Transformers Pop-Up Book

Product Description

Top Reviews

OOHHH! AHHHHH! GASP ------ A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!!
by GiGi (5 out of 5 stars)
November 13, 2013

This book boggles the mind. The artistry? Glorious! The mechanical operation? INGENIOUS! Buy this for yourself, buy it as a gift for just about anyone. If you are reading reviews to help you make up your mind - stop NOW and get this book! My cleaning lady and I looked through Transformers together today in complete awe. We'd turn a page, be amazed, then operate a pull-tab to perform a transformation so entirely unexpected and amazing that it took the breath away. I don't think I've ever written a review with as much enthusiasm as I'm writing this one. Wish there were some punctuation mark that was more emphatic than an exclamation point!!

One caveat: The pop-ups are so complex and intricate that they should not be handled by any but the most careful and respectful person. This book is a treasure, worth treating tenderly.
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Awesome!
by Daniel Couch (5 out of 5 stars)
December 16, 2014

Bought this for my son for Christmas((he hasn't seen it yet, but will be stoked!)) .... but I truly think my HUSBAND wanted it for himself when I showed him! The magic and wonder of a pop up book brings out the kid in all of us. Great price, quality book and I'll be buying more for our collection.
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Stunning
by C. D. Neterer (5 out of 5 stars)
January 26, 2014

While I am much too old for pop-up books anymore, I have a fascination with engineering and design, which also feeds my interest in Transformers. When I heard that the pop-ups in this book actually shifted from vehicle to robot I had to find a copy just to see how that worked. Upon receiving it, the book fell open to the pages with the Omega Supreme construct (yes, it takes up two pages) and I was dumbfounded. It is over a foot tall, possibly 14 inches; I'm not exactly sure as I didn't measure it. This is light years beyond anything I ever saw in a pop-up book as a child. The artwork is lush, bright, and colorful. The text is simple enough for children to read and understand, and contains a familiar mix of old (1980s) Transformer backstory with newer information and updated biographies. A tidbit for dyed-in-the-wool Transformer fans: Scrounge is included here, but you have to look for him. I would not recommend this book for very young children, though, as some of the larger constructs in my copy (Optimus and Megatron) have some resistance to them when I pull on the tabs, so I'm very aware of tearing them. Also, when I removed the shrink wrap, one minor character was already torn off and fell out of the book. I was able to repair it, but obviously wasn't too happy as it was an integral part of a special construct, and I wonder how many other copies this might have occurred in. There were also a couple more constructs which didn't transform all the way after their tabs were extended and needed some gentle coaxing to complete their changes. But, with the intricacy involved here, I suppose some glitches are inevitable. Another thing parents might want to keep in mind is this book is short - 10 pages total including the ones printed on the interiors of the front and back covers. All in all, however, I was extremely impressed and I can honestly say I am proud to display this book in my library.
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Amazing!
by Erin F (5 out of 5 stars)
September 4, 2018

This book is amazing. It's more advanced, so if purchasing for a kid to read, you may want to wait until they are 8 or 9. It's not a story, just a who's who/what's what. Now, with all of that being said, I bought this for my 5 year old, not knowing the book was for more advanced readers. However, I am far from disappointed! The pop ups are PHENOMENAL. I've never seen anything like it. I'm telling you, this thing is just...beyond imagination. Buy it and you'll see what I mean!
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A Heartfelt Tribute to the Unfolding World of Transformers
by RG (5 out of 5 stars)
December 6, 2013

Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe is less of a true introduction to the greater corpus of Transformers lore than it is an endearing paean to the generations of fans who have supported it since 1984. This book deftly distills the art and stories of multiple generations into an easily digestible introduction to the Transformers, or an "Optimus Primer," if you will, for young and old alike. Matthew Reinhart's writing has an ebullient tone that will cause longtime fans to remember sizzle text, catalogs, and packaging descriptions from Transformers products of yesteryear, and rather than becoming rote or forced, this prose actually adds to the book's unique charm. Artist Emiliano Santalucia's creative blend of character designs seamlessly combines elements from Generation One, Transformers Animated, Transformers Prime, and others, all set nimbly upon a color palette familiar to fans of every series and warm enough to match the book's text.

