Meggendorfer Prize Finalists 2018
2018 Meggendorfer Pop-Up Book Prize Finalists
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Introduction
Every two years, the Movable Book Society honors the very best in paper engineering through its Meggendorfer Awards program. 2018’s prize winner is the absolutely stunning Zahhak: Legend of the Serpent King, which Simon Arizpe has managed to make simultaneously both delicate and explosive in design. Other finalists include the extraordinary collection of working papercraft tools in This Book is a Planetarium (Kelli Anderson), and a couple of sculptural art interpretations that take on Ernst Haeckel’s stylistic sea creatures (Creatures of the Deep, Maike Biederstädt) and Junko Mizuno’s creepy manga characters (Triad, Rosston Meyer). A few children’s titles are included with the humorous What A Mess (Keith Allen), beautiful seasonal offering Leaves (Youjin Kim, the fourth title in the 4 Seasons of Pop-Up series), and charming abecedarian offering, the ABC Pop-Up (Courtney Watson McCarthy). The set is rounded out with a striking take on the gothic poem The Raven, beautifully executed by David Pelham.
Jump to finalists reviewed below: Zahhak: Legend of the Serpent King (winner) | What A Mess | This Book is a Planetarium | Creatures of the Deep | Leaves: An Autumn Pop-Up Book | Triad | ABC Pop-Up | The Raven
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Winner of the 2018 Meggendorfer Award
2018 Prize – Zahhak: Legend of the Serpent King
Paper engineer: Simon Arizpe
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
Publication date: October 2018
Additional details: Art and design: Hamid Rahmanian, Text: Melissa Hibbard, Ahmad Sadri, Produced by Hamid Rahmanian at Fictionville Studio.
This stunning pop-up tells the Iranian folk tale of Prince Zahhak, duped by the devil to steal his father’s throne, and brave Feraydun who eventually defeats him. Illustrations are from the epic Shahnameh, which I also highly recommend. The delicate paper engineering complete with feather details has to be seen to be believed. Absolutely gorgeous.
➤ English edition OOP. Find it at Amazon | Abes | eBay
➤ French edition at Les Rêveurs
In-Depth Video Review
List of 2018 Finalists
What a Mess! A Pop-Up Misadventure
Paper engineer: Keith Allen
Publisher: 5am Press LLC
Publication date: June 2017
Authored and engineered by Keith Allen.
A humorous tale that follows two siblings on a misadventure of epic proportions after the mess in their room becomes completely out-of-control.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Keith Allen
This Book is a Planetarium: and other extraordinary pop-up contraptions – a speaker, a spiralgraph, a decoder ring, a perpetual calendar, a musical instrument
Paper engineer: Kelli Anderson
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication date: October 2017
Authored and engineered by Kelli Anderson.
A paper engineering masterpiece that takes the laws of physics, from light to time, and cleverly translates them into six magical pop-up contraptions that are also fully functional tools. Play the instrument, enjoy the night sky, and marvel at the author’s skill.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Creatures of the Deep: the Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: Maike Biederstädt
Publisher: Prestel
Publication date: November 2016
Concept and paper engineering by Maike Biederstädt, illustrated by Ernst Haeckel.
A collection of magnificent nature prints by German marine biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel spring to life in this beautiful pop-up book, that sensitively reveals the vibrant intricacy of his work.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Leaves: An Autumn Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: Yoojin Kim
Publisher: Jumping Jack Press
Publication date: September 2017
Paper engineering by Yoojin Kim, illustrated by Lindsay Dale-Scott, story by Janet Lawler.
A lyrical look at Autumn (Fall) with bright interactive pop-ups and simple educational text. Part of the 4 Seasons of Pop-Up series.
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells | Waterstones
Junko Mizuno’s Triad Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: Rosston Meyer
Publisher: Poposition Press
Publication date: December 2016
Book design and paper engineering by Rosston Meyer, paper engineering of the tree by Simon Arizpe, illustrated by Junko Mizuno.
A sculptural interpretation of the world of Japanese manga artist Junko Mizuno’s three favorite characters: The Nurse, The Witch and The Wrestler, with five pop-up spreads reworked from Junko’s original art: Ocean, Serpent, Triptych, Mansion and Tree.
➤ OOP. Find it at Amazon | Poposition Press
➤ A special edition with a bonus Ink spread was also released for this title.
ABC Pop-Up
Paper engineer: Courtney Watson McCarthy
Publisher: Candlewick Studio
Publication date: September 2017
Authored and engineered by Courtney Watson McCarthy.
This small-scale abecedarian offers a charming 3-D look at everyday objects, with delightful touches such as when adjacent alphabet letters share a spread in unexpected ways (e.g. the Letter in the Mailbox).
➤ Find it at Amazon | Blackwells
The Raven: A Pop-Up Book
Paper engineer: David Pelham
Publisher: Abrams Books
Publication date: August 2016
Paper engineering by David Pelham, illustrated by Christopher Wormell, based on text by Edgar Allan Poe.
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.
