Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781416960799

Publisher: Little Simon

Publication date: 10/19/2010

Pages: 12

Product dimensions: 8.10 (w) x 10.50 (h) x 2.30 (d)

Book Description

Even more innovative than his last, Robert Sabuda will captivate all with his latest pop-up masterpiece, Beauty & the Beast!

True love blooms in this three-dimensional adaptation of a beloved fairy tale. Amazing paper structures and classically styled artwork lead readers through a magical tale. Magnificent pop-ups of a life-like Beast, a mysterious castle and a spectacular rose garden make this all-new pop-up masterpiece a must-have for your family's library.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

As in his other pop-up adaptations, Sabuda skillfully masterminds a 3-D version of this classic, with care paid to every detail. Mini-booklets relay the story, while the pop-up architecture provides depth and dimension; the artwork recalls stained glass, adding to the fairy tale flair. In the opening spread, the beast's gloomy, bruise-colored castle looms while accordion-style panels expand toward readers as Beauty's father explores the castle. Sabuda's beast is quite monstrous, with a bedraggled mane, demonic horns, and a serpentine tail. His transformation into a "handsome young man" in the final spread is comparatively subtle, and the story ends a bit abruptly, but the message about inner beauty is delivered with grace. Ages 3–up. (Oct.)

Children's Literature - Eleanor Heldrich

Robert Sabuda has given children and adults more than 20 brilliant pop-up books over the past few decades, several of which have been classics such as Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz. This may be the most impressive yet. Sticking to the standard model of five double-page spreads Sabuda, in addition to illustrations and pop-ups of various kinds, supplies a rich re-telling of the familiar tale of a beautiful and loving daughter who trades herself in exchange for her father who has been captured by an ugly beast. The text is printed on long slender pages tucked inside the left side of each spread. The Beast's magnificent castle pops up on the first page, and on the right hand side of the spread Sabuda has devised a series of three tunnel pop-ups into which the reader can peep to see what Beauty's father sees as he walks from room to room in the empty castle. The frightful face of the Beast leaps up to fill the second spread. The next scene is of Beauty and the Beast at dinner in the castle and what a delightfully humorous surprise you'll find here! By the fourth spread, the Beast has allowed Beauty to go home to visit her ailing father and she has almost forgotten her promise to return to the castle. But she does remember and she does go back and, when she does, she's in for a big surprise! The ugly beast is really a handsome prince. This is both a fairy tale and book as theater, to be seen again and again. Gently operating the three tunnel pop-ups and making sure that everything folds back smoothly into the pages, including the pages of text to be fed back under their corner support, will require dexterity and patience beyond the ability of the average pre-school child. It may even be frustrating for them. Learning how to take care of this expensive book is a big responsibility. This is a four star book in every way, but not for a very young child. Reviewer: Eleanor Heldrich

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 5—Sabuda gives this classic tale of reversals of fortune and true love found a lovely and lavish retelling. The story unfolds with detail and drama in numerous small-size booklets adorned by illustrations and petite pop-ups. The 3-D sculptures featured center stage include an intricate rendition of the Beast's nook-and-crannied castle, a face-to-face close-up of his ferocious visage, and a bird's-eye view of an elegantly laid-out meal shared with Beauty. Stylishly attired in his gentleman's clothing, the Beast boasts fierce-looking features, sharpened-to-a-point golden-hued teeth and claws, and a spectacular scale-covered tail. The shimmering colors, thick black lines, and use of patterned shapes suggest stained glass, a fitting style for the tale's regal pacing and formal tone. The visual effects are innovative (e.g., readers pull up and peek into accordion-style castle corridors that convey a sense of depth) while also incorporating the story's themes (rose motifs appear throughout). It is fitting that the climactic spread features Beauty embracing the Beast beneath a trellis of blooming garden greenery (kids will have to open the final fold-out to see her beloved in his human form). A fine choice for display and in-library perusal.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Heavily outlined jewel-toned watercolors emulate stained glass in this stunning retelling of the familiar tale. The retelling itself is quite lengthy, occupying several tight-packed side folios; this serves both to slow readers down enough to admire the pop-up artistry and to provide additional opportunities for small, turn-activated pop-ups. Often there's more magic in these smaller elements than the central tableaux: Readers can peer through telescoping windows into the castle as Beauty's father explores; Beauty inches around a door as she discovers her new home; the Beast undergoes the transformation back to a man. By complementing rather than overpowering the story, Sabuda creates a nearly perfect pop-up adaptation—a rare feat for a technology that too often subordinates book to ostentatious razzle-dazzle. (Pop-up fairy tale. 5-8)

Meet the Author

Robert Sabuda is one of the most innovative and inventive children's book creators and is known worldwide for his amazing pop-up paper engineering. His books include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, The Winter's Tale, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, to name but afew, have garnered numerous awards and have made the New York Times bestseller lists on many occasions. He lives in New York City.