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Gallop
There's never before been a book like Gallop! Employing a patented new technology called Scanimation, each page is a marvel that brings animals, along with one shining star, to life with art that literally moves. It's impossible not to flip the page, and flip it again, and again, and again.
A first book of motion for kids, it shows a horse in full gallop and a turtle swimming up the page. A dog runs, a cat springs, an eagle soars, and a butterfly flutters. Created by Rufus Butler Seder, an inventor, artist, and filmmaker fascinated by antique optical toys, Scanimation is a state-of-the-art six-phase animation process that combines the "persistence of vision" principle with a striped acetate overlay to give the illusion of movement. It harkens back to the old magical days of the kinetoscope, and the effect is astonishing, like a Muybridge photo series springing into action—or, in terms kids can relate to, like a video without a screen. Complementing the art is a delightful rhyming text full of simple questions and fun, nonsense replies: Can you gallop like a horse? giddyup-a-loo! Can you strut like a rooster? cock-a-doodle-doo!
Every child who opens the book will be amazed—and so will every parent.
A first book of motion for kids, it shows a horse in full gallop and a turtle swimming up the page. A dog runs, a cat springs, an eagle soars, and a butterfly flutters. Created by Rufus Butler Seder, an inventor, artist, and filmmaker fascinated by antique optical toys, Scanimation is a state-of-the-art six-phase animation process that combines the "persistence of vision" principle with a striped acetate overlay to give the illusion of movement. It harkens back to the old magical days of the kinetoscope, and the effect is astonishing, like a Muybridge photo series springing into action—or, in terms kids can relate to, like a video without a screen. Complementing the art is a delightful rhyming text full of simple questions and fun, nonsense replies: Can you gallop like a horse? giddyup-a-loo! Can you strut like a rooster? cock-a-doodle-doo!
Every child who opens the book will be amazed—and so will every parent.
12 pages, Board book
First published November 22, 2007
4 people are currently reading
581 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
October 13, 2014
i dont care if we ever find an alternative source of fuel or cure epilepsy - as long as we use technology to make fun books like this. forever.
March 1, 2020
Move over pop-up and lift-the-flap books! A new game is in town! Rufus Butler Seder's charming little book about animals in motion - the first ever "Scanimation" picture book - will appeal to the same demographic as the above (that is to say, anyone who likes fun...and um, young children...), with its amazing moving pictures. Guaranteed to keep little tykes engrossed (hey - it worked for me and my co-workers), Gallop has the added benefit of being far less destructible than your average pop-up, with no flaps or parts that can be torn by careless fingers.
August 24, 2009
So much fun!!! "Moving" pictures in a book!!! This is a new generation of pop-up/lift-the-flap type books and I look forward to more. Throughout the pages, cats leap, eagles fly, horses gallop all accompanied by simple but fun lyrical text. It's also durable, a welcome change from most pop-up type books.
January 17, 2021
El mejor libro de mi vida
Read
September 25, 2008I LOVE this book--I've been known to spend excessive amounts of time flipping through it over and over again! It was last year's holiday gift to all the tots in my life.
Jackie
Liz says:
Everyone that sees this book is amazed. Everyone from 2 years to 80 will say, "WOW, how'd they do that"? Well...
What is Scanimation?
How it works (from wikipedia.com)
A special high-resolution (around 800 lines) monochrome camera films high-contrast artwork. The image is then displayed on a high-resolution screen. Unlike a normal monitor, its deflection signals are passed through a special analog computer that enables the operator to bend the image in a variety of ways. The image is then shot from the screen by either a film camera or a video camera. In the case of a video camera this signal is then fed into a colorizer, a device that takes certain shades of grey and turns it into color as well as transparency. The idea behind this is that
the output of the Scanimate itself is always monochrome. Another advantage of the colorizer is that it gives the operator the ability to continuously add layers of graphics. This makes possible the creation of very complex graphics. This is done by using two video recorders. The background is
played by one recorder and then recorded by another one. This process is repeated for every layer. This requires very high-quality video recorders.
Jackie
Liz says:
Everyone that sees this book is amazed. Everyone from 2 years to 80 will say, "WOW, how'd they do that"? Well...
What is Scanimation?
How it works (from wikipedia.com)
A special high-resolution (around 800 lines) monochrome camera films high-contrast artwork. The image is then displayed on a high-resolution screen. Unlike a normal monitor, its deflection signals are passed through a special analog computer that enables the operator to bend the image in a variety of ways. The image is then shot from the screen by either a film camera or a video camera. In the case of a video camera this signal is then fed into a colorizer, a device that takes certain shades of grey and turns it into color as well as transparency. The idea behind this is that
the output of the Scanimate itself is always monochrome. Another advantage of the colorizer is that it gives the operator the ability to continuously add layers of graphics. This makes possible the creation of very complex graphics. This is done by using two video recorders. The background is
played by one recorder and then recorded by another one. This process is repeated for every layer. This requires very high-quality video recorders.
