The late 19th century was a period of great innovation in the production of movable (or in today's term 'pop-up') books. Ernest Nister was one creator/publisher who brought the production of these novelty books to heights of excellence that were not surpassed until the 1980s. Nister was responsible for creating a new 'dissolving' kaleidoscopic effect for a series of picture books; he also refined the technique for multi-layered three dimensional pictures which sprang up when the page was turned. The children's tableaux is an example of this technique. Many of the illustrations in the book show his slightly sentimental trademark style but 'The Goose Step' with its vivid colouring and whimsicality is distinctive.

Carpenter, Humphrey. The Oxford companion to children's literature, Oxford [Oxfordshire]; New York: Oxford University Press, 1984 [see sections on 'Movable picture books' and 'Pop-up books']

Haining, Peter. Movable books: an illustrated history: pages & pictures of folding, revolving, dissolving, mechanical, scenic, panoramic, dimensional, changing, pop-up and other novelty books ..., London : New English Library, 1979

Montanaro, Ann R. Pop-up and movable books: a bibliography, Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, c1993

University of North Texas: Rare Books and Texana Collection. Pop-up and movable books: Ernest Nister

University of Virginia: Libraries. Pop goes the page: movable and mechaical books

State Library of South Australia: Mortlock Wing exhibitions. To be a child August 2004-