A selection of great not-just-for-kids pop up books in the market today
Who can resist the allure of pop-up books? There's something very satisfying and, in a way, magical about being able to touch, manipulate, and interact with the illustrations in a picture book. It definitely makes any reading experience a hundred times more enjoyable.
Through the years, the craftsmanship behind the creation of these books has grown more creative and complex. 
and people are no longer buying the books just for their children. Pop-ups are now being bought by adults for themselves, as works of art and collectibles.
Like most anyone, I grew up loving the tactile quality of pop-up books and as you will see throughout this page, I've kept that passion with me up to this day. I have an ever-growing collection of children's books, 50% of which are pop-up, and that is why I decided to share with you a number of the excellent ones I've come across through the years that I'm quite sure you will love to have in your library as well.
My love for anything and everything pop-up -- be it a book or a card -- began with a fantastic book called The Sesame Street Riddle Book, published in 1977. I was 5 when my parents bought it for me and I remember spending hours marvelling at the way the paper pieces moved whenever tabs are tugged, pushed or rotated.
Pop goes the book.
A very quick history lesson.
The first authentic pop-up book was created in 1929 by S. Louis Giraud, a British publisher, though the first mechanical book dates back to the 13th century when a Catalan poet used a revolving disc to illustrate his theories. The pop-up's heyday was in the 1960s, when every child probably had a couple on his shelf.
The epithet "pop-up" is often applied to any three-dimensional or movable book, although properly the umbrella term movable book covers pop-ups, transformations, tunnel books, volvelles, flaps, pull-tabs, pop-outs, pull-downs, and more, each performing in a different manner. Also included, because they employ the same techniques, are three-dimensional greeting cards.
Design and creation of such books is known as paper engineering, a term not to be confused with the term for the science of paper making. It is akin to origami in so far as the two arts both employ folded paper. However, origami tends to be focused on creating objects, whereas pop-ups tend to remain essentially pictorial and mechanical in nature.
(sources: Wikipedia / NYU Livewire / UNT Libraries)
If you would like to delve deeper into the history of movable books in general, you can refer to the following links.
- UNT Libraries: Pop-up and Movable Books: A Tour Through Their History
- At present, books considered pop-up or movable are popular sources of delight for children and adults alike. However, the types of books today's audiences associate with such a genre are the result of a somewhat long development and, consequently, form an intriguing niche in the history of the book.
- The Great Menagerie: The Wonderful World of Pop-Up and Movable Books, 1811-1996
- The Wonderful World of Pop-Up and Movable Books, 1811-1996
- RobertSabuda.com: Pop-Up Books
- Explore Pop-up Books - everything from interviews with authors to simple pop-up projects you can make.
- A Concise History of Pop-up and Movable Books
- Because books are by design two-dimensional, it might seem impossible for a page to add motion or depth other than through illustrations with perspective and illusion. And yet, for more than 700 years, artists, philosophers, scientists, and book designers have tried to challenge the book's bibliographic boundaries. They have added flaps, revolving parts, and other movable pieces to enhance the text.
- The Movable Book Society
- The Movable Book Society was organized in 1993 to provide a forum for collectors, artists, curators, book sellers, book producers and others to share enthusiasm and exchange information about pop-up and movable books.
Movable Books in motion.
A video library of early samples of pop-up and mechanical books.
Preservation of Pop Up and Movable Books, Conserving the Past (Baldwin Library Exhibit)
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Always Jolly, Movable Book by Lothar Meggendorfer for the Baldwin Exhibit
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Cooper-Hewitt - Pop-up book: The Jolly Jump-Ups Journey through Space
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curated content from YouTube
Pop-up Methods
I'm about to show you a few of the common techniques paper engineers and book designers have been employing for years. Make sure to watch the accompanying videos to see them in action!
Pop-up Method: Transformation
A Transformation starts with a scene made up of vertical slats. Pulling a tab on the side makes the slats slide under and over one another to "transform" into a totally different scene. Ernest Nister
was an early English children's book author who produced "mechanical books" that often utilized the Transformation method.
