Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood)

This is an early example of a childrens' pop-up book by Le livre theatral. It has mounted, hand-coloured illustrations and is printed in French. The item includes eight scenes from the story of Little Red Riding Hood depicted in an adaptation of the peep show mechanism. Dean & Co had been producing various types of movable book for many years, when in the mid 1850s they produced their 'New scenic books' series, which may be considered the first true movable books. In these a three dimensional effect is achieved by producing scenes in three layers, which lay flat when the book is closed. When opened, a ribbon, which is fixed to each layer, is pulled from the back and the whole scene springs to life.

Little Red Riding Hood, or 'Le Petit Chaperon Rouge', was the first in this series, and was quickly followed by Robinson Crusoe, Cinderella and Aladdin.

The series was also marketed in France, translated into French, but using the same images and technique. The company continued to produce attractive movable books throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

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