Cut! How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation

A “snip, snip, snip!” refrain fittingly compels this matter-of-fact chronicle of German animator Charlotte “Lotte” Reiniger (1899–1981). Fond of making scherenschnitte-style paper silhouettes, she channels her passion for film into creating jointed puppets and putting on shows for classmates. Acting school provides an opening to the movie industry, and she’s soon making stop-motion animation with silhouette figures. When an opportunity to work on a full-length animated feature arises, Reiniger finds reason to innovate with creations such as the multiplane camera. Emphasizing chiaroscuro via a limited palette, digital depictions from Schu appropriately foreground silhouettes rather than the figure herself. Dream-centered text by Winters articulates the labor put in by its subject, making for an informative account of a successful life in the movie business, involving “a pair of scissors, a great deal of patience, and her talented hands.” Back matter includes a timeline, author’s note, and glossary. Ages 4–8. (Jan.)