- Picture Books
- Ages 2–5
- Comedy
Is This a Plum?
An interactive peek-through picture book from animator Dan Ojari and his young son Finn: clever cut-away holes tease one thing, then the page turns to reveal something gloriously unexpected. Bold, stylish and made for read-aloud giggles.
- Best for2–5
- FormatPicture
- Length40 pp
- Read aloud~8 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Rhyming
- Repetitive
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Warm
- Whimsical
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Is this a plum? Peer through the hole in the page and it certainly looks like one, but turn over and, SURPRISE, it's the moon! Is this a spider? Turn the page and, no, it's a tiger! This bold, playful picture book uses clever cut-through holes and a call-and-response rhyme to set up a guess and then upend it, page after page, all the way to a hippo's bum. It is a joyful lesson that things aren't always what they seem, wrapped up as a giggly guessing game. The picture-book debut of BAFTA-nominated animator Dan Ojari, it began as an idea and drawings by his seven-year-old son Finn, and the pair share the byline. With graphic, high-contrast artwork and a rhythm built for reading aloud, it is a perfect share for toddlers and their grown-ups, and a natural for the youngest browsers who love to shout out the answers.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A read-aloud and lap-share book for toddlers of about 2-5, when the peek-through surprises and shout-out rhyme land hardest. Newly independent readers of 4-6 can enjoy naming the reveals themselves, but it shines as a shared game.
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- Best fit · 2–5
- Read aloud · 2–5
- Independent · 4–6
Prose load
Minimal
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Interactive books
- Read aloud
- Toddlers
- Guessing games
Avoid if
- Wants a story with plot
Particularly good for children who are…
- Starting nursery or preschool
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The die-cut holes make every page a game: you're sure you know what it is, then the page turns and it's a tiger, or the moon, or a hippo's bum. The reveals are silly and satisfying, and toddlers love shouting out their guesses.
- Trickery and cleverness
Why parents love it
An animator's eye shows in the graphic, high-contrast artwork, and the call-and-response rhyme is built for reading aloud. It is short, punchy and holds up to the umpteenth read, with a warm backstory: it grew from the author's young son's own drawings.
- Shared humour
- Beautiful illustrations
- Quick to read
About the creators
About the creators.
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