This Book Is a Planetarium: And Other Extraordinary Pop-Up Contraptions

Product Information

This is why I’ve been remaking the function of tech with something that most people consider trash: paper. By stripping technology bare of its complication and interfaces, I want to make a place where people can contemplate the wonders of the physical realm. Taste, touch and smell, hearing and seeing, are not merely a means to sensation, enjoyable or otherwise, but they are also a means to knowledge – and are, indeed, your only actual means to knowledge.” Artist Kelli Anderson contributes enlightening text alongside each pop-up, explaining the scientific principles at play in her constructions and creating an interactive experience that's as educational as it is extraordinary. Inspiring awe that lasts long after the initial pop, This Book Is a Planetarium leaves readers with a renewed appreciation for the way things work—and for the enduring magic of books. Planetarium is a truly stunning book that makes science exciting for all ages, blending art and fascinating descriptions to help communicate the wonder of the universe. Its mix of beautiful illustrations and inspiring science makes is a worth winner.' - Professor Sheila Rowan FRS - Chair of the 2019 adult judging panel for RS Book Prize

The first thing that catches your eye are the beautiful illustrations, they are quite simply stunning and will instantly entice readers of any age into the book. It's rather like being drawn into a magical world with colour, mystery and excitement. The reader's taken on a whistle stop tour of the universe and provided with concise descriptions of the planets within the solar system, as well as comets and meteors, from the Big Bang right through to the fate of our universe. This book is a worthwhile addition to any astronomer's library, ideal for leafing through on a cloudy evening to let the mind wander into the mysteries of our universe.' - Sky at Night This collection of cool popup fun makes for the perfect roommate gifts for girls and guys and falls under the following book categories: Welcome to The Planetarium! Home to an incredible collection of astronomical objects from small icy moons to huge swirling galaxies. How big is the Universe? How did it begin? What mysteries does it hold? This book is one to keep and read and LOVE! It's a beauty.' - Angels and UrchinsWhen selecting a book by title alone, you may think that This Book is a Planetarium and Other Extraordinary Pop-Up Contraptions may be a generalization about the book’s contents. Perhaps the book is about planetariums, projecting stars, or constellations. However, in this case, the book folds out to become a rudimentary planetarium, powered by the light of a cell phone or other small flashlight.

In this review we are going to take a closer look at a brand new pop-up book titled: This Book is a Planetarium. Yes, this pop-up book is a planetarium but it’s also so much more! Paper Engineer Kelli Anderson, who also created the pop-up This Book is a Camera in 2015, now takes the concept of pop-ups with real functionality to a whole new level. The result is a surprising and beautiful book with stylish pop-ups that all have different functions like a musical instrument with strings, a spiralgraph, a decoder ring, a perpetual calendar and a speaker that amplifies the sound of your smartphone. And last but not least, a beautiful pop-up planetarium that projects stars and constellations to the ceiling! “What can paper do?” Defying every expectation of what a book can be, this pop-up extravaganza transforms into six fully functional tools. Never has humble paper had such radical ambitions. Fans of adult pop-up books like Robert Sabuda's Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up, Matthew Reinhart's Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Interactive MinaLima edition Defying every expectation of what a book can be, this pop-up extravaganza transforms into six fully functional tools. Artist Kelli Anderson contributes enlightening text alongside each pop-up, explaining the scientific principles at play in her constructions and creating an interactive experience that's as educational as it is extraordinary. Inspiring awe that lasts long after the initial pop, This Book Is a Planetarium leaves readers of all ages with a renewed appreciation for the way things work-and for the enduring magic of books.This review originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of "Technical Communication", https://www.stc.org/techcomm/2018/05/....

Recommended ages 7+. Under-5s will not be admitted – Ted's Space Adventure is suitable for younger children. What can paper do? That’s an interesting concept when you think about it. With pop-ups, it’s possible to create constructions that not only fit in a book but also use their shapes to amplify sound or mechanisms that make it possible to reveal hidden secrets like stars and encrypted messages. It’s all in this book! Kelli Anderson managed to design five solid pop-up spreads that really function as a speaker or instrument. Paper Engineering Planetarium features all aspects of space, from the Sun and our Solar System, to the lives of stars, the Milky Way and the Universe beyond. With stunning artwork from Chris Wormell and informative text by Professor Raman Prinja, Planetarium is the perfect gift for anyone with an interest in this fascinating field.' - World Book Day What a beautiful book! A brilliant book filled with beautiful pictures and fascinating facts about our universe. It steps through different parts of space as if you are walking through a museum, so you 'walk' through seven galleries including Looking at Space, The Solar System, The Sun, The Night Sky, The Stars, Galaxies and The Universe. This is an interesting book for adults and children alike, whether you have a specific interest in space or not. It would make a fantastic gift for an older child who is passionate about space or a brilliant addition to any classroom environment when learning about space through science or topic. Younger children would definitely enjoy looking at the pictures while older children could use it as part of their independent work/research.' - Lucy Newton, Reading Zone Go on an amazing guided tour of the galaxy with this stunning big-format book, and explore the solar system, the Milky Way and the universe beyond.' - The Week Junior'Pop-up books begin life with the author ripping apart other people’s pop-up books as a form of love, homage, and study (many friends at The Moveable Book Society have confirmed this.) Room lighting is left at a higher level, bright enough that you can walk around safely, and leave and re-enter the show if you wish. The song used in the trailer is the best, most cosmic and ethereal version of ‘Major Tom’ in existence. It is by a self-taught musician named Susan Dietrich aka The Space Lady. Buy her music, it is amazing! This project was born out of the paper record player invitation I made a few years ago (more about the process of experiencing that realization in this podcast interview with Debbie Millman.)

Defying every expectation of what a book can be, this pop-up extravaganza transforms into six fully functional tools. Artist Kelli Anderson contributes enlightening text alongside each pop-up, explaining the scientific principles at play in her constructions and creating an interactive experience that's as educational as it is extraordinary. Inspiring awe that lasts long after the initial pop, This Book Is a Planetarium leaves readers of all ages with a renewed appreciation for the way things work—and for the enduring magic of books. Mary Oliver provides these instructions for how to live a life, which resonated with me: “Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” At my desk, with a giant pile of “doesn’t-works,” I would eventually stumble upon something that kinda did. Often, I felt silently blown away by just-how-little it took to build something capable of performing some minor feat. I don’t know if other people will have this same reaction, but this is the best way I’ve found to share it. It’s a pretty fun book. There are many books about space for children, and though it’s a subject with enduring allure, it can be difficult to find a book with the right level of text and information for particular ages, presented clearly and with inspiring illustration.https://cdn2.dropmarkusercontent.com/19290/37c369f2a1f89ad8afb8205ef48a0a89d2534df1/blinking-lights.mp4 Then, you end up with a disgustingly soft/crappy handbuilt pop-up. It doesn’t close… or even open, really BUT THERE’S A GLIMMER OF HOPE. Like an addict, you keep going.