READ IT | Children's Books . One

As mentioned in our previous FEATURED BOOKS post, the team here at Make Studio Inc. loves collecting design and special interest books. One of these special interest is children's books. We have found some of our favorite artists and illustrators penning pages with delightful illustrations and whimsical prose. Turning the pages of a well designed children's book can instanly transport children of all ages to the farthest reaches of their imaginations...an exciting place to go.

But sometimes these books are not just filled with drawings and words...sometimes there is sculpting too. Yup, the scultping of innovative paper pop ups.

David Carter is the author of more than eight-five pop-up books. A popular series within these pop-up books is his book One Red Dot published in 2005 and the five pop-up sculpture books that followed over the next seven years. We've collected four of them, and have loved seeing how Carter continues to push paper boundaries with each new book.

One Red Dot

The first of these books, sets the tone for what has become a very destinctinve style both in the design and color of this series. He keeps the colors within a defined color palette of red, yellow, blue, black and white helping to put most of the focus on the paper scultputres featured on each page.

These sculptures hit on three senses: sight, sound, and touch, making the books more experiential than just visual. As the title suggests each page may have gigs twirling, baskets rising, clickers clicking but always each page has just one red dot.

It's important to note that this book and it's companions are for the careful and soft-handed child. I can easily see these books becoming composed of mostly tape if put in more agressive hands!

Blue 2

The second in this pop-up series picks up where Red Dot left off. It keeps a tight focus in it's story line asking the reader to seek out the blue 2 on each page. We continue to interact with this book as we did with the last as we twirl string, pull tabs, spin wheels and more.

Where in Red Dot the text and images help educate young readers on abnormal shapes, Blue 2 tends to focus on expanding ones knowledge of verbs. What does it mean to collide, invert or illuminte?

600 Black Spots

This book presents an interesting challenge to readers young and old. Rather than seeking out a shape hidden on each page, you are essentially being asked to count and add. By them time you reach the last page, your addition and observation should have accounted for 600 black dots.

Carter creates some extrodinary pieces to house these dots, making the counting experience all the more enjoyable. The first and last pages are arguably my personal favorite of the whole series.

Yellow Square

In this book's story line Carter reverts back to the seek and find narrative of the first two books, having us search for a yellow square. Keep an eye out for old favorites Red Dot and Blue 2, as they make appearances. The fun of this book is in his continued exploration of texture and interactivity for the reader.

We recommend these books on the lone experience of understanding the capabilities of paper when designed around "popping up". However, whatever your age, we have no doubt your ears, eyes and hands will find these books an enjoyable experience.

Happy Reading.