If You're Happy And You Know It, Clap Your Hands!

by David A. Carter (Illustrator)

Folks will do almost anything if they're happy (and they know it)--from flapping their wings to touching their toes. At least they will in David A. Carter's pop-up version of the popular play song. Preschoolers will join in with glee, singing, "If you're happy and you know it...," while they help the playful animal characters clap their hands, wag their tails, and wink their eyes. Children pull simple tabs to animate the brightly hued cut-paper cat, dog, skunk, chicken, owl, and mouse. On the last page, all six animals pop up to "shout hooray" in a dramatic display of Carter's paper engineering flair. Musical notation for the song appears on the back cover. Carter has created many well-loved interactive picture books, including another pop-up nursery song, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, as well as Alpha A Pop-Up Alphabet and Easter A Springtime Pop-Up. (Ages 2 to 5) --Emilie Coulter

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Animals, Childrens, Music

16 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1997

About the author

David A. Carter is a master paper engineer and creator of the Bugs series, which has sold more than 6 million copies. Also the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Color series, featuring One Red Dot, Blue 2, 600 Black Spots, Yellow Square, and White Noise, he lives in Auburn, California, with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[Kris Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh yes, please reprint if you are out there David Carter. I read it to my early childhood music classes and even if they are on the edge of chaos, this book pulls them back. Also I need a new copy because I had to build my poor little cat a prosthetic arm when hers ripped off!

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A take-off on the song, that includes variations "wag your tail," "flap your wings..." The babies seem fascinated by the movement in the book and the caregivers/parents did the motions with their babies. 10/15/13

This went over so well at Lap Time that I used it again in Story Time

[Megan Whalen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I am a children's librarian and I use this book to end all of my preschool storytimes! The kids LOVE it! I REALLY wish a reprint would be made available because I need more copies!

[Ashley Dam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book and puts a twist on the original song of 'You're Happy And You Know It." The teacher or child can pull the tab on the character which then makes the character hands clap. The different types of animals that can be seen are a dog which wags his tails, the chicken flaps her wings and many more. There are so many pop up surprises that children always find interesting and exciting. This is such an awesome way to sing and move around the room. The children can even reenact the animals and flap their arms like chickens, and etc. I love this book because it's different and children can learn animal sounds in a fun engaging way. The appropriate grade level for this book would be pre-kindergarten through kindergarten. An activity I can accomplish with children would be a whole group activity. As a class, we would remodel the song just like the book did. The child would come up with animals that can be mentioned in our song. For example, "If you're a penguin and you know it, turn your head. If you're a penguin and you know it, turn your head. If you're a penguin and you know it and you really want to show it turn your head." "If you're a giraffe and you know it, bend your neck. If you're a giraffe and you know it, bend your neck. If you're a giraffe and you know it and you really want to show it bend your neck." This song will continue and the children will come up with different animals and body movements. Another activity I can complete with children would be by making signs with emotions. We would be singing this song while in a circle. As we go around the circle each child will take turns holding up their sign. A couple of signs will have emotions such as happy, sad, mad, surprised, etc. These emotions would then be incorporated into our song.

[K.C. Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book! Children giggle and sing along.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun twist on the song - nothing ground-breaking or spectacular, but the toddlers will love it.

[Milton Louie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pull tabs to make the action! B

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the perfect interactive book for storytime, we had an older group so I let them each pull a tab!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there is little originality in this book (It simply displays the if you're happy and you know it song), I love the interactivity. You can push or pull a tab on the page, and it will show a cat clapping, an owl winking, etc. I asked the children what the animals were doing, and they had fun yelling the answer out loud. After that, we would sing that portion of the page.

A storytime hit! Great for preschoolers/toddlers.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are on the hunt for an amazing and interactive singalong book, then this is the one for you! Most children have heard of the standard version of "If You're Happy and You Know It...", but this version switches things up and keeps the children guessing what will happen next. Also, who doesn't want to pretend to have wings and fly away?! I shall definitely read/sing this again.

Read during Preschool Play on October 6th, 2017.
Read during Toddler Time on April 23rd, 2018.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pop up / toy book for the song If You're Happy and You Know It. The actions are with animals and includes clapping, wagging, patting, flapping, winking, toe touch, and shout "hooray!" Great book for a group of little learners.

2016 storytime theme: spring
2021 storytime theme: happy

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My children love this book! It's a must buy. The pop out pages are great!

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fun illustrations make this repetitive and tiring song new. Miracle of miracles.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite pop up books! I would love a copy of this one. Please reprint!!!! Mr. Carter if you are out there we need more!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody loves it! They melt when the cat claps her hands!

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've used this a million times for storytimes and library visits. Total crowd pleaser.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a darling book! Each page brought a delightful and creative surprise.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun pull-tab pop-up adaptation of a familiar song. I like the touching your toes.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really fun and the kids LOVED the moving parts.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adorable book ended many a toddler program at the library and both my kids loved it.

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great to read for children because they love music. It is excellent book to use it for movement. It introduces vocabulary such as If you're happy and you know it NOD your head. the teacher will models how to nod head. It also teaches animals and how they sound.