LEGO has just announced the five LEGO Ideas projects that are qualified for the final evaluation phase of 2018, the verdict of which will be rendered next summer.

Only five projects competing against ten for the previous evaluation phase: the new rules in force and the gradual withdrawal of projects that do not meet the criteria of the new regulation have probably had their effect.

So there is still the nice project featuring some dinosaur skeletons (Dinosaur Fossils Skeletons - Natural History Collection by mukkinn), the industrial complex producing highly toxic substances (chemical plants by Ymarilego) which in my opinion has no chance in this period of greenwashing intensive at LEGO, the junk food stand to encourage small children to load up on burgers (Food Stand Diners by FrostBricks), a rather successful functional piano but that I do not see passing the review phase (Playable Lego Piano by SleepyCow) and a liner that could eventually stand out (Queen Victoria Cruise Ship by FlagsNZ).

While waiting for LEGO's decision, we will quickly be fixed on the fate of the ten projects below grouped together for the second evaluation phase of 2018:

Finally, note that the two LEGO Ideas sets planned for this year are already referenced by the Jouéclub brand which indicates a number of pieces for each of these boxes: 748 pieces for the set 21316 The Flintstones and 751 pieces for the Tree House.

For reference, the initial project featuring the Flintstones family and its habitat consisted of 770 rooms, that of the tree house brought together more than 2600 pieces.

If the number of pieces indicated by Jouéclub for each of these sets is correct, it therefore seems that the tree loses some branches during the adaptation phase of the project into an official set ...

Update : The creator of the Treehouse project confirms that the figure provided by Jouéclub is incorrect, the set (ref. LEGO 21318) should be the largest sold in the LEGO Ideas range to date ...

We will quickly talk about the next LEGO Ideas set that you will soon be able to add to your collections: The reference 21315 Pop-Up Book (859 pieces - 69.99 €) based on the project by Jason Allemann aka JkBrickworks, the artist who is also behind the LEGO Ideas set 21305 Maze, here associated with Grant Davis.

The idea of ​​the book that opens to reveal content that takes shape is not new, it is already a few hundred years old. If you have children, you probably have a book somewhere that uses this technique with Dora walking on a path and Chipeur coming out of a bush ... The format is still having some success, I am thinking of the magnificent in particular. Pop Up Book based on the Game of Thrones TV series published in 2014 by Huginn and Muninn. This same principle is therefore applied here in LEGO sauce.

LEGO has made a great effort here on the exterior appearance of the book. Too bad the designer did not go to the end of the process: only the cover is dressed with nicely pad printed plates indicating the title and the names of the two creators of the initial project, the spine of the book and the spine remaining on their side hopelessly empty. It smacks of the savings imposed by the marketing department.

The handling is very convincing and you will inevitably want to put this book among others on a shelf to take it out in front of the astonished eyes of your friends who will choke on their aperitif when they discover what it really is.

Unfortunately, the lack of pad printing on the edge slightly reduces the potential for integrating the thing into a library and that's a real shame.

As a bonus, you will have noticed that we are entitled to a large unsightly injection mark right in the middle of the 16x8 plate which dresses the back of the book. Manufacturing process requires, it is also present on the plate placed at the front but the pad printing makes it less visible.

The formula Once upon a brick displayed on the cover of the book is completely neutral and does not directly reference the two scenes provided in the set. This is a good initiative that keeps the element of surprise and does not harm the potential for customization of the set.

I note in passing that LEGO has abandoned the idea of ​​the latch present on the initial project and which keeps the book closed. I liked the idea of ​​being able to secure the work via this latch but we will do without.

In front of your friends impatient to see what is going on, you will then casually open the book to reveal the scene that you have chosen among the two provided in the box.

Only the decor remains in place in the book. The minifigs can be stored there but will have to be placed where you want afterwards, nothing is specially designed to keep them in place when closing.

Because you have to leave room to store the decor in the two flaps of the book when the latter is closed, some may have the impression that the two scenes are a little minimalist when deployed. It's the principle that wants that and we can not blame LEGO on this specific point.

The and 21315 Pop-Up Book allows you to set up two different sets provided: the first is based on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood with the grandmother's house, some furniture and some accessories, the second is inspired by the story of Jack and the Magic Bean with a landscape, a few micro-tricks symbolizing the houses and the vegetation and a bean that unfolds on a few Technic pieces held in place by a string at the opening.

It's well designed, it works every time. No blockage or destruction of the various elements during repeated handling.

Once you have fully understood the principle, you are free to create your own content while keeping the mechanism and dressing the two spaces with 12x2 studs available. The real challenge here is to put together a decor that will not block when closing the book.

I already know that we will be entitled to dozens of creations from more or less inspired MOCeurs and you will quickly find some ideas to fill the book on flickr, Instagram or your favorite forum.

In the box, three minifigs to embody the different protagonists of Little Red Riding Hood accompanied by the giant from the tale Jack and the Magic Bean and a microfig to represent young Jack. This coherent endowment allows the two stories to be told while adding a little interactivity. To signal your young audience that it's time to go to sleep, just close the book.

This is obviously more of a "demonstration" product with almost infinite customization potential than a toy. You can use it to show your friends that there is much more to do than a Star Wars ship or a building with a few LEGO bricks.

I say yes: LEGO offers here a nice set with a really well executed idea, which you can offer at Christmas and which will have a small effect even on those who are not absolute fans of the brand's products. Guaranteed effect also on the youngest who like stories before going to sleep.

LEGO Ideas set public price 21315 Pop-Up Book from the LEGO Shop  : € 69.99.

Note: The set shown here is put into play as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before October 31 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Those who follow the usual channels dedicated to LEGO "leaks" have already discovered the LEGO Ideas set. 21315 Pop-Up Book, via the available visuals of the box and the minifigs, others can now get a more precise idea of ​​the work of LEGO on the base from the original project by Jason Allemann and Grant Davis.

Everyone can also now give their opinion on this box which will be officially unveiled this week and for which I am preparing a "Review ".

Below, a short teaser posted by LEGO on Youtube while waiting for something better.

Two projects have been validated during the new phase of the LEGO Ideas review: The playset featuring the Flintstones Family (The Flintstones) submitted by Andrew Clark and The Treehouse of Kevin Feeser. Everything else goes by the wayside.

These two sets are being adapted to the LEGO standards and their marketing is announced for 2019, probably with the references 21316 and 21318, the reference 21315 being attributed to the Popup Book of JKBrickworks.

It is therefore the second project submitted by Andrew Clark to be validated by LEGO after the one that had served as a working basis for the set. LEGO Ideas 21304 Doctor Who. (2015).