Pop-Up books are fun gifts to give children you love. They are great books to read-aloud to a grandchild that is sitting by your side or on your lap. Pop-up books are a gift they can enjoy over and over!
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Why children like pop-up books
There is something magical about pop-up books! They spark the imagination and often cause the reader to wonder if they could create a pop-up scene of their own. A curious child will study the pop-up and try to figure out how it works. It is important to find pop-up books that are age appropriate. The detail and complexity of some make them difficult for little hands. They are easy to damage if the pop-up illustrations aren’t closed properly before the pages are turned.
Are pop-up books good for reading aloud?
Pop-up books are fun to read-aloud, share and experience with a child that is sitting near you. They don’t work as well for reading aloud online. Some are awkward to hold in front of the camera on your laptop or device. It’s also hard to appreciate the experience of the illustrations in the book coming to life on the page if you show it online.
Pop-up books as gifts
I like to use pop-up books as gifts since they are the kind of book a child will want to hold and experience over and over again. As mentioned earlier, it’s important to choose an age appropriate book. Look for recommendations from others. If you are purchasing them online look for a suggested age range and read the reviews.
Here are some favorites I have given as gifts:
Pop-Up Peekaboo! Unicorn by DK publishing is part of a series of pop-up board books for children ages 1-3 years old. When you lift the flap a different unicorn pops out. It has a simple rhyming text and soft pastel illustrations.
The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner and illustrated by Jonathan Lambert is a delightful story with simple pop-up illustrations that add to the fun of the story. It is perfect for children ages 2-4 years old!
Our 4 year old granddaughter enjoyed Shells: A Pop-Up of Wonder when we gave it to her for Christmas. Janet Lawler is the author, Lindsay Dale-Scott is the illustrator and Yoojin Kim is the paper engineer. This is a beautiful book with facts and info about the ocean and its creatures.The illustrations are colorful and interactive making it a great book for learning more about seashells and coral reefs.
Robert Sabuda is a master of pop-up books. We gave our two grandsons his Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up. It is full of interesting facts about dinosaurs and the most amazing intricate pop-ups! Children could spend a lot of time reading and experiencing this book! I would suggest this book for children 6 and up! You may want to look at Robert Sabuda’s other pop-up books.
Do you want to make your own pop-up books?
If you or your grandchildren want to learn how to make your own pop-up books or cards, get one of the books by Joan Irvine. Years ago we had one of her books that my children used over and over to create unique art and cards.
Need more gift ideas? Look at these posts:
Do you need more great books or fun read aloud ideas?
I have lots of books and great ideas to share with you here!
To help you get started I have a list of 15 great read-aloud picture books you can download for free.
