Shopping Will Be Popping At Borders and Waldenbooks Stores This Holiday Season Through The Artistry of Robert Sabuda

Beginning Nov. 1, shoppers at Borders and Waldenbooks storesnationwide will find themselves virtually inside a larger-than-life,3-D pop-up book featuring enchanting winter scenes created by RobertSabuda, the New York Times bestselling children's book artist who iswidely regarded as the wizard of pop-up paper and book engineering.Sabuda's latest book, "Winter's Tale--An Original Pop-Up Journey,"debuts Sept. 27 from Little Simon, an imprint of Simon & SchusterChildren's Publishing, and is the inspiration for the incredible storescenery that is exclusive to the more than 1,200 Borders andWaldenbooks stores nationwide this holiday season.

Under the theme "Open Up A Season of Surprises," Sabuda's workwill be brought to life in Borders and Waldenbooks stores, elevatingthe standard holiday shopping trip into a magical event that will be amust-see for everyone, especially children and their families.Larger-than-life pop-up scenes will greet shoppers, including a giantpaper snowman that will welcome customers as they enter each store. Inaddition, all Borders and Waldenbooks stores will feature paper pop-upscenes depicting snowball fights, sledding adventures and ice-skatingfun. A flurry of 3-D paper snowflakes will create the illusion ofwinter inside all stores. Finally, flocks of paper doves will takeflight from store columns in an amazing display of artistry andengineering.

Sabuda Appearances at Borders

Robert Sabuda will appear at three Borders stores this fall tosign copies of his new book and talk to fans about his work:

-- Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. Sabuda will speak and sign copies of the new book the day it debuts at Borders in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle in New York City.

-- Oct. 3 at 12:30 p.m. at Borders on North State St. in Chicago.

-- Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. at Borders in the Arborland shopping center, Ann Arbor, Mich. This is an extra-special event because it coincides with the first day that the Sabuda-inspired store environment will debut at Borders and Waldenbooks stores nationwide.

In addition to the unique shopping scenery, Sabuda has also joinedwith Borders Group to create additional holiday elements. For example,Sabuda designed a set of paper pop-up ornaments produced by The Museumof Modern Art (MoMA)--a snowflake, holiday tree and dove--that will besold exclusively at Borders and Waldenbooks stores this year. He hasalso designed an exclusive gift card and a hand-assembled carrier thatfeatures a pop-up of the cheerful snowman. Finally, Borders andWaldenbooks will be offering customers the opportunity to purchase alimited-edition holiday bear named "Snowflake," who will feature agift tag that opens to reveal a sparkling pop-up Sabuda snowflake. Allof these items are sure to become cherished gifts and potentialcollectibles prized by those who covet the work of Sabuda and paperpop-up art.

"The opportunity to have my work brought to life through abookseller with the creativity and innovative spirit of Borders Groupis exciting," Sabuda said. "I'm very proud of 'Winter's Tale' and amdelighted to have found in Borders and Waldenbooks a team that sharesmy passion for books and the sheer joy of sharing that passion withothers. Seeing my work surrounding customers in the stores will be anamazing experience and one that I hope brings enjoyment to thousandsand thousands of people this holiday season."

"To have an artist with the talent and reputation of Robert Sabudadesigning the holiday store experience is a dream come true," saidBorders Group Senior Vice President of Marketing Michael Tam. "Theincredible 3-D displays we have created through the genius of RobertSabuda will draw holiday shoppers to our stores to experience thiswonderful sight. This holiday, we have elevated the traditionalseasonal shopping trip into an event the whole family can enjoy andremember for years."

About Robert Sabuda

Robert Sabuda lives in Manhattan today, but grew up in Pinckney,Mich., just 20 miles from Ann Arbor, the home of the first Bordersstore and the location of Borders Group's corporate headquarters.Sabuda knows Ann Arbor well as he spent many hours of his youth at hislocal bookstore, the Waldenbooks at Briarwood Mall. Sabuda created hisfirst pop-up book when he was just eight years old and went ongraduate from the Pratt Institute in New York City where he received abachelor's degree in fine art. During an internship for Dial Books forYoung Readers he developed a fondness for children's books and beganillustrating them in 1988 with the release of "The Fiddler's Son" byEugene Bradley Coco. Throughout the mid-1990s, he illustrated a numberof "flat" children's books including "Tutankhamen's Gift," "Arthur andthe Sword," and "The Blizzard's Robe." He created the bestsellingholiday pop-up classics "The Christmas Alphabet," (1994) "The 12 Daysof Christmas," (1996) and "The Night Before Christmas" (2002). In2000, he created "The Wonderful World of Oz: A Commemorative Pop-Up"which some consider his greatest masterpiece. Sabuda's "Alice'sAdventures in Wonderland" (2003) was a #1 New York Times bestsellerand was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2003. Hismost recent pop-up book, "America the Beautiful" (2004), appeared onthe New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller listsand was named a Child Magazine Best Children's Book of 2004. Otherbestselling pop-up books by Robert Sabuda include "Cookie Count," "TheMovable Mother Goose," and the recently released #1 New York Timesbestseller "Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Dinosaurs" (2005).

For more information on Robert Sabuda and his upcoming "Winter'sTale--An Original Pop-Up Journey," please visit www.robertsabuda.com.

About Borders Group

Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE:BGP) is a leading global retailer ofbooks, music and movies with 2004 revenues of $3.9 billion.Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., the company employs approximately34,000 people worldwide. Borders Group operates more than 460 Borderssuperstores and approximately 650 Waldenbooks stores throughout theU.S. In addition, the company operates 48 Borders superstores outsidethe U.S., as well as 33 Books etc. stores located throughout GreatBritain. Borders Group has also acquired Paperchase Products Limited,a leading stationery retailer based in London, England with more than70 locations in the U.K. Teamed with Amazon.com, online shopping isavailable through Borders.com (www.borders.com) and Waldenbooks.com(www.waldenbooks.com). More detailed information on the company isavailable at www.bordersgroupinc.com. Information regarding Bordersstore locations, in-store events and title reservation is availablethrough www.bordersstores.com.