The Pop-Up Book of Ships is a dynamic, informative pop-up book surveying the history of maritime invention and exploration. The book is a dramatic pop-up journey into the world's maritime past, presenting various maritime cultural innovations. From the early explorers such as the Santa Maria to the famous Mayflower; from marauding pirate ships to frigates like the Bonhomme Richard and the USS Constitution; from a quaint Mississippi riverboat to the luxurious SS Normandie ocean liner and a superbly crafted America's Cup yacht; from impressive aircraft carriers such as the Intrepid or the Enterprise to the most advanced nuclear submarine. Readers will learn about the HMS Victory, labeled a first-rate ship, a designation that was used as early as the eighteenth century by the British Royal Navy for its largest ships mounting 100 guns or more; or that unlike a traditional square-rigged ship, the sails of a Chinese junk can be moved toward the long axis of the ship, allowing a junk to sail into the wind, to name only two. The Pop-Up Book of Ships presents a vibrant history of some of the world's greatest maritime adventures. Colorful, informative, and fun, it adeptly showcases maritime adventure and the lure of the sea, and is a fascinating book for sailors and seamen of all ages, as well as those with an interest in ship history.