Pop up Books

The other day I was watching Paddington 2, where a pop up book about London took the Center stage. Suddenly, all the childhood memories came popping up. 

My first memory of any book is that of a beautiful and wonderful pop up book. It was a majestic book with castles, forests, trees, and mountains coloured in vibrant shades of nature. Though I have only faint memories but every time I see a pop up book, the childhood memory comes back as a déjà vu. 

Probably some relative had got it for us kids from London or America where you had such pretty things like marmalade, cookies, cupcakes and pop up books. There was only one copy shared amongst all the kids in a joint family. It was kept safe and precious, touched only under the adult supervision. It was an expensive one, handmade, crisp, sharp, bright and as they say popping.

Later, I saw some copies here and there. But this beautiful art has been fading with the artists in its original form. Graphic art, cartoons and illustration have taken over and the mass scale commercialization has killed the unique books which took more creativity than a standard children’s illustration book.  

The art and the artist took the center stage here than the story. It was a piece of art, a collectors item, made with loads of love and imagination. The special breed of storytellers who could paint and draw, but also visualise things in action. Much before the world of TV and virtual reality, the pop up books were the closest experience to seeing things in 3D. 

I surfed and searched children’s book shops to find the one from my childhood. While that one may not have survived, any book which comes closest to is picked up for my darling daughter. I hope her childhood memories are also full of the wonderful things like Pop up books. 

Here is the one I found for her 6th Birthday. Come join us as we take you to the Fairy Place Party 🎉where Fairy Breeze takes us to the Prince and Princess wedding!