Literary Pop-Up Books
Best Literary Pop-Up Books
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Introduction
This page is where I have collected information about the most beautiful pop-up book and paper engineering volumes inspired by authors, novels, and other works of literature. Fairy tales, folklore, myths and legends have their own page (coming soon).
I also have a more comprehensive guide to beautiful pop-up books and other paper engineering delights for the true connoisseur. And please always feel free to share in the comments if there’s a title you’re particularly looking forward to as well. ツ
Classic Literature Pop-Ups
Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles (Classic Pop-Ups/Graphic Pops)
Paper engineer: David Hawcock, illustrated by Anthony Williams, text by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Publisher: Canterbury Classics (US) / Arcturus (UK)
Publication date: Jul 18, 2023 (US) / Nov 1, 2021 (UK)
A graphic adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes mystery, with comic-book style illustrations, giant pop-ups and fold-out pages on every spread.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | Blackwells
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Frankenstein (Classic Pop-Ups/Graphic Pops)
Paper engineer: David Hawcock, illustrated by Anthony Williams, text by Mary Shelley
Publisher: Canterbury Classics (US) / Arcturus (UK)
Publication date: Jul 18, 2023 (US) / Oct 1, 2021 (UK)
A graphic adaptation of the classic brooding science fiction tale, with comic-book style illustrations, giant pop-ups and fold-out pages on every spread.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | Blackwells
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Dracula (Classic Pop-Ups/Graphic Pops)
Paper engineer: David Hawcock, illustrated by Anthony Williams, text by Bram Stoker
Publisher: Canterbury Classics (US) / Arcturus (UK)
Publication date: Jul 18, 2023 (US) / Sep 1, 2021 (UK)
A graphic adaptation of the classic gothic vampire mystery, with comic-book style illustrations, giant pop-ups and fold-out pages on every spread.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | Blackwells
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Moby Dick: A Pop-Up Book from the Novel
Author/illustrator: Herman Melville, paper engineering by Gerard Lo Monaco, illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication date: May 7, 2019.
Key moments from the novel are rendered in shadow-box style, illustrated with haunting linocut artwork. Each spread is accompanied by select quotations from the book strikingly presented in broadsheet style, with brief page notes to provide additional context for the depicted plot moments.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
The Nutcracker: An Enchanting Pop-Up Adaptation
Author/illustrator: E.T.A. Hoffman, retold by Jessica Southwick, illustrated by Neiko Ng, paper engineering by Yevgeniya Yeretskaya
Publisher: Jumping Jack Press
Publication date: Sep 1, 2018.
Hoffman’s original story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is retold as a magical pop-up journey through seven dynamic spreads.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
The Raven: A Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: David Pelham, text by Edgar Allan Poe, illustrated by Christopher Wormell
Publisher: Abrams
Publication date: Aug 9, 2016
A haunting interpretation of this famous gothic poem (‘Nevermore!’). It’s a clean and solid design, with the story neatly tucked away behind flaps while the action takes centre stage through carefully designed pop-ups.
➤ OOP. Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
The Hobbit: A 3D Pop-Up Adventure
Paper engineer: Andrew Baron, text by J.R.R. Tolkien, illustrated by John Howe
Publisher: HarperFestival
Publication date: Oct 6, 1999
A beautifully illustrated visual adaptation of the world of hobbits, wizards and dragons, walking with Bilbo through five scenes from the novel – the dwarves come to Bilbo’s house, Bilbo riddles with Gollum, the spiders, Smaug in his lair, and the Eagles’ arrival at the last battle. Limited text but magnificent pop-ups.
➤ OOP. Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
The Travels of Babar: Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: Tor Lokvig, story/illustrations by Jean de Brunhoff
Publisher: Methuen
Publication date: Jan 1, 1991
Babar and Celeste take off on their honeymoon travels, visiting a variety of beautiful places including a deserted island, a circus, and ski slopes, in this pop-up version of a Babar classic.
Contemporary Novel Pop-Up Adaptations
Children's Books
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: Panorama Pops
Paper engineer: Matthew Reinhart. Text adapted and illustrated by Grahame Baker-Smith
Publisher: Walker Books
Publication date: Jul 15, 2015
A small edition presented in a charming slipcase, the book unfolds to reveal ten classic moments in the story, from Alice falling down the rabbit-hole to the Mad-Hatter’s tea party. Published in association with the Royal Mail with a matching set of stamps.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Paper engineer: Zdenko Basic, text by Lewis Carroll, adapted by Harriet Castor
Publisher: Carlton Books / BES Publishing
Anticipated release date: Feb 1, 2010
Lewis Carroll’s classic story is retold as a picture book. Lovely stylised illustrations by Zdenko, with pop-up playing cards and pull-tabs etc. (Important note: do not get the very inferior paperback version, which is missing all of the interactive elements.)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: Robert Sabuda, abridged text by Lewis Carroll
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: Nov 5, 2003
A most incredible pop-up book with 7 spreads that include breathtaking supersized popups along with extra popups contained in the mini story books.
