Blue Ribbon Books
The "Pop-Up" Peter Rabbit (Pop-Up Book)
New York: Blue Ribbon Books, 1934. First edition. From the Midget Pop-Up Series.
Miniature pop-up book. Approx. 3 3/4 x 5 inches. [60] pages. Single double-page color pop-up at center; black-and-white illustrations throughout. Stapled binding in pictorial boards.
A charming Depression-era adaptation of the classic Peter Rabbit tale, issued as part of Blue Ribbon’s Midget Pop-Up Series—one of the earliest American efforts to popularize dimensional illustration in small-format, affordable children's books. The central pop-up is vivid and complete; interior line drawings are clean and well-printed. This title exemplifies how 1930s publishers reimagined beloved literary characters through the lens of U.S. pop culture and mechanical novelty.
Condition: Near Fine. Pop-up is fine, bright, and complete. Covers very good with minor wear; still well-bound with no loose pages. An excellent copy, especially for a title often found with damage or detachment.
Collector’s Corner:
Blue Ribbon’s Midget Pop-Up Series was among the earliest efforts to bring dimensional illustration into small, affordable children’s books during the early 1930s. Each title included a single central pop-up and black-and-white content adapted from existing children’s favorites and pop culture icons. The series captured the stylistic energy of early 1930s commercial art and character licensing, blending familiar stories with mechanical design innovation.
The complete Midget Pop-Up Series consists of:
A. The "Pop-Up" Buck Rogers – A Dangerous Mission
B. The "Pop-Up" Mickey Mouse – In Ye Olden Day
C. The "Pop-Up" Pop-Eye and the White Savages
D. The "Pop-Up" Little Black Sambo
E. The "Pop-Up" Peter Rabbit