Pop-Up

Ages 4 and up

Robert Sabuda grew up in Pinckney, Michigan.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-This showstopping pop-up book celebrates the 100th birthday of The Wizard of Oz in a spectacular fashion; from the twister that spins up dizzyingly on the opening spread to the final "And oh, Aunt Em! I'm so glad to be at home again!" clinch, the array of special effects will wow even blas "seen it all" readers. Not only is Sabuda a wizardly paper engineer, able to pull off a bursting ball of flame, a melting witch, and a balloon rocking gently in the breeze, but he also shows a magic touch with pictorial art, creating colored lino-cut figures that strongly recall those of W. W. Denslow. The large central effects open up like stage settings, and are flanked with accordion-folded insets that contain even more pop-ups, along with an abbreviated text closely based on the original. Nor does the razzle-dazzle stop there, as Dorothy's silver shoes, the yellow brick road, and even the Emerald City are coated with shimmering foil, and by donning the included pair of tinted spectacles, readers are treated to a hidden message on one page. Sabuda's homage to an enduring classic captures its timeless sense of wonder, distinctive characters, and the flavor of its melodrama brilliantly.
John Peters, New York Public Library
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