Customer Reviews

Christmas Around the World: A Pop-Up Book

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For those looking for this year's collectible holiday pop-up, many will find it here. The text is informative and sometimes truly surprising. (If you haven't heard the German legend of The Krampus--I hadn't, and my grandparents were German--you're in for a bit of an unexpected shudder and a shock!)

The book is interactive, of course, with plenty of informative flip-back, pull-open, slide-out features. The style of illustration echoes that of the Victorian images that sometimes share space alongside. The photographs and reprints are colorful, sharp, and well-chosen.

Most of the pop ups are delightful: The British images unfurl and swirl up and out miraculously. The French boulevard--with richly stocked shop windows, a picturesque Metro stairway, kiosk, and street lamp--glistens under strands of bright star garlands. A German village and mountaintop castle in the clouds and a giant decorated evergreen, all seen from a distance, invite you in with a festive "Willkomen" sign hung between entrance gates decorated like candy canes. The final pop up is a classic: Santa and his sleigh, silver reins shining, on his way around the world! And the last surprise--a pull-out drawer with a sweet gift tucked inside that will itself hold one more gifty or goody.

A few small disappointments arise along the way: The tip of the top turret of the German castle extends past the page bottom and will be constantly bent and tattered with use and conventional storage; you may want to shelve the book on its ribboned end or upside down. The pull-out drawer contains--I assure you--only one item, instead of the bounty of materials other similar books often contain. (I telephoned to be sure my copy was not missing materials.) And finally, in the last pop up, Santa's dull boozy expression is a major flaw in an otherwise delightful Christmas treasure. (With a tiny bit of correction fluid, a fine point pen, and a steady hand we've already refocused the eyes on our Jolly Old Elf. Looks great!) I hope future reprints might correct these small errors. And please, tuck at least a couple more holiday surprises into the pull-out drawer. Santa would.

Not really meant for young kids, this quality keepsake is better suited as part of your Christmas decorations, something you bring out for the coffee table every year.

The pop-ups are terrific, among the best I've ever seen. But what makes the book complete are all the extras on each page. In fact, when I finished looking through it, I valued the book as much for its history as its art.

Here's why:

The first spread, about Father Christmas and Dicken's "A Christmas Carol," includes a few paragraphs about the history of each fable as well as two tiny six-page booklets. Additional spreads offer similar treatments for The Christmas Witch and pagan Rome, the Advent Calendar, Pere Noël and other French traditions, historic Russian folk tales and the true story of Saint Nicholas, and finally, the American Santa Claus.

All spreads have flaps, too; some have pull outs.

A thick cover, laminated paper stock and half-inch base help keep everything from getting damaged, but there's so much glued and folded paper stuffed in here that you'll still need to treat it all with care.

A MUST HAVE!!!!!! Great fun with a lot of interesting facts. An artful wonder for the eyes with a great flair of creativity.

The book should be more appropriately titled, European and American Christmas Traditions. The "Around the World" in the title extends to England, France, Germany, Russia and the USA with a little bit about Scandinavia. For information about Christmas around the world, you might check out http://christmas-world.freeservers.com//index.html and I'm sure there are many more.

The graphics are nicely done. The text is dense and appropriate for adults. Although this is a pop-up book, beware that it is NOT a children's book. My 6 & 8 year olds were not interested from the second that they saw the size of the text.

I know that people are disturbed by the picture in the German Christmas page. I purchased the book and was very happy to find that the picture of Krampus has changed. It is no longer a drawing of him with a dead child. It is now a picture of Father Christmas and Krampus with mischievous looks on their faces skiing down a hill. So if the only reason you're hesitant to purchase this book is that one picture, be assured to know that this book is pretty much child-safe now!

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

There are not words to adequately describe the beauty of master pop-up artist Chuck Fischer's work. I thought he'd hit a high point with his pop-up book, Christmas in New York, but I was wrong. Christmas Around the World is simply breathtaking and will mesmerize children and adults alike.

Fischer's newest offering features glorious scenes from Germany, Russia, Latin America, France, the Scandinavia countries, Great Britain, Italy and the United States.

Every page and pop-up is filled with intricate and beautiful scenes that will have the reader gasping while they study `how he did it.' I loved every image from the mythic figures representing Santa Claus to the Christmas traditions the different countries celebrate. The small booklets and photos are ingenuous. All you want to do is gaze at it and appreciate its beauty.

Christmas around the World is a treasure deserving its own special place of honor during the Christmas season. Oh, and check out Christmas in New York. It's stunning.

Armchair Interviews says: It's a great Christmas gift that will be saved and enjoyed every year.

I was pleased to see that USA Today acknowledged the enormous talent behind this pop-up book in selecting it in the top ten holiday gift books this year. Chuck Fischer has outdone himself (not easily done) in spreading magic this season with a book sure to woo friends and family.

At first I wasn't real excited since I associate pop-up books with kids books that get ripped and torn and eventually thrown out.

But after viewing this book, it's definitely not for kids. This is a collectible you bring out during the holidays along with the other decorations.

Each page is gorgeously illustrated in great details.
There are flaps with lots of additional information.
The information isn't just the same old stuff recycled, there are some interesting facts and fiction presented here, like the Christmas Witch and other such legends.

One con is that in order to cram information in between pop-up the font if VERY small. Some may have trouble seeing it without a magnifying glass.

The back has a little "hidden compartment" with a standalone pop-up you can set up anywhere as another decoration.

OVERALL:
Put it out on your coffee table during the holidays and challenge guests to not just look at the 3D pictures.

This pop-up book takes my breath away! It is not for children but rather is to be used as a family keepsake, to be passed down from generation to generation. This is a collector's gift, a work of art. Each two-page spread tells the history and traditions of Christmas from around the world. There are hidden surprises like pullouts and mini booklets that are filled with information.

The reader learns about Father Christmas, Boxing Day, and plum pudding in England, along with some authentic Victorian illustrations. The first nativity scene, presecio, or creche came from Italy, along with La Bafana, the Christmas Witch. From Germany came the Advent Calendar, the legend of Tannenbaum or Christmas tree, and Saint Nicholas. From France comes reveillon, a feast--late-night after midnight mass, Pere Noel, and pictures of the City of Lights, Paris, at Christmas. From Russia came the real Saint Nicholas and Baboushka. We learn that Scandinavia is where the Festival of Light continues. The decorations and the history of Santa are found in the pages about North America. Included in the back of the book is a box that pulls out and contains a Santa and sleigh that can pop together and be used as a stand-alone decoration!

A fantastic book to own or to give!

Although this book is not inexpensive, Amazon had the best price by far! I saw it in a brick and mortor store and really loved both the overall design and the many little extras. Besides a stand-up in each page spread, there are little "books" on one or both sides that give more detailed info on that country. There are a couple of "sliders" and a small tray that holds a pop-up sleigh (not attached to the book).

This is not really a child's book - except when fully supervised by an adult. Kids will enjoy the pictures but not fully understand all the details given about each country.

It would make a great family tradition to look and read during the Christmas season.

My only disappointment is that more countries(and pages)were not included.

It is high quality paper and worth the half-off the listing price that Amazon offers.