Children aren’t born with a love for books, but they they can develop that affection very early on. Some of the most special moments I’ve had as a mom are with my children nestled in my lap as I read them a good book.

I love books, so it’s probably natural that my children do, too. As an added bonus, a study published in early 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics demonstrated that simply reading aloud to a child can yield very real benefits to his attention span and behavior.

One of the authors my kids have grown up with is Maurice Pledger. Between the covers of his books are nestled numerous animal habitats to explore—from swimming with dolphins, to slithering with snakes, climbing up mountains, or crawling with bugs. He brings interactive touch and feel adventures to a whole new level, and makes the world of science come alive for children through sight and touch. I started collecting his books when my children were small, and I’ll have to admit I’d still pick one up if I ran across it.

First came the indestructible board books. Their chubby little fingers would help me turn the pages … without ripping them out of the book. Sweet and colorful, the attractive, inviting artwork hooked us all. Pre-school children will look at these picture books for hours. There are endless ways to use books as educational tools, and these are no exception. Some books teach numbers or the alphabet; however, these aren’t limited to those basics. A young child will love learning the names of the different species or playing “I Spy” as you browse the pages. A few of the books even have a special character hidden on each page that you search for as you read.

As my children’s motor skills developed, we were able to move into the highly interactive peek-and-find books. They were able to lift the flaps and participate in the story. Several of Pledger’s books follow the antics of baby animals on some kind of an adventure. The elaborate colorful illustrations just pop out at a child, effectively sucking them into the story. My children, spurred on by their curiosity, were delighted and entertained throughout the whole book.

We eventually graduated to the larger series of nature books with the added bonus of touch-and-feel features. Whether it’s soft bunny fur, scaly fish, or bumpy dinosaur hides, each page gives a child some type of tactile experience. Their natural curiosity is fed by being able to see the shimmering fish scales or touch the sticky anteater’s tongue. All of these books became a fun favorite that we went back to over and over again.

As a parent, I love that each book has identification lists where you can find the name of the insects, reptiles, or mammals featured in the story. Mr. Pledger scores big points by making mom (or dad) the expert—at least, in a child’s eyes—who can correctly answer the endless “What is that?”questions!

Just when I thought this author couldn’t up his game, I discovered the Sounds of the Wild pop-up books. 

Spellbound, my squirmiest child would listen to the wild screams found in the jungle. My fanciful dreamer adored hearing the sounds the mythical creatures might make, and they were all strangely captivated by the eerie sounds of the night book.

These amazing books would make a great addition to any home library. We don’t yet have them all, but our collection is growing and I can see us enjoying all of Maurice Pledger’s books for many years to come. Go check them out … you won’t be disappointed!