GERMAN IDEAS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 90, 13 October 1934, Page 18

GERMAN IDEAS

MOVING PICTURE BOOKS

The moving picture is not only confined to plays and topical events, states an exchange. It has invaded the picture book, and the German child at least has picture books, with which much and varied movement is combined. The pulling up and down of various elements in a picture, or the shifting.of it, as though it were a Venetian blind, by means of a paper slip is well known. Books such as these, because of a certain fragility, are' often kept for drawing-room and special use. The German picture book, combines with this other methods of movement. Sometimes it is divided in the middle, and the; flaps from each side form a whole picture. These are ;. made to match, but if they do not other curious' contrasts are obtained which meet with popularity. Another feature is a series of pictures which, by the holding over them of a red. transparency lose and take on colours in a mysterious way. The transparency is kept in a flap inside the book/ A third method consists of a number of small pictures, rather larger than postage stamps, set side by side and representing, animals, houses, cars, games perhaps. Out of the inner flap of the books .is taken a sheet of paper cut out -\ in what seems to be arbitrary holes of the same sizes; as the pictures. .If this U placed .upon ■ the picture one. way, .up nothing but birds can be seen through the holes,. If it be reversed nothing, but houses or means of transport occur. By a clever en'oulft--tion the original pictures are arranged so that they may be thus simply grouped. The child has an elementary lesson in calculation and a slight sense of miracle besides. The moving picture element is thus adapted for the youngest minds. .