The Twelve Days of Christmas : A Pop-Up Celebration (Hardcover)

~ Robert Sabuda (Author, Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Robert Sabuda is to pop-up art what the International Grandmaster is to chess, and it isn't for nothing that he's described on the back of this book as a "paper engineer." As the title suggests, this whimsical, old-fashioned, elegant book embodies the Traditional Song of Abundant Giving--each verse of "The 12 Days of Christmas" is illustrated with a different pop-up creation. Some are relatively simple, such as the partridge (made of just two pieces of hinged paper) that opens its wings above some pears. Still, there is something unexpectedly bold about how the bird literally flies out over the top margin of the page. Other pop-ups are more characteristically bravura creations: the "Ten pipers piping" are crafted explicitly as decorative paper cut-outs, but the scissors that cut them are part of the pop-up, too. Perhaps the most complex of the set is "Eleven Ladies Dancing." Interpreted as an old-fashioned music box, the 11 ladies dancing are little ballerinas, and the music box is complete with drawer, back-mirror, and winding key. Sabuda's masterful The 12 Days of Christmas is full of nostalgia for the magic of childhood celebration--kids and adults alike would be happy to receive this book as a holiday gift. (Ages 3 to 103) --Richard Farr

From Publishers Weekly

Reigning prince of paper construction Sabuda has fashioned the classic carol into a crisp, 3D holiday greeting, somewhat similar in style to his Christmas Alphabet (1994). Each spread contains festively colored background panels sprinkled with white text and featuring two spectacularly intricate, snow-white pop-ups; one takes center stage and the other is hidden beneath a gatefold flap. In a welcome update, Sabuda's witty take on the tune's verses depicts "four calling birds" as emerging from a cuckoo clock and "eleven ladies dancing" as ballerinas pirouetting inside a child's musical jewelry box. The design is sturdy enough to withstand repeated readings, provided that it's treated as a book, not a toy. All ages.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 12 pages
• Publisher: Little Simon (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689808658
• ISBN-13: 978-0689808654
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,032 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #19 in

  Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( S ) > Sabuda, Robert

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Childrens Book, December 3, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Powell, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

Even though I am a teenager, I love Sabudas' The Twelve Days of Christmas. This book is magical because when you turn to each page you see a magnificent array of creativity. Each time I read it (many times!) I study how all those paper designs work so perfectly. I especially love the jewelry box, swans, and reindeer. It is a real treat for your eyes as well as your imagination. I recommend it for all ages, and would be a perfect gift for the holiday season.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Christmas Treasure!, December 5, 1999

By	Michelle Soles (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This is a book I get out every Christmas and is displayed with great care. My children love this book but can only look at it under my supervision due to the delicate nature of the detailed pop-up pages. Would make a great gift for anyone and is truely a favorite reading during the holidays.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an awesome book!, November 2, 1998

By	[e-mail] (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

A wonderful version of the traditional song. There are many different folds and techniques used in this fairly compact book as well as interesting literary devices which lift this well out of the commonplace. Each odd numbered day of the song is given one and a half pages which are full of a miracle of cutting and folding.( apologies for the rhetoric but I LOVE this book ). The pages are in large blocks of colour which offset beatifully the mostly white pop-up creations and the, very different, white text.Each even-numbered day folds out from the half page left into an equivalent full page which is also coloured with white card pop-ups which are delicate paper cutouts All of the gifts are truly represented, but with a twist. All are also common gifts or images of a traditional Christmas. e.g The five Gold rings are shiny gold rings set on a white reindeer's antler-tips. The eight maids a-milking are Christmas cookies on a tray. The wonderful swans are in a snow-globe that also incorporates perspex through which we see not only the swans swimming , but also the snow falling! One has to look hard to find the eleventh lady dancing on the music box. The use of colour on each page is superb. Not one part of the book detracts from any other part. We are now all lookign forward to finding a copy of Sabuda's ABC book . This also has the same use of white cut-outs moving against a single colour background. There is so much that is excellent about this book that it would take a long time for the novelty to wear off. There are several layers to it and never does Sabuda seem to rely on the tricks of paper engineering to carry the book. It stands out in so many areas. With my children ( and others) we have readit, sung it, played with it, copied it and discussed the traditions behind the song and the gift versions in the book. Yet whenever it comes down off the shelf ( It is a seasonal treat or for rainy or sick days - or College assignments! ) everyone gets excited all over again.