Press Here: Hervé Tullet: 1 (Herve Tullet)

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That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. And while you are older and know that you could just flip the page and the change will occur without following instruction, it is more fun to play along; you have a want to suspend yourself in the magic. The book’s simple instructions give kids plenty to practice: identifying left and right, counting up to five, recognizing patterns, and following instructions such as gently, quickly, a little, and so on.

AS an adult I found it cute; as a child of the intended age I suspect I would have argued a bunch about how dumb it was. Turn the book to the side and shake it, and on the next page, see all the dots having fallen down, etc. A giddy read-along of this deceptively simple book will make those flashy phone and iPad apps seem a lot less charming. Well, sometimes I will experience something so impressive, I cannot stop myself from telling everyone about it.

It encourages you to do some rather unbook-like behaviours, such as tip it, shake it, rub it, tap it or blow it.

We encourage educators to visit the Association for Library Service to Children’s resource guide for talking to children about issues of race and culture in literature. Follow a simple set of instructions and interact with the different coloured dots to see how your actions influence them – watch in amazement as the dots multiply, change colour and move around the book as you press on them or rub them – then turn over and start all over again. As readers follow the directions, it will seem to them that they are creating what’s on the next page. Press Here plays with the assumption that our actions are “causing” things to happen; that when we press a dot, we make it duplicate, that when we blow, we get rid of the black, that when we clap, we make the dots grow, etc. Press here [on the yellow dot] and turn the page,” “Rub the dot on the left…gently,” “Tap the yellow dot 5 times,” “And five taps on the red…” What is marvelous is what happens when you do and turn the page.

It's not poetic or in any way convoluted; it's a series of simple instructions, with a bit of commentary.