Reading with small children helps them learn the building blocks of language. It also introduces them to stories, which are a rich, vital part of human life. Books can ignite their imagination and curiosity, and the right books can entertain them for long stretches. And for grandparents, it’s a lovely way to share time together, even if it’s only over video chat.

But how do you keep the attention of a squirrely two-year-old, or a three-year-old with better things to do? The secret to picking books for your grandchildren is finding ones that demand their attention: books that ask them questions, encourage them to jump around, or are filled with silliness. These interactive stories will keep toddlers and preschoolers tuned in.

The following books all have a collaborative element that goes beyond lifting the flap, and are fun for the reader as well as the child. Click on any book cover to learn more about it and order it from Amazon!

The day that Apple announced FaceTime, I felt giddy. The Future, which held so many crazy possibilities, was soon going to be my pocket. Of all the things I imagined using it for, I failed to see it as a chance to read stories to my grandson even when we are hundreds of miles apart.
 
We FaceTime several times a week, but my favorite days are when he shouts, “Read me a story!” I’ll go up to the book shelf where we keep the children’s books, and he’ll request one of his favorites. Turning the camera lens so he can see the book instead of me, I’ll read. Though I miss out on getting to snuggle him on my lap while we read, I instead get to watch his face. I get to see him as he worries whether the baby bird will find his mother or points out the funny things the hen is buying in as she makes a pizza. Just as if we were together, he finishes lines he knows by heart. And each time I say, “The END!”, he says the same four words: “Read me another one!”
 
Not only do we get to enjoy story time together, but it gives his mother a chance to focus on his sister, or get dinner started without simultaneously wrangling two toddlers. And it makes it all the sweeter when we are together, and I get to read the stories and snuggle at the same time.