The Little Mermaid

by Robert Sabuda, Robert Sabuda (Illustrator)

Overview

A beloved under-the-sea tale is now a pop-up masterpiece, from expert craftsman Robert Sabuda.

Come along on a magical journey under the sea in this stunning pop-up adaptation of the beloved fairy tale “The Little Mermaid,” expertly crafted by renowned paper engineer Robert Sabuda. Amazing three-dimensional paper structures pop off each page, bringing this classic underwater adventure to life. This visually stunning tale of adventure, true love, and sacrifice is sure to become a favorite in any story-lover’s library.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416960805
Publisher:	Little Simon
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Pages:	12
Sales rank:	123,264
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 2.20(d)
Age Range:	6 - 11 Years

About the Author

Robert Sabuda is one of the most innovative and inventive children's book creators and is known worldwide for his amazing pop-up paper engineering. His books include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, The Winter's Tale, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, to name but afew, have garnered numerous awards and have made the New York Times bestseller lists on many occasions. He lives in New York City.

Robert Sabuda is one of the most innovative and inventive children's book creators and is known worldwide for his amazing pop-up paper engineering. His books include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, The Winter's Tale, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, to name but afew, have garnered numerous awards and have made the New York Times bestseller lists on many occasions. He lives in New York City.

Hometown:

New York, New York

Date of Birth:

March 8, 1965

Place of Birth:

Pinckney, Michigan

Education:

B.F.A., Pratt Institute, 1987

Website:

http://www.robertsabuda.com

Editorial Reviews

Robert Sabuda's superb pop-up pages in The Little Mermaid look like set designs for a drama in two kingdoms: one below the waves and the other above…Sabuda's enthusiasm and ingenuity in illustrating the story are daunting.

The New York Times - Sarah Harrison Smith

★ 09/02/2013
Sabuda continues his series of pop-up adaptations of classic stories (including Beauty and the Beast and Peter Pan) with a gorgeously rendered version of this Andersen tale, which hews to the original source material—don’t look for Flounder or for a terribly happy ending. Like the previous books, there’s a stained-glass quality to the illustrations and pop-ups, which are characteristically intricate and distinguished by a remarkable sense of movement: the prince’s ship extends out toward readers in one scene, storm clouds gathering behind it, while in one of the book’s many mini-booklets, the mermaids move back and forth as they beg her to return to the water rather than risk her life. Ages 6–up. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 12/01/2013
Gr 1–4—Illustrations and pop-ups that sparkle with shimmering light and graceful motion characterize the latest title adapted by a master bookmaker. Much abridged and gently updated, the text closely follows the original, often echoing Andersen's phrasings and similes while streamlining events to create an eloquent yet accessible retelling. The little mermaid's heartfelt longing for her human prince, her quiet courage, and her selfless sacrifice at story's end are poignantly depicted in both words and images. Outlined with heavy black lines that lend a stained-glass effect, the artwork is spectacular. Glowing green and coral hues emblazon a multitiered sculpture of the sea king's realm festooned with plants that seem to tremble in an invisible current. The prince's storm-tossed ship is presented with the bow jabbing out toward readers, 3-D masts and ropes askew, and roiling blue-black ocean waves curling all around; the sea witch's abode, "built from the bones of shipwrecked sailors," towers tall and menacing. The stately pacing of narrative and artwork allows children to linger over the pages and explore the depths of the tale's emotional complexity.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

★ 2013-09-25
In his latest stunner, Sabuda pairs a version of the tale that is less abridged than most retellings to paper-engineered effects that, as usual, raise the bar of the physically possible. His trademark set-piece centerpieces start with the sea king's coral castle—rearing up more than 14 inches in an intricately interwoven construct—and end with a high-ceilinged, multilayer wedding stage. Around these, the tale plays out largely on side flaps and inset booklets that themselves feature multiple layers and many small but no less brilliantly designed pop-ups. In scenes both above and below the ocean surface, rich colors blend and flow in tonal sweeps that echo the artist's linework for elegance as well as the courageous mermaid's intense inner emotions. Carrying the tale up to her hard-earned transformation to a spirit of the air, Sabuda has preserved the original's events and much of its imagery in his rendition while dispensing with Andersen's wordier flights of description and, thankfully, the heavily moralistic concluding passage. As with all of Sabuda's pop-up creations, the spreads should be teased open rather than pulled to minimize the chance of tearing. The rewards are well worth taking such care. A magnificent counter to the Disney pap. (Pop-up/fairy tale. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews