Sabuda was born in Pinckney, Michigan on March 8, 1965. He was skilled as an artist from a very young age, and he attended the Pratt Institute in New York City. His specific interest in 3-D paper engineering---pop-up books---was sparked by a book he received as a gift. Since 1994 Sabuda has published at least one pop-up book annually. These books are typically childrens' classics like The Twelve Days of Christmas, Mother Goose, The Wizard of Oz, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Night Before Christmas and, most recently, Beauty and the Beast. Sabuda works from his studio in New York City.