Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia Prehistorica Mega-Beasts Pop-Up

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This is a great series that is not only fun and beautiful but also teaches kids a lot stuff. My younger sister has all the books from Encyclopedia Prehistorica series. In addition to this book she also has the other two:
Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up
Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Sharks and Other Sea Monsters
My favorite series is about cats:
Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 1
Why Some Cats are Rascals, Book 2
Why Some Cats are Rascals ( Book 3)
This series is for older kids like myself. It is full of fun and it also have a lot of information about all kind of cats and other animals, about history of Egypt (book2) and also about discoveries of American wild west and the Oregon Trail (book 3)

Mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and the hyracotherium are all animals of unusual proportion(some big and some small) and they all came after the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, they're also extinct. We know what that means - we can't visit them at the zoo. But, we can see wonderful pop-up images of them. And thanks to Sabuda's thrilling papercraft skills and Reinhart's concise and insightful writing we can interact with those images in a tactile and personal way.

As with Sabuda's other books this one doesn't have a plot - it has facts. It's more like an index to Mega Beasts than a story about them. And it seems kids or adults don't mind a bit. The pictures are very colorful, the writing is creative, and the book is most original.

Every parent knows the enjoyment from hearing a kid say `Wow! Look at that.' - and this book is full of wow-moments. Who can't be amazed at the Mega Beasts? They were here before us. What do they have to tell us about this planet we live on? Consider them here in the form of pop-up art.

Robert Sabuda has been at the forefront of paper engineering and bookmaking for almost 15 years, particularly since the publication of his intricate and beautiful Christmas pop-ups (and, later, greeting cards) made him beloved by children and adults alike. Sabuda's protégé, Matthew Reinhart, is a relative newcomer to the publishing world, but he has quickly made a name for himself through his own pop-up creations as well as several collaborations with his mentor.

The best known of these are the three books that comprise Encyclopedia Prehistorica, a terrific compilation of facts and figures about dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts. The first two installments introduced young readers (and their curious parents) to DINOSAURS and SHARKS & SEA MONSTERS. Now Sabuda and Reinhart return with the third and final volume in the set: MEGA-BEASTS.

This time, the focus is on the gargantuan mammals and other beasts that inhabited the planet during the Mesozoic Era, right through the ice age and almost up to the present day. These include the huge flying lizard quetzalcoatlus, prehistoric rats and bats, as well as more modern extinct animals such as the dodo. The authors' comments about the relation of such long-lost species to today's endangered animals are subtly made and well-crafted to spark discussion and contemplation among young people.

Of course, the highlight of any Sabuda/Reinhart publication is the pop-ups themselves. As with the other volumes in the Encyclopedia Prehistorica series, the layout of each two-page spread includes one large, somewhat imposing pop-up creature (the smilodon [saber-toothed tiger] and woolly mammoth are highlights) as well as four or more mini "booklets" that include smaller paper constructions of other animals. Readers will pore over these pages for hours, as much for the awesome feats of paper engineering and their representations of impressive prehistoric creatures as for the text.

Certainly these three volumes are not really encyclopedic, but their combination of fascinating facts and magnificent three-dimensional illustrations and design is bound to spark readers' interest in both the prehistoric eras and the arts of bookmaking and paper engineering.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I am ALWAYS in awe of the detail that goes into the Sabuda books. The pop ups seem to get better each new book! I consider these books to be pieces of art as well as wonderful books to share with children and other adults. Kudos to Rober Sabuda once again!

Just like the first two, this book amazed me by the inginuity and art that was put into this book. Yet it is also full of new things to learn about the Prehistoric world.
In short, it is a treat not only for the eyes, but the mind as well.
One thing I'll say though, I would not let a small child use this by themselves. The pop-ups are delicate and will need adult supervision, but that just means that you will enjoy it along side with your kids.

Wow what a great pop up book. I remember as a kid I had a Star Wars pop up book and to think that they still make them. This book is very cool and holds my 6 year old sons interest in Pre historic Beasts. Great detail on the pop ups with descriptions on each Beast. What a treat!

I bought my 5 year old all three of the books in this series and he loves them! The pop ups are so complex, yet they stand up every time. There are 5 or 6 pop ups on each page, so the book is chock full of fun for my son.

Holy cow this is the most amazing pop-up book I've ever seen! I cannot wait until my son is old enough to enjoy this book. It's absolutely filled with fantastic pop-ups PLUS great information to boot.

Just thinking about it makes me smile. :D Definitely buy this book, you'll love it!

Initially I bought this book for my thre children - 7yrs, 5yrs and 2yrs. They made wonderful appreciateve noises when the parcel was opened. I then decided to show it to my Year 3 (8 yr olds). Although they weren't allowed to touch it the class was fascinated. The pop ups were magical and we continued to find more information and more pop ups where ever we looked. Fantastic

My quest is to own every Sabuda pop-up book that comes into being. This one completes his trilogy of prehistoric beasts, and it's as much fun to browse through as the others. I buy these for my great-nieces and -nephews, and I get my own copies that children may not touch! Sabuda is gifted in this, and I hope he continues to be inspired. I confess that I prefer his takes on children's fiction, but all of his books are inventive.