Christmas Alphabet: Deluxe Anniversary Pop-up

Rating:
Summary: Magical!
Review: [This review was first published in the Ephrata (Pa.) Review."]
If you missed this marvel of paper engineering when it first came out in 1994, now's the chance to get a copy of a 10th-anniversary edition.
The format is simple. Seven two-page spreads of white cardboard, each with four modest little folders, or "doors," labeled with letters of the alphabet. But prepare to be dazzled by Sabuda's magic. Open one of the folders and ta-da! a live dove flies out. Well not quite... but almost.

Behind each of the 27 "doors" lies a white pop-out surprise that illustrates a Christmas-related word. Open "Door C" for example and glimpse a candle's halo whirr into place behind the flame. Open "G" to flamboyant swirls and a box. Lift the box's lid to discover what the gift is. Lift "Q" to a bouncy quartet of singers.
The mechanically inclined will immediately set about trying to figure out how the pop-ups "work." Others will simply enjoy the shapes and the creativity behind them.
Because of the book's fragile nature, I wouldn't hand this book off to a toddler. But with supervision and assistance, this is a visual treat all ages can enjoy.