Robert Crowther was born in Leeds in 1948. His father was a commercial traveller and the family moved many times around the north-east during Robert's childhood. He was interested in drawing from an early age, particularly detailed scenes packed with characters. While still at school, he produced illustrations for The Three Little Pigs for Yorkshire Schools Television. On leaving school, he went to art college, eventually taking an MA at the Royal College of Art.
It was while at the Royal College of Art that Robert became interested in pop-ups. "I just loved the way things came alive when you did them in 3-D," he says. Another of his college projects was to create a self-portrait in biscuit, which led to his being commissioned to make biscuit portraits of the Dutch royal family and a guest appearance on BBC TV's The Generation Game! After college, he worked as a freelance designer for Madame Tussaud's and other leisure venues, before becoming a full-time children's book creator. Father of two and grandfather of three, Robert now lives in Norfolk with his American wife, Nancy.
Robert produced his first book, The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Alphabet Book while still at college. It was published in 1977 and became an instant bestseller, revolutionizing the world of novelty books. "I didn't think I could get it printed, because there were a lot more mechanics than in other books at the time. Normally books only had six pop-ups; mine had twenty-six!" Over the following decades Robert has produced numerous novelty books, earning him international acclaim and the affectionate moniker "Mr Pop-up". He regularly gives pop-up workshops and demonstrations in schools, libraries and festivals throughout the UK and in the USA.!
Appearing (November 2009)
Gateshead (12th), Middlesbrough (13th)
Author Website
Robert Crowther
Publisher
Walker Books
Recommended Reads
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Cars Walker Books 978-1406312270 This pop-up book of cars steers you through the smartest, fastest automobiles in history, from the very first carriages to the cars of tomorrow. Pull tabs and lift flaps inside to drive the first automobile and find out how engines work, and see your car slide off the production line. Then feel the thrill of the racetrack as you take pole position with the stockcar and Formula 1 stars. |
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Ships Walker Books 978-1406307122 The history of seafaring transport, from rafts to supertankers, receives a brief but engaging treatment. The uncluttered design begins with a horizontal opening; each spread tackles one era or type of ship, with clear illustrations and accompanying fact boxes. Many tabs allow readers to pull the vessels across the water-blue pages, and another gives them the chance to make the slaves of a Greek bireme row in double-time. Flaps of various sizes lift to reveal a map with various voyages of exploration marked and a huge cutaway of the Queen Mary, among others. With its concluding tableau of a working port, this nifty history will leave young mariners fulfilled. |
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Flight Walker Books 978-1406300796 This pop-up book of aircraft will take readers up, up and away, with fascinating facts and interactive fun on every page. Lift the flaps and pull the tabs to trace the history of flight. Open the gatefold pages to reveal a 65-cm-long pop-up airport. Packed with maps, diagrams and ingenious mechanisms, this is the ultimate book for aspiring aviators! |
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Trains Walker Books 978-0744596564 A train book containing fun facts and pop-up surprises. Look inside a steam engine to see how it works, pull the tabs to race trains over bridges and through tunnels, and open up the last page to discover a model of a train station. |
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Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Alphabet Book Walker Books 978-0744570274 An international bestseller from one of the world's leading paper engineers. A is for Ape, B is for Bear, C is for Crocodile. Pull the tabs and lift the flaps to make frogs leap, hens peck, koalas climb, mice scuttle, owls blink, snakes uncoil...and learn the alphabet at the same time!; This pop-up masterpiece has sold over 30,000 copies! |
