The Best Pop-Up Books Ever

a list by Leah Smith, librarian and avid reader

Most pop-up books are ostensibly written for children, but no matter what your age it's hard to resist pulling those tabs and opening all the little doors. The books below are not only irresistible, but the stories and art fully engage you no matter what your age.

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/ABC3D');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1596434252'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/ABC3D');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1596434252'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">ABC3D by Marion Bataille Amazon says: Prepare to be amazed. From the lenticular cover that changes with the angle of your hands all the way to the Z, ABC3D is as much a work of art as it is a pop-up book. Each of the 26 three-dimensional letters move and change before your eyes. C turns into D with a snap. onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/ABC3D');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/ABC3D');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1596434252'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 36 page hardcover \|$13.57 \|35 reviews This book also appears on: NPR's Best of 2008: The Best "Big Picture" Gift Books The New York Times' Notable Children's Books of 2008


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/One_Red_Dot_A_PopUp_Book_for_Children_of_All_Ages');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689877692'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/One_Red_Dot_A_PopUp_Book_for_Children_of_All_Ages');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689877692'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">One Red Dot: A Pop-Up Book for Children of All Ages illustrated by David A. Carter onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/One_Red_Dot_A_PopUp_Book_for_Children_of_All_Ages');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/One_Red_Dot_A_PopUp_Book_for_Children_of_All_Ages');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689877692'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 18 page hardcover \|$14.95 \|25 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Castle_Medieval_Days_and_Knights');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043954324X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Castle_Medieval_Days_and_Knights');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043954324X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Castle: Medieval Days and Knights by Kyle Olmon, illustrated by Tracy Sabin onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Castle_Medieval_Days_and_Knights');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Castle_Medieval_Days_and_Knights');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/043954324X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 6 page hardcover \|$19.59 \|42 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Alfred_Hitchcock_The_Master_of_Suspense_A_Popup_Book');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689875959'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Alfred_Hitchcock_The_Master_of_Suspense_A_Popup_Book');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689875959'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense: A Pop-up Book by Kees Moerbeek onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Alfred_Hitchcock_The_Master_of_Suspense_A_Popup_Book');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Alfred_Hitchcock_The_Master_of_Suspense_A_Popup_Book');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0689875959'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 16 page hardcover \|$19.77 \|10 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Knick_Knack_Paddywhack_A_Moving_Parts_Book');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0525469087'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Knick_Knack_Paddywhack_A_Moving_Parts_Book');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0525469087'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Knick Knack Paddywhack: A Moving Parts Book illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Knick_Knack_Paddywhack_A_Moving_Parts_Book');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Knick_Knack_Paddywhack_A_Moving_Parts_Book');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0525469087'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 8 page hardcover \|$12.91 \|17 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/The_Enchanted_Dolls_House');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1593541821'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/The_Enchanted_Dolls_House');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1593541821'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">The Enchanted Dolls' House by Robyn Johnson onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/The_Enchanted_Dolls_House');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/The_Enchanted_Dolls_House');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1593541821'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 32 page hardcover \|$16.47 \|10 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Mommy');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0439880505'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Mommy');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0439880505'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Mommy? by Maurice Sendak, Matthew Reinhart, Arthur Yorinks onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Mommy');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Mommy');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0439880505'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 12 page hardcover \|$16.47 \|40 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Encyclopedia_Prehistorica_Dinosaurs');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0763622281'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Encyclopedia_Prehistorica_Dinosaurs');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0763622281'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs illustrated by Robert Sabuda, Matthew Reinhart onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Encyclopedia_Prehistorica_Dinosaurs');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/The_Best_PopUp_Books_Ever/Encyclopedia_Prehistorica_Dinosaurs');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0763622281'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 12 page hardcover \|$18.47 \|150 reviews

Know any books we should add to the list above? .