Popping up on adults' bookshelves
3-D books are nostalgic hit with older readers
Robert Sabuda transforms flat illustrations into 3D literary paper sculptures.
The pop-up artist -- or paper engineer -- creates lever-pulling and flap-turning pop-up books , such as the recent "Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Sharks and Other Sea Monsters " with sharks and sea lizards that literally (boing!) leap off the pages.
But lately he's been seeing something else pop up at his book signings -- adults.
"More adults are definitely discovering them," he wrote in an e-mail from his studio in New York, where he produces about three pop-up books a year. "Pop-ups appeal to adults because it allows them to revert back to their childhood experiences with things that amaze them. When an adult's eyes light up when turning the page of a pop-up, I know they've become kids again."
You might notice more of these pop-up books catering to grown-ups as publishers tailor the subjects to their sensibilities and interests. Popping up at book stores shelves near you: books on pop culture, music legends (Elvis Presley's estate), archeology (Egyptian mummies), cinema (Alfred Hitchcock), and even lingerie ("Hoorah for the Bra").
Booksellers and collectors say these creations are a way to experience something that is simple, interactive, and entertaining. They provide a sense of wonder and whimsy that doesn't involve logging on to a computer or a turning on an iPod.
At Curious George Goes to Wordsworth in Harvard Square, pop-up books are a popular draw for adults nostalgic for their childhoods . "They are geared toward older people, and people buy them for their kids as well," says Emily Goodale , an assistant manager there.
Barnes & Noble in Braintree prominently displays some of the newer pop-up books such as the "Pop - Up Book of
A bookseller at Barnes & Noble said people are coming in during these busy shopping days and asking for the celebrity-gone-wild book as a fun holiday gift. Down the aisle from it is the new "Alfred Hitchcock : The Master of Suspense " pop-up from Simon & Schuster, which pays homage to seven of the director's classic films. Open it and watch a knife-wielding "Psycho" emerge as he stabs Janet Leigh in the movie's famous shower scene. Or recoil as several crows flap in a scene from "The Birds."
And more adult pop-up books are on their way. Coming next year: "The Pop-up Encyclopedia of Star Wars," "The Chronicles of Narnia," and a sequel to the celebrity meltdowns book.
"In some ways, they are better suited for people who are older," says Jamie Weiss , a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators , which hosts two national conferences that feature pop-up book artists and their creations. "Lately there have been so many coming out that are so intricate and detailed and beautiful that they are works of arts of their own, almost like a new genre. The engineering of pop-up books has come a long way [so] that they are able to be larger and more spectacular than they were in the past."
It's not hard to understand the appeal of a pop-up book. Open one, pull on a tab or lever, and a surprise unfolds.
"You never know what is going to happen," says Bruce Foster , a pop-up artist who spent a year creating the paper mechanics of the new "Celebrity Meltdowns," published by Melcher Media. Foster, who has produced moving books and cards for the Museum of Modern Art, says the popularity of pop-up books has to do with the wow factor for readers as they study the how-did-it-do-that paper mechanics.
"It's always a little mind trick, and people really enjoy that," he says. "Pop-up books are for everyone. Anyone can enjoy the interactivity of these books. Some are for adults, and some are for children."
Or both.
"Mommy?," which was released this year by Scholastic Books, shows a little boy meeting different pop-up horror movie characters such as Frankenstein, Dracula and the werewolf as he searches for his mom. "Tutankhamen's Tomb," which will be released in 2007 by Barron's Educational Series , lets readers unwrap the ancient Egyptian king's tomb and view an old map showing pharaohs' burial sites. "Graceland," also published this year, gives Elvis fans a room-by-room interactive tour of the king's Tennessee estate and his grave.
Melcher Media began a series of pop-up books with 1999's "The Pop-Up Book of Phobias," which has sold 200,000 copies, says Charles Melcher , president of the New York City publishing company.
Riding on the success of its phobias book, the company began releasing more adult-themed pop-up books. They included pop-ups on nightmares, The National Enquirer's best and worst photographs, and, most recently, "The Pop- Up Book of Sex " which gives readers an intimate look at the various positions to get your groove on. (Do not open at work!)
"We are always looking to break out of the box or to help books stand out in the digital age," says Melcher, whose company releases one or two pop-up books a year. "Since everything is flat on a screen [these days], the fact that you can pull a lever and make things move made out of paper seems more miraculous and entertaining and refreshing and different.
"It's like having your own puppet."
Johnny Diaz can be reached at jodiaz@globe.com 