See this technique in action below.
was an early English children's book author who produced "mechanical books" that often utilized the Transformation method.See this technique in action below.
Pop-up Method: Tunnel
Tunnel Books (also called peepshow books) consist of a set of pages bound with two strips folded in a concertina manner on each side. The pages are then viewed through a die-cut hole on the cover and the effect is like you are looking through a tunnel. Openings in each page allow the viewer to see through the entire book and images on each page work together to create a three-dimensional scene inside. The Henri Rousseau Tunnel Book
series are perfect examples of this method. This type of book dates from the mid-eighteenth century and was inspired by theatrical stage sets.Below is a video that demonstrates the Tunnel Book technique.
Pop-up Method: Volvelle
Volvelles are paper constructions with rotating parts. An early example is the Astronomicum Caesareum by Petrus Apianus, as seen on the photo to the right (source) which was made for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles in 1540. The book is full of nested circular pieces that revolve on grommets.
Below is a wheel chart that employs the most basic version of the volvelle method.
Pop-up Method: Pop-Out
The most common type of pop-up is the Pop-Out. With this method, the pages open fully and a 3D model appears miraculously in the middle of the page. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A Pop-up Adaptation
of Lewis Carroll's world-renowned story by Robert Sabuda demonstrates this fantastically. Make sure you watch the walk-through of this gorgeous book below.Must-haves for a pop-up book library
Now that you've seen early samples of movable books, it's time I show you what I consider the BEST contemporary pop-up books in the market -- guaranteed to please both children and grown-ups!
Meet Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart
Contemporary pop-up book breakthrough artists.
Master paper craftsmen Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart are responsible for revolutionizing the pop-up book industry in recent years, unassumingly repositioning the pop-up book as a children's novelty item into a grown-up collector's obssession via their intricately-crafted masterpieces. Learn more about them by watching this interview.
and Matthew Reinhart are responsible for revolutionizing the pop-up book industry in recent years, unassumingly repositioning the pop-up book as a children's novelty item into a grown-up collector's obssession via their intricately-crafted masterpieces. Learn more about them by watching this interview.The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Commemorative Pop-up
An adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic tale wonderfully interpreted in 3D form by Robert Sabuda.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, master paper engineer Robert Sabuda
has created a pop-up version of Dorothy's adventures in Oz that fans will find irresistible. He modelled his depictions of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the rest of the gang after W. W. Denslow's original art and added a third dimension that would have rocked Denslow's -- and Baum's -- world.
Lots of surprises are unfurled with every page turn: a spinning cyclone that actually works, a shiny wizard's hot air balloon secured by thin cord that pops into the sky, a glorious tinfoil-laminated Emerald City that becomes even more spectacular and reveals a hidden message when the accompanying spectacles are worn. The abridged text is provided in mini-booklets (that have tiny surprise pop-ups in them too) set onto each page, covers enough basics for the Oz novice. It's definitely a must-have for any library.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Commemorative Pop-up
Amazon Price: $20.15 (as of 11/26/2009)
Star Wars: A Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy
Matthew Reinhart takes you to a galaxy far, far away... and allows you to touch it.
Bestselling pop-up artist and engineer Matthew Reinhart
, a self-confessed Star Wars fan, has designed a 30th Anniversary Commemorative Edition that comes packed with a variety of exciting features -- intricate pop-ups and fold-outs that explode right out of the page at you, light sabers that really light up, and well-thought-out interactive look at the popular movie franchise. 
This wonderful book will be sure to impress all fans, yes even the hard-core ones. (I should know, my husband loves it.) Collectors might do well to buy an extra copy or two because this will surely go down in history as one of the most collectible Star Wars items ever.
Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy
Amazon Price: $23.09 (as of 11/26/2009)
More Sabuda & Reinhart must-haves for your pop-up book library
A selection of the book world's most amazing pop-ups
If you are planning to build a Sabuda/Reinhart collection (and I suggest you do!), I recommend that you start with the following hard-cover pop-up adaptations of classic stories, along with the two books I mentioned above of course. All of their works are so meticulously crafted and very cleverly engineered that any book collection would be honored to have them in their midst.
