Peter Pan (Hardcover)

Starred ReviewContinuing to innovate, Sabuda enhances the already powerful enchantments of J.M. Barrie's classic 1902 tale with astonishing paper engineering. Illustrations suggest a hybrid of period styles, somewhere between arts and crafts, with their rich patterning, and art nouveau, with their Tiffany glass-like outlines and colorations. At first Sabuda's techniques look familiar if splendid. Pop-up story booklets are tucked to the side of imposing pop-ups that dominate a full spread: enormous clouds (these are shaped like characters) billow over a 3-D London nightscape on the opening spread; to the left, the text begins on narrow pages that unfold to include pop-ups of Nana, Wendy stitching Peter's shadow and more. As the book continues, Sabuda's work becomes more surprising--Captain Hook slides down a hollow tree--until, on a final climactic spread, an entire pirate ship pops up, masts, Jolly Roger and all. Not to be missed. All ages. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved