Best Pop-Up Books of 2022 | Collector’s Guide
Beautiful Pop-Up Books 2022
Jump to books on this page: Brambly Hedge | The Seven Trials of Rostam | Snow White | Marvel Superheroes | Stranger Things | Snowscape | Woodland Painting Party
Foreign Titles: The Old Man and the Sea
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Introduction
My favourite pop-up this year was hands down Kingorama’s Seven Trials of Rostam, with its fascinating story and intricate pop-up spreads – grab this while you can. Stranger Things seems like it packed in an incredible number of scenes and is fun even if you’re not a huge fan of the show, and MinaLima’s Snow White and Other Grimms’ Fairy Tales is gorgeously illustrated and interactively executed.
List of books
The Brambly Hedge Pop-Up Book
This book is actually a redesign of a much desired but long out-of-print pop-up title, Through the Hedgerow. It’s a charming celebration of the world of Brambly Hedge, with windows into the daily lives of the mice picking berries and baking pies, as well as attending grand events like Poppy and Dusty’s wedding, and the Snow Ball. It’s not a typical pop-up book – rather, the pages are constructed to pop up as 3D vignettes. (Think of it like widows looking into a beautifully illustrated but static scene.) I love this series, but the pop-up style of this title may not be to everyone’s taste – check out the internal pictures to see what they’re like before purchasing. ISBN 9780008547110.
Paper Engineer: Damian Johnston. Written and illustrated by Jill Barklem
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren
Publication Date: Dec 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Seven Trials of Rostam
When the mythical Persian king of Iran, King Kay Kavous, foolishly invades the lands of Mazandaran, he soon finds himself and his army imprisoned by the terrifying White Demon. In all of Iran, only one young man is fit for the task of rescuing the king. Rostam, along with his devoted horse Rakhsh, sets off to complete seven heroic trials to save the king and Iran. A stunning effort in English with Persian script told through 8 spreads using 12 intricate mechanics. Enclosed in a beautiful slipcase. A worthy finalist in the 2023 Meggendorfer Awards.
Paper Engineer: Simon Arizpe, art and design by Hamid Rahmanian, text by Melissa Hibbard
Publisher: Kingorama/Fictionville Studio, 9798218011178
Publication Date: Nov 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | Kingorama
➤ See also French edition (Les Sept Épreuves de Rostam) at Amazon
☞ In series with the equally stunning pop-up Zahhak: The Legend of the Serpent King (← links to in-depth video review of this highly recommended title).
Snow White and other Grimm's Fairy Tales [MinaLima Interactive Edition]
This latest effort by MinaLima is a brightly illustrated collection of 23 Grimm’s fairy tales with nine clever interactive features ranging from a pop-up forest and pull-tab mirror for Snow White and a wall of thorns encasing Sleeping Beauty, to a three-dimensional ball gown for Cinderella and a pop-up tower for Rapunzel.
Paper Engineer: MinaLima, text by the Brothers Grimm
Publisher: Harper Design
Publication Date: Nov 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ Read more about the delightful MinaLima Interactive Children’s Classics series.
Marvel Super Heroes: The Ultimate Pop-Up Book
A pop-up Marvel super-hero celebration featuring contemporary comics art and three-dimensional paper engineering on every page. Tabs allow you to transform Tony Stark into Iron Man and Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk, with other spreads featuring the X-Men taking down a giant sentinel and more.
Paper Engineer: Matthew Reinhart
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 9781419749117
Publication Date: Nov 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Stranger Things
This 3-D guide explores the world of Stranger Things, including Hawkins, Indiana, the Upside Down, and beyond, inviting you to adventure alongside Eleven and Mike Wheeler, crack the Russian code with Steve Harrington at Scoops Ahoy, face off against the terrifying Demogorgon, and more. Lots of hidden surprises and Easter eggs under the flaps and interactive spreads. A finalist in the 2023 Meggendorfer Awards.
Paper Engineer: Simon Arizpe, illustrated by Kyle Lambert, creative direction by Matthew Reinhart
Publisher: Insight Editions (US) / Titan (UK)
Publication Date: Aug 2022
➤ Find US edition at Amazon | B&N | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
➤ Find UK edition at Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Snowscape: A Winter Pop-Up Book
A whimsical pop-up winterscape with snowfall blanketing the landscape and delicate pop-up displays of flowers, animals and snowflakes. ISBN 9781623486594. A finalist in the 2023 Meggendorfer Awards.
Paper Engineer: Yoojin Kim, illustrated by Kathryn Selbert, text by Nicole Yen
Publisher: Jumping Jack Press
Publication Date: Aug 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ Part of the ‘4 Seasons of Pop-Up’ series, along with Flora: A Botanical Pop-Up Book, Shells: A Pop-Up Book of Wonder, Leaves: An Autumn Pop-Up Book, and Snowflakes: A Pop-Up Book.
Woodland Painting Party: An Easter Pop-Up Book
An Easter holiday adventure in which the Easter Bunny decides to paint her Easter eggs, inspired by the beautiful patterns and colors of her friends. Features seven illustrated spreads filled with original pop-ups, hidden flaps, and charming surprises.
Paper Engineer: Yevgeniya Yeretskaya, illustrated by Riley text by Nicole Yen
Publisher: Jumping Jack
Publication Date: Mar 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | B&N | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
☞ In series with Woodland Christmas.
☞ You may also be interested to see the most Beautiful Easter Pop-Up Books
Foreign Language Pop-Ups
The Old Man and the Sea (Chinese: 老人与海)
Chinese text: Based on Hemingway’s famous novella, twenty poignantly illustrated pop-up scenes accompany a Chinese translation that follows the struggles of fisherman Santiago, who catches a giant marlin after a lengthy struggle, only to lose his bounty to sharks.
Paper Engineer: Wang Wei, story by Ernest Hemingway
Publisher: Jiangsu Literature and Art Publishing House, 9787559466525
Publication Date: May 2022
➤ Find it at Amazon | AliExpress