The Awesome Pop-up Books of Sabuda & Reinhart
Learn more about the pop-up dream team and their works.
It's impossible to devote just a few sections in this lens to the genius of these two pop-up masters so I made a separate page entirely about them. Do check it out.
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Pop up Books by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart
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Together as a team and individually, Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart are the creative forces behind the world's most amazing pop-up books. Armed with their scissors, glue, X-acto blades, and boundless creativity, they have raised the bar for p...
One Red Dot
A fine art masterpiece by David A. Carter
David A. Carter
is an author, illustrator and one of the best-known contemporary paper engineers. He is the mastermind behind the powerful Bug phenomenon that began in 1988 with the publication of How Many Bugs in a Box? Since then he has created a series of Bugs books with combined sales of nearly six million copies. His work, One Red Dot, was a New York Times best-seller and was highly praised by Newsweek and Entertainment Weekly magazines. He is also the author of the popular Blue 2. Read more about David Carter.
In One Red Dot
, Carter pulls out all the stops in a veritable catalog of paper-engineering effects. Each of the spreads has a hidden red dot so readers are encouraged to go beyond counting the objects to look at the pop-up from all angles. Some dots are in plain sight while others are hidden behind or inside the constructions. There are twirling dots on wooden sticks, noisy crinkle-cut constructions, and spirals that unwind as the book is opened wider. This stunning and elegant book may seem like it is geared for children at first glance but even grown-ups will surely marvel at the intricacy and ingenuity of the paper constructions.
One Red Dot: A Pop-Up Book for Children of All Ages (Classic Collectible Pop-Up)
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009)
More books by David Carter
A new fine art not-just-for-kids pop-up series by this pop-up master.
David A. Carter latest series of books takes pop-ups into a new realm, experts say: the realm of fine art.The books are "One Red Dot," "Blue 2," "600 Black Spots," "Yellow Square" and "White Noise." "I saw these beautiful colors and had this shift," Carter said. The inspiration of color, combined with the miscellany of forms he'd created over seven years, became the five-volume "Red Dot" series. These books are different because the forms do not help to tell a story. "As I build these structures, it's only about building the pop-up, only about building sculpture," he said. "I wouldn't mind if the books were published with no text at all."
Read more about this new series in this interview.
Boticelli's Bed & Breakfast
A stunning three-dimensional work of art -- in 360 degrees -- by Jan Pienkowski.
Jan Pienkowski, an award-winning illustrator of children's books, takes the art of the pop-up book to a new level of ingenuity and intricacy with Botticelli's Bed & Breakfast
, a witty visual treasure hunt and tour of a fictitious bed & breakfast supposedly run by Botticelli. The book is meant to be opened up completely and tied end to end to reveal a 360 degree view of all the rooms. Fifty-six great artworks by the masters are scattered through the ten old -- sometimes haunted -- rooms of his creation and it's up to the reader to find them all, using the accompanying mini-book as guide.The Honeymoon Suite is occupied by the Arnolfinis (Vermeer's young bride and groom) while Vermeer himself can be found painting in Van Gogh's attic upstairs (Mr. Van Gogh being absent due to a ``shaving accident'').
Whistler's mother (``the oldest resident,'' claims the guidebook) sits in the library in front of the TV, watching the Da Vinci Fitness Training program, while Michelangelo's David, dressed in skivvies, brushes his teeth in the bathroom. Pull-out tabs, secret doors, and underground hideaways add to the whimsy and wit of Pienkowski's inventiveness. Take the guided tour yourself. And if you can't locate all 56 artworks, there's a key to identify them -- ah, but where is the key hidden? Artists, art students and graphic designers will get a kick out of spotting thepaintings and sculptures and in seeing the masters they studied about in hilarious compromising situations.
Botticelli's Bed & Breakfast
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009)
Victorian Doll House
An actual, functioning portable doll house by Willabel L. Tong and Phil Wilson.
