Press Here is a surprise blockbuster hit in our household.
My children are avid picture book readers and my eldest is starting to read independently. Although the text and concept of Press Here is spare and simple, it is one of the most engaging books I’ve seen for the under six crowd.
On each page, the reader is asked to perform a simple task, such as the “press here” of the title, tilting the book, or shaking the book. The results of each action are seen on the following page as the dots multiply, change color, move, or disappear.
This low-tech gimmick is surprisingly effective. Although my four year old knew that these were just illustrations, she enthusiastically followed each instruction. Both my four and two year old were giggling and bouncing up and down with excitement to see each next page. The final page was greeted with cries of “again!”
What a clever way to reinforce cause and effect, colors, numbers, and relative size, powered not by batteries but by a child’s rich imagination!
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WANT IT: For more information, printables, and event and playdate ideas, check out the Press Here Website at Chronicle Books or purchase Press Here on Amazon ($9).
Check out this fun video to see the book in action:
