Interactive Board Books - Lift the Flap, Pull the Tab, Touch the Feather, It's Fun!

INTERACTIVE BOARD BOOKS:
These are the books that encourage infants and toddlers to actively participate in the story. It starts with touchy feeling books around six months. Babies graduate to lift the flaps at around a year, and at 18 months or so toddlers can finally pull the tabs to make tails wag. Some of these books are works of art - but don't get too attached, because if you let your child play with these books, they will get destroyed. It is a catch 22, the books are designed to be touched, but when children touch them flaps are torn off the page, feathers are slobbered on, and movable heads are simply removed. Just remember the book is for the child, not you.

David A. Carter

Feely bugs, space bugs, fairy bugs; Mr. Carter is famous for his bugs. But he isn't all bugs, my family's favorite David A. Carter is The Happy Little Yellow Box. Henry (my 20-month-old) has been a big fan for about three months now - I've already had to repair it twice.

FEELY BUGS
AGES 6 MONTHS TO 2

Feely Bugs is a great book to give at a baby shower, or for a child's first Christmas. Kids start enjoying it around six months old and continue to love the book until around two. It is a touchy feely book of the ultimate sort. It has feather, crinkles, and some really cool bugs.





THE HAPPY LITTLE YELLOW BOX
AGES 1 TO 3
This interactive gem has flaps to lift, tabs to pull, and even some pop-ups. However, it is much simpler than many pull tab books and is appropriate for kids as young as 12 months. The super duper cool page, or at least Henry's favorite, is the giant pop-up box with the smaller pop-up box inside (to illustrate large & small). Henry has torn the box half-way off the book, but fortunately some scotch tape put it right again. Henry saw the picture of the book on the screen just now, so of course I had to read it to him. He pointed to the Box's eyes and said "eyes". It is so exciting when they start to speak! Kids are so much fun! And the books just add to the joy.


BUILDER BUGS
AGES 2-4

Builder Bugs is a lift the flap, pop-up book. Unlike Feely Bugs or The Happy Yellow Box it is too delicate for younger toddlers, and is really geared towards kids two to four years old. I can't wait to give it to Henry for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Van Fleet

I've seen Mr. Van Fleet's gorgeous books recommended for kids ages 1 and up, but personally I would hold off until the child is at least 18 months old. The books are so beautiful, I can't stand to see them destroyed on their first reading, and destroying these books is exactly what a 1-year-old will do. But at 18 months there is hope, the heads and tails might not last for ever, but hopefully they'll last longer than a single reading.

CAT
AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4

Though Matthew Van Fleet became famous for his book Tails (below) I first took notice when DOG came out and the publisher sent a promotional party package to my bookstore. Unlike most promotional packages, this one was great. There were dogs masks to color and even instructions on conducting a barking contest with awards! So we had a dog party, it was awesome; kids really know how to bark! Alas my family are not dog people, we like cats. Thus we (or really Oscar) fell in love with CAT. The swatting paw didn't last long, but I actually saved it in our desk drawer and re-attached it for Henry. At this moment the paw is still in the book, but who knows for how long...

TAILS
AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4

Tails is the book that made Van Fleet famous, and it is still one of his most popular titles. Its colorful, fuzzy, and clunky all at once, of course people love it!







MOO
AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4

We have three Van Fleet books, and this is Henry's favorite. It isn't that Oscar doesn't like it, but we didn't get it until Oscar was 4 and as it didn't have any sharks or dinosaurs in it he wasn't interested. As kids get older they get pickier. Henry likes photos more than illustrations, and he's at the age where he is still learning animal sounds. Basically this book is perfect for him. Our chicken lost its head and no longer pecks, but so far that is the only casualty. If you are looking for a book to give as a gift MOO would be a good choice.

The Weird and Beloved

PAT THE BEASTIE
AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4

In Pat the Beastie two mean children pull a beast's worm boogers, bonk his nose, yank is fur and so on until he eats them up. It is not your typical children's story, but the kids love it and there are plenty of adults who get a kick out of it as well.

LOVE THE BEASTIE

 AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4

In the follow-up to Pat the Beastie the two naughty children promise to be good so the Beastie spits them out and they play at the park together. There are plenty of tabs to pull and flaps to lift at the playground, though there isn't a lot of hair to tug.

