Paper artist Robert Sabuda's books are an engineering feat that only an older child or adult can truly appreciate. Pinwheels turn, mice open fortune cookies, ballerinas dance in a music box -- amazing art created with paper.
1. Cookie Count
This is my favorite and what started me on the Sabuda adventure. Bright colorful and tasty looking cookies are on each page. The book starts with 1 chocolate chip cookie left unaware to the wonderful 10 gingerbread windows for hiding, which opens up to a pop-up house covered with all sorts of yummy looking, sugary treats and mice peeking out the windows.
2. Twelve Days of Christmas
Simple, solid colors are the pages of this book with text in white. Each design is in white, with just a few a touch of color on a few designs. The first page opens to a partridge spreading his wings with green pears, and each design gets progressively more spectacular to the final page of dancing girls in a mirrored jewelry box that opens as the page turns.3. ABC Disney
This book is done the same as the one above, except of course the designs are Disney art. The doors are different colored swirls and patterns, the Disney pop-ups are from Disney. In fact the book has a Disney Enterprise, Inc. copyright.4. The Christmas Alphabet
Each page spread has four little "doors" with a letter of the alphabet. Open the door for a simple, but beautifully done and engineered design. A is for an angel flying, B is for a bell that moves as if it is ringing, and C is for a candle with a flame. The designs are all in white on a solid colored paper "door".5. The Night Before Christmas
Reviews say this is one of the best yet, with intricate paper designs and wonderful colors.6. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, A Commemorative Pop-Up
Another book I've not seen in person, but if the other books are any example, this is a must for Wizard of Oz lovers and collectors.7. America the Beautiful
Another absolutely stunning book by Sabuda that will leave you amazed at the intricacy of the engineering. I received this book as a birthday present and it was a perfect gift!8. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Faithful to the original, but still amazing pop-ups by Sabuda, make this another must-have for all you pop-up or Alice in Wonderland fans. This book received several notable awards and mentions for 2003.9. Winter's Tale, An Original Pop-Up Journey
The newest book in the Robert Sabuda collection, Winter's Tale explores winter wildlife, with owls, bears and a little house lit with miniature Christmas lights -- that work! The book is all about the illustrations and paper engineering, not necessarily the story, but who needs a story when you have such beautiful artwork.