Press Here [Hardcover]

Herve Tullet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2011 | Age Range: 2 and up | Lexile Measure: 320L (What's this?)

Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Tullet's brilliant creation proves that books need not lose out to electronic wizardry; his colorful dots perform every bit as engagingly as any on the screen of an iPad. "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. "Well done!" the book congratulates. The fun continues as the dots proliferate, travel around the page, grow and shrink in response to commands to clap, shake, or tilt the book, etc. The joy is in the tacit agreement between artist and reader that what's happening is magic. Shh! Don't tell. All ages. (Apr.)
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Review

""Press Here" is a tour de force of imagination and playfulness that belongs on every family bookshelf" - Seattle Times

"[S]pectacularly simple....And it's just plain fun. Tullet reminds readers that a child's imagination truly needs only the most basic of instruments to soar high and far."--School Library Journal, Starred Review

"Without so much as a single tab to pull or flap to turn, this might be the most interactive picture book of the year."--Booklist

"Who needs video games? I guarantee this book will completely engage young readers - and their families as well and the giggles will multiply as fast as the colored dots."
-Bookends, A Booklist Blog

"We're reading Press Here [by Hervè Tullet]!" -Kelly Rutherford, actress, Gossip Girl

"We believe in magic after reading this book....This could quite possibly give birth to a whole new genre of kid lit." - Babble.com

"Utterly captivating." -The Modesto Bee

"Tullet's brilliant creation proves that books need not lose out to electronic wizardry; his colorful dots perform every bit as engagingly as any on the screen of an iPad....The joy is in the tacit agreement between artist and reader that what's happening is magic. Shh! Don't tell."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"This is one that will be passed around every classroom, every library and at every gathering of family and friends. Irresistible."--Shelf Awareness

"This brilliantly simple amusement wins its spot (in a manner of speaking, for it consists almost entirely of colorful spots on glossy white backgrounds) for the sheer delight it gives. The book, we said earlier this year, 'is like a cross between a high-concept picture book and an iPhone, only more charming.'" - Wall Street Journal/Best Books of 2011

"This book is 100% magic, the potent kind that makes an adult ignore cranky knees curled awkwardly on the floor to read (and press and rub and tap.) right to the very end." -Madison Public Library

"The iPad generation expects interactive. But books can play too...It's so much fun to pretend that things are actually changing on command. No computer needed! Kids (and adults) are delighted by their perceived power." -Susan Faust, The San Francisco Chronicle

"The bottom line: "Press Here" is a tour de force of imagination and playfulness that belongs on every family bookshelf." -Courier & Press

"Such a fun, simple book but one that will keep your preschooler enthralled and entertained. ...An age-appropriate thought-provoker." -About.com

"So clever and so much fun." -Raising Creative and Curious Kids blog

"Simple in appearance, genius in execution. An interactive book for interactive times, Press Here will please all comers. A must see." -- Travis Jonker, 100ScopeNotes.com

"Simple enough to captivate a two-year old, yet brilliant enough to garner the attention of an adult, this book will bring magic into anyone's day who reads it." -Babble.com

"Press Here is the ultimate book for engaging very young children and holding their attention." James Patterson's ReadKiddoRead.com

"My kids love for me to read this book to them." Kelly Rutherford, actress, Gossip Girl

"Kids will love it, because they can challenge themselves, reinforce basic concepts, and just have fun with a book that interacts with them." -Librarians Crossing blog

"It's a magic trick that never stops giving. It is, I hope, the start of great new things to come with one of the oldest formats on earth."--Betsy Bird, School Library Journal's A Fuse #8 Production Blog

"It takes a low-tech book to remind us of all the fun you can have without a single electronic gadget. " - HuffingtonPost Parents

"Irresistible...A cross between a high-concept picture book and an iPhone, only more charming." -The Wall Street Journal

"I love Press Here! It would work on so many levels: teaching kids left from right, just as a fun game, using your imagination." -Robin Benoit, Children's Librarian, Fairport Public Library, NY

"I have been hearing such good things about this one and I have to say all the rumors are true! Not to say that e-books and apps do not have their place but it is nice to see a real book compete with them and win." -Books Beside My Bed blog

"For something to read alongside your young grandchildren, you must check out "Press Here" by Herve Tullet." -Brainerd Dispatch

"Every once and a while a book comes along exemplifying such a rare simultaneous brilliance and simplicity that you cannot believe the world of words ever functioned before its conception. Press Here, written by Henre Tullet and published by Chronicle Books, is one of these titles. " -Acquired Taste blog

"Entertaining and intriguing." - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Deceptively simple, and endlessly entertaining "
-Kepler's Books and Magazines, Camino Real Menlo Park, CA

"Compared to the squawking sounds and flashing lights of many toys, Tullet's simplicity is a breath of fresh air....Children and parents keen to explore technological interactivity will delight in recalling the infinite possibilities of the picture book."--Kirkus Review, Starred Review

"At the close of this reading experience, you'll hear the ultimate praise: 'Read it AGAIN!' Hooray for the book!" -Kids Brain blog

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 30, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811879542
• ISBN-13: 978-0811879545
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 0.4 x 8.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (275 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Activity Books
  • #8 in Books > Children's Books > Education & Reference

More About the Author

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

219 of 222 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book! April 19, 2011

By OutlawPoet VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

LOL - okay, the wonderful review before mine is so chock full of great information on the book that I don't know how I can compare. (I think the review is longer than the book!) Truly a great review, so I'll just move onto reaction to book.

I'm the mom of a 3-year-old daughter. I wasn't sure how she would react to the book. There are no cute characters. No flaps to lift. No scratch and smell, lights, music or holograms. LOL - it's truly a book! And it's made up of primary colors, circles, and basic sentences - that's it.

