Sterling Innovation Paper Model Kits at Barnes & Noble

[dto]

(Hopefully this is the appropriate forum section for this post...)

Usually I avoid Barnes & Noble (and shopping malls in general) on Christmas Eve, but this morning I braved the last-minute mob to see what paper model kits were on the gift bookshelves. I was very impressed last year with the Star Trek USS Enterprise kit, and wondered if there would be similar items this holiday season. An open box review of that model can be found here:

Paramount and Star Trek Papercraft

I wasn't disappointed. This year's offering is a foot-tall Star Wars R2-D2 with lights and sound. See:

Star Wars: Build R2-D2 by Ben Harper | 9781435146044 | Other Format | Barnes & Noble

Other paper models included a somewhat-cartoonish RMS Titanic. Take a close look at the mispainted funnels and oversized portholes, and you can understand my disappointment:

Build the Titanic by Meghan K Cleary | 9781435132900 | Other Format | Barnes & Noble

On the other hand, this Viking Longship looks very impressive!

Build a Viking Ship by Meg Harvey | 9781435147683 | Other Format | Barnes & Noble

Fans of Johan Scherft's gorgeous paper birds should take notice:

Beautiful Paper Birds: Easy-to-Make Lifelike Models by Johan Scherft | 9781454908166 | Other Format | Barnes & Noble

There were other paper models, mostly tabletop siege engines and "battling" robots. All were produced by Sterling Innovation, a division of Sterling Publishing -- which is itself a wholly-owned subsiduary of Barnes & Noble. Kudos to them for highlighting our special hobby -- with luck, some lucky gift recipients will get hooked on paper modelling and eventually find their way to this forum. In the meantime, I will definitely schedule a return visit to Barnes & Noble during their after-Christmas blowout sale...

Happy New Year, everyone!


David T. Okamura

[whulsey]

Swore I wasn't going out the door for the next 24 hours, but may sneak over to the local B&N to see if they have the Birds book.

[Sakrison]

I saw these at B&N in Wisconsin, too. A bit pricey, but the longship and R2D2 are tempting.

[dto]

Heads up, everyone! Barnes & Noble has begun clearing out their kit section at 50% off. Sale items may vary with location -- of the two bookstores I visited, both had the Viking Ship on special, but only one had marked down R2-D2. I'm still waiting for the bird set, but I suspect it will also be 50% off in a few weeks as stores prepare for inventory.

After a quick examination of my new purchases, I was very impressed. Sterling Innovation did a quality job in packaging and presentation. The booklets which accompanied each model were very well writen and illustrated. Instructions are clear, the parts sheets are beautiful, and the diecutting registration appears to be spot-on. Even though the parts are perforated, neither R2-D2 or the Viking Ship are kits that can (or should) be done in a single sitting, but are ideal weekend family projects. At the reduced price, I highly recommend them. But don't wait too long, for these kits will soon disappear.

Have fun!

David T. Okamura

[cgutzmer]

ooooh - thanks for the heads up!