cover image The Small World of Paper Toys

The Small World of Paper Toys

Gérard Lo Monaco, trans. from the French by Noelia Hobeika. Little Gestalten (Prestel, dist.), $24.95 (24p) ISBN 978-3-89955-746-6

This small-format pop-up book features paper replicas of antique toys, handsomely set against solid backgrounds. For each toy, Lo Monaco supplies a brief commentary, written from a child’s perspective. “Tuff, tuff, tuff! What noise the motor makes!” he writes of an orange tractor and trailer with a tiny farmer at the helm. Other toys include a fire truck with eight firefighters, a mechanical boat, and a pair of pull-along dogs. A final pop-up shows all of the toys scattered across the floor of the child’s playroom (“I’ll clean up my room tomorrow. Goodnight, my toys!”). A playful tour of some beloved playthings that makes each one feel special—almost like museum pieces. Ages 3–up. (Oct.)