The Pop Up Tour De France, Pamela Pease (2009) Paintbox Press 9780966943375 Folio 14pp $36 An imaginative introduction to the great race, with a sound text, and some fun - if not ground-breaking - paper engineering

There is a magic about books whose pages come to life mechanically. Cycle racing might not be the most obvious subject for the pop-up treatment, but Pease manages a couple of enjoyable set pieces.

She also tried hard to find ways to use paper engineering to explain particular aspects of La Grand Boucle. There is a time triallist who speeds along as the seconds click by on a digital clock, and an acetate overlay on top of a map of France on which you can sketch this year's route. Both are clever, but are a little short on 'wow factor'.

It was produced in association with Amuary Sport Organisation, the owners of Le Tour. Possibly as a result, the text gives a wholly dependable description of the organisation and running of the event. Unsurprisingly, it does not dally on the dark side of the sport. And entertaining as the possibilities of a pop-up hypodermic might be, it would not sit well in a volume generally aimed at the younger reader.

I tried out a copy on a ten year old - who immediately emitted a 'wow', and spontaneously announced that the book was 'cool'. At the end of half an hour pouring over the book, he was enthusiastically anticipating the start of this year's race, and asking if, one day, he might travel to France to see the real thing.
Incidentally, a French version of the book is also available - 9780966943382.

PS June 09