Automata and mechanical toys delight children and adults alike with the beauty of their design and the excitement of their movement. This book explains how the mechanisms work and celebrates many leading makers. Topics covered: * History of automata & mechanical toys including the early inventors from Hero of Alexandria, through the mechanical marvels of the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries, to contemporary automata. * Advice on how to get started; tools and materials required and techniques explained. * Step-by-step instructions with clear colour photographs. * Theme projects based on the author's Twelve Days of Christmas. No other craft captures the magic of turning a handle, flicking a switch or pulling a lever to see the unexpected come to life. AUTHOR: Rodney Peppé is author-illustrator of over eighty children's books, and creator of Huxley Pig and Angelmouse for television. Rodney Peppé's Moving Toys was published in 1980, and this led to his toymaking. He rarely sells, but exhibits in one-man shows at venues including the V&A Museum of Childhood and the National Theatre. ILLUSTRATIONS: 160 colour photos