July 6, 2017
Alright I fell in love with this book due to the scanamation so I won't even pretend. It is new and weird enough to catch the eye of adult or child although my young niece finally got tired of it.
The writing is simple and geared towards the toddler. On the facing page it asks the reader if they move a particular way geared towards the animal and then on the opposite gives the moving picture along with some silly "descriptive words" if you can call it that.
If a child favors this book then it will be for the newness of the pictures. Otherwise it just may be a mediocre book to them.
The writing is simple and geared towards the toddler. On the facing page it asks the reader if they move a particular way geared towards the animal and then on the opposite gives the moving picture along with some silly "descriptive words" if you can call it that.
If a child favors this book then it will be for the newness of the pictures. Otherwise it just may be a mediocre book to them.
June 30, 2022
I've been carrying this around in my "fun bag" that I take to work at a childcare center, and my five and six year olds absolutely love this one. It keeps them busy for longer than I would have expected given its size, sometimes fifteen minutes or more spent moving the pages back and forth.
The other day a kid asked me if this book was magic. I love that reaction.
The other day a kid asked me if this book was magic. I love that reaction.
May 20, 2009
I used to love the "magic pictures" book I had when I was little. These Scanimation books are so neat, and O really likes it. The only drawback is that the book itself isn't very durable for the very young.
December 4, 2018
We read the Portuguese version.
Mommy: 5 stars. Fun little book. Good for practicing Portuguese with the kids.
Leila: 5 stars. I wanna keep it in my bookshelf. There was a dog in there. (What was it doing?) running.
Mommy: 5 stars. Fun little book. Good for practicing Portuguese with the kids.
Leila: 5 stars. I wanna keep it in my bookshelf. There was a dog in there. (What was it doing?) running.
May 24, 2008
I gave this book to just about everyone this past Christmas. I found it impossible to stop playing with--it's so unique and clever!
February 13, 2021
LOVE these books! Images that move when you turn the page? What's not to love?
September 15, 2022
Got me feeling like I’m high on an epidural!
August 22, 2017
The text is kind of silly - a slender thread for stringing the pictures together - but the moving images are so riveting that the kids don't mind.
March 5, 2024
Absolutely life changing. Really altered my perspective on movement and technology. Can’t wait to explore more titles by this author.
December 10, 2019
Awesome picture book. The images look like they are actually moving. A book that all of the kids will love.
December 10, 2019
Fantastic illustrations, love the concept to the whole book.
October 4, 2008
Seder, Rufus Butler, Gallop!, Workman Publications, 2007, 12 pgs, scanimation board book.
Description: Using simple illustrations of animals overlaid with a sheet of striped acetate, Seder gives the animals an illusion of movement. Children are asked if they can move like the animals.
Review: Infants and toddlers (and even adults) will delight in the way that the animals seem to move across the page in this book. Additionally, Gallop! encourages children to move around and mimic the movements on the page. This book would be especially effective at a library storytime, when a librarian could pause and ask all the children to imitate the animal movements. In this way, kids would learn kinesthetic skills needed to control their bodies. In a one-on-one setting, children will also enjoy moving the pages back and forth to see the animals' movements. Even though the cardboard pages are covered with a layer of paper, they are resilient enough to hold up to rough handling.
Professional Reviews:
Publishers Weekly Starred Review (2007). Publishers Weekly, vol 254, no. 47, p. 52.
This review focuses on the visual effect of the black-and-white images coupled with the boldly colored text. I agree that choice of coloring highlights the movement and makes it easy for children of all ages to focus on the story.
Sellers, John (2007). "The Book that Takes Off Running," Publishers Weekly, vol. 254, no. 42, p. 22.
This review, also appearing in Publishers Weekly, focuses on the Scanimation technology used to make the images move and how this appeals to adults and children. It is true that the appeal of this book is mainly in the unique technology that it employs.
Description: Using simple illustrations of animals overlaid with a sheet of striped acetate, Seder gives the animals an illusion of movement. Children are asked if they can move like the animals.
Review: Infants and toddlers (and even adults) will delight in the way that the animals seem to move across the page in this book. Additionally, Gallop! encourages children to move around and mimic the movements on the page. This book would be especially effective at a library storytime, when a librarian could pause and ask all the children to imitate the animal movements. In this way, kids would learn kinesthetic skills needed to control their bodies. In a one-on-one setting, children will also enjoy moving the pages back and forth to see the animals' movements. Even though the cardboard pages are covered with a layer of paper, they are resilient enough to hold up to rough handling.