The Limited Edition is signed and includes an additional pop-up and a turquoise slipcase.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
➤ Find the LE at Abes
Harry Potter Series
Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to the Creatures of the Wizarding World
Paper engineer: Matthew Reinhart. Text by Jody Revenson
Publisher: Insight Editions
Anticipated release date: Oct 24, 2023
A pop-up tour through the wizarding world’s boundless menagerie of magical creatures. Five intricately detailed pop-up spreads showcase creatures from the Harry Potter films in beautifully illustrated scenes that leap from the pages, accompanied by behind-the-scenes facts from the making of the film series – including fantastic beasts like the Basilisk, Buckbeak, and the Hungarian Horntail dragon. Filled with Reinhart’s signature interactive features like pull tabs and hidden pops.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Paper engineer: MinaLima, text by JK Rowling
Publisher: Scholastic (US) / Bloomsbury (UK)
Anticipated release date: Oct 3, 2023
The third book in the Harry Potter series, richly illustrated in brilliant full colour by MinaLima and featuring eight interactive paper-engineered elements, which include unfolding the Marauder’s Map, looking inside the Knight Bus, the Grim in a teacup, a spinning Time-Turner, and more. This is a hardback with the original unabridged text accompanied by 190 full-colour illustrations (nearly every page).
☞ Read more about the rest of the books in the MinaLima Interactive Children’s Classics series.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwells
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
➤ Signed bookplate copies of the UK edition are also available from MinaLima direct.
Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Diagon Alley and Beyond
Author/illustrator: Paper engineering by Matthew Reinhart, illustration by Kevin Wilson, based on the books by J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Insight Editions (US) / Bantam Press (UK)
Publication date: Oct 20, 2020 (US) / Oct 23, 2020 (UK).
Gorgeously intricate pop-up spreads depict fan-favorite Diagon Alley establishments such as Ollivanders, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and the Leaky Cauldron, plus other locales like the Ministry of Magic and Platform 9 3/4. Plus, the book opens into a displayable 3D diorama of all the pop-ups at once.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwells
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts
Author/illustrator: Paper engineering by Matthew Reinhart, illustration by Kevin Wilson, based on the books by J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Insight Editions (US) / Bantam Press (UK)
Publication date: Oct 2, 2018 (US) / Nov 1, 2018 (UK).
Hoffman’s original story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is retold as a magical pop-up journey through seven dynamic spreads.
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwells
➤ OOP. Find UK edition at Amazon | AbeBooks
Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
Author/illustrator: Paper engineering by Bruce Foster, illustration by Andrew Williamson, text by Lucy Kee, based on the books by J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Insight Editions
Publication date: Nov 16, 2010
Dynamic pop-ups animate memorable moments and locations like the Triwizard Tournament, Diagon Alley, and Hogwarts Castle.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Blackwells
Author Pop-Ups
The Illustrated Edgar Allan Poe
Paper engineer: Alan Brown & Richard Ferguson, text by Edgar Allan Poe, illustrated by Jessica Angiulli, Lucio Mondini & Tom Duxbury
Publisher: Canterbury Classics
Publication date: Nov 12, 2013
Includes six pop-ups and four chilling (unabridged) tales: The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, and A Cask of Amontillado.
➤ Find it at Amazon | AbeBooks | eBay
The Illustrated Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Paper engineer: Alan Brown, illustrated by Vladimir Stankovic & Tom Duxbury
Publisher: Canterbury Classics
Publication date: Nov 12, 2013
Includes seven pop-ups and eight classic fairy tales: Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red-Cap, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, The Six Swans and Snow White.
The Illustrated Sherlock Holmes
Paper engineer: Richard Ferguson, text by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, illustrated by Chris Coady
Publisher: Canterbury Classics
Publication date: Nov 12, 2013
Includes eight pop-ups and two classic (unabridged) mysteries: A Scandal in Bohemia and The Blue Carbuncle.
Pop-Up Shakespeare
Author/illustrator: The Reduced Shakespeare Company (Reed Martin & Ausin Tichenor), paper engineering by Jennie Maizels
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication date: May 10, 2005.
A comedic representation of Shakespeare’s “complete works” in five pop-up spreads, along with entertaining summaries and fascinating commentaries in the accompanying foldouts.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | AbeBooks
Shakespeare’s Globe: An Interactive Pop-Up Theatre
Author/illustrator: Toby Forward, illustrated by Juan Wijngaard
Publisher: Candlewick
Publication date: May 10, 2005.
A fold-out 3D model of the Globe theatre, with a book of interesting facts about its history, and a pocket of pop-out characters.
➤ OOP. Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
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