Press Here by Herve Tullet

“Ready?” the voiceover-style narration asks on the first page; it shows a yellow dot on a plain white background. “Press here and turn the page,” it instructs. When the page is turned, there’s a second yellow dot beside the first one. “Great!” it says. “Now press the yellow dot again.” A third yellow dot appears beside the first two. “Perfect,” the narrator continues. “Rub the dot on the left… gently.” On the next page, voila!—that dot is now red. ~ excerpt from “Publisher’s Weekly,” Starred Review

“Press Here” is one of the most imaginative, yet simplistic, wonder-filled books to come along in a long time. I used this book in my last storytime for the Summer this past Monday, and the children howled with glee. To press the dot, to shake the book, to turn it upside down and all around, while flipping over to the next page is an utter thrill for the children. Dots multiply, change color, change size, and are completely out of control. The faster you tell each page, the more excited the children become! Tell it slowly, and they can’t wait to get to the next “dot event” on the next page. Tell each page from the children’s imagination and perspective, and it is pure joy to see their astonishment, smiles, and happy laughter.

I have always been a great admirer of children’s international authors, illustrators and their stories. The style of Tullet may be simplistic, but that is the catch isn’t it? Not cluttered, not over stated, and always surprising. “Press Here” and see what will happen with this interactive book. I guarantee smiles await.

“Press Here” by Herve Tullet is just one of the great books on the 101 Picture Book Challenge list.

Looking for More Great Picture Books?

Try these fun stories out for size

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson Invites the reader to tap, rub, touch, and wiggle illustrations to make an apple tree bloom, produce fruit, and lose its leaves.

This Book is Out of Control! By Richard Byrne Ben wants to show Bella how his remote controlled fire engine works, but the buttons are not working properly and strange things are happening to Bella’s dog.

Don’t Wake the Tiger by Britta Teckentrup Tiger is fast asleep, but oh dear! She’s lying completely in the way. Just how will the animals get past without waking her up? Luckily, Frog has an excellent idea.

What is the 101 Picture Book Challenge?

The 101 Picture Book Challenge is for anyone at any age. Librarians hand picked the titles on the list which includes classics, new titles and everything in between.

To get started, register online. You can track your progress online or if you prefer a paper log booklet, pick one up at your neighborhood Library. The books are organized into categories but you can read the books in any order and at your own pace. When you read all 101 titles, you earn a free picture book (while supplies last).

This is the latest in a series of blog posts exploring some of the things we love about these books.