Gotcha!: A Funny Fairy Tale Hide-and-Seek

by Clotilde Perrin

In this monstrously funny and original lift-the-flaps adventure, a child finds hiding places in the most famous fairytale houses before turning on their hide-and-seek pursuers.

Quick, hide! Chased by monsters, each hairier and stinkier than the one before, a child finds shelter in the three little pigs' brick home, Sleeping Beauty's palace and Hansel and Gretel's gingerbread mansion. Each house is full of hiding places for the reader to explore, with flaps big and small and curious places to discover on the search for the child's hiding place. And when the hero of our story finally stands up to the monsters, they may be the ones to flee, because this child has read the tales before and knows how to vanquish a villain!

A devilishly funny hide-and-seek game in a fairytale world, this large-format lift the flaps adventure is from the mischievous mind of Clotilde Perrin, whose Inside the Villains was an international sensation.

The most, and best, (pop-up) haunted house in decades--starred, Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fairy Tales

28 pages, Hardcover

Published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Elo · Rating 4 out of 5]

les dessins étaient adorables & l'histoire est palpitanteeeee
mais je ne suis pas fan de la morale qui entraine à de la violence hardcore contre les monstres
le livre est GRAND & toutes les pages pop-up permettent de capter l'attention de l'enfant (aka lolad, lolatre, pablo, camille)
le vocabulaire est riche et nouveau !

[Millie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ça me rend triste pour les méchants, ils voulaient juste se libérer de leur flatulences en paix. Mais bon une leçon sur dépasser ses peurs.

[Steff Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haha, I’m honestly so torn about this one.

Gotcha is a genuinely clever little book, with a lot of really fun jokes hidden within its pages (I honestly had to do a double take when I saw the portrait of mom and dad in the little pigs’ house)! As an adult, I found the little jokes throughout absolutely phenomenal, but at times I kind of cringed a little at the thought of reading it to a kid.

Then again, as with the little callback to this movie we see on the bookshelves, the book is kind of like Shrek in that there are a lot of jokes for adults that the kids are certain to not take note of. And I do have a small amount of appreciation for that.

Outside of this, as an interactive flap filled book for kids, there is certainly a lot of fun to be had flipping through everything and seeing the main character find all these hiding places in each of the three houses to stay out of the sight of the three monsters. The monsters are adequately scary, perhaps even too much for the easily spooked little one.

I dunno, I had a lot of fun reading it and I would have no problem giving this to my nieces. That said, it’s probably not something all the parents would like as it does get into some…darker areas, in the spirit of old stories like that of the Grimm Brothers.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a epub version of this book and this isn't the right way to do so. Marketing this book by providing epub is a weird ideas, for not saying a lesser word. In physical form it could be nice with all the pop-up and interactive pieces of the book, but I can't judge by it with my version and the impossibility to properly experience it...

[ounaïssa ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

chokbar par la fin j’pense qu’ils étaient pas méchants ils voulaient juste peter

[Lucie Pop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prout

[Beren · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCROYABLE ! Un vrai hommage à la littérature "horrifique" pour les tout petits

[Milly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was kind of violent, a bit confusing, and not cohesive. The illustrations were the draw, and the flaps were fun to explore. The idea of hiding in different fairytale stories represented by unique houses was interesting but ultimately was the only well thought out part. The dialogues in the rooms didn't always make sense. I feel this was a book meant more for adults but lacked complexity, so it left a confusing hodgepodge of pretty drawing for the kids.

[stephanie cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are beyond cute, I loved all the little details that went into the houses and characters. House B is my favorite, all the candy items was cute!

I understand this is supposed to be a life the flaps hide and see book that is in the works but was a big confused as to were the text/story line writing is. My ARC copy is blank with the last 2 pages having scrambled text on it. Without the text you do get the jist of what is happening story wise.

[Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an ode to the creeping forces found in the fairytales of old, this picture book explores the adventures of a young protagonist—perchance the one reading the book at that very moment—through a race against the monsters who scares them. The protagonist hides in Classic stories told to children with more gore & gusto than many of the Horror novels of today; wolves gobbling grandmothers, witches boiling abandoned children in the woods. Though these stories have now been tampered & teased into submission for the general consumption of all, within this book, their hidden origin dost lie.

With that being said, though I have not put a content warning within this review I will say that this is a case wherein many children whose temperaments are on the more gentle & sensitive side, might not appreciate this so much as the children who crave the curious & bizarre. Therefore, I will advise that if you are seeking this book for a young one in your life, please be aware that the imagery is abundant in detail—keep that young reader in mind when gifting this read.