Professional Reviews:
Publishers Weekly Starred Review (2007). Publishers Weekly, vol 254, no. 47, p. 52.
This review focuses on the visual effect of the black-and-white images coupled with the boldly colored text. I agree that choice of coloring highlights the movement and makes it easy for children of all ages to focus on the story.
Sellers, John (2007). "The Book that Takes Off Running," Publishers Weekly, vol. 254, no. 42, p. 22.
This review, also appearing in Publishers Weekly, focuses on the Scanimation technology used to make the images move and how this appeals to adults and children. It is true that the appeal of this book is mainly in the unique technology that it employs.
May 6, 2011
My 2-year-old really likes the moving pictures in this book. The text is nothing to write home about, but it's obviously not the point of the thing. We picked it up at a library book sale and it was a bit torn up: thankfully with a little care the pages can be repaired without destroying the movement of the images. I wouldn't pay full price for it, but then again I won't pay full price for practically anything. :)
October 7, 2018
Published: 2007
Very cool and exciting book! Very advanced visuals, really making the animals come to life with the book.
Very cool and exciting book! Very advanced visuals, really making the animals come to life with the book.
July 3, 2021
Me: good but awkward to turn, and odd rhyme choices
Alex: the pictures move, its awesome!!
Owen: yay animals!
Alex: the pictures move, its awesome!!
Owen: yay animals!
June 18, 2025
2025
2023
2022
2021
Gift from Harper's grandmother
Cute and the animation makes it really fun to turn the pages
2023
2022
2021
Gift from Harper's grandmother
Cute and the animation makes it really fun to turn the pages
June 12, 2020
The animals gallop, strut, run, jump, fly, swing, flutter, and swim across the pages. Each animal is brought to life as the illusion moves when you move the page. The butterfly is my favorite, because its wings look so delicate.
Los animales galopan, pavonean, corren, saltan, vuelan, balancean, revolotean y nadan a través de las páginas. Cada animal es llevado a la vida cuando la ilusión se mueve cuando mueve la página. La mariposa es mi favorita, porque sus alas parecen tan delicadas.
This book is so clever! I'm very impressed with the illusions and how clean the design is. So simple and yet so entertaining.
¡Este libro es genial! Estoy muy impresionada con las ilusiones y lo limpio que es el diseño. Tan simple y a la vez tan entretenido.
Each page asks us, "Can you jump like the cat?" or "Can you gallop like the horse?" giving the reader a chance to get up and move. It's wonderful to read to little children and get them to do a little exercise.
Cada página pregunta: "¿Puedes saltar como el gato?" o "¿Puedes galopar como el caballo?" dando al lector la oportunidad de levantarse y moverse. Es maravilloso para leer a los niños pequeños y hacer que hagan un poco de ejercicio.
Despite the black and white illusions, the rest of the page is colorful and bright. Even the text is in a variety of colors. The pages are thick and sturdy. I love all the details in the illusions, like the horse's tail that flies in the wind.
A pesar de las ilusiones en blanco y negro, el resto de la página es colorida y brillante. Incluso el texto está en una variedad de colores. Las páginas son gruesas y robustas. Me encantan todos los detalles de las ilusiones, como la cola del caballo que vuela en el viento.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.
Descargo de responsabilidad: Recibí copias de estos libros del editor a cambio de una revisión gratuita y honesta. Todas las opiniones aquí expuestas son mis propios pensamientos verdaderos, y no están influenciadas por nadie.
Los animales galopan, pavonean, corren, saltan, vuelan, balancean, revolotean y nadan a través de las páginas. Cada animal es llevado a la vida cuando la ilusión se mueve cuando mueve la página. La mariposa es mi favorita, porque sus alas parecen tan delicadas.
This book is so clever! I'm very impressed with the illusions and how clean the design is. So simple and yet so entertaining.
¡Este libro es genial! Estoy muy impresionada con las ilusiones y lo limpio que es el diseño. Tan simple y a la vez tan entretenido.
Each page asks us, "Can you jump like the cat?" or "Can you gallop like the horse?" giving the reader a chance to get up and move. It's wonderful to read to little children and get them to do a little exercise.
Cada página pregunta: "¿Puedes saltar como el gato?" o "¿Puedes galopar como el caballo?" dando al lector la oportunidad de levantarse y moverse. Es maravilloso para leer a los niños pequeños y hacer que hagan un poco de ejercicio.
Despite the black and white illusions, the rest of the page is colorful and bright. Even the text is in a variety of colors. The pages are thick and sturdy. I love all the details in the illusions, like the horse's tail that flies in the wind.