Dr. Seuss

ALL ABOARD THE CIRCUS MCGURKUS
AGES 6-MONTHS TO 4

This lift the flap book appeals to a surprisingly large age group. The book pulls out like a train with different creatures in each car performing different tricks beneath the flaps. Oscar, who will be five in three months, stops to listen and help with the flaps when I read this to Henry.

WET PET, DRY PET, YOUR PET, MY PET!

AGES 6-MONTHS TO 3

Wet Pet (etc) is a touchy feely book with some extra flair. There is one pull tab that not even my four-year-old can manage on his own, and one lift the flap that is especially easy to tear off. Despite these pitfalls the book is still good enough for me to share it with you. It has fabulous feathers, fur, and even rings. And it is fun to read, in general, Dr. Seuss is fun to read.

Peter Rabbit

PETER RABBIT WHO LIVES HERE?
AGES 6 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS

I love Beatrix Potter, I love her tales and I especially love Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny. That said the stories are too complicated to read to babies and toddlers and I feel the constant references to all the Beatrix Potter tales in board books are for the parents and not the kids. But I included this book because it is one of the most durable interactive books I have ever seen!The pages are especially thick with sliding tabs that are easy for little fingers to maneuver. This is one interactive book that might actually make it through multiple children!

Henry's Favorite

TONS OF TRUCKS
AGES 18 MONTHS TO 4 YEARS

Tons of Trucks is modeled on the Matthew Van Fleet style of books. However, it isn't as beautiful or clever as Matthew Van Fleet books usually are. But Matthew Van Fleet doesn't yet have a book about trucks, I wish he did. Despite not being FABULOUS, Tons of Trucks is a cute book, and Henry LOVES it. It has tabs and flaps AND it has trucks. He is a fan.

A 14-Month-Old's Favorite Reads

My younger son, Henry, is now 14 months old. Being a younger sibling has its advantages, one of which is that Henry has more books to choose from. And Henry is choosy. Henry regularly shoves books into my face WHILE I am reading to him, generally a sign he likes the book in his hand better than whatever drivel I've chosen to read. This is occasionally annoying, especially when I've already read Brown Bear Brown Bear four times that morning - but you gotta humor a bibliophile, especially when he is only 14 months old.

Henry's Favorites at 14 Months

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

by Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle

Henry adores this book. His older brother was never really a fan, but they are different children. This book has simple cut-outs of animals on each page, with the phrase animal animal what do you see? (I see a (the next page's animal) looking at me). Of course every parent thinks her child is a genius, and I am no exception. I feel like Henry is especially smart. He seems to understand 85% of what we say, and I bet he just loves knowing that red bird, yellow duck, blue horse, etc. is going to turn up on the next page. I could be fooling myself, he is only 14 months old after all. But if fooling myself makes it easier to read the book 5 times in one sitting, I am happy to be a fool.

Baby Faces Peek-A-Boo!

by Roberta Grobel Intrater

I have to thank Inyo County's First Five for giving us this book. So really I need to thank all the California smokers for paying an extra $0.25 a pack. That sin tax has given my family a lot of joy. We had a couple of other books with pictures of babies and kids, but this book is by far Henry's favorite. He loved it when he was 9 months old, and he loves it still. This book is part of a series, that includes Splash!, Hugs & Kisses, and more. They are fairly thin board books, and if I hadn't been given the book I probably wouldn't have spent the $4.95 on it, but that would have been my loss. It is worth every penny.

Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes

by Mem Fox

illustrated by Helen Oxenbury 

The truth is I primed Henry to love this book. I memorized it and from the time he was three weeks old I would recite the book to him while looking into his eyes and tickling his fingers and toes. By five months old he would giggle whenever I started reciting the book. But now at 14 months he is no longer happy with just a recitation, he wants to read the actual book. I'll start There was one little baby... and Henry will get up, find the book and throw it into my lap. If I take too long to start turning the pages he gets upset.

The House in the Night

by Susan Marie Swanson

illustrated by Beth Krommes

This beautiful book has a lot of graphic contrast with bright spots of gold amid richly shaded black and white scratchboard. If you don't know what scratchboard is, don't worry, I don't either, but it looks like woodcuts and in Bette Krommes' hands it is beautiful. Because of the contrast I thought Henry would like it right away, but interestingly he was never very fond of it until a couple of months ago. He loves to point at the gold within the illustrations, be it a book, star, the sun, or the moon.  I'm happy he now loves it, because I get lost in the illustrations and I love the poem. It is always nice when Mommy's favorites are appreciated.

