Magical Carousel Pop-Up Books
Magical Pop-Up Carousels
Complete Book List & Collector’s Guide
Introduction & review
These are beautiful oversized carousel pop-ups (honestly, they are really huge: 24.6 x 37.2 cm, or ~10″ x 14.5″!). Qian Ling’s delicate, detailed illustrations combine with Amy Lopez Nayve’s delightful paper engineering so that each book can be enjoyed through four 3-dimensional double-page spreads, but they really come alive when you open them fully into a circular displayable scene. The books also come with a bonus booklet of ‘seek-and-find' material tucked into the back to keep kids entertained. The series is published in the UK by NQ Publishing, so there're still a bit difficult to find in the US.
Creator notes
Illustration: Qian Ling is an illustrator based in Guangzhou, China, with a BA in Visual Art and an MFA in Illustration from Syracuse University. Her work for this series features scenes that are dense with tiny natural-history, fantasy, and seasonal details.
Paper engineering: Amy Lopez Nayve is the founder of Pumapapel Pop-Up Design Studio, a Filipino paper-engineering studio that makes pop-up books, gifts, installations, and workshops.
List of books
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links for which I may be compensated (this does not affect my reviews nor cost you any money, but helps support my site hosting costs). I deeply appreciate your support of my site if you use these links, but warmly encourage you to buy from your local Indie bookshop if you have the opportunity.
Sir Lanval & the Fairy Princess
Created by Marie de France; illustrated by Qian Ling. Paper engineering by Amy Lopez Nayve.
A medieval romance in carousel form: Sir Lanval meets the fairy princess Triamour in a bright Arthurian pop-up world, adapted from Marie de France for very young readers.
NQ Publishers (UK), Oct 7, 2026, 9781916781368.
➤ Find UK ed at Amazon UK | Waterstones | Blackwells | eBay UK
Seas & Oceans
Created by Hannah Porter; illustrated by Qian Ling. Paper engineering by Amy Lopez Nayve.
An ocean carousel with four sea environments, pop-ups, flaps, sharks, fish, giant squid, and killer whales
NQ Publishers (UK), Aug 5, 2025, 9781916781184.
➤ Find UK ed at Amazon UK | Waterstones | Blackwells | eBay UK
How the Unicorns Got Their Wings
Created by Hannah Porter; illustrated by Qian Ling. Paper engineering by Amy Lopez Nayve.
A bright fantasy carousel story, telling how unicorns gained their wings
NQ Publishers (UK), Oct 30, 2024, 9781916781047.
➤ Find UK ed at Amazon UK | Waterstones | Blackwells | eBay UK
The Four Seasons
Created by Hannah Porter; illustrated by Qian Ling. Paper engineering by Amy Lopez Nayve.
A pop-up carousel of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, with more than 100 animals, plants, and mushrooms to spot across the scenes.
NQ Publishers (UK), May 31, 2024, 9781912944873.
➤ Find UK ed at Amazon UK | Waterstones | Blackwells | eBay UK
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