Children's Book Publishers

The artistry, the high quality of the paper engineering, the level of detail and the sophistication of the designs puts these Christmas pop-up books in a class by themselves. Two of the 3-D books celebrate the birth of Christ, while the others celebrate Christmas traditions and symbols. These are more than children's books. They are Christmas pop-up books for the entire family to cherish.

1. The First Noel
Jan Pietnkowski reaches new heights in artistry and paper engineering with this 3-D book. Look at the photo of the open book in my review (see link below). You'll see that it is a carousel, or star, book with five striking panels in silhouette, each showing a scene about the birth of Jesus. The text in each scene consists of just one sentence retelling the Bible story of the Nativity. You will want to display the open book throughout the holidays.

(Candlewick Press, 2004. ISBN: 0763621900)

2. The First Christmas
If you are looking for a book that will appeal to children of all ages and that will become part of your family's annual Christmas celebration, this may be it. The First Christmas is a pop-up book with charming illustrations in a folk art style by Tomie dePaola. The book features six different pop-up scenes, culminating in the manger scene.

(G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1984. ISBN: 0399210709)

3. The Christmas Alphabet: Deluxe Anniversary Edition
Robert Sabuda is a master of the art of paper engineering and pop-ups. The Christmas Alphabet features four softly colored cards on each double page. Each card contains a pop-up illustration in white of a different word, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. This is a lovely book, one that will fascinate the entire family.

(Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc. 1994, 2004. ISBN: 0439672562)

4. The 12 Days of Christmas: A Pop-Up Celebration
Artist and paper engineer extraordinaire Robert Sabuda has indeed created "A Pop-Up Celebration" with his version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Sabuda has created wonderful intricate pop-up illustrations for each verse of the traditional song. "The 12 Days of Christmas" is a treasure. I have given it as a gift several times, much to the recipients' delight.

(Simon & Schuster, 1996. ISBN: 0689808658)

5. The Night Before Christmas
The traditional Christmas poem, "The Night Before Christmas," a favorite with many young children as well as older children and adults, gets an elegant new look in Robert Sabuda's interpretation. His white pop-ups, with color accents, bring new life and humor to the poem. This is another example of paper engineering at its finest and another book sure to become a family favorite.

(Simon & Schuster, 2002. ISBN: 0689838999)