Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist & Turn: Books for Kids to Make [Paperback]

Gwen Diehn (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Get ready to look at books in a whole new way! These unique projects consist of far more than paper stitched between cardboard covers. Instead, they showcase a host of fabulous features and magically unfold like a map, contain cards that slip into pockets, include pop-ups perfect for celebrating all types of occasions, and tell stories on a scroll. There's even one that unrolls like a movie. And kids will really enjoy choosing the style that's just right for what they want to say and do--so their message will come through loud and clear. Gwen Diehn, whose work critics have called "remarkably creative and inspiring"* and "outstanding,"** makes crafting easy with her superb explanations of tools and techniques.

"What is wonderful about this title is the author's ability to interest and convince readers that they, too, can become creators....Great ideas for inspiring projects."--School Library Journal

*From Library Journal, for Simple Printmaking

**From Booklist, for Nature Crafts for Kids

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-An interesting, unusual collection of crafts. Diehn explains that books are containers for messages, information, or ideas, and suggests that there are many shapes they may take. She gives general and specific ideas for making nontraditional books: those for carrying messages, for celebrating and marking occasions, for recording memories and thoughts, and for storing photographs or sketches. Throughout, sidebars provide information on the history of books. Materials needed are listed, and detailed step-by-step directions are provided. When an awl or Exacto knife is required, adult assistance is suggested. Some of the projects are complex, but clear line drawings accompany the instructions and full-color photographs show the finished products. What is wonderful about this title is the author's ability to interest and convince readers that they, too, can become creators. Children will use this title to make books for fun or assignments. Teachers can find ways to incorporate it into their history, science, or math curriculum. Great ideas for inspiring projects.
Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-8. Students familiar with Ed Young's Mouse Match (1997) may be looking for information on how to create their own accordion-folded books. Diehn's latest title is just the ticket. It will also be a valuable resource for classroom teachers and students who need information on the history of books or ideas for creative ways to present their writing or record memories. An introductory section describes how to set up a work space, lists materials, and offers suggestions for displaying text and illustrating books. Clear directions and diagrams and attractive full-color photographs of completed projects will make it easy for readers to duplicate 18 different folded, wrapped, and pop-up books. Historical fact boxes provide a surprising amount of book lore. Unfamiliar terms are defined in the text, and Diehn also supplies a glossary. Chris Sherman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579903266
• ISBN-13: 978-1579903268
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #195,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gwen Diehn was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, and studied art at Indiana University at South Bend, The University of Notre Dame (MA), and Vermont College (MFA). She has exhibited her artwork internationally and has work in many private and public collections, including the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. She has taught college art as well as workshops for many years. She has also written several books about art and also journal keeping and making. One of them, The Decorated Page, is being re-issued in a revised edition/bind-up with another one, The Decorated Journal, in spring, 2012. Her most recent book, Real Life Journals, was listed as one of the top 10 gardening and crafts books of 2010 by Booklist.


You can visit her blog at http://real-life-journals.blogspot.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super introduction to bookmaking, May 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, And Turn: Books for Kids to Make (Hardcover)

As stated in the title, this is a book for kids but has some pretty neat ideas. The book begins with an introduction touching on the question "what is a book?" with lots to think about. Such as pg 6 - "Can you call it a book if it's big enough to walk through? How about a book that is small enough to be carried in a little pouch that hangs from your belt? Have you ever seen a book made up of five kites, each with part of a poem written on it? Or a book that looks like a window shade, with each page working like one of the slats?..."

Then there are sections on How to Use this Book, Tools and Materials, Setting Up a Book Center, Writing Your Message, and Illustrating. The book project sections are: * Books that Carry Messages across Space and Time (accordian fold with pockets, stabbounds, coptic binding and foldouts, origami, and others). * Books that Celebrate and Mark Things (Japanese ledger binding, scroll books, "pamphlet-bound notebook in a polaire", "pop-ups in a glue book"). * Books that Save Words, Ideas and Pictures ("accordian-folded, with small pamphlet-bound inserts", "Tetratetraflexagon journal that unfolds in two mysterious ways", ring binding, secret compartments and others). * Books that Help Us Think and Make Sense of Experiences (Dos a Dos books, accordians cut into three sections, hardcover/three signature book, stab binding with split pages, lotus book).

Interspersed throughout are water color pics of neat old books and various book history bits. Super reading.

Though written for kids, the book doesn't talk down to readers but rather encourages them to go ahead and try making a book. I'm really looking forward to putting together some of the projects, which are not in the least juvenile.

Oh, did I mention the book is hardcover with a vinyl spine so you can see through it to the mull and stitching? Neato!

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Kids, June 3, 2006

By 

Learning All The Time "It's Never Too Late to... (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist & Turn: Books for Kids to Make (Paperback)

I used several ideas in this book to teach an afterschool bookmaking class for K-3rd graders. The books are eye-catching and pretty simple to make, although I did a bit of prep work for the kids.

It was really wonderful to see how much the children loved their projects. They were extremely creative and innovative too, every child made the book their own by doing something interesting or different with the materials provided. This is in stark contrast to several adult bookmaking classes I've taken, where the adult students want to recreate the teacher's book EXACTLY.

Anyway, I highly recommend this book to anyone is willing to spend some time making books with kids. Children older than 4th grade MIGHT be able to use this book independently, depending on their experience and motivation.

Regardless, I think this book is wonderful for showing kids just how fascinating and rewarding it can be to make their very own books.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A kid again, May 19, 2003

By 

Zoe (NEPA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, And Turn: Books for Kids to Make (Hardcover)

While this book is written for young people, these projects can easily translate into adult projects. The book includes some fundamental book making but also takes you, step-by-step, to more complex design, stitchery and concepts as you go from chapter to chapter. The coptic stitch is woven into pages 28-30 so subtly that you may not immediately realize its intricacy. What is fascinating about Books that Fly is its imagination and introduction to the wonder of books. It takes the reader on a magic tour of books.