Animal Opposites: A Pop-Up Book by Petr Horáček (review)

Pairs of oppositional adjectives are partnered with Horáček's vibrant mixed-media illustrations of animals in spreads enhanced by pop-up elements. There's a dynamic range to the opposite word pairs, from standard fare ("quiet" vs. "loud") to more varied choices ("smooth" vs. "spiky," or "still" vs. "bouncy"). The animal selections are similarly varied, ranging from animals more familiar to toddlers and preschoolers, such as dog, lion, and rabbit, to the more exotic meerkat, gorilla, and porcupine. While kids may be disappointed by the one spread that features no interactive elements, many of the pop-ups are stunning in not only their construction and positioning but also in the motion of their revelation. The "bouncy" kangaroo, for example, appears to literally bounce up and forward off the page as you open the flap, while the "strong" gorilla pushes himself, with his muscular arms, up off the ground and into an up-on-all-fours position as the flap is opened. Clues are occasionally offered on the flaps as to the animal that lies beneath—a brown-spotted yellow flap folds back to reveal a "tall" giraffe, while a length of spotted tail on a sky-blue flap announces the "fast" cheetah behind it. The pages are thick and sturdy, and the pop-up construction, though less durable than the pages, is still solid enough to hold up to a fair amount of use; little ones may need a hand in reassembling the final, oversized foldout of a large elephant to keep it in good shape. The large, high-contrast illustrations work effectively at a distance and up close, making this useful for both group settings and lap-sit sessions; the instructional content is strong enough for curricular use; and the striking animals and well-designed pop-ups will appeal to older sibs as well as to youngsters in the concept-book range.