Airplane Flight

by Susanna Leonard Hill

illustrated by Ana Martin Larranaga

This is a simple lift-the-flap book that describes an airplane flight. Henry likes looking at airplanes in the sky, but I'm fairly sure he has no idea what lifting the wing flaps for departure actually means. Nevertheless he loves lifting those flaps. We have other lift-the-flap books, but this one is his favorite. Perhaps it is the simplicity of the illustrations? Or perhaps it is because his older brother enjoys this book as well? Regardless of the reasons, Henry, who has never been on a plane, loves the book.

Little Blue Truck Leads the Way

by Alice Schertle

illustrated by Jill McElmurry

This book is part of a series that starts with The Little Blue Truck. We have both books, but Little Blue Truck Leads the Way is the one Henry prefers. While The Little Blue Truck takes place in the countryside and is full of animals, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way takes place in a city with lots and lots of other cars, people, and buildings, NONE of which we have where we live. We live in the rural desert with a view of sage brush out our front door. Perhaps that is why Henry loves the book so much, it is so different from what he knows.

The Very Busy Spider

by Eric Carle

All the animals ask Spider if she wants to play with them but spider doesn't answer as she is very busy spinning her web. We have plenty of books full of animals and the noises they make, but Henry only moos with the cow when we read this book, and he also meows with the cat; this is adorable of course. He also likes to touch the spider's web, which is bumpy.

 Wet Pet, Dry Pet, Your Pet, My Pet!

by Dr. Seuss

Henry has two favorite touchy-feely books, but this is the one I like the best and so I put its picture on the blog. It is Dr. Seuss, so it is full of funny words and wacky rhymes, as well as yellow hair, blue feathers, pull tabs, and lift-the-flaps. The other touchy-feely book that Henry loves is Furry Friends by Disney. Furry Friends has a lot of fur, and simple drawings; it's a good book, but it doesn't have the zest of Wet Pet.

Peek-a Who?

by Nina Laden

My two boys may be different, but they both love this book. Henry is especially fond of the choo choo page. He can sort of make the sound and he will stare at the page upside down, sideways, and right side up. Henry also loves the die-cut pages throughout the book, which are easy for him to grab and turn.

I am a Bunny

by Ole Risom

illustrated by Richard Scarry

When I think of Richard Scarry I tend to think of humanoid animals and cars that are often flipped upside down, I don't think of nature scenes. But it is Scarry's ability to depict nature and its seasons in lush, glorious detail that will astound you with this book. Oscar loved this book. Henry loves this book. All our friends who have this book, love this book. 

Honorable Mentions

 

 

 

Best Toy Brands

I'm a book buyer, but our store cannot survive on a customer base of only bibliophiles these days, so we also sell toys. These are some of my favorite brands. We don't sell all these brands in our store, but I wish we could.

Playmobil

Playmobil is a German company that has been creating high quality plastic toys since the 1950s. These are toys that you can pass on to your grand kids, and the great grand kids beyond. Their 1.2.3. line (pictured here) does not include any choking hazards.

 

 For Christmas my son Henry got the Playmobil 1.2.3. Noah's Ark. The whole set fits inside the ark. Although it has small pieces, none of them is a choking hazard. Above right there is a picture of their dove NOT fitting inside my choking hazard tester. You may have heard that you can use a toilet paper tube as a choking hazard tester, but in truth a toilet paper tube is a lot wider than most adult mouths can fit around. The tester I have is what is used by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

 These are some of our non-1.2.3. Playmobil toys. The viking boat we picked up at a thrift store two years ago; we play with it in the bath almost every night. Oscar received the fire boat for his birthday this year. He loves it but because it has so many choking hazards it stays up on a high shelf until Henry takes a nap. I think of Playmobil as making toy dolls for boys. Of course they have things for girls too,  but I don't have girls.

Green Toys

Green Toys is a relatively new company that makes colorful toys out of recycled milk bottles. The toys are incredibly durable, well designed, and they are all made in the U.S.A. We sell them at our store and often have their pizza and sandwich shop kits out on our play tables. The kids love them and amazingly after a year of heavy use those toys do not even look worn. This doesn't surprise me, as I have seen first-hand how well their trucks hold up.

