About a month ago I purchased a used “look inside the airport” book. I thought it would be fun for the little guy, and if he didn’t like it, no big deal. And now that book is easily his favorite book.
The book is made by Usborne, a UK-based book publisher. What makes them special in my opinion is that they have multiple levels within the flaps. Like there could be a flap that shows a house, and then one that shows someone in the kitchen making food. And maybe another flap in the kitchen where you can see what’s in the fridge. How fun!
If you want variety, the publisher has tons of titles. Look inside: an Airport, Sports, Food, Space, and on and on, even to the more obscure ones like WWI and WWII (what?!), and “famous palaces”, and so on. From what I understand, there are 2 series: “look inside” and “see inside”. The “look inside” series seems like it is for younger kids, and the “see inside” series is for a little older – hence the range in these flap books from airports to WWII. Check out their catalog here (look inside books) and here (see inside books). I think I’ve purchased about 6 that will be going back with us to Sweden.
I will say that these books are a bit too old for the little guy, because he could rip the flaps off if we are not careful. But they could be good books to teach him to be careful with books as we go from board books to paper. The content is also a bit over his head, but I strongly believe in elevating our levels one step before he is there, to help his growth (in other words, read books that are slightly above him instead of books that are below him).
I think the reason the little guy likes these Usborne books is that they are interactive, so he gets to quite literally explore every page. And he loves books so much, that every flap is like it’s own little book. I like that they take a while to read, and that means the little guy learns to focus for longer than a few minutes as he does with shorter books. The books are packed with so much information that you as the parent will learn something, and the kid will learn it too – maybe just not at this very moment for the little guy, who at 18 months is not so interested in how airplanes take off and land 😉
A Father on Pappa Leave 
Ohh these are so awesome! I must check them out on Book Depository. My little boy is nearly 3 and only now he’s getting a bit better with lift the flap books. Prior to this it was rip, rip and rip.
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they are truly great, aren’t they?! I guess by the time my son is your son’s age, his books will have a lot of tape in them! 🙂
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Aw my son is particularly tactile – he’s absolutely a kinesthetic learner. I’ve learned to “drive” the reading at the moment so that I don’t lose too many good books!
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