Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Rating: 5 stars

Please stop reading this.  Order this book--either from the library or your favorite bookstore.

Okay?  Done with that?  I'll continue.

A book has got to be fun to read.  Seriously, who wants to read through a snore-fest of a book that has so-so illustrations and a mediocre storyline just because it has a good morale?  Not me.  To get kids excited about books, you (the reader) must have fun reading them.

I can't think of another book that is more fun to read.  It makes me feel sorry for those folks out there whose kids are past picture books, into chapter books, never to look back on the big square books with huge illustrations.  I want to apologize, because you really missed out on Press Here.  

I saw Lorelei reading this book at home last week, and noticed that she was pressing the book and clapping and doing all sorts of things with the book, rather than just sitting and reading it.  My curiosity was piqued, but my to-do list was too long to drop what I was doing to check it out (yeah, I know...bad choice for me.  Pass a Mommy demerit my way).  I didn't return it with most of the books from last week, choosing instead to pack it with us on vacation.  Last night I finally got the chance to read it.  Ben sat in my lap, the lucky duck, and had the full experience.



The book is really just a list of instructions, telling the reader (or the reader's budding bookworms) to do this or that.  It starts innocently--press this dot.  Then tap it five times, and turn the page to see that the one dot has magically turned into five in a row.  Rub something gently and POOF! on the next page it's a different color.  Tilt it to the left, and turn the page to see all the dots gathered on the left-hand side (enter unchecked giggles here).  Tilt it to the right, and turn the page to see all the dots gathered on the right-hand side (enter an eruption of laughter here).

The best, though, is the "shake the book" pages.  The lucky duck kid on your lap gets shaken right along with the book.  (I should confess that I am VERY good at riling up any and all children, especially at bedtime.  I was born to make kids laugh and take that role very, very seriously.)  I think Lorelei nearly peed in her pajamas tonight when I nearly shook her out of my lap (she chose it again tonight, perhaps jealous of the experience Ben got last night).

I just ordered this book for my sister's brood of children.  I can just picture all four of them pressing and rubbing and turning and giggling.  I am patting myself on the back while chuckling for riling them up from afar.  At bedtime, of course.  Hee, hee, hee...

2 comments:

  1. Best book ever! It is on my list of books to buy for new moms. My kids are at the age where a trip to the library results in choose your own adventures, 68 Rooms books, Mysterious Benedict's Society and a million Bailey School Kid's books. But about once a month a book like this creeps back into the pile and I love watching my kids giggle and fawn over a book they loved as toddlers. It might gross other moms out, but I also love how banged up, smudgy and well loved the library copy of this is. You can imagine the hundreds of kids that have discovered this book with glee!
    I just showed Ryan this post and he said, "I wish we had that book right now!"

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