So, I put her on my lap and began to read. Did she like it? Well, we had to read it 8 times the first night, 7 times the second night, 10 times the third night, etc., etc., etc. She hasn't gotten tired of it yet.

This morning, my daughter had a doctor's appointment. As we sat in the waiting room, I took the book out and we began to read. Within moments, we were surrounded by every other child in the waiting room as they watched and listened in fasciation.

This is truly a wonderful little book that proves imagination is more important and more effective than batteries!

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review: Press Here April 23, 2011

By Alyson Beecher VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

On the opening page of PRESS HERE, the reader sees a simple yellow dot on a clean white background and the simple words that invite the reader to "Press here and turn the page." I challenge anyone not to be tempted to "press here". Once you do "press here" and turn the page the journey has begun. Each page invites the reader, to press, rub, shake, tilt, or blow on the page. Each time, readers are rewarded with some kind of action on the subsequent page. Rubbing the yellow dot may make it change color. Shaking it moves all of the dots around. And blowing on the page just might send all of the dots flying. Every time I share this book with someone, I get the same response - smiles, chuckles, and enthusiastic interaction with the book.

There are books and then there are books. PRESS HERE is fun, simple, and brilliantly executed. In some ways, I like to describe this as an iPad app for people without an iPad. It should be noted that the book is designed in a way that also allows for heavy use. With a book that encourages interactions, it is critical that it can stand up to lots of handling. The pages of PRESS HERE are thicker and coated which will support frequently use.

If you are looking for gifts for young children in your life, or just like collecting unique books, I would seriously recommend this one. I am already making up a list of who will get a copy.

112 of 123 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Shaking and tilting optional April 2, 2011

By E. R. Bird HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

When we talk about interactive picture books we're usually talking about pop-up books or tactile books with fuzzy/bumpy details. When we talk about picture books that break down the fourth wall, we're usually talking about titles that approach the reader directly with a narrative like The Monster at the End of this Book or Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! or Can You Make a Scary Face? So where do we slot the little French import Press Here by Herve Tullet? Interactive but also reliant on the paper format, this here's an entirely new breed of book. One that has its finger firmly on the pulse of what kids are used to, while at the same time finding a way to both upset and exceed their expectations.

You know what kids love? Being told what to do. Seriously, it's a thrill for them. Take Press Here. From the title onward children are given specific directions like "press the yellow dot again" and "try shaking the book". For every action the child takes, the book seems to respond with the turn of a page. Dots flit and fly in all directions. Sometimes child readers turn out the lights. Other times the dots grow huge on the page with every clap of the reader. By the time you've reached the end all the book has to say is, "want to do it all over again?" and you can bet that every reader in the room, tall or small, will scream out an appreciative "YES!!!" in response.

I wonder . . . is this the first picture book of the picture book app age? Could you have published a book quite this specific ten or twenty years ago? Does Press Here (called just Un Livre in its native France) in fact mark the start of a whole new genre of children's fiction? Which is to say, fiction for children that are familiar with interaction and, indeed, demand it. I say that in full knowledge of the fact that only a certain privileged segment of the current youthful population has the opportunity to play with interactive electronic toys. Still, I've enough faith in both the small techies and their non-electronic kin to believe that if you tell them to rub a circle in this book, they'll still have the wherewithal to know to turn the page afterwards. I think.

I've heard people say that while an eBook or an app of a book may be amusing, it doesn't have the smell of a book. Smell is important, I'll grant, but I've sniffed enough picture books with nasty rotting cheapo glue in their spines to know that not being able to get an olfactory whiff of a title is sometimes a blessing in disguise. No, the real advantage any given book has over its electronic counterpart is the tactile experience. With screens all you'll ever feel will be a slick, smooth surface. Books (ironically once deplored by the gatekeepers of children's literature if they ever included interactive parts) have the distinct advantage of getting to be furry, fuzzy, softy, plushy, or downright chewable from the start. Normally such tactile books are relegated to babies. Yet every book is, in its way, a physical experience. Take Press Here. First off you've got these thick cardboard covers, clearly built to withstand some serious blows and shakes. Then you've the pages inside, which are shiny and thick enough to give you the impression that you're really accomplishing something when you turn the page. And that, right there, is yet another advantage over the electronic form. While on a screen you can turn a "page" with a mere flick of your index finger, here kids get to revel the pleasure of lifting the thick luscious pages themselves. It's a magic trick that never stops giving. The page has now become the lifting of a curtain on the world's most basic stage.

As a children's librarian I had to consider the readaloud potential of this book. Sure, it's beautiful for one-on-one experiences. It would even work well with kids who've enough experience reading that they know what it's saying at any given moment. But what about for storytimes with big groups of kids? Since the book is constantly telling "you" what "you" should do next, the reader would have to read the text and then do the instructions themselves. That could be fun, but if I know anything about toddlers and preschoolers, you know that you had better have some pretty long arms if you're going read this aloud to them. Otherwise you might find them approaching you like small determined zombies, arms outstretched so that they might press and touch and rub and tap the book for themselves. At least you can get a big group to blow and clap their hands for the later portions of the story. That's pretty good.

I imagine a picture book app for this book with something approaching mild horror. This is odd, particularly when you consider the debt this book owes to the mindset that accompanies that technology. Yet to make this into an app would render this book . . . ordinary. No different from any of the other downloadable games out there and, indeed, much less impressive. What sets Press Here apart from the pack is the fact that it is printed on paper. There's a magic to the book that is akin to the magic of pop-up books. In paper there is power and Press Here taps into that. It is, I hope, the start of great new things to come with one of the oldest formats on earth.

For ages 3 and up.