America’s National Parks, Pop-Up Book Review

When you hear “pop up book,” you immediately think of children. However, adults can find just as much joy in America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book as their young counterparts.

Innovative book design

America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book is not your every day coffee table book. It takes readers on a tour of some of America’s most famous national parks, through pop-up art. The art literally comes off the page to offer a 3-D glimpse of the parks you just don’t see in other books. The design team of the book includes concept and text by Don Compton, paper engineer Bruce Foster, and award-winning illustrator Dave Ember.

Because the pop art is the focal point of the book, text on each page is cleverly placed in foldout sections, which contain yet more pop art. The overall design is drawn from 1930s WPA posters, giving the book a timeless feel.

Fun yet functional book

America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book is educational as well as fun to look at. It contains information on 18 national parks, 6 of which include the titular pop-ups. From Florida’s Everglades National Park to California’s Yosemite, this book is overflowing with information, presented in a way that is fun but not overwhelming.

For a good cause, read this book

Buying this book will do more than just provide reading material and a book for your coffee table. Proceeds from each copy will go to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), with the goal being to raise $100,000 for parks. America’s National Parks, a Pop-Up Book comes in two hand-assembled versions: the regular edition, of which $8 goes to NPCA, and the deluxe limited edition, which gives $80 to NPCA.

Only 1200 copies for Deluxe Limited Edition are being produced, each numbered and autographed by the paper engineer, illustrator, and author. Each will feature the NPCA mission statement stamped in gold foil on the slipcover and an NPCA logo pop-up above the mission statement, all enclosed in a black cloth slipcase.

I have the page open to Yellowstone as I write this. I’ve never been to Yellowstone National Park, but with Old Faithful rising a foot off the page and a huge bison coming at me, I can only imagine what it’s like.  I’m not much of a “picture book” person, but I enjoyed this pop-up book, and imagine it will become a well-loved part of my collection.

Where to buy: National Parks Pop-Up Book

Suggested Retail: $34.95

This is a guest post by Melanie Conrad. W.W. West, Inc supplied me with this National Parks book for review.