Our favourite interactive books for young readers
I remember, back in the distant 1980s, the thrill of Choose Your Own Adventure books and the excitement of being able to constantly re-read a book, choosing a different outcome each time.
Today, there’s now a swathe of beautiful interactive stories that young readers can enjoy reading over and over again, as well as amazing seek-and-find books (that are also stunning, artistic adventures). Discover some of our recent favourite below.
Spin to Survive: Deadly Jungle by Emily Hawkins & R. Fresson
You have an important mission: discover the fabled Lost City of the Jaguar God. But lost and alone in the Amazon Rainforest, survival must be your top priority. Play your way through the deadly dangers of the Amazon in a fight for your life, facing off against treacherous river rapids, prowling jaguars, dastardly treasure-hunters and a whole host of hazards that dwell deep in the jungle.
This gorgeous hardback book features a pop-out spinner, which you place on the page and spin to choose the outcome of each decision.
A thrilling interactive adventure for ages 7 and up.
Spin to Survive: Frozen Mountain by Emily Hawkins & R. Fresson
You become lost in the mountains after an emergency landing. Among the snowy peaks, you are at risk from dangers including falling victim to hypothermia, being buried by an avalanche or stumbling into a deep crevasse.
As you confront each life-threatening challenge, place the Survival Spinner found inside the cover of the book on one of the circles on your current page, and spin. The place where the spinner points when it stops tells you if you have survived, are still living but injured or that you have perished.
An exciting interactive adventure for ages 7 and up.
Shadow Chaser by Simon Tudhope
Woken one night by a bang at the door, you creep to the window and see five hooded strangers below. The leader looks up and beckons you down. What do you do? Open the door, play for time, or escape through the window out back? The choice is yours…
From this point onwards you are in control of an epic adventure, and your survival depends upon the decisions you make. In a book where nothing is as it seems, even the pictures hold secrets that must be unlocked. But as you race across land, sea and sky, one thing becomes clear: it’s not just your fate that hangs in the balance - it’s the fate of the entire kingdom.
A thrilling adventure for readers aged 8 and up.
Pierre the Maze Detective: The Search for the Stolen Maze Stone by Hiro Kamaigaki
The bestselling original book in the Pierre the Maze Detective adventure puzzle series is now available in paperback!
This beautifully illustrated book features 15 full-spread illustrations of intricate, magical mazes. Take a trip through a fantastic world of underground cities, hot-air balloons, tree-top towns and haunted houses. Trace your way through each maze, spot the clues and solve the extra mystery challenges along the way.
A fun interactive adventure for ages 7 and up.
Greek Myths and Mazes by Jan Bajtlik & Zosia Krasodomska-Jones
Discover the legendary labyrinths of Ancient Greece, as well as the myths and stories that have captured readers for thousands of years, in this beautifully illustrated collection of puzzles and facts.
From an Ancient Greek theatre, to the Trojan horse and the Minotaur, the book is packed full of history and mythology, and will astound readers of all ages.
Search-and-find with a dash of mythology for ages 6 and up.
Where’s Wally? Destination Everywhere by Martin Hanford
A collection such as this would not be complete without a Where’s Wally? And what better book to include than a collection of some of Wally’s favourite adventures throughout the years.
Readers will have hours of fun looking for Wally, along with a special surprise at the end.
A classic search-and-find for ages 4 and up.
