Aladdin: A Cut-Paper Book

In a companion to 2013’s Pinocchio, Italian artist Baruzzi again uses dramatic cut-paper compositions to illustrate an abbreviated adaptation of a popular tale. Intricately cut black and brown paper is overlaid against jewel-toned backgrounds, creating silhouettes of Aladdin, the magician who tricks him into entering a mountain cave full of menacing stalagmites, and the ethereal genie who comes swooping out of the lamp that Aladdin rubs. The story itself races along quickly (the text is integrated into the negative space, creating a well-designed but sometimes claustrophobic reading experience). An elegantly illustrated adaptation that may be best appreciated by readers already familiar with the story. Ages 5–7. (Sept.)