Similar in fashion to the book I showed you above (Botticelli's Bed & Breakfast
), Victorian Doll House
comes to life once this book is unfolded. When you tie back the ribbons, the house stands on its own, revealing great decorative details, authentic-looking pop-up period furniture, and press-out play dolls and accessories. Eight elegant rooms are decorated Victorian style with hanging chandeliers, a piano, a tea set, a rocking horse and many other charming surprises. Doors, closets and drawers can actually open and close and store (tiny) things in them. It functions like a real doll house and promises many hours of play-house fun. The paper dolls can be situated in any of the rooms and they can be made to "interact" on the staircase, the chairs, beds, sinks, and even the bathroom that comes complete with a tub and lidded toilet. This will make a delightful gift for kids and grown-ups of all ages.
Victorian Doll House
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009)
Moon Landing: Apollo 11 40th Anniversary Pop-Up
An in-depth look at the Apollo 11 mission by Richard Platt and David Hawcock
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong announced the success of the greatest journey in human history. Now this stunning pop-up book full of original NASA photographs brings to life the groundbreaking mission that conquered the Moon and inspired the world.Acclaimed author Richard Platt focuses on humankind's dreams of traveling to the moon, the technology needed to reach the moon and sustain the astronauts in space, and the moon landing itself. Re-creating the excitement of the expedition are extraordinary pop-ups depicting a rocket, the lunar module, a spaceship, and a spectacular spherical moon, while booklets and flaps offer readers a wealth of intriguing facts. David Hawcock's carefull engineered pop-ups and foldout pages on sturdy, shiny paper demonstrate the mechanical aspects of the spacecraft and offer a bold sense of both the rocketry and the trip. Small photographs and drawings surround the larger views.
The book was published in anticipation of the fortieth anniversary of the first moon landing on July 20, 1969 and features official NASA photographs, two mini-books, and fun informational flaps. As if that wasn't enough to convince you, Buzz Aldrin says "This wonderful book retells our story vividly. I should know; I was there."
Moon Landing: Apollo 11 40th Anniversary Pop-Up
Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 11/26/2009)
Slighty more grown-up pop-ups
The following books I'm recommending are slightly more adult in nature but "adult" in the sense that grown-ups might find more enjoyment in them. (No worries though, this is a G-rated page so everything is still kid-safe!)
The Architecture Pack : A Unique, Three-Dimensional Tour of Architecture over the Centuries
Ron Van Der Meer and Deyan Sudjic takes us through an architectural tour around the world.
A work of art in itself, The Architecture Pack
is a highly sophisticated version of the beloved pop-up book that offers a unique, cross-cultural, three-dimensional tour of architecture through the centuries. By flipping the elaborately engineered pages, we learn what architects do, how they do it, and all about the great buildings of the world from antiquity to the present. It's packed with information and hands-on activities, models, fold-outs, pop-ups, and 3-D glasses; readers can even fold out a miniature version of the Colosseum in Rome or a French Gothic cathedral. There are discussions on the development of the dome, new materials and shapes, sculptural buildings such as those of Gaudi and Le Corbusier, and skyscrapers. Also included in the pack are a model (with assembly instructions) of Gerrit Rietveld's famous, flat-roofed Schroeder House; a glossary of architectural terms; a fold-out time line of the history of architecture and architects that runs from 2670 B.C. to A.D. 1997; and a cassette tape. This wonderfully accessible introduction to architecture is sure to generate enthusiasm from both children and adults, simply because people can have fun with it.(photo source)
The Architecture Pack : A Unique, Three-Dimensional Tour of Architecture over the Centuries : What Architects Do, How They Do It
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009)
Other 3D books by pioneering paper engineer Ron Van Der Meer
Pop-up books for the adult market.
Ron Van Der Meer
is a pioneer of the modern pop-up book and has published more than 150 books, including over 100 pop-up titles and was actually the first designer to introduce three-dimensional books to the adult market. His books on specialist subjects such as architecture, music and psychology have been international best-sellers and are collected by fans throughout the world. As well as bringing the thrills of pop-ups to adults, his ingenious mechanics show graphic designers the full potential of paper engineering. A flat page of a seemingly normal book can be lifted and turned to reveal the three dimensions of a sailing ship, an orchestra, a volcano or the Sydney Opera House.Read more about paper engineer Ron Van Der Meer.
