Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures Pop-Up (Hardcover)

by Matthew Reinhart (Author, Illustrator), Robert Sabuda (Author, Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 1–6—Through fanciful three-dimensional artwork and well-written narrative, Reinhart and Sabuda introduce the whimsical, mostly hidden world of fairies and their kin. Examples of fey folk from different countries and cultures cavort about the pages, including bumblebee-riding pillywiggins (England and Wales), the shy abatwa who sleep in anthills (South Africa), and the unruly kappa that have been known to kidnap toddlers (Japan). Elves and gnomes, a menagerie of enchanted creatures, nature spirits, and mythical dwellers of the deep are also covered. From a delightful rendering of Shakespeare's Titania (complete with fluttering wings), to a frontal view of a unicorn gracefully lifting its head, to a movement-filled image of Amphitrite and Poseidon in their aquatic chariot, the paper sculptures are elegant and enticing. Additional foldout booklets, also embellished with pop-ups, assist in presenting the well-researched text, which concisely conveys a great deal of information. Though its delicate design makes it difficult to circulate, this handsome volume could be used for display or to introduce or inspire further study of folklore, mythology, and literature.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"* "In the case of books by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart, what you're seeing is more like a sculpture than a piece of card." Junior" --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 12 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; Pop edition (July 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763631728
• ISBN-13: 978-0763631727
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #57,744 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Reference > Encyclopedias > Science Fiction & Fantasy
  #11 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Sabuda, Robert
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful pop-ups, text wasn't my favorite, July 16, 2008

By	Tenna Merchent "Author-He's Not Autistic, But..." (Noblesville, IN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Length:: 1:37 Mins

This book lives up to the standard that Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda have set with first rate pop-up engineering. Every page has a central pop-up that is beautiful and interesting. Each page is further embellished with a minimum of two corner pull-outs that are also pop-ups in themselves with history as to the folklore of fairies. From this perspective, it is top notch.

The area where I was a little disappointed was in the history of the fairies themselves. It starts out interesting enough explaining that fairies appear in the legends of every continent. But it tends to focus on the darker aspects of the folklore. I've never researched the history of fairies, but I prefer to think of them as benevolent beings. Most of the stories focused on their pranks and the misfortune they can bring. The final corner pullout talked about the English girls who supposedly played with fairies and set up a camera to catch them on film. It was a well publicized case because it was later exposed as a hoax. They had used cuts out from an old children's catalog. The girls admitted their prank but claimed that one photograph was authentic.

I loved the artwork and pop-ups, but the actual text made me feel creepy sometimes, and in the end, sort of sad. While I will show it to my children, I will use my own words to describe the fairy world. If you're really into pop-up books, this is worth adding to your collection, but if your true interest is the lighter side of fairies, I prefer the pop-up book How to Find Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sabuda magic, August 21, 2008

By	JJH-V (Washington State) - See all my reviews

Robert Sabuda is a genius, no doubt about it. In this book there are dimensional fairies peeking from foliage, brownies hiding in corners, and trolls waiting to create trouble for passers-by. Some figures "magically" transform from one thing to another, just as we might imagine them to do in fairy tales. I give it only four stars because the engineering falls just a little short of the "wow" factor, and the text is somewhat depressing. Nonetheless, this and the Limited Edition version will certainly remain in my collection to be enjoyed for years to come.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fairies Pop-up, January 11, 2009

By	Nicole Cates - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I ordered this book for my 4 year old daughter who wanted a book like the Megabeasts book that her big brother has.
Some of the information in this book is over her head but she still loves all of the little pockets and pictures!