We live in a small rental house in the high desert and we keep many of our toys outside, year-round. The dump truck on the left has been kept outside in the hot sun and cold snow for three years. The dump truck right next to it is brand new. You can see some fading, but that is it. NONE of our other outdoor toys have fared as well. The bath toys also last; the submarine is brand new and the tugboat is three years old. The tugboat does have some hard water build-up on it, but I suppose I could scrub that off if I cared enough. If you aren't impressed yet, let me show what happens to OTHER toys after three years.

 The toy on the left didn't even make it through one summer. It is in pieces and seems to crumble every time it is touched. The Excavator in the middle doesn't look like an excavator any more. It is two years old, but the excavator arm didn't even last a year. We have continued to use it, pretending it is a snow plow but now that part has chipped and is breaking off as well. This is annoying, because this was an EXPENSIVE toy. The front loader on the right is actually doing pretty well. It is three years old, nothing has chipped and it still works. However it very faded and looks beat-up. When it comes to desert wear, Green Toys wins hands down.

Plan Toys

Plan Toys has been making high quality wooden toys since 1981. Their toys can be colorful, but they don't chip. Their designs are not only attractive, but well thought out. Like Playmobil, these are toys that can be passed down to the grand kids and beyond.

We have had a plan toys tea set and fruit slicing set for about two years now. They look as good as the day we got them. The Toaster is new; Henry (the 1-year-old) enjoys putting the bread slices in and out of the slots.

 

 We also have a dollhouse filled with Plan Toys dolls and furniture, including this adorable baby and crib. We made the cardboard fire station ourselves because our Plan Toys fire engine needed a home. If we don't lose these toys they will last for generations.

 

Green Start

Green Start is a division of Innovative Kids, a company that makes books and puzzles and games. I can't find exact info on how long they've been around, but I'm under the impression that they are a fairly young company. Their Green Start line is made of 98% post consumer recycled materials and printed with eco-friendly ink. That's all nice and good but it made this list because their puzzles are genius. They have different levels for different ages and abilities and they are cute and inexpensive. These puzzles and books may not last for generations, but your child won't care, he (or she) will just be excited to play.

The picture on the left shows Henry playing with the simple two piece puzzles. The puzzle in the middle is one that Oscar recently mastered; it has simple 4 piece puzzles. We've been playing with it for a year and a half and you can start to see some wear along the edges of the puzzle pieces. The picture on the right is of Henry playing the memory cards that came with a counting board book. Oscar and I have been playing with those cards for two and a half years now, though he only learned how to play memory with them last month. Mostly we just matched them up, and then made tracks for his cars to drive down. There are a lot of things you can do with memory cards, as well as with boxes. The box the set came in has been used as a purse or a suitcase for imaginary trips to grandma's house many many times.

Halloween Board Books!

2012 is a stellar year for the Halloween Board Book Fans (I may be the only fan, so in that case it is a stellar year for me)! This season we've seen the publication of not one, not two, but THREE fantastic chewable readers that will hopefully never go out of print.

1. Ghost in the House! by Kazuno Kohara

This graphic masterpiece appeals not just to the youngest of readers (great contrast) but toddlers, pre-schoolers, and parents as well. While the illustrations are captivating and the story is sweet, the book is just odd enough to give mom and dad a good chuckle. In a nutshell, a girl moves into a house, it is haunted, but it turns out she's a witch, so she washes the ghosts and uses them as curtains and sheets. He he he, ghost sheets. The hardcover edition was named a best illustrated children's book by the New York Times in 2008. The author is/was a Japanese student in the U.K. studying printmaking. I think she's found a job.

2. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Sheffler

A Halloween Classic joins the board book club! This story of a witch, who can't seem to keep it together but is kind enough to offer everyone a ride, has been well loved since it first came out in hard cover in 2001. That is over 10 years of adoration! While the story has more words than the typical board book, this more durable format will be appreciated by families with more than one mini reader (a book that can entertain the 4-year-old but won't be destroyed by the 8-month-old - yeah!). Just like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and Stellaluna this story is loved by all ages in all formats.

3. Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex

This parody of Goodnight Moon is creepy enough to stand on its own! Mesmerizingly detailed illustrations will enchant all readers, even those who won't be able to get the joke. Lots of ghoulish critters and simple text make this a keeper for years to come.

OTHER GOODIES

Halloween 123s by Patricia Reeder Eubank

Halloween Bugs by David A. Carter

Halloween Lift-the-Flap Shadow Book by Roger Priddy

Little Spider Finger Puppet Book by Chronicle Books