space
Nick Sharratt (illus), Pippa Goodhart
Puffin

Age 3-7

Head off on an amazing space adventure to planet Pick and Mix, a land with strange and colourful alien beings and unfamiliar food, exciting means of transport and mixed up animals such as the dinopoodle. To make this even more exciting you can make choices all the way through. What job would you choose on the spaceship, will you travel by flying pod or transporter? You can design your own space outfit and create a mixed up creature.

An exciting and interactive story with so much to spot in the amazingly detailed illustrations. A great book to share with so much to talk about and choose. See also You Choose published in 2003 by the same team.