The real centerpiece here, of course, is Reinhart's incredible talent for papercraft engineering, and the epic complexity of the pop-up designs featured in the book. Thumbing through its pages, you'll encounter ever-increasingly intricate versions of the Transformers Universe's most popular characters, leaping from form to form with one pull of a paper tab. Standouts here are a jaw-dropping two-page pop-out of our heroes' home planet of Cybertron (that plops open neatly into a battle scene reminiscent of many a Hasbro box top) and an enormous Omega Supreme that leaps so far out from the page that you'll fight the urge to duck and cover.

It's important to note, however, that the book's elaborate papercraft designs require some delicacy when they are manipulated or folded back into the book, as this is not your childhood's pop-up scenario. Some of the designs require some coaxing in and out of their "transformations," at the very least during a first read-through. Those buying this book for a younger child may want to provide lap-side supervision to prevent frustration or unwanted damage to the pop-ups.

Older fans will certainly enjoy the book for its many character call-outs and Easter eggs, some plucked from the relative obscurity of foreign toy releases and early comic book pages. Younger fans will marvel at the pop-up designs themselves and the overall exuberance of the book's presentation. A small error or two might bother the hardcore enthusiast (Bio details from one character being misplaced with another's, for instance) but in a sense it wouldn't be a book for Transformers fans if there wasn't something here at which to raise a critical eyebrow.

Overall, Transformers: The Ultimate Pop-Up Universe is one of the few Transformers books out there that hits a sweet spot in what most of us love about the Transformers. Absent are the dark cynicism of the mythos' live action films, the inconsistency of its adolescent years, and the constant self-referential miasma that clouds more recent comics and books. It's a Transformers pop-up book, for crying out loud, and it's as cool, if not cooler, than you'd hope it would be.
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Unique pop up book
by justsomeone (5 out of 5 stars)
July 24, 2016

This is a great pop up book.

If you like transformers then you will enjoy this book. If you like pop up books, you will love this book.

The information in the book wasn't anything spectacular. It has a number of information entries about various transformers, their history, and locations. This book really shines in the pop up features. Throughout the book the pages not only pop up to make scenes of robots, the robots have pull tabs to transform.
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That could have been designed better, but overall it's a great book
by Alexandria (4 out of 5 stars)
April 4, 2016

My son loves his book, but the pop ups in the center of the book have a large pull out tab that is also in the center. Because of the fold in the tab, two have been accidentally ripped in half. No, he was not overly rough with them, the reinforcement is not present in the very center where it bends (and frankly needs it the most). That could have been designed better, but overall it's a great book.
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Terrific gift for Transformers fans
by MP_NY (5 out of 5 stars)
November 12, 2013

The engineering wizardry of making PAPER transform cars and planes into robots is just great fun to marvel at. Highly recommended for fans of Transformers from the 1980s. I'm (very carefully) sharing it with my 3 year old son who is yelling "Transform" at the book as he pulls and pushes the tabs. I'll be buying copies for several of my friends to share with their boys.
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beautifully made
by Arnold (5 out of 5 stars)
November 10, 2015

Gave this to my 8yo as a birthday gift. He loves it. What Reinhart can do with paper is unbelievable. The transformers actually transform in this book with the pull of tabs. As with any intricate pop-up, it is fragile, so if your child will be unlikely to take care of it you'll want to wait on this one. Actually, I give this to an adult.
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Pop-ups are awesome, but some transform easily and some need more ...
by Worfer77 (4 out of 5 stars)
August 7, 2016

Pop-ups are awesome, but some transform easily and some need more than just "a little help" (I had seen the need f "a little help" on YouTube, but this copy I got was a little... squashed. Maybe another copy for a friend as a gift?
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Amazing!
by Anime Neko (5 out of 5 stars)
March 23, 2019

Very enjoyable and just brings the book to life as expected!

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