I know I would have loved this story as a child because I was in fact someone who was brazenly curious about everything outlandishly illogical—something I have not given up in my adult years. The illustrations within this book are a testament to hours spent perfecting the craft & diligence in a league of its own. I adored everything there was to read & see & notice; everything hidden until found.

There is a great deal to appreciate within this story. I would wager to say that the role of stories plays a very prominent part in the vanquishing of monsters—of fear. When the protagonist halts his hiding, he realizes that through all the stories he has read he has found refuge from his fear. With everything learnt through stories & tales, the protagonist was able to confront the unknown.

Though I am sure that this lesson is beneficial to all, I stand by what I said at the beginning of this review; this is a story for readers like me, once children who roamed shelves unafraid of wolves, tired-eyed-monsters, & the crazed lunacy of aged sorceresses waiting for orphans. I appreciated this story very much for the lurch down memory lane. A jaunt over the bridge where it all began; in the pages of a book & whence I remain, snug as a seedling in the soil, cozied between the words on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gecko Press, & Clotilde Perrin for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Gotcha! by Clotilde Perrin, translated by Daniel Hahn, an interactive hide-and-seek tale about finding the courage to face down monsters.

On oversized pages and through various interactive elements, readers follow a young child in a gray bear onesie as they flee from various fearsome fairytale beasties. First, they take refuge from a hairball at the house of the three little pigs, then from a stinkwart in the witch’s gingerbread house, and finally from a creeper (not Minecraft) in Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Realizing that the monsters will only keep chasing if they run and hide, the child decides to stand up to their ferocity, and may find that monsters aren’t nearly as tough as they appear.

Dark and wonderful. From the grotesque character design to the clever layout of the lift-the-flap elements, this is the kind of interactive book that kids will devour with gusto. Appropriately fantastical text, including tongue-twisting antiquated words like collywobbler and pestilential, plus speech-bubble dialogue from the fairytale characters make for quite a few entertaining gags, especially when combined with the incredibly detailed environments. Adults be forewarned, however: there are definitely some dark elements in this French import, including what appears to be the remains of two villains – the witch and the hairball – cooked up in kitchen ovens; this tale is definitely for slightly older bookworms. Other than that, the length was fine for a storytime, and JJ loved the lift-the-flaps and sight gags. Overall, a delightfully demented fairytale, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to the Baby Bookworm by a representative of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With its tall vertical design, this oversized book--3.5 for me--won't fit on the average size bookshelves. But no matter since it won't be on those shelves for long once word spreads about its contents. Three quite frightening monsters--a Stinkwart, a Creeper, and a Hairball--are after a youngster for reasons that aren't explained. The colorful full-page depiction of each of these horrors is frightening indeed. But in each case, as the child is threatened, the book addresses him/her/them, possibly the reader, with the suggestion of a safe place in which to hide. Thus, the child finds sanctuary inside the brick house belonging to one of the Three Little Pigs, into the Wicked Witch's gingerbread house as entered by Hansel and Gretel, and inside Sleeping Beauty's castle. Each of these houses contains great hiding places that can be found by lifting the flaps on the pages, a total of 40 in all. But even though spots that those monsters might not dream of looking can turn out to be less secure than desire, leaving the child to stand his/her/their ground and beat the monsters at their own game. After all, if readers peruse the book titles on this youngster's shelves, it's clear that horror and scary stuff isn't unfamiliar. The child's stance at the end of the book and even the three monsters on the previous page bring to mind Maurice Sendak's classic Where the Wild Things Are. And where are these wild things now? Why, one is in the oven, another is in the toilet, and the third one has run for its life after leaping from the window. All of this has led to that final "Gotcha!" and explains the book's title. There's so much to explore on every page, and older readers will enjoy this cleverly-designed volume just as much as younger ones since they'll understand some of the objects and titles more than their younger counterparts.

[Bookrapt (Est. 1983) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gecko Press has once again delivered a stunning picturebook that will delight adults as well as children. The cover of this very large picturebook features a close-up of a monster with open mouth and very sharp teeth but I don’t think anyone will have nightmares after reading it.

A series of monsters, starting with a “nasty hairball with frightful fur and feculent feet”, are coming to get you. As you turn through the pages, you are invited to hide in a series of houses – a brick house, a gingerbread house, and an overgrown castle. Each dwelling can be explored with lots of flaps to open and things to discover.

