"Pop-Up Books: An Interactive Exhibition" at Rochester Institute of Technology is more fun than any adult should admit to having inside an art gallery. Lucky for me, I took a "cover" - my two grandsons, ages 8 and 10. When they were mere babes, I discovered a pop-up book of creepy insects that delighted us all until finally, after years of page flapping, the book was in tatters, too pooped to pop. Imagine my surprise to learn that Bill Finewood, whose 3-d paper cut work has appeared around Rochester's art scene for the past 25 years, actually teaches a design class at RIT in pop-up books. Now he has enlisted talented artists to thoroughly illustrate the mechanized world of kinetic paper sculptures in an exhibition perfectly at home in the technical school's art space.

The intrigue begins in a room with bold explanatory wall graphics beside nearly a dozen 2' tall hardcover books, each one rigged to illustrate a single method of paper folding. These samples are interspersed with mock-ups of book pages in standard size that make use of the methods.

Around the corner are actual artists' works that lead visitors through each phase of producing a pop-up book, from concept to finished product. This is where the "Wow!" and "Look at this!" starts.

Kyle Olmon's creative approach begins with a torrent of thumbnail pencil sketches that evolve into (in this show) "Castle: Medieval Days and Knights." Mechanized paper puppet arms hammer armature, horses gallop, knights march and duel and the castle explodes from the pages. Can it get any better?

Chuck Fisher is a recognized artist whose wall murals grace some impressive historic buildings around the country. His art is in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt Museum and the National Design Museum. His entry in this show, "The White House," clearly proves that pop-up books are not just eye candy for toddlers. Rooms curtsy to reveal exact furniture placement. Mini-books are inserted into page pockets that explain staffers quarters and offices. There are portraits of all the presidents and first ladies (with an insert on inaugural ball gowns.)

David A. Carter ‘s books probably show up in museum shops more often than bookstores. "One Red Dot" plots a graphic journey through 10 possible contortions, no narration in sight. He occasionally illustrates other authors' stories - not uncommon among book artists. In this show, it is Dr.Seuss' "Horton Hears a Who." As he graphs out his accompaniment with pencil sketches, Carter scribbles in one frame "big pop." (In nearly every pop-up book, there is that one double page extravaganza, the "full symphony" of pops.)

A small, darkened theater is tucked into one corner of the gallery with a video loop showing actual production of pop-up books. Obviously, the process is labor intensive, and just as obviously, these producers are all off-shore, mostly made in China.

Finally, the gallery space gives way to a bonanza library of some of the most fascinating commercially available pop-up books I've ever seen. They range from children's standard tales like "The Wizard of Oz," with color enhancing glasses and a glittery ball-shaped balloon, to "Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense" and books of phobias and classic nightmares that target an older crowd. Some seem to aim solely at showing off the gymnastics of paper sculpture; others have an educational agenda. Seated on upturned pedestals for chairs at makeshift library tables, we looked at every one.

This show clearly has no political, social, or psychological aim. There isn't a metaphor in sight. David Carter writes in his statement that he thinks art should be entertaining. "The purpose of my art," he writes," is to tickle the mind."

Not a bad goal for art.