A pesar de las ilusiones en blanco y negro, el resto de la página es colorida y brillante. Incluso el texto está en una variedad de colores. Las páginas son gruesas y robustas. Me encantan todos los detalles de las ilusiones, como la cola del caballo que vuela en el viento.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.
Descargo de responsabilidad: Recibí copias de estos libros del editor a cambio de una revisión gratuita y honesta. Todas las opiniones aquí expuestas son mis propios pensamientos verdaderos, y no están influenciadas por nadie.
December 11, 2023
This is a picture book, intended for children 1-4 years of age. This picture book is about different animals and what they do. The balance of this book is very exciting, the picture is on one side while the words are on the other. The words are very colorful and big for children and parents to read. The book itself is also very simple short and sweet, so when a child reads this book, they're short attention span will not be a problem. They can just come back to the book, anytime they want to and enjoy it just as much as the first time they read it.
I love how they use the illusion of black and white lines to make the animals move on the page. This book will definitely be appealing to young children because the words are colorful big and bright, and the animal they're reading about moves when they turn the page. The illusions in this book makes the book very engaging and intriguing to continue reading. I believe this also encourages more parents to read books like this to their children, because it's interactive. In my classroom, I would use this book to do an art project. I would like to try to recreate the Scanimation, in which the book accomplished with the black and white lines. 12/09/23
I love how they use the illusion of black and white lines to make the animals move on the page. This book will definitely be appealing to young children because the words are colorful big and bright, and the animal they're reading about moves when they turn the page. The illusions in this book makes the book very engaging and intriguing to continue reading. I believe this also encourages more parents to read books like this to their children, because it's interactive. In my classroom, I would use this book to do an art project. I would like to try to recreate the Scanimation, in which the book accomplished with the black and white lines. 12/09/23
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2025
Few books capture children’s attention the way Gallop! does. My kiddo was immediately captivated by the clever scanimation — the black-and-white illustrations that “move” as you turn the page. Readers can see horses gallop, butterflies flutter, and turtles swim. The effect is mesmerizing! The rhythmic, rhyming text encourages children to copy the movements, transforming reading time into an active, full-body experience.
Because the format is so interactive, this book is fantastic for reluctant readers or wiggly toddlers who need movement as part of their learning. It blends literacy, art, and science in a unique way, showing kids that books can be dynamic and surprising. Parents will appreciate that it can be read quickly for short bursts of engagement or savored slowly as children try out each movement again and again. It’s a crowd-pleaser and a movement motivator. Great for getting those extra wiggles out at circle time!
Because the format is so interactive, this book is fantastic for reluctant readers or wiggly toddlers who need movement as part of their learning. It blends literacy, art, and science in a unique way, showing kids that books can be dynamic and surprising. Parents will appreciate that it can be read quickly for short bursts of engagement or savored slowly as children try out each movement again and again. It’s a crowd-pleaser and a movement motivator. Great for getting those extra wiggles out at circle time!
January 10, 2020
This is an amazing book, when you open the pages, there is a brief animation of an animal in movement. The image on the front cover is a horse and like all the other images of a chicken, dog, cat and eagle among other things, the movement is very realistic. The text is very simple, at a level that can be understood by a very young child. This book is truly a pack of fun for young children and I highly recommend it.
December 28, 2020
I really love the concept of this book, but I review children's books based on how my children view them, and this book falls short for my two year old son. He expected the pages to be textured, and they aren't. The motion caught his attention for a split second before he tossed the book down and moved on. I figured this might be a one time case, but he does this every Sunday (this is a church book for kids to look at during service), and every service he's uninterested in it.
October 30, 2021
What a fascinating, interesting book! The text is just alright but the moving pictures are really amazing. It's a "board book" but because the pictures are small, black and white (and fairly low contrast on top of that), I'm not sure how much young babies would appreciate the illustrations. I think toddlers or maybe even preschoolers and up would be more impressed.
September 27, 2022
Now that I have a 4 month old at home, I've been really checking out toddler/infant books. There are a lot of "are you as quick as a cricket" type of books out there, and this one fits right in, but it's not the main selling point. What sells this book are the inventive, moving illustrations! A static image doesn't do it justice - go check it out in a bookstore.
September 12, 2020
I think I like this book more than the baby, because it’s so unusual. To the baby everything is new and unusual. He does like it, the illusion of movement... but I love it! Makes me think about Harry Potter and the moving portraits. This is magic to me.
January 7, 2021
a scanimation book that is so fun and creative. As we move the page, it looks like the horse, cat, dog, bird, and other animals are moving. I think it’s super cool, but Elliot seems a bit young to understand the scanimation, so we will try again when he’s closer to 18-24mo
Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews