Abstract: An interactive book having display pages which are illuminated via electroluminescent (EL) lamps is disclosed. A typical display page includes characters which may be individually illuminated by an underlying pattern of EL lamps, and membrane switches for the user to activate the EL lamps as desired. The sheets of the book are assembled with back-to-back display pages, i.e. with inner layers of EL lamps and outer layers of characters. The EL lamps may luminesce simply, such as with a single membrane switch for a single EL lamp, or a series of EL lamps may be connected to a sequencing circuit wherein activation of a single membrane switch causes a specific timing and order for luminescence of the EL lamp series. The sequence of the EL lamp series may be set to provide motion effects, such as animation, for the overlying characters.