Interactive Pop-Up Fairy Tale

This book is our interpretation of the classic Central European fairy tale Long, Broad and Sharp-Eyed. At Valibook, we love transforming stories into physical experiences, and this project was an opportunity to bring a beloved tale to life through paper, movement, and interaction.

Our goal was to create a book that feels like a miniature theatre. Each spread unfolds into a three-dimensional scene, inviting readers to step inside the story and discover its magical world through paper engineering.

Inspired by Paz Tamburrini's course on carousel books and paper storytelling, we explored how these techniques could be adapted into a published children's book. The result became Long, Broad and Sharp-Eyed, an interactive carousel fairy tale published by Valibook in Czech Republic.

Susteinable papers, 180 g.
Book cloth cover with screen printing.
Adobe Illustrator for artwork and technical preparation.
Laser cutting technology for precise paper construction.
Traditional bookbinding techniques for assembly.

Before any paper engineering began, every scene was illustrated by hand using traditional techniques. We wanted the artwork to preserve the warmth and charm of classic fairy tale books, so the characters, landscapes, and details were first created as original paintings.

The illustrations were then digitized and adapted for paper engineering. We carefully planned how each scene could unfold in three dimensions while preserving the composition and atmosphere of the original artwork.

Each spread started as a simple paper mockup. We tested different folding systems, connections, and structural solutions to create a book that opens into an immersive carousel-shaped world.

After many iterations, the final illustrations and paper structures were combined. The individual scenes were laser-cut, assembled, and refined to create a complete interactive fairy tale experience that invites readers to explore the story from every angle.

Thank you for viewing our project.

You can follow more of our work and behind-the-scenes process on Instagram: @nakladatelstvi_valibook