DUAL-FUNCTIONING BOOKS

There are some really cool books out there that go beyond being brick-and-mortar "text and illustration" books. They take things to the next level in that the physical book becomes a key part of the experience and incites its own separate experience. I have dubbed these dual-functioning books because––as the name would suggest––these books serve two functions: To be a book and to be something beyond a book. Check out some examples below!

                    

click on a book cover to see more

...and don't forget to check out my other favorites lists:

                           

Open Me . . . I'm a Dog

By Art Spiegelman

This book is also a dog! But it won't poop on your floor or bark at your mail carrier, and it fits perfectly in your lap. Complete with a pop-up tail, velvet endpapers, and a leash!

What's Up, Construction Truck?

By Matthew Reinhart and Toby Leigh

This book is also a construction truck! Experience a pop-up book about construction trucks complete with pull-tabs, and then turn the book into an actual construction truck after! Check out the companion book What's Up, Fire Truck? here.

Happy Day

By Molly Hatch

This book is also a bouquet of flowers! Each spread has a page of information about each flower opposite a page with a moveable, die-cut flower that readers can lift up. Once all flowers have been lifted, remove the dust jacket and you have yourself a little flower bouquet in a blue and white vase! In the same series are a "thinking of you" bouquet and a succulents bouquet.

Tacos!

By Lotta Nieminen

This book is also a DIY taco recipe! This book, like the rest in the Cook in a Book series, takes things to the next level and turns readers into chefs. There are wheels to turn that mash avocados, die-cut knives that pop-out for chopping, and a whole host of additional interactive elements. Check out another book in the series, Pancakes!, here.

It's Christmas Everywhere

By Hannah Barnaby and João Fazenda

This book is also a Christmas tree! This super fun carousel book has magnets to attach the front and back covers, making the book into a Christmas tree sculpture for readers to enjoy post-read. Take a closer look at more carousel books here.

Our World: A First Book of Geography

Written by Sue Lowell Gallon and illustrated by Lisk Feng

This book is also a globe! This carousel board book has magnets on both the front and back covers so that it turns into a 360° carousel globe that stands on its own. Readers can take a trip around the world with more information about many locations throughout the world. Take a closer look at this book and more carousel books here.

This Book Is a Planetarium: And Other Extraordinary Pop-Up Contraptions

By Kelli Anderson

This book is also a planetarium! And an instrument! And so much more! Take a closer look at this highly interactive pop-up book and everything it can be here.

The Adventures of 3 Bears

By Claudio Ripol and Yeonju Yang

This book is actually three leporellos that each fold out into a mask! See and read more about leporellos and these three books here.

 

Read-and-Play Rocket

By Bridget Heos and Sona Avedikian

This book is also a rocket! Take a tour through space with this rocket-shaped book and then attach the back and front covers to turn the book into a carousel book and rocket that kiddos can blast off into space with!

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