Although this book can be enjoyed by everyone, familiarity with the fairy tales referred to will add to the enjoyment. With its amusing illustrations, delicious language and 40 flaps to open, this book is bound to be a hit. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Penny Guy (Bookrapt)

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street]

There is something really playful and fun here with the oversized picture book and multiple layers of lift-the-flap features. This narrative is a different take on classic fairy tales and even has an aspect similar to Where the Wild Things Are. I loved the little lift-the-flap features inside each fairy tale (The Tree Pigs, Hansel & Gretel, and Sleeping Beauty). The narrative reads a bit clunky to me, though, and it's not exactly clear what we're supposed to do in terms of the story once we enter the various buildings. This is fun and unique but I think doesn't have a strong enough story element to bring children back to this.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Publisher's Spotlight. Opinions are my own.

[Tabitha - · Rating 5 out of 5]

🦇Spooky Kids Review🦇 - Gotcha!
Medium: Pop-Up/Peek-A-Boo Book
Release: October 4, 2022
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

*Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I will say, reviewing a pop-up book on a digital outlet isn't as fun. But we are FULL of imagination in this house! The littlest family member and I had fun trying to find who he called, "the friend", who was hiding in all different houses!

I even had fun spotting some stuff that was clearly thrown in for the adults - like that Harry Potter poster! (And other things that made me giggle)

We will definitely have to seek out a physical copy of this when it comes out! So cute!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This silly and imaginative children's book tells the story of a variety of strange looking monsters and a game of hide and seek using the flaps within the book. The font would be a little challenging for beginning readers to decipher, but as book that is likely being read to children rather than by children, that shouldn't be a problem. The use of flaps makes the book interactive and feels like a real game of hide and seek with the craziest opponents young children will ever take on! I'd definitely recommend this fun books to parents of toddlers and young children. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

[Jessica Gard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the illustration style, and I found the story itself to be fun and whimsical. A band of monsters are seeking through well-known fairytale residences in order to find the children hidden within! In each scene there are so many interactive elements and fun references to the stories they come from.

I feel like this lift-the-flap style book will keep its readers entertained and wanting to come back again and again to find new and exciting details.

Perfect for pre-school aged children, and young independent readers, Gotcha! is sure to a delight for all.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian]

It's an odd book - running away from monsters in fairy tale books ... then standing up against them at the end. It's a bit hodge-podge with lift-the-flaps and literary jokes/treasures in the illustrations. It helps to have an understanding of the fairy/folk tales to understand the story.

I like books abouts books, but this one was okay. Not one that I would need to read again.

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Moon Shine Art Spot ~ Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gotcha!: A Funny Fairy Tale Hide-and-Seek
Clotilde Perrin Is a fun and wonderfully illustrated children’s book adults can enjoy too. A great way to interact and read - play together. My son & I loved looking through these types of books when he was younger.

The illustrations are so much fun, and lots of treasures to find along the way. A book that can be read together many times over.

I was given this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three truly grotesque monsters chase a little one in this oversized lift-the-flaps hide and seek picture book. This is a lively Where the Wild Things Are meets a fairy tale / folktale monster mashup. With an affirming message about facing your villains, this is a picture book for older readers who appreciate smart wordplay and sardonic humor.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Gecko Press for a free digital copy.

A fun little flap book about the monsters within pages. It's hard to read a digital copy of a flap book, but I think this one has great illustrations and could be a fun read.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gotcha!
by Clotilde Perrin
a little confusing, the story of different houses and the things with in it. Each house belonging to a new monster.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know when you read a book, and you just automatically know that it's translated from French? Such an odd tale.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A combination of monsters and fairytales. It has pop-ups, so it is better for slightly older kids. I love how each house has layers.

[Rebecca Caufman]

An oversize book filled with flaps and dark humor for fairy tale fans.

[Carolyn Jeziorski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a good book for little kids who want a scary story. I am concerned the flaps will not hold up well.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun fairy tale adventures. Slightly scary in some parts, so best for older kids who won't get scared.

[Alexis Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I liked how interactive each page was in its own way with pop ups and mysteries to solve on each page. I especially liked the imaginative elements included in it.

[Katherine Toronto Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s not much of a story but the illustrations are *so* clever and *beautiful*

[Erin Buhr]

A unique oversized, lift-the-flap book that carries you through several fairy tales as you attempt to avoid monsters. The monsters are quite frightful, but the whimsical glimpses inside various familiar homes is a fun escape.