ABC3D
Marion Bataille takes the alphabet to a sophisticated, three-dimensional level.
Prepare to be amazed. From the lenticular cover that changes with the angle of your hands all the way to the Z, ABC3D is as much a work of art as it is a pop-up book. Each of the 26 three-dimensional letters move and change before your eyes. C turns into D with a snap. M stands at attention. X becomes Y with a flick of the wrist. And then there's U...Boldly conceived and brilliantly executed with a striking black, red, and white palette, this is a book that readers and art lovers of all ages will treasure for years to come.
Marion Bataille
is a French graphic artist and illustrator and ABC3D is her first published book.
ABC3D
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/26/2009)
Graceland: An Interactive Pop-up Tour
Chuck Murphy takes us on a walk-through of the King of Rock and Roll's mansion.
More than 600,000 people visit Graceland every year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. With Graceland: An Interactive Pop-Up Tour
, you'll go behind the velvet ropes for an all-access tour of the Elvis Presley Estate. The book starts with a foreword by widow Priscilla then moves room by room through the Memphis mansion. Eight full-color pop-up spreads feature the mansion's most memorable destinations: The Kitchen, home of the famous peanut butter and banana sandwich; The TV Room, with three TVs running simultaneously, there's never a dull moment; The Trophy Room, a monument to the King's legacy; and The Meditation Garden, where Elvis and his family are buried. Along the way, interactive pop-up features allow you to flip through Elvis's record collection, browse the family photo album, open his refrigerator, and discover other hidden surprises. Graceland: An Interactive Pop-Up Tour is the perfect gift for Elvis fans of all ages!Chuck Murphy
is one of the most celebrated paper engineers in the country, with more than 60 books to his credit.(photo source)
Graceland: An Interactive Pop-Up Tour
Amazon Price: $26.40 (as of 11/26/2009)
Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense
by Kees Moerbeek
Known worldwide as the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980) had an incredible directing career that spanned five decades and more than fifty films. He earned numerous awards, inspired countless publications and festivals, and spawned a new era in suspense cinema.
This spectacular pop-up pays tribute to the great filmmaker and features seven of his most influential films: Saboteur, Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie, Torn Curtain, and Frenzy. With stunning three-dimensional paper engineering by Kees Moerbeek
highlighting pivotal moments and Hitchcock's cameo in each film, Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense will be treasured by fans and film lovers alike for years to come. 
Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense: A Pop-up Book
Amazon Price: $22.76 (as of 11/26/2009)
Pop-up books are everywhere
See photos uploaded by the Flickr community.
curated content from Flickr
Signed pop-up books
Books with added value for your collection.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
I'm (almost) done talking...
and now it's your turn!
I hope you enjoyed reading through this page as much as I enjoyed putting it together. I have always been fascinated with pop-up books and this fascination is reflected, not surprisingly, in some of my work and even our wedding invitation (see pic). It was fashioned using a technique that was detailed in David A. Carter's book Elements Of Pop Up: A Pop Up Book For Aspiring Paper Engineers
How about you? Do you love pop-up books, even as a grown-up?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
submit
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Reply
- vanidiana vanidiana Nov 20, 2009 @ 8:45 am
- They look so much fun!
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Reply
- Flynn_the_Cat Flynn_the_Cat Nov 4, 2009 @ 6:04 pm
- And blessed again :D
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Reply
- Jewelsofawe Jewelsofawe Nov 4, 2009 @ 12:26 pm
- Pop out books were always fun when I was a child
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Reply
- Sylvestermouse Sylvestermouse Nov 3, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
- Fascinating!!! I have always loved pop-up books and these are wonderful! I can see why adults would like them (and collect them)
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Reply
- BevsPaper BevsPaper Nov 3, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
- Wonderful selection of Pop-Up Books!
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Lensmaster arncyn has been a member since August 30 2006, has rated 115 lenses, favorited 53, and has created 48 lenses from scratch. Cynthia Bauzon-Arre donates their royalties to Global Giving. This member's top-ranked page is "Turbo Chicken Recipes". See all my lenses
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