Ronshin's original creations

Pop-up and other special-effect books were first created in the 13th century by academics in Britain to illustrate scientific knowledge, said Guan Zhongping, a Beijing-based specialty book collector.

It was only in the 17th century that the techniques were applied to children's books, Guan said. Some rare editions, difficult to find because press runs were limited or they are now out of print, are prized by collectors.

Lelequ, the publishing arm of Wang Yihua's Ronshin Group, began printing its own Chinese-themed and special-effect books in 2009. They were well received at home and abroad.