Berbers Book Reviews, Review by Alice Berger, December 11, 2008
Pop-up books and cards delight children and adults with their unique and clever designs, but how are these intricate pictures created? If you've ever wanted to make one yourself, The Pocket Paper Engineer will show you how. This set of two volumes focuses on basic pop-up forms, platforms and props in a fully hands-on manner. Designed to be taken apart and used in construction, the pages are sturdy and include pockets to place your finished products. Clear directions and illustrations show you exactly how to put these pop-up designs together, and then explain how to use these newly acquired skills for creations of your own. The Pocket Paper Engineer is well-designed, and the step-by-step instructions are easy for anyone to follow. I highly recommend these unique how-to books on crafting pop-ups.

PRACtical homeschooling, Melissa L. Morgan, November-December, 2008
Budding paper engineers, rejoice! The Pocket Paper Engineer: How to Make Pop-Ups Step-by-Step, Volume 2, created by Carol Barton, builds on the sturdy pop-up card foundations of The Pocket Paper Engineer, Volume 1. Your hands-on learners can use this 69-page wire-O binding, hardcover book to design and create progressively more complex movable geometric paper designs. [The book] teaches logical thinking, math, geometry, and dimensional design.....Who knows, maybe you and your child will use your paper construction techniques to create a best-selling pop-up book!

Chicago Tribune, Mary Harris Russell, reviewer, December 6, 2008
If you worry that pop-ups elicit passivity in young readers, try doing a make-your-own pop-up project together. For help, you can turn to one of The Pocket Paper Engineer books by Carol Barton (Popular Kinetics Press). The two spiral-bound books give step-by-step instructions on how to create various kinds of pop-up cards and effects.

VOYA, Voice of Youth Advocates Newsletter, December 2008
Review by Victoria Vogel
This interesting and remarkable series will appeal to any craft-curious person. Barton provides clear, easy-to-follow instructions on how to create artwork that comes to life. She covers four basic types of pop-ups in this second volume − platform, prop, spirals, and straddles. Each section contains components that can be cut out to use in your own pop-ups. These examples are provided on fold-out, card stock pages. Although some of them may lend themselves more to business presentations, several others could be used to create interesting greeting cards, paper sculptures, journals, or even to spice up a scrapbook. In addition to colorful illustrations and step-by-step instructions, Barton provides helpful hints such as how to glue and cut pop-ups and the right equipment to use. The books conclude with an interesting list of bookbinding and decorative paper suppliers and well as a list of helpful Web sites.
      The only disadvantage this book may have for library collections is its format. The pages are contained in a spiral-bound cover, with tabs to indicate sections, similar to a notebook. The binding and the cutouts might make circulation a challenge in a public library; however, these challenges are outweighed by its usefulness. What a great idea for a library program − create your own pop-ups.

tHE mIDWEST bOOK rEVIEW, sEPTEMBER 2008
Crafting a pop-up book can be something as entertaining to a child as it is to an adult. The Pocket Paper Engineer, How to Make Pop-Ups Step-by-Step, Volume 2 focuses on the items and stages used to set the scenes in pop-up books, which in many ways are just as important as the characters themselves. Focusing on ideas that almost anyone can create out of everyday items, the book provides ten samples that are sure to inspire readers to create their own pop-ups. The Pocket Paper Engineer is a must for anyone who doubts that paper and scissors can be fun.

bookpleasures.com, Review by Lily Azerad-goldman
Carol Barton, a paper engineer, has filled Volume 2 of The Pocket Paper Engineer with projects and instructions for young and old alike, and it is perfect for a rainy or snowy day. This clever book is a way to bond with your family. It teaches children how to follow instructions and improves their sense of perception. In addition, it enhances their imagination....The Pocket Paper Engineer is a highly recommended activity for all.

HOMESCHOOLBUZZ.com, review by Kathy davis
AUGUST 29, 2008
I am extremely craft challenged. I can't fold a newspaper to make a hat, can't do a simple origami project or even a decent paper airplane. So, I thought it would be a good challenge for me to review, or all things, a book on how to make pop-ups. I approached the book with caution, and had the kids wear helmets and eye protection gear, as I have been known to throw scissors and rulers out of serious frustration. If the author could get me to make a successful pop-up then I would be happy. Guess what? I'm ecstatic. Thanks to the genius of the author's ability to give clear step-by-step directions, I can now make a mean pop-up!
   This is the coolest book, and as a family we had a great time working around the kitchen table with our scissors and papers, clipping and folding, and popping away. The Pocket Paper Engineer is designed for novices like me, as well as for those who want to stretch their paper folding abilities. My sever-year-old needed a little assistance with the cutting, while my 13-year-old was completely independent. The book consists of 10 do-it-yourself models, with cards provided. Simply detach the paper project, assemble it, and either give your creation away or store for later in the provided pre-made pockets.
   You can get fancy and buy an X-Acto knife, a self-healing mat, safety glove, bone folder, and other accessories if you want, or you can stick to old-fashioned scissors and ruler. Your students will gain much more than just an introduction to the art of paper engineering. Kids can write stories to go along with their creations and put simple math concepts (measuring and geometric principles) to practical use. This book is a winner, and will make a nice supplement to your art programs, or a beautiful gift for a friend or loved one. It's also good exposure to a possible career path: paper engineer.

Craftypod.com, review by Diane Gilleland
Now here's a great find! The Pocket Paper Engineer, Volumes 1 and 2, a pair of books on making pop-ups by Carol Barton. In these volumes are the tools to make really spectacular pop-up greeting cards and books. The projects look like they're quite kid-friendly, too. I absolutely love the layout! These are the best engineered-for-use craft books I've ever seen. There are tabbed sections for each style of pop-up the book teaches. Within each tabbed section you'll find a series of projects....And the step-by-step instructions are illustrated wonderfully. One you've mastered the technique with the cut-outs provided, you can brand out and apply it to your own drawings and photos. There are some really cute pop-ups in this book, and lots of good paper engineering education. (Oooh, and spiral binding, of course!) I can see this being a great book not only for card-makers, but scrapbookers and paper artists of all kinds.




READER VIEWS, REVIEWS BY KIDS
Simon Smith, Age 9, August 2008
A pop-up is paper folded so that when you open a page, it will jump out. The Pocket Paper Engineer, Volume 2 is a book on how to make pop-ups. It is the perfect book for rainy days when there is nothing else fun to do. I want to tell you, though, that this is one of those books where you cut out some of the book to make the pop-ups, so you'll literally have less of the book when you finish.
   It has some really cool projects. For example, they tell you how to make a "floating" pop-up with a city and a little helicopter. There is also a turtle and a street scene with some cards....After you are done with the pop-up, you can put it back in the book because it has these little folders and then you can take it out again and look at it whenever you want. The book has a spiral binding so it will lay flat, making it easier to read the directions. The book can still be used after you have cut out all the pop-ups because most of the directions are still there and if you save the paper that was left over from cutting out the pop-up pieces, then you might be able to duplicate the pieces and put your own drawings on them. I think the youngest child that could do these without getting frustraed would be about age eight. The Pocket Paper Engineer, Volume 2, by Carol Barton is good for boys and girls, and would be a good gift for a kid.

Whipup Blog, February 9, 2008
A brilliant book that explains in detail how to make pop-ups, starting with a short history into paper engineering and the mechanics of how to make 3-D forms come alive. The simple concept of a pop-up delights everyone, from the easiest of folds to the more complicated constructs with layered movement that pull out from the page when opened. It's a must to start at the beginning of this book, as all materials and directions are neatly explained. The language is aimed at a young audience, but this is great when introducing precise techniques needed to make pop-ups work. The design of the book, with its oversized portrait DL layout and spiral binding gives readers the feeling they are entering into a great hands-on instruction manual rather than a sit-in-bed under-the-covers kinda book. In fact, the foldouts and card pockets (which contain illustrations to cut out) make this book the kind you sit with at the craft table. Its neatly organized chapters (triangles, squares, variations, etc.) are tabbed, giving the whole book a nice feel.... It's a book designed to teach the techniques of pop-ups, and then armed with this new knowledge and skill, readers are invited to explore their imaginations.  Enjoy the adventure!

Home      Press Release      Press Photos      Reader Feedback     Book Flyer       Review Copy